Musical Notes and Thoughts

Having thrown my back out, and my following that up with damaging other muscles, I’ve had considerable time to consider and rethink some musical goals. The good news is that I’m finally back to practicing double-bass, if on a somewhat limited basis. As I’m also in the process of transitioning to using my (small) residence as the church office, that impacts things as well.

For those who read my blog entries, as you know, much of my research and writing focuses on various aspects of Christian apologetics. Going forward, that will increase. I have to admit that I haven’t always done a good job (quite often actually) of balancing those intense studies with more positive pursuits.

Once I’m back home for those activities, one of the things I’ve come to realize is that I need to be listening to a lot of encouraging music in the background while engaged in those difficult research and writing tasks: in short, have something positive going on in the background!

One of the listening keys—though it won’t be the only one—will be the music of Joseph Haydn. He was a devout Christian. For example, his “The Creation” oratorio, in terms of importance, is arguably second only to Handel’s “Messiah.” He was praying over it daily during the time it took him to complete it.

More than that, unlike so many of his day (and ours as well!) he was a joyful Christian. He remarked that God had made him a joyful person and that God wouldn’t object if he served Him joyfully. His music is infused with that joy, and God’s peace underlies even his slower and reflective movements/pieces. He’s never self-absorbed, unlike many of the Romantic period composers. I suspect that is also one reason that even within the classical period, I prefer Haydn over Mozart. Interestingly, his younger brother, Michael Haydn, is generally regarded as the best sacred music composer of the classical era, though not Joseph’s equal in terms of instrumental music.

As I contemplate my own return to music composition, I’ve been thinking more and more about needing to write in a peaceful “beautiful/serene” (for lack of better words) manner, even when expressing sadness (though not every piece will fit there). Our world, and especially our country, is getting increasingly ugly and hateful, and that doesn’t at all reflect who we are in Christ, and the eternal hope and future we have in Him. That focus will also need to be a strong component of any future double-bass performances.

We’ll see where God takes all of this.