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Sergei Rachmaninoff

Moment Musiceaux
Opus 16, No. 3

Rachmaninoff often wrote music that captured the essence of deep, emotional feelings. This particular Moment Musiceaux expresses remorse. Where is the beauty in such sadness?

The answer to that question is specific to every individual. Yet, the following fairy-tale is an event created to give the experience of remorse...

The Story of a Young Horse.

Once upon a time there was a herd of wild horses. They roamed freely across the great plains of North America. Their spirits were wild and beautiful, and they loved their freedom to run and play.

In this herd was a mare and her colt. The mare was not ugly, but her markings were not especially noticeable from the other horses in the herd. She blended with the group. However, this mare had an extremely beautiful spirit. She could appreciate the beauty of life in everything. She had tremendous love for all things because she could feel love in herself. She would run along the great plains, and as she was running she would think to herself about the freedom she felt in this wide, open space; and of the firmness of the ground to support her flight of foot. She would say, "Thank you for living, Great Plains, for I can fell the beauty of life within you." And the Great Plains would gain much strength from her presence. This mare would see the wild flowers and sagebrush and say, Thank you for living, wildflowers and sagebrush, for I can see the beauty of life within you." And the wildflowers and sagebrush would gain great strength from her presence. This mare would lift her head to the wind and listen. She would think of the many seasons that she had lived through and the wind's changing character through all of the seasons; the soft breeze of summer, the dancing winds of fall, the bitter, forceful winds of winter, and the wet winds of spring. She would say, "Thank you for living wind, for I can hear the beauty of life within you." And the wind would gain much strength from her presence.

Now this mare had a stunningly beautiful colt. He was powerfully built with perfect proportions and a black coat that was always glittering. His mane was black as coal, but danced like fire upon his neck. He could run as fast as the wind, and he was more graceful than the most beautiful flower. He was the most perfect horse that had yet lived. This young colt also had his mother's spirit because he had been born from her. However, the young colt's spirit lay dormant for awhile because he was so enchanted with his looks. He was not vain, proud, or selfish but he enjoyed his outer beauty. The other young horses enjoyed his great looks too because he seemed to share this characteristic of his with them rather than flaunt it against them. They would run and play together and the young colt would end up as the leader of the games because they all were enchanted with his beauty, and felt that he should make all the decision in their games. The entire herd wholeheartedly accepted this special horse because they could see the outer beauty and they were proud to have him in their group. The mare, of course, would look at her son and say, "Thank you for living, my son, for I can see the beauty of life within you."

This happiness went on for many years. The seasons changed many times, but the herd of wild horses lived joyously together through all of them.

Then, one day, the mare, who was now quite old for a horse, lay down. She called to her son. She said, "Son, my time is over. I must leave you now. Thank you for being so beautiful. I will always love you." Then she died.