Someone once said, I don’t care who writes the laws if you will let me write the songs. This alludes to the tremendous influence music has in our lives. It is all around us in its many different genres. It has certainly influenced my life as I’m sure it has the lives of countless others.
Children generally love music. Young children will sing or clap or dance. Encouraging a child in music is giving a gift that will last a lifetime. I believe music must have surrounded the universe at the moment of Creation. Job 38:7 speaks of this, “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy”.
When I was about 8 years old, my parents bought an upright piano, an older brother paid for my lessons and I was on my way.
My first piano teacher was a stern, white-haired Englishman. I had to go up some stairs to get to his small studio. And once I got there, I spent an anxious 30 minutes trying to play to his satisfaction. Oh, Mr. Stone was a stickler. I must curve my fingers and play on the tips of my fingers. He wanted to hear my nails click on the keys; however, my fingernails had to be short. I must always enter and exit the piano bench from the right side and my backbone must be straight! No slumping allowed. Mr. Stone set 30 minutes every day as a minimum practice time. He would know by my mistakes if I had not done that and he would ask me how long I had practiced that week. My first piano book was Folk Songs and Famous Pictures for Piano Beginners by Mary Bacon Mason. I still have the book, an antique by this time, as I am. Now my granddaughter enjoys playing from it.
It would be nice if more children had the opportunity of delving into music education; if not the piano, then another instrument or voice. Whether we are blessed with lessons or just give free expression to what’s inside, nothing brightens up a gloomy day like belting out a song. I don’t remember my mother singing but I do remember she whistled when she was happy. If I heard Mom whistling, I knew all was right with the world. Dad, on the other hand, didn’t whistle but would sing and, like as not, accompany his song with a fast Irish jig. Dad liked to sing to his grandchildren. I too used to sing to my son and later, to my grandbabies as I rocked them to sleep.
Someone penned these words a long time ago, They were set to music and sung by several different artists: “Without a song, the day would never end; Without a song, the road would never bend; When things go wrong, A man ain’t got a friend Without A Song.”
My sister and I were just sharing, how that music in the form of “playing in the school band” really saved us as children after we lost our mother so very young. When my dad wouldn’t give me an instrument to play, the band director at our school gave me his personal saxophone to play and I still adore that man. At almost 70 I’m still loving music in various forms, including a wonderful old saxophone loaned to me by my son-in-law. I haven’t heard the son you quoted before but it is so true. Love the story about Chappo too. . . .I can just see my friend with hair flying and am amazed she could ride bareback! So enjoy the new website.
I’m glad you are enjoying the blogs, Carol. Yes, music is a big part of your life and you use it to bless many others. Lucky you in playing a saxophone in high school. I wound up playing a baritone and boy! That thing is heavy and has a tendency to bang against the mouth when marching.