Matthew Barbosa Analysis Through Composition The Rest is Just Progress : An exploration into the thematic ideals of Lost through Chopin s Fantasie Impromptu in c-sharp minor, Op. 66 Originally a mini-series under the working title of The Circle, ABC s Lost has developed into one of the most complex and popular dramas in the past decade. The show is infamous for its innumerable plots and subplots, extensive cast of characters, Christian 4/18/10 3:43 PM Comment: One word or hyphen Christian 4/18/10 3:43 PM Comment: italicize mythological and scientific subtexts, relevant social themes, and innovative narrating devices. From the very first episode, viewers were introduced to the theme of antagonism through the recurring symbol of black and white. As main character John Locke explains, There are two players, two sides; one white, and one black (Abrams). From the pieces Christian 4/18/10 3:46 PM Comment: recurring of Locke s backgammon games, to the black and white doomsday clock in the hatch and the stones balanced and passed between Lost mythological figures Jacob and his adversary, the unnamed man in black, white and black play a prominent role in reminding the viewers of both the show s plot-driven antagonisms (Jacob vs. Man in Black, for example) and the thematic antagonism (including fate vs. free will and faith vs. science). It is no surprise then, to see the piano, with its alternating black and white keys, as a recurring symbol. Throughout the six seasons of Lost, the viewer sees several characters play the piano during scenes of introspection. Before the thrilling season four Christian 4/18/10 3:55 PM Comment: Good! Christian 4/18/10 3:55 PM Comment: See above finale, masterful manipulator Benjamin Linus is shown playing Rachmaninoff Prelude in
C# minor. Hero Jack Shephard and musician Charlie Pace are seen playing the piano multiple times in all of the shows various timelines. However, out of the various piano pieces used throughout the show, there are none that are more appropriate nor used as often as Chopin s Fantasie Impromptu in C-sharp Minor. Chopin s piece goes beyond the simple metaphor of the black and white keys of the piano. Throughout the first and last sections of the piece, Chopin juxtaposes the rhythmic contrast of triplets and sixteenth notes in each hand. This rhythmic antagonism is a direct reflection of the previously mentioned antagonisms in the show. The piece made its first appearance in season five s The Variable, as the young Daniel Faraday is seen practicing it in a flashback. In this scene, the young Faraday cannot play the piece well at all, as he can not master the antagonistic rhythms or keep consistent with the metronome, which he attempts to follow despite the improvisational flexibility the piece implies. As we see throughout this season, Faraday has the same technical issues with the island. Faraday acts as the source of scientific explanation on Lost, including the explanations of the shows notorious narrative techniques, which include sudden shifts in time and even continuous narration of simultaneous alternate Christian 4/18/10 3:54 PM Comment: This is a very compelling point. Christian 4/18/10 3:54 PM Comment: italicize timelines. In the fifth season, Faraday, who to this point has had indirect experience with time travel on the island, only has a partial explanation for the issue of time travel, claiming that, Time--it's like a street, all right? We can move forward on that street, we can move in reverse, but we cannot ever create a new street. If we try to do anything different, we will fail every time. Whatever happened, happened (Cuse). Faraday uses this theory to hypothesize that if the characters unleash the electromagnetic properties of Christian 4/18/10 3:55 PM Comment: good the island, the entire timeline of the show will cease to exist in space-time, and therefore
be reset to the beginning. However, much like his initial interpretation of the Chopin, Faraday has the right themes and notes, but the wrong technical application, and when the characters do attempt to blow up the island, they actual create two parallel timelines. Christian 4/18/10 3:56 PM Comment: This is an excellent observation The parallel alternate timeline is once again introduced to us with the Fantasie Impromptu Op. 66, as we see Jack Shephard s son David (who only exists in this reality) perform the piece. It is essential to note that in this episode, the directors ensure to have the audience listen and watch as David plays the middle section of the piece. The Chopin is divided into three main ideas. The first section is in c-sharp minor, while the second section, is in the enharmonic parallel major key, D-flat major. The sudden shift in tonality Christian 4/18/10 3:57 PM Comment: Again, very thoughtful observations. through parallel keys correlates with the sudden shift of narrative and reality in the sixth and final season of Lost. The tonal organization of the Chopin also has other similarities with the qualities of the alternate timeline. Christian 4/18/10 3:53 PM Comment: good The D-flat major section, besides its more optimistic sounding key, also has a much more easily recognized melody line from the previous c-sharp minor section. Although there is still the presence of the rhythmic antagonism from the previous section, it is much more subtle than before and is completely overruled by the melody. In the alternate reality of the show, all of our characters have everything they seemed to strive for in their flashbacks presented to the viewer throughout the previous seasons. Jack is still a skilled surgeon and caring father, John Locke comes to grips with his wheelchairbound state and is happily married, and Hurley is a successful and influential owner of a fast food restaurant chain. However, when the characters begin to have flashes of their memory from the events of the other timeline, their seemingly perfect existence in this reality is questioned and begins to grow trite. The melody in the Chopin exemplifies this
decomposition, as the melody is gradually overtaken by the rhythmic antagonism of the initial section (and in some edited scores returns to the initial c-sharp minor section). The melody has also, fittingly enough, been adapted by Henry Carroll in his pop song I m Always Chasing Rainbows. The lyrics, written by Joseph McCarthy, read, I'm always chasing rainbows / Watching clouds drifting by / My dreams are just like all my schemes / Ending in the sky (McCarthy). Even through the indirect means of Carroll s adaptation of Chopin s melody, we can see the common notion of the superficial existence that appears in the parallel timeline in Lost. Christian 4/18/10 3:57 PM Comment: nice inclusion It is once again, Daniel Faraday who awakens the characters to the existence of the original timeline. Like several of the other characters at this point in the show s history, Faraday is dead in the original timeline, but alive in this alternate reality. In this reality, Faraday is fulfilled his mother does not force him to become a physicist, and he is instead, a musician. We watch as Faraday plays a flawless performance of the Fantasie Impromptu Op. 66, much improved from the original event. Faraday is one of the first characters to remember events from the original timeline, and his knowledge is represented in his performance. Now, Faraday understands the parallels and structure of the two timelines as well as the good vs. evil antagonism within himself, and therefore, is able to perform the corresponding sections of the Chopin without the technical problems exhibited before. This mastery allows Faraday to truly play the piece as an impromptu, as he flexes the tempo (or bends time, to fit more within the Lost context) within the contextual guidelines. To play along with one of the major antagonistic themes of Lost, Faraday exhibits the ability to use free will within a destined context. Christian 4/18/10 3:58 PM Comment: This is a nice theme to which to return!
The Chopin concludes with the return of the antagonistic rhythms. However, the rhythms gradually dissipate until the last chord of the piece, a C-sharp major chord. This concluding gesture to the tonic chord of the D-flat major section in the surrounding context of A section material may suggest the creation and execution of a distinct ending which is culminated from both sections. In relation to Lost, this foreshadows the Christian 4/18/10 3:59 PM Comment: Nice summary. Matthew, I think if you cleaned up some of the prose and beefed up your musicological citation list, this would be an excellent paper to submit for the student research journal. Will you consider revising it over the summer? A end of the series, the end to which Lost mythological figure Jacob will happen when he stated simply, It only ends once the rest is just progress (Cuse). In the series finale, we once again see Faraday perform in the alternate reality. However, Faraday has now ditched the Chopin for his newfound experiment, a classicalrock fusion with fellow deceased character Charlie Pace s band, Driveshaft. The sudden alteration in the only piece we have ever witnessed Faraday play, from his youth in the original timeline to his virtuosic rendition in the initial unveiling of the alternate reality, and even indirectly through the scribbled instructions in Faraday s handwriting on David Shephard s sheet music, is striking and purposeful. It is only in the last scenes of the series finale when the audience is finally told the nature of the alternate reality; that this reality is one fashioned by the characters themselves after each of them have died, until each of them has remembered their previous lives and deaths and can move on together. This fabricated reality not only explains the characters mirrored fortunes form their previous lives (including Faraday s musicianship), but also connects back to the middle section of the Chopin and the implied levels of understanding, conscientization, and fabricated idealism presented in the narration of this alternate timeline. The series concludes in a similar fashion to the Chopin, on its own C-sharp major chord, the
creation of something new (whatever the characters may move on to) through the culmination of its two parts.
Works Cited Abrams, J.J. (Writer/Director), & Lindelof, D. (2004). Pilot: Part 2 [Television series Christian 4/18/10 3:49 PM Comment: It would be nice if there were more recent Chopin books/articles referenced too. A lot of work has been done on this composer in the past 105 years! episode]. In J.J. Abrams (Executive Producer), Lost. ABC Broadcasting. Cuse, C. (Writer), Lindelof, D. (Writer) & Bender, J. (Director). (2009). The Incident [Television series episode]. In J.J. Abrams (Executive Producer), Lost. ABC Broadcasting. Cuse, C. (Writer), Lindelof, D. (Writer) & Bender, J. (Director). (2010). Lighthouse. [Television series episode]. In J.J. Abrams (Executive Producer), Lost. ABC Broadcasting. Cuse, C. (Writer), Lindelof, D. (Writer) & Bender, J. (Director). (2010). Happily Ever After [Television series episode]. In J.J. Abrams (Executive Producer), Lost. ABC Broadcasting. Horowitz, A. (Writer), Kitsis, E. (Writer) & Lieber, J. (Director). (2004). The Variable [Television series episode]. In J.J. Abrams (Executive Producer), Lost. ABC Broadcasting. Jonson, G.C.A. (1905). A handbook of Chopin s work. New York, New York: Doubleday, Page & Co. McCarthy, J. I m Always Chasing Rainbows. thepolonaise (user name). Yundi Li Chopin Fantasie Impromptu, Op. 66. Available from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvm2zsrv3c8