With the Christmas holiday waning, the carols are still
being played and remain in our collective consciousness. So, this is an ideal time to examine the
magnitude and magic of all music.
Whether made by a guitar, piano, saxophone, violin, or
trombone, music is created and played by using only 13 notes. Yes, just 13.
Johann Bach, Paul McCartney, and Weird Al Yankovic, all use
the same 13 notes to make songs that convey serenity, love, and satyr.
When I speak of music, I am not referring to rap, which is
nothing more than frustrated poetry coming from no-talent clowns. Rather, the music to which I refer is
classical, rock and roll, heavy metal, big band, easy listening, and even new
wave.
The same notes are used to construct mediocre songs or
masterpieces offered to the masses for their listening pleasure. Incorporated therein is the often butchering
vocalist.
Lately, I hear way too much of whiney women strumming a
guitar sounding as though they are being water-boarded during the actual
recording. They imitate a breathless
pleader begging to be saved from another Alec Baldwin movie screening, which
only makes that song more annoying. But,
I digress.
Accidentally tuning in to one of those many show that are
helping America replenish the dwindling singer stock, I caught a “singer”
making the song “your own.” Evidently
that means yodeling until the listeners’ ears bleed, while grimacing as if
being attacked by a snow blower.
These disturbing shows only ruin the sanctity of melodies that
were written one way, yet performed in another.
That is sacrilegious. A case in
point is the oft heard Star Spangled Banner.
This reverent song is played before each sporting event and
known, by heart, to nearly every American.
Still, when sung by many, it is so mangled that it is almost
unrecognizable by anyone except the performer, who made it “their own.” This is akin to karaoke night at the local
Italian restaurant, and having the tune Mandy being corrupted by some drunken
biker wearing leather chaps. But, I digress,
again.
In any case, Christmas songs are very few and limited in
number so, we all know the words to most.
Keep in mind that the notes creating Deck the Halls, are the same ones
that composed Ave Maria, and Back In Black.
I find that amazing because it is the onus of the composer
to arrange the appropriate notes in a sensible fashion, thereby manufacturing a
melodic work that is sometimes catchy.
Maybe they are too catchy for our own good.
Too often I find myself with what is referred to as an “ear
worm.” Those are tunes that are hard to
shake and cause us to whistle, hum, or actually sing that tune over, and over,
and over again. They don’t have to be
good tunes, only catchy.
In any case, the composers and musicians of the world have a
limited supply of notes with which to work, yet create some great works of
audible art. Manufacturing a cerebral
image through sounds, alone, is a gift.
And that is why I enjoy music.
