I’m not very educated in music, but in nostalgically listening to Shiro Sagisu’s original soundtrack “Never Meant to Belong”, it, like many other songs in my life, gave me a certain impression; this always made me wonder at what would come out if I could put such impressions into thought, to answer the question: ‘what is it about this piece that I like?’.
The piece starts with repeated dissonant harmonies in the background; off key. Something’s off, not right, not fitting. The continual invocation of the sound creates a static feeling up to the point where the first keys begin to usher in. These first keys, which are few, separated from the rest of the melody makes for a very lonely beginning; yet, at the same time invokes a stillness of sorts, echoing like falling drops of water on a still pond, reverberating across its surface, such do these first few drops of melody resound throughout this landscape of dissonant harmonies.
The second set of sounds in the melody reveal its true form, one note consonates with the other in contrast to the harmonies that support it. Two contrasting elements, one inharmonious, the other harmonious gripping the ear of the listener. In the melody, everything falls into place, the sounds are free flowing and soothing to the ear in contradistinction to the stiff dullness of the harmonies that support it. However, noting this, there is a question that comes to mind. Namely, that there is something missing. The song conjoins in a mellifluous unity despite the opposing elements that compose it. Elements that, by virtue of what they are, are disunited among each other. What then, is the unifying factor? What bridges that gap? The answer, to put it simply, is the theme. The theme of the melody is a sad one; in line with the negative connotations that the reverberating dissonance in the background invokes, of something not fitting, of trying over and over again until it brings about a sad emptiness within, this feeble melody develops its tragic song strengthening itself across the music in its mourning. If this were not the case however, and the theme of the piece were a happy one for example, there would be no unity in it and the whole work would be in disarray.
By these factors and the conjoining nexus that brings life to the piece, we can watch a soaring dance that starts with but a few soft steps in a desolate place. This is what I like about this piece, and this, I think, is something which brings about its beauty.
Autonomous Studies 