How does history repeat itself through war and ignorance?
Patrick Rondat is a French guitarist known for his virtuosity, influenced by legends like Al Di Meola and Yngwie Malmsteen. He has performed alongside Joe Satriani and Steve Vai at a G3 concert. The reason I’m writing about him today is not just his music but how it connects to history, war, and the state of our world.
While reading about Japanese history, I came across the moment when the United States and Commodore Perry forced Japan to open its doors through unequal treaties, at a time when colonialism was the global norm. It reminded me of one of Rondat’s song titles, Barbarians at the Gate, from his 1991 album Rape of the Earth. I don’t know the exact intention behind the song, but the title alone is evocative of how a country under attack might feel.
Today, the war in Ukraine dominates headlines, and the debate over “who started the war” is becoming secondary. The truth remains simple—if no one attacks, there is no need to defend. This was true in the past, and it is still true now. However, in the past, we lacked the awareness that we were different people sharing the same world. Now that we do know, it is alarming that these kinds of conflicts continue, and that leaders of so-called educated nations still justify, or at least fail to denounce, such actions.
Are we still ignoring the destruction we cause?
Rondat’s album Rape of the Earth was inspired, in part, by his concern for ecology. Decades later, we clearly see the devastating impact of our species—yet those in power often choose to ignore this inconvenient truth. War is not the only crisis we face; our environment suffers due to human negligence, leading to our own self-destruction.
One of the first songs I ever heard from Patrick Rondat was Vivaldi Tribute, an arrangement of Summer from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. I watched his guitar lesson video with my brother when we were teenagers, fascinated by the complexity and beauty of the piece. But today, that composition holds another meaning—there were four distinct seasons in Vivaldi’s time. Will future generations still experience the beauty of spring, summer, autumn, and winter as we know them? Or will our reckless disregard for nature erase them?
What are your thoughts on how history repeats itself—through war, ignorance, or environmental destruction? Do you think music and art can help raise awareness of these issues? Let me know in the comments!
#tales-posts
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