Go see some music!
It is the time of year to go and see some of the greatest music ever written. Even if you are not religious or are not of the Christian religion, some of the greatest music was written surrounding the events of Christmas.
Last week my wife and I went to see Handel’s Messiah. I sang in it when I was in college, but sitting in the audience to listen to the harmonies and intricacies of the instrumentation and voices is wonderful. There is no substitute for going to see and listen to live music. Fortunately, we live in an area where you can see music all year long. A great resource for those in Pittsburgh is theWQED Cultural Calendar. It has almost all the performances around the Pittsburgh area in one place.
Guitarist should go and see as many types of music as possible. Too many times instrumentalist, especially guitarist, do not go and listen to music written for other instruments. Many times these performances are the greatest inspiration to me. It causes me to ask, “Could I do that on my instrument?” or “That idea would never work on guitar . . . or would it?” One must not get caught up in the superiority of “their” instrument and negate the value of the other musical expressions out there. Listening to other types of instruments gives new light on musical possibilities and expression.
If you live in Pittsburgh, then you have a wealth of music to see and support. From symphonies to opera to bluegrass. It’s here if you want to find it. If you do not live in Pittsburgh, do your searching and find the music . . . it’s out there.
For now, I am going to listen to a section of the Bach’s Passion and dream that I could have written it. Or, I’ll just sit and enjoy the mastery of his majestic work.
Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah and to all a happy New Year.
