The other night on ABC TV, there was a fascinating little program titled ‘A Symphonic Odyssey with Professor Brian Cox.’, a program which took place at the Sydney Opera House early in December, last year. Those who attended, and TV viewers such as myself were invited to share and explore the secrets of the universe with the Professor, who combined groundbreaking science with the power of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra [SSO].
Through the latest extraordinary imagery [portrayed on a huge screen set up behind the orchestra] and some of greatest orchestral music ever written, Professor Cox examined astonishing cosmic ideas and created the links between cosmology and music, showing how both can teach us what it means to be human, and what it means to live in a small, finite life in a vast, spectacular universe. He basically suggested at the end, that despite all that mankind on earth has created and developed, in the total scheme of things at the universe level we are insignificant! Or as noted in the ‘Guardian’ newspaper at one stage – ‘A jaw-dropping reminder that human life is both irrelevant and hugely precious’.
Who is Professor Cox? Brian Edward Cox CBE FRS is an English physicist and musician who is a professor of particle physics in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester and the Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science. Brian is best known however as the ‘unofficial’ face of science in the UK, where he has hosted dozens of BBC programs and TV specials on everything from the solar system to the science of time. He has set world records with sell-out world tours, and through his ‘Horizons Tours’.
In describing the latter tour, we read that – “Horizons has taken over 250,000 people across three continents on a dazzling journey; a story of how we came to be and what we can become. Using state of the art screen technology, venues across the world from New Zealand to the Arctic Circle have been filled with images of far-away galaxies, alien worlds, supermassive black holes and the latest theories of the origin of the Universe. What is the nature of space and time? How did life begin, how rare might it be and what is the significance of life in the Cosmos? What does it mean to live a small, finite life in a vast, eternal Universe? “
All of these aspects, and more were covered in some way or other by the Sydney Opera House presentation.
I’ve always found science in its many guises [in particular, science associated with the wider cosmic universe] a fascinating subject matter, while at the same time, admittedly having a lot of trouble understanding most of it. I studied science to the Form 4 level [Year 10 these days] in 1962, and while I admit now that my work effort in wanting to understand what I was been taught at the time was lacking, I’ve always regretted not trying a bit harder, and continuing on with that subject in later years. With respect to astronomy and all of the scientific findings and discoveries in that area alone, I find it difficult to comprehend the size and complexity of the universe[s], and particularly the concepts when they start talking about millions of light years, eg, photos received of planets and stars which actually ceased to exist millions of years ago!!! In fact, at times I find it difficult to comprehend a period of just 60,000 years [in comparison to cosmic timelines] when we are thinking of the longevity of our original Australians and their time on this continent!!
[Perhaps further expressing my ‘ignorance’, the other night I watched for the first time the movie ‘2001 Space Odyssey’ – I’d often played the music from that film on my radio shows, but never seen the movie – until now – and while I guess it was made in the early days of that kind of film, I wasn’t sure afterwards if I’d really understood where the movie was going, or where it got to?? No doubt many of you can ridicule for that impression!! So be it!!]
Anyway, back to the Opera House performance – and also noting one statement that came across during Professor Cox’s address was that “The arts have a really crucial role to play in actually communicating complex ideas.”
The music provided by the SSO was intended to provide a calming and moderating mood for the audience, following different parts of the address by Professor Cox – which he delivered for an hour without notes, but accompanied by a series of beautiful photos taken over the years from various international space telescopes etc – portrayals of exploding galaxies, dying stars, black holes in creation, with sundry other depictions and the stories behind them, often quite frightening in nature, so much so, that the music presented at each break in the talk, had just that aim – to provide a calming and safe environment, to encourage the audience to stay around and keep listening to the Professor [and I think it succeeded in that aim]!
Together with the Professor, the musical artists were of course the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Benjamin Northey, with guest soprano soloist, Jess Hitchcock, while the classical music presented as as complement to the verbal address was:
SIBELIUS Symphony No.5: 3rd Movement
WESTLAKE Missa Solis – Sidereus Nuncius (The Starry Messenger)
MAHLER Symphony No.5: 4th Movement, Adagietto
STRAUSS Thus Spoke Zarathustra [the music from this composition featured quite prominently throughout the program].
On another matter, while thinking of things viewed on TV, I was touched by a movie on one of the SBS channels the other night, titled ‘Hachi, a Dog’s Tale’ – a story of a dog’s lifelong loyalty to its master, for some years after that master died suddenly. The original film told the true story of the Akita dog named Hachiko who lived in Japan in 1923-1935. This film was an American adaptation of that story, and was set in 1985.
Hachi: A Dog’s Tale is a moving film about loyalty and the rare, invincible bonds that occasionally form almost instantaneously in the most unlikely places. College professor Parker Wilson (Richard Gere) finds a young Akita puppy that’s been abandoned at the local train station, and he’s instantly captivated by the dog. Assuming the dog’s owner will return to the train station to claim him in the morning, Parker takes the puppy home overnight. But when no one comes to get the dog, Parker convinces his wife, Cate (Joan Allen), to welcome him as part of the family. He dubs the puppy Hachiko–Hachi, for short–because of the Japanese symbol for good luck that’s hanging from his collar. Hachi is a somewhat peculiar dog that refuses to learn to fetch or master other people-pleasing tricks, but he is a faithful companion and friend to Parker, alerting him of potential dangers and accompanying him to the train station each morning and meeting him there after his return trip each evening. As their bond grows deeper, a beautiful relationship unfolds embodying the true spirit of family and loyalty, while inspiring the hearts of an entire town.
An unforeseen event will continually test Hachi’s devotion, and for the rest of the dog’s life [suggested at 10 years] it will continually return to the train station waiting for its master to return. Prepare to be moved to tears by this beautiful, seemingly simple film—described as been about so much more than just the relationship between a man and his dog….[and move to tears it certainly did]
Bill's space 
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