David G. Haskell: In Community

Omoda Seiju - Cicada (蝉), 1930, painting on silk, cut

A tone as bright and warm as sunlight rings from a giant bronze bell. There is no hint of tinkling or rattling, just a single, overtone-rich frequency a few notes below middle C, right in the middle of the human speech range. Even though I stand two meters from the bell, the sound seems to come from within me, soothing,…