the other day, i went to the museum of the decorative arts in madrid.
i originally went there to see an exhibit about the works of gianni versace, which was fantastic albeit a little short. there were valentino, chanel, ysl and of course, versace clothes on display, along with decorative objects like porcelain jars, silver candleholders and so on, following the theme of each room of the exhibition. after walking through all the rooms twice, in a state of both awe and admiration at the delicate craftmanship of the items that surrounded me, i decided to see the rest of the museum since i didn't have any plans that afternoon. plus, it was free.
opposite to the versace exhibit, a sign pointed to the entrance of an exhibit about the evolution of design throughout the ninteenth and twentieth centuries that caught my eye, so i walked in.
the exhibit was definitely aimed at a more specialised public than the versace one, with a lot of technical terms explaining every detail in the small signs next to the objects in display, which varied greatly from each other in size and appearance. all of them were typical household items: cups, plates, chairs, and tables abounded, some prettier than others, but all of them on elevated pedestals, given the same reverence and space that would be offered to a picasso painting.
in a room off to the right, with an entrance so poorly lit i almost skipped it entirely, there was a window pane, designed by non other than frank lloyd wright.
of course, my first thought wasn't "wow, i can't believe this window was designed by the american architect frank lloyd wright!" it was "oh, it's that guy from the simon and garfunkel song." which is a separate but equally nerdy statement. i took a picture of the sign next to it. not only because i thought it was kinda funny but also because "so long, frank lloyd wright" is one of, if not my absolute favourite simon and garfunkel song of all time.
as i stated previously, frank lloyd wright was an american architect born in 1867 who revolutionized design and architecture with his unique vision. he created the term organic architecture to describe a philosophy of architecture that promotes the harmony between man-made creations and nature, partly inspired by elements of japanese architecture.
this is best exemplified by his most well known work: the kaufmann residence, also known as fallingwater. the house is built right above a waterfall, in the middle of a forest in pennsylvania. he also was responsible for the creation of other important buildings, like the guggenheim museum in new york.
one would assume the song is an homage to the architect, recorded ten years after his passing in 1959.
except, no. it absolutely is not.
in fact, it has so nothing to do with frank lloyd wright that the entirety of the above section is the result of a surface level wikipedia read (please don't use me as a source).
according to paul simon, art garfunkel wanted him to write a song about frank lloyd wright since, as an architecture major, he was a fan of his work. but, much like me, paul didn't know a thing about the man. so while the song is adressed to him, it's not really about him. instead, the duo, lead by art, sing in harmony about endless laughter and harmonies that no longer exist, of the bond between the narrator and frank lloyd wright weakening sooner than expected. so soon, so soon.
the gentle guitar melody of the beginning is then joined by percussion and string, but proceeds to dissolve into a solo lead by a meandering flute as the violins get farther and farther away.
a voice in the distance says "so long, artie!" so long, so long.
the instrumental fades away slowly, like a distant memory.
and that's what it is really about. the fragility of human connection, the way in which we hold people and moments close in our minds, fondly remembering even when we can see the relationship withering away into nothingness, because sometimes we still love them even when we know it's just not the same anymore.
the narrator is not angry about losing frank lloyd wright. he is not resigned either. he has come to terms with the fact that "all of the nights [they]'d harmonize till dawn" are far behind them. he knows it's happening and acts upon it by choosing to remember the good parts and most importantly, by letting go. all of it, encapsulated in very few words, some repeated over and over.
bridge over troubled water, released in 1970, is the last album simon and garfunkel ever made as a duo. they have reunited later for live shows and what not, but at the time they weren't getting along. as a matter of fact, their friendship has continued to be rocky throughout the years. so no, this song is not an homage to frank lloyd wright. but it is an homage to paul simon and art garfunkels relationship, a eulogy to their work together. a goodbye.
i think i have a hard time with goodbyes. or rather, i have a hard time saying goodbye to relationships that don't end with a tornado, but with a gust of wind blowing us away from eachother. when i hear this song, i remember the people i no longer have anything in common with. the people i let go of, and the people that let go of me. and while before, the memory of them would've made me regretful in some way or another, i now find something more akin to acceptance.
so while it may not be objectively (whatever that means) the best simon and garfunkel song of all time, i don't care! it gets to me in a very specific way. if you haven't heard it, please do. you may not feel the same way i do about it, but i hope you can at least understand where i'm coming from a bit better.
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