“For the common things of every day, God gave us speech in the common way; For the deeper things we think and feel, God gave poets words to reveal; But for the heights and depths no words can reach, God gave us Music, the soul’s own speech.”  (Anonymous)

I first discovered this quote when I was in high school band. Our director wrote it on the board, and I scribbled it down and took it home to inspire me while I practiced the Clarinet.  Who penned those beautiful words?  I wondered. One site credited the the prolific hymn writer Charles Wesley, but most seem to list it as being from an Anonymous source.

I am not sure why I chose the Clarinet, but it seemed like a logical progression from the Recorder. Another possible influence was the cat from “Peter and the Wolf”, or my friends’ brother who recommended it. Our very astute mother played string bass in school. She suggested I pick something smaller than a string bass, that I could carry on my bike. She did not really care for the sound of woodwinds – practice would have to be in the basement!

The Clarinet is a fun instrument because it often has the melody and when it doesn’t, it joins the lower brass instruments in contra-melody. The Clarinet always plays a part, whether in the lead or behind the scenes, which means you are mostly playing, not resting.  The Clarinet is melodic, mellow, and mournful, all at once. It can be peppy and delightful, or dramatic, or anonymous but important. The second Clarinets often help with counting, underlying light motifs, synchopation, and the tried and true, after beats.

When one first start’s playing the Clarinet it’s mostly squeaky. I practiced hard and eventually worked out the squeaks and squawks and made my way up from the back of the pack to the melody part of the Clarinet section. I never made first chair because there were two very talented Clarinetists battling it out for those spots. I liked playing backup melody to their solos. My first year in band, we marched to tunes like “Saturday in the Park” and “25 or 6 to 4” by the band Chicago. We marched in freezing rain and snow and also in one very hot Bicentennial Parade in the summer of ’76. Underclassmen were called upon to play the after beats ’til the sun went down during very long graduation ceremonies. That was yet another incentive to work my way up. For a second clarinet player, “Pomp and Circumstance” had no pomp. I appreciated that song far more when my “circumstance” was the parent proudly watching her kids in the processional.

A favorite piece of music in high school was “The 1812 Overture”. When our orchestra played this, it was outside, with cannons. The bells would clang and a flock of birds would fly out from the school tower during the dramatic ending. It was very popular. In order to be a part of this spectacular event, I’d have to be one of four Clarinet players they’d pick for Symphony Orchestra. I worked all year playing and memorizing the Clarinet parts to this very tricky piece of music. It is full of sixteenth notes and used all my breath and key combinations.  Finally I tried out and made the orchestra. What a thrill (or more accurately, a trill!) that was. Later we would accompany the choir to Orchestra Hall in Detroit, a historic venue known for its perfect acoustics. We took turns standing in the balcony to listen for our friends whispering and dropping a pin on the stage.

I was also active in church choir. This was not because I could sing, it was because I could  read music and my  older siblings’ talent and dedication had paved the way for me. I could carry a tune well enough to be taken in as an Alto but I had a very limited range. I soon learned that the hardest part of being an Alto is holding a note without going flat, while the Sopranos and Tenors duke it out for center stage. Through choir we learned many of the traditional hymns. It also sparked my interest in Christian music. I prefer Christian contemporary songs because they are more forgiving, and seem to be more within my limited range. I can sing loudly without worrying as much about intonation.

I love all band, orchestral, and choir music.  I appreciate the practice each individual has to do and the role each person plays, from the anonymous second Clarinet to the soloists and conductor, each person contributing in subtle and expert fashion to the beautiful result. The sound would not be the same without  the variety of instruments and each musician joining in at exactly the right time.  It takes talent, rigor, training, and the ability to listen intently for cues from the other instruments around you,

Listening to beautiful music is awe inspiring. Like the Psalmist, I believe the composers were inspired by God in their ability to weave together so many sounds into heavenly anthems. There is a piece by Mozart, called “Concerto for Clarinet in A Major – Adagio”. I  like to imagine that whoever the anonymous music appreciation poet was, they were at one time sitting among the second Clarinets, supporting the light motif. Inspired by this elegant piece of music, they penned the legendary words: “But for the heights and depths no words can reach, God gave us Music, the soul’s own speech” 🎶    (lwr, Oct 14, 2017)