Day 672 - April 18 - Melody and Harmony

I'm a musician at heart. While I haven't picked up an instrument in a decade or two, and I haven't joined a choir lately, I adore music. I'm not in the same class as Cherié is with her voice, but I can sing a bit better than is required for solos in the shower. I was a Music major in college for one year during my "take ship to Tarshish" stage, and music continues to move me when nothing else does.

On the way home from work the other day, I was listening to some of the pieces from Handel's "Messiah". I know that's a bit strange, particularly coming from someone who also has a fondness for more contemporary artists like BBVD or ZZ Top, but I've always had a fairly eclectic taste for music, and I am particularly moved by many of the classical pieces. Anyway, back to the "Messiah". If you're aware of it at all, you probably associate it with Christmas, since that's usually when it's performed. But you may not be aware of some of the things about this work. First, the entire oratorio lasts many, many hours and tells the entire story of Christ, from the prophecies concerning His birth, all the way through His suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection, all the way to His second coming and rule. The excerpts we sing at Christmas take about two and a half hours, and represent Part One (of three parts) of the whole.

Second, Handel wrote the entire oratorio, start to finish, in 24 days.

Third, every word, every phrase, every sentence in the oratorio is a direct quote from the Bible.

Finally, you might not know that Handel often utilized a technique in his music called "word-painting", which is making the music reflect what the words say. A simple version would be using lower notes when singing about valleys, and higher notes when singing about mountains, as he did in the piece entitled "Every Valley".

So why am I telling you all this stuff about "Messiah"? Ah, bear with me. As I was driving home the other day, I was listening over and over to a piece entitled "All we like sheep have gone astray", which uses the words from Isaiah 53:6. I would really like you to click on this link and listen to the song. It's written in four parts, and you'll see from the score that the vocal parts are arranged to go "every one to his own way", just like the words say. And if you're not moved by the resolution to the piece in the last sentence, I'll eat my hat.

So, basically I'm in tears as I drive home, listening to this piece of art, and I start thinking about how each of us is living a part in a great musical masterpiece. Our lives - not just mine, or Connor's, but every one of our lives, including yours - is but one line in a musical score written by God for His glory. A score greater than anything Handel ever wrote. A score that stretches across the centuries, and of which each one of us get to see only a small part when it's our turn on the stage. And in a way, the occurrences in our lives, and how we live them, is the musical line we sing as we take part in this massive choir of praise to God. In that score, there are high parts for the sopranos. There are low parts for the baritones. There are parts where different voices are featured as they sing their part of His story. And the score weaves itself across the globe and through time itself as it draws to its climax and conclusion.

And as a participant in this choir, you sing the part that's given to you. Perhaps like me, you sing baritone, or you sing soprano or alto or tenor. But even within your range, you're called to sing both high and low notes. I like to sing the high notes written for baritones, because my lower register isn't that strong. But if the score is written to sing the lower notes, that's what I have to sing.

Now, two things happen when I sing the lower notes. One, I get better at singing lower notes, because my ability is stretched and I practice it more often. And the other thing that happens is that as I practice and get better in this lower register, the piece of music gets better too.

Each of us sings a part in this choir. Sometimes we're each blessed to sing the high points, those notes at the top of the scale where the melody line flits along like a bird, joyfully ringing God's praise. And at other times we must sing the low, low notes - those notes that are dark, and deep, and difficult to sing, and that hurt your throat. But they're both necessary to complete the oratorio.

When you are called to sing the low notes, how will you sing? Will you sing the lows with as much fervor and skill as you sing the highs? Will your voice ring from the depths as you fulfill your part of this mighty harmony of praise to God? Or will you quit singing, or complain to your neighbor about how hard it is and how you don't like to sing the low notes, and remove your voice from the chorus? I'm trying to do more of the first and less of the second. Will you join me?

Eric

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