I had a dream about a big black dog. His eyes were the size of teacups. Or like a Basilisk has. The dog was much bigger than any real dog. There was something cat-like in him, too. He came up to me and laid his head on my shoulder. He was menacing and dangerous, but not to me. He was  apologizing for something to me. He regretted something, and I knew I would have to punish him for that, probably kill him.

This week, I was working on the introduction. A thing about power. A power of a single human over another. Without sanctions or the use of force. But with humiliation as the main tool and aim. I discussed the various options with Szczepan, straining his patience, perhaps. We talked about the possible weakening of the quote from Shakespeare contained in the text, about the possible addition of a reversed perspective and broadening of the interpretation, about adding to the element metaphor – fire – that is present here in my view. I need all this as bridges between the three parts of the entire trilogy: Pokora - Siren - Drach. These bridges - the common denominators - are a fact for me, but I can imagine different ways of highlighting or understating them. Understatement is generally better, but you can, I think, neatly balance in the grey area at its limits. Szczepan is open-minded but it definitely does make a difference to him; and I’m still not fully certain about all my ideas either. 

Nevertheless, work is progressing, not only on the text itself, but the music is also growing. Certain threads and general rules are established. There was cyclic form in Drach, mirror symmetry in Siren, here, we there will be an element of repetition and disturbed symmetry. Partial asymmetry. It is contained in the initial motif, which is a quote.

In addition to soprano and baritone voices and of course strings, there will be accordion. A pretender to the title of nobleman among instruments. In fact - on a micro scale - the king of instruments, only it has hardly ever been recognised as such. A noble peasant.

Tomasz Konieczny sent me a draft recording of The Glimpse - from a series of three recent songs to the lyrics by Baczyński. I like it very much.