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by Philipina A. Marcelo
No, I don't live in a cave or something... in fact, I live right in the heart of a modern and among the busiest Megacities in the world today! I'm some kind of a techie, too, but for some reason, I haven't really caught the YouTube fever until recently... I guess, I simply wasn't the YouTube kind of a person, and I can't explain why not either when (almost) everyone who has a computer and internet access is hooked to YouTube somehow these days... and I have two laptops and a netbook, and am usually on-line, too! =) Although it's the lamest excuse, I'd say, it's probably my crazy schedule... or my aversion to anything where respect for intellectual property rights and/or privacy is not crystal clear? But I came across a video of the extremely talented Yiruma playing "River flows in you" on YouTube, and it turned me to an instant YouTube believer. Hot, hot... hot!
The music is absolutely beautiful... I love the varying melodic texture and the swing of emotions that it invokes. It's just lovely how the melody starts with some sort of uncertainty and doubt, going back and forth... and then somehow
finds its rhythm and picks up to a seemingly unstoppable surge of powerful emotion... and flows beautifully to an astonishingly sweet melody that I'm pretty sure can only be inspired by love... and falling in love. The melody then rushes to amplify the feeling and the sweetness in the air where its waves touched it. While the sweet melody brings you achingly close to touching love with the very tip of your finger, feeling it, tasting it in the air around you, the melody slows down so painstakingly... once again doubting - to a point of vulnerability... looking for answers to unknown questions, asking for reassurance. And then, with another surge of energy, defiance and musical emotion, the doubt is overcome... and the music again flows towards the sweetness of loving... and then it turns tender and peaceful, but so full of conviction... so sure of its course, so sure of its intentions, its wants and its very existence... the fervor to carry the melody home to its sweetest conclusion is almost tangible, the rush 
almost sweeps you off your feet - absolutely exhilarating! Like the sincerest of whispered prayers, the music then slowly plays, as if one is professing love and devotion to a beloved. And then it picks up to a joyful cadence of victory... and then slowly, solemnly, it winds down to a breathtakingly tender and oh, so beautiful finish. It just leaves you breathless and wanting for more, and you just can't help yourself - exactly like falling in love!Yiruma is such an incredible talent! Watching him play "River flows in you" via YouTube, made me think it's so ridiculously sweet how his unlined face still contorts - obviously, emotionally taken - at various points in the piece when he must've already played it a million times by now! As if the beauty of his music wasn't enough, how he throws his body backward, or leans forward, or tilts his head to the side until it touched his shoulder to contain the towering waves of emotion as they impact his soul is just totally beautiful to watch! Hmm... if one could only embrace a melody. Oh, well....
Alright, Steve Chen, Chad Hurley and Jawed Karim... here's an extremely late confession: I hate you for your extraordinary genius that makes most of humanity - especially my kind - feeling like idiots ;), but thanks for your vision, and your boldness to turn it to reality that is YouTube. Now, I can watch Yiruma anytime of the day... and savor the sweetness of falling in love again and again, too! :) And, if only for that, I think that in spite of my hatred for you, I'm a big fan! :) I don't know how that could be possible, but hey, you guys are the genius ones, so go figure! :)
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Photos: (1) "Two for the Lake", taken at the Seneca Lake (Geneva front) in Geneva, NY (October 2005); (2) "Sail-fish", taken at the Cayuga Lake in Ithaca, NY (May 2007).
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