DID YOU HEAR WHAT I HEARD?
Christmas music fades away quickly each year and it is not uncommon for us to find that we actually listened to very little of it during the rush of holiday events.
Officially, I suppose, Christmas music starts at about the same time the Thanksgiving Day turkey is being consumed. That's when radio promises Christmas music but much depends on economic factors as to how much time remains for Yuletide music.
Then, when it is available, we tend to slight ourselves by overlooking the vast treasury of good music which has come to us based on the finest qualities of the faith we profess.
The holiday theme fades with the old year and we are off on a path which offers us an amazing selection of many types of music from which we must choose our favorites.
The is much more to each of the varied types of music and we might, at first, be unaware of the values they hold for us. I have noticed a puzzled look of concern for my mental well-being. coupled with a shade of doubt and even anger, when I speak out in favor of a certain type of music, which has good reason for being what it is even though we do not select it as our favorite.
I cringe inwardly at times, listening to some music of our day, and yet I know that steady pulse of noise has meaning. I will concede that is no small or easy thing to do, this choosing from varied styles, because it is through our musical likes and dislikes - expressed so openly at times – that we, probably, show our worst thoughts of hatred, distrust, disrespect for the rights of others... so many negatives values, both in words spoken and printed. Too often the musical choices of others are purposely made to seem crude, jaundiced, reckless, worthless and a thing of revulsion, ridicule and rottenness.
Think back over the Christmas season just ending. To what specific styles of seasonal music did you hear?
It seems proper that we heard many traditional Christmas carols being sung. But, to some people, hymns are boring and do not convey the personal sentiment of their religious faith. Those people prefer listening to humorous parodies of older songs, or songs associated in some way,events of the holiday time or characters of the time. So many people are much more interested in “seeing Mama kissing Santa Claus:, “wanting two front teeth for Christmas”,or, among this year's sillier songs, the one about Grandmother being “run over by reindeer!”
To some, that is Christmas music is at its most enjoyable level. Others profess to want it a bit more formal: “Twelve Days of Christmas”, and that sort of Olde English treatment, and each year they do an annual recount as to the exact number of animals referred to in that song.*
There is also a group of higher-toned folks who think portions of Handel's “The Messiah”, and other works of that caliber, are proper. Fine! Go to it! But don't forbid albums of simple songs by Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Perry Como, Tony Bennett and others – all, you see, from my generation. I, personally, would like to include and an album of holiday sounds by “Mannheim Steamroller”,as well as Carson LaRue singing her a capella favorites.
If music is “melody” to you, the choices you make will be lyrical in nature and have direct meaning. If music seems better with bit of bounce to it you may prefer instrumental records. And instrumenation will vary, as well,.from pipe organ to harmonic.ou my want an album by the Statler Brothers or group cconsist of a fidde.,guitar, madolin,ducemer playing ancinet lilts for The Old Sod
.
PIck and choose your musical favorites with absolute freedom to allow for change, too. Being loyal is one thing; being so narrow as to exclude other music of value is wasteful and wrong. Don't feel out of place or false to your assumed heritage, either.
Listen and learn at the level best suited to your current need. Play, sing or simply attend to music in praise and in gratitude.
A..L.M. December 23, 2002 [c 705wds] *31, I'm told
