Time shift

One of the most famous musical examples of time shifting is Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony. In the words of Prokofiev, his Classical Symphony is ‘as Haydn (one of the greatest composers of the 18th century) might have written it had he lived in our day’.

Listening to this symphony can be likened to the experience of meeting an old friend after a long time apart. They will have moved on with their life and updated their image and wardrobe but their essential character and what originally made them attractive still shines through (perhaps even more brightly than before). As a result, we are reminded of the worth of the person and how our friendship with them enhances us.

Prokofiev’s symphony is written in his own modern style but Haydn’s spirit pervades it. Formality and correctness of structure where very important in Haydn’s time, so great care and attention is given to the overall form and balance of the symphony. Additionally, and more specifically, the piece is brim full with the spirit of fun, wit and invention that was so characteristic of Haydn’s personal style.

By time shifting the spirit of Haydn’s music to within his own modern musical style, Prokofiev creates an innovative symphony that not only stimulates the ear but also invites the listener to revisit and perhaps more greatly appreciate the principles at the heart of Haydn’s classical approach.

We too can use time shifting. Like Prokofiev we can adapt a past approach to a current challenge or problem. We can also gain new perspectives on problems and additional ideas about how to address them by placing them in the future or the past.

Ask yourself the following questions:

·      How does the problem look when placed in the future? What would it look like in a few weeks, 1 year, 10 or more years from now? How does the way you view it change and what are the implications of this? What insights have you gained and how could they help you deal with the problem now?

·       How does the problem look when placed in the past? What would it have looked like a few weeks, 1 year, 10 or more years ago? How does the way you view it change and what are the implications of this? What insights have you gained and how could they help you deal with the problem now?

·       How would you have solved the problem a few weeks, 1 year, 10 or more years ago? Can the approach be adapted to your current situation? How can you do this successfully?

·       How would you solve the problem in a few weeks, 1 year, 10 or more years from now? Can the approach be adapted to your current situation? How can you do this successfully?