Three years ago, I studied Debussy’s Clair de Lune.

I was subconsciously reminded of it while working out the B section to Norwegian Wood (Lennon-McCartney). As it turns out, in my arrangement, the B section sounds very similar to Debussy’s measure 15—the one with the low E flat pedal and block chords in the upper range of the piano playing the melody.

I read what I had written three years ago and I read through the piece, practicing a few of the measures in detail—each measure is a world unto itself, particularly in the flowing middle section—and sketching over others, to remind myself of the outline of the piece.

At the end, I felt that this piece was one of the most beautiful things in the world, ever.

With gratitude, I returned to Norwegian Wood.

Additionally, I’ve been practicing Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye, by Cole Porter, introduced to me by John Coltrane, and Duke Ellington’s Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me. Ellington’s pieces invariably have this uncanny “laidbackness” or “irresistible ease”.