Jorge Grundman - Composer  
 


First of all, I would like to humbly say I am sorry because there is nothing new in the music I write and, moreover, it was not even my intention. This might be the reason why I prefer to say that I consider myself a writer of music more than a composer. I just try to tell stories through the music narrative. I do this in the simplest, almost naive way possible. However, if there is something that leads me when I start writing a piece, it is to avoid communicating something tiring and boring. I want people to find my music sentimental and moving and also, as far as possible, to fancy listening to it again. I am talking about being accessible to the listener and the performers. In other words, I do not write for composers.

In fact, I think these values are pretty hidden in much of the music that is written nowadays. It seems that it is important to know the date in which a piece was written or how it should be understood before listening to it. Let me take an example: if Beethoven had never written his Symphony Nº 6, known as “Pastoral”, and someone would write it these days… Would not we have the same right to be moved and enjoy it? Why? Why would not it contribute anything new? Would it not be understood just by itself?

I think that music, as all arts, should not have sell-by date or the need of an explanation to communicate emotions. And, please, do not misinterpret me. I could not dream of comparing the faintest of my hemidemisemiquavers to the work of Beethoven. I wish I could write a quaver rest as well as he did.

But let me insist, just in case I did not express myself well: I do not mean that we should not investigate, advance and contribute something new in music, but I think it is possible that both lines of writing coexist. I do not think, then, that Verdi´s maxim “…Torniamo all antico, e sara un progreso…” (“If we come back to the old, it will be a progress”) could be applied to my work. I feel sorry if somebody approaches my scores and hopes to find a different kind of music. That was not my intention. I only try to tell stories. Or rather, I try to write music for them.