Music is fundamental! It's one of the greatest sources of life, health, strength and happiness. In music is found the deepest communicative bond of all mankind, linking age to age and man to man.
According to Greek mythology, the word music was taken from the name for the daughters of Zeus, the Muses, who governed all the beauty and harmony in the world.
Webster defines music as the science or combination of tones; the art of making such combinations into compositions of tones; the art of making such combinations into compositions of definite structure and significance; sounds having rhythm and melody. In the thesaurus, music is described as tone, rhythm, harmony, melody, tune, strain, harmonics, refrain, song. We all have our own definition of music - our own likes and dislikes. Perhaps it is classical, modern, rock and roll, vocal, instrumental or orchestral.
Music is an inspirational force in all our lives. Music comes from the heart and returns. It is a spontaneous, impulsive expression with an unlimited range. It can be all things to all men. It is like a great dynamic sun in the center of a solar system, which sends out its rays and inspiration in every direction of space and time to fill every need or feeling. Some music just naturally makes us feel patriotic such as the "Star Spangled Banner," "You're A Grand Old Flag" or "America the Beautiful."
When listening to music, we become one in spirit. Something in our soul responds and understands. It is in deepest levels of our consciousness, our strongest and most profound feelings that we find music that soothes and quiets us: "Londonderry Air," "Green Sleeves," "Chopin," "Evening Prayer."
Some music fills our hearts and mind with thoughts of husbands, wives or a special friend: "Let Me Call You Sweetheart," "I'll Hold You In My Heart," "Shadow of Your Smile."
Music is one of the things, like the ability to laugh, that has kept mankind going for thousands of years. Never have the people of this world been without music.
There is the great music of the West that the lonesome American cowboy originated. It was music born for a purpose. The cowboy sang or played the guitar to calm his restless heard of cattle, sooth his horse or simply to keep himself company on the lonely trail: "Cool Water," "Red River Valley," "Tumbling Tumbleweed," "Cattle Call."
Pioneer life was extremely hard and lonely. There was little diversion from the drudgery of trying to keep body and soul alive. There was a strong bond among those within traveling distance, and whenever a few families could get together, there was toe-tappin' and foot-stompin' music to let them escape the realities of the harsh farm life. Songs like "John Henry," "Bugle Call Rag," "Home Sweet Home," "Turkey In The Straw" and many others can still be heard through out the world.
John Adams said; "I must study politics and war that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry and music."
There is a wealth of music for congregational singing in our heritage. We can trace the development of the hymn. Martin Luther is the fountainhead, with German chorales composed or taken from folk songs in the 16th and 17th centuries then harmonized by Bach in the 18th. Then the Genevan Psalter, the prototype of that which came with the Pilgrims to America; then Flemish, English and finally American Harmony. The authors drew upon the Bible for inspirations, the composers upon the musical characteristics of their own times: "A Mighty Fortress," "Fairest Lord Jesus," "All Hail The Power," "Oh God Our Help In Ages Past." The slave spirituals are a very important part of our heritage: "Walk Together Children," "Ezekiel Saw De Wheel."
Through their origins may be lost to memory, true folk songs and music continue to live because they are the songs of the people, songs about every day experiences, songs expressing a mood: "Go In and Out The Window," "Jimmy Crack Corn," "Mockin' Bird Hill."
Just when we need it most, Christmas comes to fill our hearts with laughter, love and peace. And what would Christmas be without the music? "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "White Christmas," "Oh Come All Ye Faithful."
What about the music which reminds us of fun and nonsense: "A Spoonful of Sugar," "Chim Chim Cher-ee," "Sama Kama Wacky Brown," "Ya Ha Super Mon?" Remember school days and graduation: "My Buddy," "That Old Gang of Mine," "Pomp and Circumstance?"
Music washes away from the soul the dust of every day life. It fills us with hope and expectation: "Look For a Silver Lining," "They're Coming to America."
Music reminds us of some one we know or knew in the armed services of our country: "Anchors Aweigh," "The Marine Hymn," "Caissons Go Rolling Along," Army Air Corps song.
So-called music could be made with just about anything that produced sound - jars of different levels of water, wash tubs, animal horns - the list goes on and on. Evidently, it lifted the spirits of ancient peoples and still does today. It is important to our lives. Music is not just the frosting on the cake; it has been and still is part of the main course. It is the beefsteak, it is the vitamins and it is the minerals.
I am writing this in memory of Jack Garner, Aug. 17, 1937, to Sept. 18, 1986. Let us remember him and the students he taught saying, "thank you for the music" for giving it to us.