Here Comes Treble: The Soul Of Music
“Glorious music flowed in and around me, floated up to the lovely arches and drifted through shafts of sunlight. I felt as if every flautist who ever lived was playing through me and that Handel lived again in every silver note...”
Isabel Bradley writes of making music in the beautiful white cathedral in Breda, Holland. Isabel comes as close as mere words will allow to expressing the glory and wonder of great music.
What makes music live? Where does its “soul” come from?
When playing the flute, the source of the music, the sound, comes from the depths of the player’s lungs, close to the heart. It flows directly across the mouth-piece, setting the silver tube vibrating beneath the fingers.
Singers experience an even closer physical connection with the source of their music, their breath creating the sound within their own larynx. Any musician who uses their breath to make a “glorious sound” feels that the music they make comes from the core of their being.
Pianists and string-players must be included among those whose spirits help to create their music. The connection between their bodies and the sounds they make is through their finger-tips on the keyboard, setting hammers to strings, causing the sound-board to vibrate and thus creating music; they “breathe” with the music as much as wind-players and singers. Violinists, viola players and ‘cellists stroke bows across strings to set their glowing wooden instruments singing. They, too, are trained to “breathe” with the music as they play.
Musicians use their entire bodies in the creation of sound: it is often said that they make love to their instruments.
When acclaimed American ‘cellist, Lyn Harol, performed in South Africa a few years ago, this was vividly illustrated. The big man walked on-stage, clutching his Stradivarius ‘cello in his left hand, waving it around as if it was as light and small as a violin. Then he sat down, breathed deeply, and his instrument became a part of him. The spirits of first Haydn then Tchaikowsky flowed through his bow-arm and entire body, through the ‘cello and directly into the heart of everyone in the auditorium.
Music is most often created by a group of musicians, rather than one player. If all the members of a group are of a similar proficiency, if their hearts and minds are in tune, then the beauty of the resulting music rises above the “sum” of each individual’s capabilities.
A few years ago, during a visit to Holland, I was introduced to Jaap Hillen, a lecturer in music at the University of Utrecht, conductor of several choirs and instrumental ensembles, and church organist for the last sixty-two years at the beautiful Grote Kerk in Breda. Jaap had recently celebrated his eightieth birthday; he was fit and healthy with a cheerful twinkle in his eyes. In his home are three small pipe organs of different sizes; a large harpsichord built to his own design; a beautiful “Mozart” or “table” piano; and a superb grand piano. Although he and I didn’t understand each other’s languages, musically we were “in tune”. One evening he and his wife hosted a house-concert, during which we moved from the harpsichord to the cabinet organ while he accompanied me first in a Vivaldi sonata, then in a work by Handel. After only two hours of rehearsal, we worked together as if we’d known each other for years.
Two days later, Jaap and his wife took us to “his” church in Breda. The beautiful white cathedral soared high into a clear, May sky. After giving us a fascinating tour of the exquisite, newly-restored building, Jaap climbed up to the gallery which housed the massive blue and gold pipe organ. He had spent fifteen years renovating and extending this instrument, tracing the parts he needed across Europe. It seemed to float between floor and ceiling, the spiral staircase its only connection with the flag-stoned floor. Jaap performed Bach’s famous Toccata and Fugue, the music thundering through the vast, empty spaces. He then invited me to play the Handel sonata with his accompaniment on the organ. My diary entry for that day reads:
“Glorious music flowed in and around me, floated up to the lovely arches and drifted through shafts of sunlight. I felt as if every flautist who ever lived was playing through me and that Handel lived again in every silver note...”
Anyone who plays a musical instrument longs for such moments, they are the reason we strive to perform to the best of our ability.
The Soul of Music flows from the spirit of every musician who makes music with joy and passion, filling the world with glorious sound for those who listen with equal joy and passion.
Until next week, “here comes Treble!''
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