One thing Sapardi Djoko Damono (SDD) wrote in one of his emails is (freely translated by me) : My poems , once they are finalized and I decided to publish it, belong to the people. They are free to interpret them and do whatever with them. They are not mine anymore .
A short but very brave and profound statement. His poems are of incredibly high quality and sublimeness that they can achieve a certain level of simplicity and beauty which speaks directly to the heart of any human beings without any necessity of being understood or analyzed. I haven't been able to feel the same with my music, and God knows if I could someday. That, I think, is the dream of any artist. I only wish that my music belong to the people, but I can recall all the rehearsals I go and tell the musicians how they should interpret the music exactly as I want it to sound. Exact speed, exact nuances, exact articulations, exact phrasings, exact balance between instruments, exact dynamics. What a control freak !! And for many years I didn't care too much about how DIFFICULT is my music to be played ; I demand only virtuosic and technically highly accomplished musicians to play my music . Am working hard on it, believe me, to achieve greater simplicity in my music.
I am just amazed that I can learn more about music composition from a poet. SDD is the one who struck the right chord in me. Something which I always knew but only now can understand. Just read his poems, or listen to Mozart's music and you too will understand. Less is more. Much more.
