Renaissance Man

In the second movement of Antonin Dvořák’s New World Symphony, the orchestra settles down as the English horn begins its soft, wailing solo. You’ve heard this famous lullaby in one version or another, but never more powerfully than in the “Largo” movement of Dvořák’s symphony, with the strings and woodwinds providing the sweeping background (~45 seconds into the following video). It’s one of my favorite classical pieces, and my performance is flawless every time I play it.  Play it in my head, that is.

I’ve developed a satisfying habit over the years which you might share (or at least, be willing to try).  Think about something that interests you, or an activity in which you like to participate.  Over time you’ve developed a fair understanding of your subject, though your level of knowledge and skill would never qualify you as a professional.  But what if it did?  What if you suddenly had the smarts or the talent to find yourself among the world’s best?  Wouldn’t your life be wildly different?

My years of piano lessons never propelled me anywhere close to the ranks of “professional” or “best”.  I never even advanced beyond the piano’s foundation to pursue an instrument like the English horn.  To do so would’ve meant a wholly different direction in life.  More practice and lessons instead of time spent with friends or years in the Boy Scouts.  A different college or at least a different degree.  Competitions.  Travel.

Music eventually gave way to an interest in sports and soon I found myself on the basketball court more than in front of the piano keyboard.  I’d practice endlessly at our backyard hoop, imagining myself making game-winning shot after shot.  I did play a couple of years of JV ball in high school and went to college games at nearby UCLA.  But my skills never developed to the varsity-, let alone college-level.  Was I infatuated with basketball at the time?  Yes, but I also knew early on I’d never be one of the greats.

You’re starting to see a pattern here and it continued in college.  I studied architecture (“I’ll be the next Frank Lloyd Wright!”) but only spent the first few years of my career in the field.  I had a good run with info technology companies (“Bill Gates!”) but never developed the level of expertise to be labeled a “techy”.  I write these weekly blog posts (“John Grisham!”) but have no plans for the next Great American Novel.

Here’s my point, and maybe you never saw it coming.  I find all of this dabbling and dreaming incredibly satisfying.  My interest in a subject or activity wanes well before it becomes an obsession, and then I simply move on to the next thing vying for my attention.  Why do I behave this way?  Two reasons.  First, I prefer to be a jack of all trades (or a master of none, if you will), not a virtuoso.  Second, more importantly, I am far too content with my life as it is to ever be tempted by the sacrifices necessary for the pursuit of singular success.

Michelangelo’s “David” 🙂

There’s a complimentary phrase for people like me: Renaissance Men.  We hearken back to the great thinkers and artists who came along just after the Middle Ages; Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, for example, with “unquenchable curiosity” and “feverishly inventive imaginations”.  Mind you, I can’t paint like da Vinci or sculpt like Michelangelo, but my curiosity and imagination may run just as rampant.  The modern Renaissance Man, in a nutshell, has “broad interests” and “superficial talents”.  Me to a tee.

Playing in my head

The next time I hear Dvořák’s “New World Symphony”, I’ll think about playing the English horn.  Maybe I’ll sign up for lessons and eventually get good enough to play the “Largo” movement.  Maybe then I’ll join the local orchestra so I get the chance to perform in front of a live audience!  Yeah… probably not. Long before my much-anticipated stage debut, some other activity will vie for my attention and off I’ll go.

Some content sourced from Wikipedia, “the free encyclopedia”.

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Author: Dave

Five hundred posts would suggest I have something to say… This blog was born from a desire to elevate the English language, highlighting eloquent words from days gone by. The stories I share are snippets of life itself, and each comes with a bonus: a dusted-off word I hope you’ll go on to use more often. Read “Deutschland-ish Improvements” to learn about my backyard European wish list. Try “Slush Fun” for the throwback years of the 7-Eleven convenience store. Or drink in "Iced Coffee" to discover the plight of the rural French cafe. On the lighter side, read "Late Night Racquet Sports" for my adventures with our latest moth invasion. As Walt Whitman said, “That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.” Here then, my verse. Welcome to Life In A Word.

26 thoughts on “Renaissance Man”

  1. Yup, I get it. I’ve never excelled in anything particular, but there’s a lot of things I’m not bad at. I took music lessons as a kid – piano and violin – but I’m slightly tone deaf and have a poor sense of rhythm. Still, I’m glad took the training as it helps me appreciate all the better those who do it well, because I know what a gift they have and how hard it really is to do.

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    1. Good word – “appreciate”. The satisfaction I referred to may come from building a foundation, and then being able to fully appreciate those who rise well above it.

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  2. I’m a Jack of all Trades too… (or maybe a Jill of all Trades or is there some other term that meets universal gender criteria?) No matter, what I like about dabbling is that often one thing leads to another that you wouldn’t necessarily have thought of if you hadn’t tried the first one before the next one…

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    1. Can’t explain why but organizing relaxes me. Sometimes I’m a little obsessive about it. Maybe order/de-cluttering brings me peace. I wish I had the same affection for cleaning 🙂

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    1. I agree! (with both comments 🙂 ) We are all “Renaissance People” to a certain degree; some of us just just have a broader range of interests than others.

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    1. Your JJ skills don’t come across as mediocre at all, Betsy. If you happened to be walking towards me in your gi, I’d give you a cordial smile… but also a wide berth on the sidewalk 😉

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      1. I will admit this since we’re over at your blog: I enjoy wearing my JJ shirt out and about because I hope it sends a message to potential bad guys that they’d best not mess with me. 🙂

        It could potentially backfire, though. Some tough guy might see it as a challenge.

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  8. Well Dave, look how boring you would be if you only fixated on one thing that interested you – you would think/breathe about this obsession during your waking hours and even in your dreams. Look how well-rounded you have become instead. I do get an idea and want to run with it … then it does not always work out so well. I like the idea of jack-of-all-trades, master of none much better. 🙂

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  9. I LOVE Dvořák! My daughter, a floutist, played him a few times in high school and college, and once when she played with the Kansas City Symphony. Because of her talent, we listen to a lot of classical music. And I like basketball, too, but my team is the Kansas Jayhawks! By the way, I could just tell you were a Renaissance Man!

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    1. I admire your daughter, who not only has the talent to play Dvorak but at a level worthy of a symphony. Classical music will always be one of my favorite genres.

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  10. I find all of this dabbling and dreaming incredibly satisfying.

    Me too. As a child I was under the impression that I was supposed to find one job, stick with it forever, then retire. That didn’t happen for me. At first I felt like I’d failed but eventually I realized it was my path to dabble. In fact on my blog bio I state that I’ve had “many jobs, no career.” Might as well own it, eh?

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    1. “Many jobs, no career” – I like that, Ally! Like you, I just followed the opportunities, no matter the all-over-the-place resume. A co-worker or friend would make me aware of an opening and off I’d go. Hand-holding courage you might call it, but I can’t imagine the regrets if I didn’t take those leaps.

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  13. I do love that Dvořák piece. I too have called myself a dilettante and dabbler, and say that I have had many careers, but a friend once called me a Renaissance woman and it all made sense. It’s good to take a deep dive into many things, no regrets.

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