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Music for driving to the Airport

By Jania Aubakirova

As it often happens in our life, I was running terribly late for my flight. The running around of all the packing, traffic on the roads, tension in the atmosphere, and the spring sun shining too bright… All this got up to the boiling point, and it seemed to me that any minute something will explode somewhere. All of a sudden, through the tiring noise of the streets I could hear a fine silent sound of the drums, and in a few seconds – sound of clarinet, marking the beginning of Ravel’s "Bolero."

I thought to myself: “If I am lucky, I will listen to my favorite music all the way to the airport. If not – it will end on the last quarter of the road”. I decided to watch the road and the music simultaneously. This was an exciting voyage. While we were in the city – with all its traffic jams, automobiles signals, hurrying drivers – the music was calm, slow, and tender. It did not care about the bustling on the streets. It seemed that the music was inviting to be in a different mood, opposite to all that tension. And it succeeded, quickly restoring inner harmony: my mind, my body got into order.

This happens a lot in art: existing in two different time perceptions…

After the road got somewhat clear, and the speed of the car increased, the music also started gaining power, and the little runnels of the melody started uniting into strong streams and the road started showing the deep connection to earth, sky, trees, and the soul. The perception of life changes and I could see the true meaning of the being.

This is the power of music! During 16 minutes of driving to the airport, and the last solemn chord of “Bolero” sounded together with the opening of the road barrier before the parking, I could clearly see the full and bright image of life and the main meaning of it. This world is beautiful!