In one sense, absolutely nothing is timeless, most especially living things.
In another sense, however, many things are timeless – no matter how many times we see or hear or feel them, some things always reward our attention.
Today’s post and tomorrow’s post address the same, individual tree, and the same piece of music, with its composer present on both (different) occasions.
These “timeless” things are unaffected by fashions or trends.
Paradoxically, however, what makes them “timeless” is the very fact that they are constantly changing – there is something new to appreciate, every time.
Even when the thing itself has not in fact substantially changed – a given musical recording or painting, for instance – our perception of it will be at least a little different, each time…and that is only in part because our previous encounters have influenced our view of the current one.
Almost every day I see some of the same trees, but not one of them ever looks the same!
Most eucalypts’ “skin” does markedly change through the course of a given year – their bark’s texture and colour are inconstant, the bark thickens, cracks, mottles, peels, renews itself…
But even if you stand still and pay attention for just ten minutes – especially on a partly-cloudy, windy day – you will see the bark in front of you change its appearance every time a cloud moves across the sun.
Have a look, at midday, then take another look, at half an hour before sunset, and it is as if the tree had changed its clothes.
All this makes a single tree both “timeless” and “never the same, twice”.
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In June 1974 guitarist John Abercrombie (1944-2017) recorded his first album as leader – a trio session, with keyboardist Jan Hammer and drummer Jack DeJohnette.
Issued in 1975 by ECM, Timeless was named for its concluding, longest cut.
45 years later, Timeless is still Abercrombie’s best-loved, most oft-covered composition…and its debut recording still sounds uncanny…
Tomorrow’s Timeless presents a wonderful musical rarity…and you may find it hard to believe that its tree is the same one, on the same day, at almost the same time…and no, the clouds did not shift.
A wonderful piece of music and, like the tree,a multi-textured and subtly different every time I listen to it. Thanks for sharing this.