My Music:

Straight AheadObjectively, I know that classical music is better than jazz; and most jazz is better than rock, pop, or country. By this, I simply mean that it takes more technical understanding of one's instrument and of the music itself, and more skill, to perform or appreciate certain types of music than other types. I am not a professional musician. I have, however, studied piano and voice and have many very talented musicians in my family. I know that serious religious music, whether a Gregorian chant, a classical choir anthem, or one of the great hymns, is more demanding and requires more musical ability than most contemporary Christian music. Having said all this, however, it does not necessarily follow that I spend my musical hours performing or hearing classical music. In fact, I like some classical music; but I rarely listen to it. I own some recorded classical music, mostly on old records which I cannot play at the moment, since I don't have a working turntable. I listen to jazz, rock, and country, occasionally some bluegrass and gospel. Music involves the intellect, but music also involves the emotions. It speaks to us in ways that few other human expressions speak. I enjoy some contemporary Christian music as well. It speaks to a part of the Christian experience that, for a number of people, has not yet been reached by traditional Christian hymns, choir anthems, and the like. To be sure, the hymns and anthems are significant--for theological, if not artistic or aesthetic reasons; but we cannot completely dismiss the value of some of the more substantive contemporary Christian music. I've said all that to say this. I have rediscovered my music this afternoon. I have an XM Satellite radio "boom box" which also has a CD player. It's very simple to operate. So today, after having the set for about nine months, I finally took the time to learn how to use it! I listened to some of my old Bruce Hornsby, some of my new country CD's, and Chuck Mahronic's beautiful jazz stylings of favorite hymns. I had heard these all before. It's just that I've barely listened to any CD's since I took the radio with the CD player out of my room and moved it over to the church! I truly did rediscover my music. I think I've been impoverishing myself by failing to listen to music very much over the past four or five years. I havaen't even been playing the piano as much as I used to--particularly when I was in college and seminary. I'm sure that even my computer time would be greatly enriched by taking a music break every now and then--and I have another "boom box" with a CD player right here in front of me! Oh, my music may not always be the most intellectual. (It will not always even be the most spiritual.) But life isn't all about intellect or even about hymns and anthems. As Montgomery Gentry said in his recent country hit, songs are about "you and me and life, and God, and family." Music is about all that--centered around God, to be sure, but not ignoring the fun and friendship, the love and laughter and tears, the emotions that make up our days and nights. Thank goodness, I finally learned how to operate that CD player!