Rhapsody

//03: the tuning.

do you hear that?
the orchestra's tuning.
i've always loved this:
the sound of all these different instruments
playing different things -
completely disorder, anarchy,
disharmony.
a cacophony
(ironically)
yet beautiful all the same.

there's the strings:
the high, smooth sounds of the violins, and the violas -
they're a bit harder to hear, but if you listen closely
you'll get their lower vibrations.
(i always swore i'd marry a violist; it's nearly my
favourite instrument.)
cellos aren't all mournfully depressing, you know; their high notes
sing. we always tend to forget that.
and finally - right there! - the basses, with their low, comforting murmurs.

i've never managed to remember exactly
what the winds and brasses are.
i can hear flutes and piccolos
and clarinets and oboes;
is that the tuba? and those are horns -
the french and the english - 
ah yes, the trombone
and the trumpet.
that's all i can name, really;
but you know them all. you can tell me.

and there in the back are the
percussion. they're always hidden.
timpani, drums, cymbals, celesta...
there's no harp, this time.
but that's okay.
you know, i've always been saddened
by how symphonies hardly ever make use of
the piano. though i guess i'm biased;
it is my instrument
after all.

oh, it's starting!
the lights are dimming;
shh, quiet -
you can finish that joke later -
it's starting -
it's starting -
everybody's settling down -
it's dark, and there's just that pool of light
onstage.
it's starting.

oh no, here comes the speech.