Empathie

Description

To empathize is to attempt to understand the feelings, thoughts, or experiences of the ”other.” It is part of a “minimum ethic.” The three movements may be considered exemplifications of the significant effort required to do so. Why is empathy important? It seems to me we are living during a time when face to face human contact is undervalued; hence a turn towards the ominous.  ”Cultural disintegration” is a reflection of North American indigenous cultural change over time. ”Generations X,Y, Q” takes its point of departure from the incredible speed with which opinions of others are made after clicking a computer mouse. Finally, ”Love from the Obverse” is a set of miniature variations guided by empathizing with someone else’s love for another. Thus the movement, as well as the entire piece, is dedicated to Sylvie-Anne.   Empathie was commissioned by Pantaèdre with the support of Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.   Premiered  by Pentaèdre, 2 February, 2010,  Tanna-Schulich Hall, Montréal.