MAHL WARS: EPISODE II - RESURRECTION

(This is the second part of the Mahl Wars franchise.  The first part is here.  Also, I was too lazy to look up rehearsal numbers this time.  Remember to follow along with your own recording at home!  Mine's Chicago with Claudio Abbado)

 Part I - Allegro Maestoso

The scene opens with the vast, deep emptiness of space.  As the oboe enters, the scene pans to a fleet of Imperial Planet Renders.   Darth Wagner makes his first appearance, accompanied by a demonic brass fanfare.  As he announces to the ship his plan to capture the grave of Anti-Non Brucknobi, two Schöentroopers exchange confident glances on a lower deck.  The camera pans in and reveals these two to be none other than Gustav Skywalker and Hugan Wolfo, disguised and infiltrating the Empire ships.  They slip into the crowd as the fleet departs from Viennescant.  There is a brief struggle around the 3-minute mark as Gustav steals security codes from an officer, and he and Wolfo make a daring close escape, fooling the guards on the next floor into thinking they're helping pursue the intruders (did you hear Gustav's theme from the first movie in the flute around 4 minutes?).

However, their escape is short-lived as Darth Wagner comes down to their floor (sehr langsam begginend).  As the Deus Irae begins, Wagner reveals his plan to extract the essence of Master Brucknobi in order to fully wield the power of Titan for himself.  He makes his departure cackling maniacally at the extremely John Williams-sounding chords.  Skywalker and Wolfo start making their daring escape, sneaking through the Planet Render to get to the escape pods without being noticed by the Schöentroopers.  They escape, but not unnoticed.  When asked if the pod should be shot down, Wagner orders his troops to hold their fire, saying he has his own plans for Skywalker.  As the movement ends, Wagner says to the helmsman, "Set a course for Viennescant."

Part II - Andante Moderato

The scene opens in the relaxed Resistance base on Viennescant (unlike their Lucasean counterpart, these rebels are largely inexperienced and tend to not worry about things too much).  Gustav goes to a closed-door meeting, where he meets up with Princess Alma.  As he explains Darth Wagner's plans to the council (which is obviously represented by the scherzo-esque sounds here), they have a hard time believing him, since they aren't privy on the ways of Muzyk, a "dying old religion."  Princess Alma (obviously represented by the waltz) makes her case that they should listen to Gustav and protect the tomb from a possible Imperial assault.  At the big brass entrance, a call-to-arms has been organized, and the Resistance members are put back into combat training to protect the planet from Imperial action.  As Gustav thanks Alma for helping out, we get the first hints of their non-sibling attraction.  Gustav leaves the meeting in a daze, and the pizzicato show how in-the-clouds his head is.

Part III - In Ruhig Fleißender Bewegung

Nighttime.  Anti-Non Brucknobi's tomb.  Enter the incredibly handsome bounty hunter, Bobaszt Franz.  The Resistance guards start questioning him on his whereabouts, but his dazzle proves too much for their weak minds, and as he sweet-talks them, he manages to hit them both with stun blasts from his blasterforte.  He escapes from the tomb with Brucknobi's urn, making an overly-heroic brassy clamour as he does.  He retreats from the tomb to his ship across the city, charming the patrolling guards all the way down.  No one, regardless of gender, orientation, or identity, can resist the overwhelming power that is Bobaszt Franz.  Even Gustav, who bumps into him while walking still in that daze, doesn't notice through his Muzyk that something is amiss.  With a big brassy cacophony, Franz can't help radioing to Resistance headquarters to brag about how he stole Brucknobi's remains, and the guards are too entranced to do anything about it.

Part IV - Urlicht.  Sehr Feierlich, Aber Schlicht

Darth Wagner is meditating, and in a vision, sees Anti-Non Brucknobi.  Wagner is no longer a robotic excuse for a human, but appears whole as before his fateful confrontation with the dragon Fafner.  Wagner demands Brucknobi honour his promise of years ago and explain the full secrets of the Titan for him.  Brucknobi explains that there is no secret, and that the Titan's power exists within everyone.  He goes on to clarify that Gustav was not granted power by anyone, but has total mastery of Muzyk on his own accord.  Enraged by his old master's words, Wagner vows not only to master Muzyk, but to become a Gesamptkunstmaster, having total control of every aspect of everything, an accomplishment that the Composer's Guild both banned and thought impossible.  Anti-non bids that he has nothing more to say to a man he once called his friend, and departs.

Part V - Im Tempo Des Scherzos

An Imperial Planet Render approaches Viennescant space, but the Resistance is ready.  Gustav, meditating before the inevitable struggle, sees Anti-Non in a vision, who tells him that he has the power to ward off Darth Wagner for now, as he is blinded by his own ambition.  Wagner radios the Resistance command, saying he is holding the remains of the hero Brucknobi, and demands an easy surrender.  Gustav is in the room, and makes a speech on how the body means nothing, and Brucknobi will always be with the Resistance through Muzyk.  As the connection is cut, the council must decide whether it's worth it to make an offensive, as the Empire does not appear to be hostile, and it's decided that the safety of the planet's inhabitants must come first.  Gustav decides to go on a solo covert mission to retrieve the urn from the Empire.

(Am Anfang Sehr Zurückgehalten) By using his Muzyk to confuse the Schöentroopers, Gustav manages to sneak aboard the main Planet Render.  Sneaking through the corridors, he discovers the urn guarded only by a few troopers, and entrances them with his Muzyk, taking the urn and heading back to his ship.  (Wieder Sehr Breit) He takes off successfully, and heads back into Resistance space, but not before leaving an identical (though empty) urn behind.  (Maestoso.  Sehr Zurückhaltend)  Gustav is surprised to see that a firefight has broken out between the Planet Render and a Resistance Frigate Pathetique.  However, the Frigate quickly causes the Imperial ship to fall back, not expecting the Resistance to have been anticipating combat.

(Wieder Zurückhaltend)  Gustav is confronted by Bobaszt Franz on the surface, who tries to use his charm to get him to return the urn, which wasn't his to begin with.  Gustav's Muzyk thankfully is with him this time, and he can see through Franz's faulty charm to the logic underneath, refusing to give back the urn, and after a brief struggle, manages to slice the blasterforte in half in Franz's hands with his violsabre.

(Sehr Langsam Und Gedehnt)  The next day, Gustav is honoured by the Resistance and the Olde Castlee that was the ancient base of the Composer's Guild.  Suddenly, the lights dim and a heavenly chorus can be heard singing all around.  Anti-Non Brucknobi appears to those present, causing cries of "He's alive! He's returned!"  Master Brucknobi says softly that he has not returned, but through his Muzyk, is making himself alive in the souls of the Resistance members, and that every act they take to making the galaxy better for the listeners out there is honouring his memory and work as a Composer.  He charges the Resistance to continue to spread the power of Muzyk through the galaxy, and though his image vanishes, the chorus continues to sing.  The scene pans up and out to space, as the chorus continues to sing, and the credits roll.

Touchdown in Viridian City

Hello people of the internet! Most of the people I'm writing this for are either currently in or have histories of being in Pallet Town, so this is directed at them.  It's the end of my first full day in Viridian City, after a twelve hour flight and a four hour time difference, and I'm just starting to get settled.  I'm having a bit of a time getting all the things out of my suitcase, mostly due to laziness combined with the lack of a proper desk, but probably moreso the first one.

The first thing I've definitely noticed is I've had less chances to talk to people from Pallet Town than I've wanted, and I worry that this may end up being a recurring theme.  Which sucks, I have so many good friends from there.  I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure those connections aren't lost, so don't you fret, M. Marius.

My first plan in decorating is to put up a few posters, hide some of the awkwardly green walls.  As I said, I lack a desk, which is really bugging me.  However, I have a SOFA that I didn't think I had.  So, the bedside table might become a desk, the chair might become a bedside table, and the sofa might take over for the chair.  Plus, it means I can have guests without awkwardly making them sleep in plain view of five other roommates.  I also have a wardrobe, which will be used as such, and another thing with shelves that'll probably become a bookcase against its will.  And I have a little closet-under-the-stairs style closet, but no hangars in there, so it'll be... for something.  Maybe storing these suitcases... though one of them will likely become an impromptu laundry basket.

I have an office at the university, which is kind of awesome.  It's a glorified practice room with a desk, but still.  I'm waiting to see if there's a music orientation, since I haven't heard of one yet, and would really like to familiarize myself with the department a bit more... find out all the details that I took for granted that I knew at the old school.  About halfway through writing that last sentence, I found the department handbook online, and it looks like a lot of things will be starting fresh next week, so I'm not alone in this.  Which is good.

I got an e-mail from the guy that's teaching trumpet first term (yes, I don't get "my" teacher until January, but I knew that going into this, and I think two different approaches might be a good thing), and have sent him a brief bio of myself as per his request.  So that's taken care of, looks like Tuesday lessons will be the norm for another year.

Ensemble rehearsals are generally twice a week for large ensembles, and looks like once a week for brass choir.  Presumably smaller brass ensembles would also be once a week, not sure since they haven't been assigned.  What they do with rep classes is kind of cool, though.  I have two rep classes per week.  One of them is for all trumpet majors, and just trumpets.  The other, and this is a neat one, is restricted to performance majors only, BUT isn't segregated by instrument.  All the performance majors are divided into three groups, and those groups have rep class throughout the year, coached by instructors of different instruments each time.  I think it's pretty nifty.

So yeah.  Still alive, still going, getting ready for school, getting bored, getting nervous... lots of getting going on.  I have no idea how frequently I'll be updating this throughout the next term, but I'm going to try and keep a steady stream going, both for you folks at home, and for the new folks that may flock to this in the coming months.  Either way, it'll be an adventure!

Random Sociology Rant #1: Why Horatio Caine is Actually the Embodiment of the Modern Internet Citizen

I'm going to preface this by saying I don't watch CSI: Miami, to the extent where I actually had to go look up the fact that it IS the Miami one I'm talking about here, so this probably could be longer.

Anyways, THIS GUY.

Sigh... where do I begin?  As someone who has seen maybe four episodes of this show, all at different times, and with the most recent one well over a year ago, I have no idea why this guy is the star.  I mean... he's kind of lame, his jokes aren't funny, and he just kind of reeks of loser.  See, I don't even know enough about the show to tell you what I don't like about him.  I just don't like him.  Yet, he's the star, and considering TV shows like this usually don't mind switching their cast around, there has to be a reason for it.

And then it hit me.

Horatio Caine is us.

That's right, people of the internet.  This guy is EXACTLY what each of us wants to be.  In him, we see ourselves as we want to see ourselves.  Mr. Caine makes some big enemies in his time, and pulls off some spectacular kills (or so the internet/Wikipedia/IMDb tells me, I'm just kinda rolling with that).  He always puts justice and the innocent first.  He's generally a badass.

And here's the thing about that: he kinda just comes across as an average Joe.  He's not an Arnold Schwarzenegger, more buff than we'll ever be.  He's not a Ryan Gosling, more good-looking than we'll ever be.  He's not a Rowan Atkinson, funnier than we'll ever be.  He's not a Stephen Hawking, more brilliant than we'll ever be (though I'm sure he's pretty sharp, don't get me wrong).  He's just kind of a guy, and an incredibly badass one.  He has no reason to be badass other than he just is.

And that's what's so appealing about him.  All of us average Joes on the internet, either see ourselves or want to see ourselves as much more badass than what we are.  Enter Horatio Caine: someone we can identify with because he seems to be just an average guy.  He has no unrealistic superpowers.  He's not a super-genius like Charlie Eppes.  Though his past is far from pleasant, it's not shrouded in mystery like Dean Winchester.  This is someone who, through a lot of off-screen hard work and determination we don't like to think about, has achieved a level of awesome we'd all like to see ourselves.  He always does the right thing, which obviously we all do every time, right?  He's basically John McClane but still has hair.

"But person whose name I probably know but might not," you say, "why are you singling him out instead of John McClane, or Meredith Gray, or Fox Mulder?" Well, to combat your pseudo-random list of characters... it's the one-liners.

These one-liners serve a dual function: first, they de-idolize him in a sense, bringing him from a "perfect" TV character, to someone who sometimes says stupid things.  You know, KIND OF LIKE US.  Admit it, you say stupid things, too.  Their other function is to make it clear to the viewer: regardless of how bad most of his one-liners are, he's still the big bad guy on the scene.  By giving him a common trait among us (incredibly bad joke attempts), and showing that it in no way lowers his awesome level, viewers come to sympathize with him, while also hoping "maybe I can be as way past cool as that, since I can TOTALLY come up with better one-liners than he can!"

And so, dear internet, a toast for our idol.  For the man we want to be.  For Horatio put-your-damn-glasses-on Caine.

YEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH.