I have a pretty demanding and stressful job running sound for my school district's main auditorium. Despite the many complaints I could easily spew, one of the great privileges I have is to be exposed to some amazing people and amazing music that I'd not know of without this job. Last week, I ran sound for the high school chorus/choir concert. The first night of rehearsal, I was so busy and preoccupied with making everything sound okay that I hardly paid attention to what was actually happening. It sounds funny, but as I worked to make the music sound good, I completely overlooked...the music.
The second night, show night, I actually sat back and enjoyed the music. The choir began singing one particular song that pulled me in and really blew me away. I've been obsessed with it since.
It's called "I Am in Need of Music." I believe it is originally a poem by Elizabeth Bishop, arranged into a musical piece later on.
I had a really in-depth post I was going to write about this, but the poem just speaks so much more than all my words can say. The song does something to me, too, that I can't put into words. So here is the poem, and a video:
"I Am in Need of Music"
I am in need of music that would flow Over my fretful, feeling fingertips, Over my bitter-tainted, trembling lips, With melody, deep, clear, and liquid-slow. Oh, for the healing swaying, old and low, Of some song sung to rest the tired dead, A song to fall like water on my head, And over quivering limbs, dream flushed to glow!
There is a magic made by melody: A spell of rest, and quiet breath, and cool Heart, that sinks through fading colors deep To the subaqueous stillness of the sea, And floats forever in a moon-green pool, Held in the arms of rhythm and of sleep.