Lent 31 - music

Many of my days are musical days but yesterday was more musical than most.   I did three Jo Jingles classes in a nursery with a bunch of 4 yr olds - my favourite age of children - and then took Ben to his grade 6 guitar exam.  I sat outside the room listening whilst he went in and played his pieces and did the theory bits and pieces.  I could hear that he played his two pieces really well and I was so proud of him.  He is only 13 and to be able to achieve grade 6 is huge.  He has practised hard and is really very good.  I am confident that he will be able to play guitar for the rest of his life either for his own entertainment or for the entertainment of others.  Music is such a gift.

Alfred Higson, my great grandfather

Music runs in our family.  My Mum and Dad are both musical although neither had any formal training in any instruments.  My Mum sang with choirs when she was young and Dad taught himself to play piano by ear.   My Mum's grandfather was a celebrated conductor, organist and choir master - a professional musician who was famous in his day.  I only learned recently that my Dad's mother played a mean ukelele in her youth!   It would seem that music is in my DNA   It is impossible for me to imagine life without it,  and the fact that all three of my boys are now proficient in instruments and have a wide and varied taste in music of all sorts is a joy to me. 

Why does music exist?  Does it have any purpose other than to be pleasurable?  Why is it that all cultures in every part of the world use music at all the significant points in life - to celebrate births and weddings and mourn deaths ?  What is it about music which brings people together and stirs emotions ( football crowds for example) ?  Why does music have the power to sell things  ( Just one Cornetto, give it to me ....)   Could it possibly be that music is a very spiritual thing - a means of opening peoples souls and spirits to the possibility of something outside themselves, something powerful, something awe inspiring, something touching, something holy?

Music is made up of different elements.  There is melody - the tune.  The theme which is the dominant message in the piece.   Then there is harmony - running alongside the tune, complementing and mirroring , adding depth and richness.  There is rhythm, bringing structure, pattern and heartbeat.
It strikes me that music is like God.  If the Father is the tune then Jesus is the harmony, stepping down into a lower key and reflecting the tune the Father is playing but adding new depths and meaning.  The Holy Spirit is the heartbeat, the constant, keeping us in step with the dance.

God is three in one, music is three in one, and we too are three in one - body, soul and spirit.  Music helps us to connect body soul and spirit to the Father Son and Holy Spirit through melody harmony and rhythm.    Which is why we sing in church - it's a sure fire way of making the connection


Why not decide to sing today?   Dance round the kitchen.  Put your favourite album on in the car    (loud )  and yell the lyrics like a lunatic whilst sitting at traffic lights with the windows wound down.  Let your body, mind, will, emotions and spirit fully engage with a melody, harmony and rhythm and see if Father Son and Holy Spirit can resist coming to join in the joy.