A Tribute to RIOPY
One of my favourite composers
I wrote this tribute in November of 2022 (— in fact, I have written most of the articles and essays that I publish here, on Substack, before I came here).
The first piece I discovered by RIOPY was Drive. What an incredible piece! It still is one of my favourite pieces in general — if not my favourite.
As soon as I listened to it for the first time, I kept playing it repeatedly. In the evening, I remember, when I met a friend of mine who is also a composer, I told him about it. I played it for him. This is the case with all the things which are of some value — we want to share them with other people. Is this why I write too? To share my insights about how to live a beautiful real life? Perhaps. . . !
Slowly, I discovered more music by RIOPY. The more I listened to his music, the more I liked it. Music can change the world. In fact, if there is anything that can change the world, music qualifies definitely among the top. Ah! I wish I was a musician — I could have been a musician! Even as a writer, I never considered reading as an effective medium for transformation. Has anyone ever met someone who has been transformed by a book, by something they read? Actually transformed, practically! As far as I am concerned, never! At least, none that I remember of.
I think RIOPY's music has the same effect on me that Bizet had on Nietzsche. In fact, not only I become a better philosopher but, primarily, I live better.1
But enough with words. I would rather let the composer himself speak. And what better way for a composer to speak than playing his own music?
“Live better…” Isn’t that redundant? After all, becoming a better philosopher necessarily means living a better life too.