In the Beginning Was the Word

Time and music both impart a certain sense of continuity and succession on our imagination. Moreover, music always begins from a few first notes that activate our inventiveness and make us imagine how the melody will run further on. Similarly our conscious life begins from a few initial presupposition that we can develop and continue in different directions. In both cases the beginnings are of utmost importance. They promise more that life usually permits, introduce a sense of rhythm and order, open new horizons and probe the limits of our liberty. It is also interesting that both time and music are open to retrospective reinterpretations. The actual point of departure is to some extent arbitrary and/or conventionally imposed. The continuation is exposed to a risk of dissonance or a wasted opportunity. But it can also lead to unexpected or undeserved satisfaction. Finally the effect can mean many different things to different people.