Robert Fripp's Diary

Thursday 25 March 2010

Convento La Pace Sassoferrato Italy

09.59

Convento La Pace, Sassoferrato, Italy.

Rising at 06.10, but not before the Bird Choir & bells had given prior indication of rising time.

An uncomfortable night, rising with The Devil Bug Of Sassoferrato attempting to take up squatters’ rights.

Morning sitting at 07.15.

Breakfast at 08.00 with performances, not all of which rang my breakfast bell, and with new arrivals introducing themselves.

One participant stood & made an announcement that was very much out of tune. In & of itself, it was seemingly an appropriate comment; but not in this way, at this time, to the full House while breakfasting, and fuelled by negativity.

Noticing: if our attention is available we notice, for example, that when standing to make an announcement, and our chair moves on the floor, there is a horrible scraping sound. So, noticing this, we have a choice: we might lift the chair from the floor so its motion is relatively soundless; or wait until we are fully standing before making an announcement. Noticing nothing, we speak while the Chairscrapes are noisefully underway, ensuring that our first sentence won’t be heard, particularly so in this echoing room.

Meeting with the New York Guitar Circle at 09.30 & addressing what might be its unique contribution & raison d’etre.

To meet with the Seattle TTA Team at 10.15 & the SSG I at 11.15.

12.09    A brief catching-up with Hernan, facilitated by a chance encounter in the corridor. The local paper has announced The OCG III performance, with a photo of King Crimson. This has attracted interest from professional bodies who want to collect money for the composers of the pieces. If the collection agency in Buenos Aires is a representative example, from my present & ongoing experience of collection agencies, collecting from the agency that has itself collected performance dues is not an entirely reliable undertaking when it comes to composer income-flows. Let’s hear it for the black box. This is also likely to attract the attention of King Crimson fans; rarely a good move for anything beyond a specific repertoire.

The arrival of guests, friends & family of students, is also a concern. When anyone not directly participating comes into the presence & energy field of a course, this has effects in various ways, some practical & some more subtle. Practical – the kitchen is already working at capacity + heroism. If we provide food for guests, the kitchen can’t provide us with dinner. If the guests arrive at 17.00, what do they do between 17.30 & 21.30, when we move to performance? Hang around in the Convento? Expect their family & friends to provide them company? How about, can my lover stay in the Convento tonight? This only one small part of the anointing that falls to Hernan to address.

15.13    Lunch at 13.00.

A few words on new Section Leaders; tomorrow’s guests; security matters & the newspaper article. The inappropriate comment at breakfast was brought up: did the person making the announcement know what was wrong with this?

A personal meeting with Mikey T immediately after lunch & a brief catching-up with Hernan.

16.53    Tea at 16.00 with two arrived guests.

Meeting with the Mexico Guitar Circle at 16.30.

Hernan has delivered a new Beaudoux GC Pro...

The truss rod on the other one model snapped.

Personal meetings at 17.30.
T’ai chi at 18.45.

20.36 Dinner at 19.30 with several performances, including a reformation by Los Gauchos Alemanes. A heart-warming & emotional reunion, enough to make a grown man weep.

The Borsalino hat, passed to Curt in Atlanta at the beginning of the Level Three course there…

… is returned; and was placed by Curt on the top table. The Founder stood, wearing the hat, and spoke:

At 20.30 on this, Thursday the 25th. March, 2010, may we gratefully acknowledge that 25 years’ of work in Guitar Craft is completed; and that Guitar Craft ceases to exist.

An e-mail with this announcement has just been sent to some of the Team from the early years.

In this Diary for Tuesday 17th. February, 2009...

Martin & Hernan look at the folder for the very first Guitar Craft course in West Virginia, March 25th. 1985…

I believe this will open doors, and close some that need to be closed. Onwards and upwards!

what is right for guitar craft continues to be a mystery to me. though, for what it's worth, i am certain that if guitar craft weren't a mystery i would have nothing to do with it.

The way I look at this is that Guitar Craft is blocking us from the next thing.

A Women’s Circle is meeting at 20.45. The Orchestra meets in the Green Room at 21.50 & will rehearse in the church for tomorrow’s performance.

23.46 Two Circles in the Green Room at 21.50. Into the church c. 22.03, paying attention to the first footfall while crossing the threshold into sacred space.

The Orchestra went into motion; left the church for The Plumber Monks & their small-group pieces; and returned for whizzing in Inner & Outer Circles, vicious persons deployed in pole positions.

One small group piece followed The OCG’s second departure, and then returned to be with The Orchestra in the Green Room. Discussions & comments left until tomorrow.