C4: Music

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What do YOU sing?

How many pop song lyrics can you sing by heart? How many tunes can you hum off pat? Do you sing in the shower or whenever you're alone? Do you compose your own melodies or write music? Do you play an instrument? How does music effect YOU?

Whatever, whenever and however it is, love of music is an intensely personal thing. One person's "Top Ten album" is another person's "Worst Album in the World... Ever!" This doesn't matter in general society because you just buy and listen to what you want. But what about Jewish music? Do you have to like that?

Well, not really. We sing prayers in the synagogue because they are more interesting and exciting that way. The different tunes reflect how we feel. There are serious and sombre tunes for Yom Kippur and happy relaxing tunes for Shabbat. But there is plenty of room for adaptation and making up your own tunes.

The Story of the River Messiah

Once there lived a village of creatures along the bottom of a great crystal river. The current of the river swept silently over them all - young and old, rich and poor, good and evil, the current going its own way, knowing only its own crystal self. Each creature in its own manner clung tightly to the twigs and rocks of the river bottom, for clinging was their way of life, and resisting the current was what each had learned from birth.

One creature said at last, "I am tired of clinging. Though I cannot see it with my eyes, I trust the current knows where it is going. I shall let go, and let it take me where it will. Clinging, I shall die of boredom." The other creatures laughed and said, "Fool! Let go, and that current you worship will throw you tumbled and smashed across the rocks, and you will die quicker than boredom!" But the one heeded them not, and taking a breath did let go, and at once was tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks.

Yet in time, as the creature refused to cling again, the current lifted him free from the bottom and he was bruised and hurt no more. And the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger, cried, "See a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies! See the Messiah, come to save us all!" And the one carried in the current said, "I am no more Messiah than you. The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare let go. Our true work is this voyage, this adventure." But they cried the more, "Saviour!" all the while clinging to the rocks, and when they looked again he was gone, and they were left alone making legends of a Saviour.

Hearing without listening

How deeply does the music we love affect the way we feel? Do we notice the words when we are caught up in the atmosphere of the melody? Or maybe we don’t really take the words seriously? If you look at the meaning behind some of your favourite songs, you may be surprised by what they are really about. True, you can often read your own interpretation of the music, but equally you can accept something that you would normally question if it’s sung to you. It’s no coincidence that music is used in political rallies and other forms of propaganda to get the message across. You could be hearing when you don’t even think you’re listening...

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