Development section

I taught International Baccalaureate Music (theory and history) during my time at International School Manila; one of the topics we spent time on was sonata-allegro form. In a nutshell, classical composers adhered to a general roadmap for the first movement of a symphony: an exposition, where musical elements and ideas are introduced, a development section, where the ideas are explored, modulated and exploited, and a recapitulation, where the original ideas return transformed--in a new key.

A thought occurred to me the other day while driving a long stretch up Highway 101, listening to a public radio station playing classical music. That feeling of unrest, that lack of a "home key," that feeling of many ideas and elements interweaving kaleidoscopically, moving toward but not yet achieving stability--our family has moved into the development section of our symphony.

Which means, if we extend that analogy, all we have to do is hang on, enjoy the nuances of the music, and in time stability will return.

We can do that. And we will look forward to the next movement.