Monday, May 17, 2010

The Passions of Bryn

A couple of years ago, I met the character Bryn, a beautiful vampire living mostly isolated and in the shadows of Philadelphia.

Born in the 1700's, she has experienced amazing and breathtaking things, but her immortality has darkened to a deep bitterness. Her desire to possess the rare men she loved has always ended in their death. She cannot resist joining with them, and they cannot resist giving themselves to her. (I thought of this story before I heard of Twilight. She's kind of the anti-Edward.)

I first wrote about Bryn in Winter Wind as she enchanted a random man to feed her hunger. Then, despite all her efforts never to love again, she crossed paths with another rare one in Requiem I. She stalks him in a theater to the music of Mozart's Requiem. Requiem II was an experimental piece blending writing and music in a video format.

In Dreams, Bryn later visits this man as he sleeps and manages to taste him without taking his life. Finally, I returned to Bryn's birth in my mega-narrative poem Under the Willows, where I also explained the origin of the burgundy primrose.

Okay, so why am I telling you all of this? Because I've rewritten and tightened my video piece Requiem II in anticipation of the new final installment, which will again be a music/writing/video fusion. This time, however, the music will be Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, 1st movement, and this time I am the musician! Yes, I wanted to play it and record it myself, so this one will be a real treat for me.

For now, to get you back into Bryn's world for the soon-to-be-posted finale, here is the reworked scene when Bryn senses a new, mesmerizing presence at night in the theater.

9 comments:

Terri said...

I think the word I'm looking for is "bewitching". Phew.

Jason, you must be psychic. I was just wondering over the weekend if we would hear about Bryn again. Moonlight Sonata is one of my favourite pieces of music. I look forward to hearing you play it, and to seeing more of Bryn.

Cloudia said...

Cool



Aloha from Spring Time in Waikiki!


Comfort Spiral

Laurel said...

I lovelovelove Requiem. The way you've worked the cadence of narrative into the music is really effective and obviously, the mood is already in the music.

Cool concept. A soundtrack for words...

Karen said...

The story is wonderfully coordinated with the music, pacing and swelling in all the right places. I look forward to the final installment!

Tabitha Bird said...

Beautiful. I too look forward to the final installment.

Mona said...

The coordination was excellent! I loved the music & the story too!

Bernita said...

I am so glad I had new speakers installed!

Oddyoddyo13 said...

That was brilliant! I loved how the piece and the music seemed to just...fit. The timing was stunning. :)

Anonymous said...

Terri, that's so weird that you were just thinking of Bryn! And here she is, preparing for her curtain call. (For now, at least.)

Cloudia, springtime in Hawaii...very nice!

Laurel, I like how its just shy of visual. Your mind is so close to making its own little movie.

Karen, after letting it sit, I definitely saw opportunities to make it more tight and easier to follow. Glad it worked for you!

Tabitha, I hope to capture Bryn's spirit in the final piece.

Mona, I was very particular about the "timing" of the words. :)

Bernita, it sounds better this time around, eh? You're all over the cutting edge technology!

Oddyoddyo13, on the one hand, it was a real challenge to blend all the elements, but on the other, it was a real blast to do!