Music

Music, we may say, is the art of organizing sounds. Music is a rhythmic poem that inspires, a harmonious tone that tranquilizes, and a melody of mystery and beauty.

There are many kinds of music. Since we have different ideas of what is beautiful, we have our choices from the magnificent compositions of music masters like Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, and Wagner, to the popular songs and tunes of the common music-hall.

Only people of educated musical taste can appreciate the former, and only they find no pleasure in the latter, while the common people are bored with what is called classical music, and find pleasure only in what musicians would call vulgar tunes.

However, good music often has a wonderful effect upon the feelings of even ignorant people. One poet has said, “Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast.”

Soft and sweet music soothes the wearied, the sad, the restless, and grand music will fill strong men with great ambitions; the regimental band puts courage into the hearts of troops; the solemn hymns fill the worshippers with reverence. Indeed, as the poet Dryden once asked, “What passion cannot music raise and quell?”