MUSIC'S MESSAGE.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 29, 11 December 1930, Page 13

MUSIC'S MESSAGE.

(Written specially for the 'Hutt News' by Claude H.. Hay don, Mus. Bae, L.A.B)

Since Christmas is the %eason ? above all others, for sending messages of good ■cheer to all, I wonder whether I could send a message of good cheer and good ■will to you, by trying .to give you a few Teasons why I think Music is such a lovely thing?

To study Music properly, and to play musiCj means a good deal of hard work, doesn't it? But to listen to music and to enjoy it is not Hard work, is it? If it is, then the music has no message for us, or we have failed to get it. Now,'' especially at Christmas-tide, we don*t want to talk about the reasons for missing Music's Message. Our concern just how is to realise as fully as passible what joys are outs when we receive messages from Music-land. If we feel, to start with, that Music.is a gladsome thing, I'm sure that is the first step towards receiving its benefits. At Christmas time it is the Joy of Music that we want to think about. Now, when.we are happy, we do (most of us) feel all the jollier if we cazs have a "good old sing song" and givq vent to our nierriinent tihat way. ':. 3J. wonder what a Christinas picnic would, be like if the promoters of' the picnic^ were to announce, just as we were star>ts ing:"Now then, boys and girls, lasses; and lads, ladies and gentlemen,, have a) realy good time, but remember, oij course, there's to be no singing thisj trip!" Groodness! I think most of usj, even if we were quite old children^ •would reckon that our Christmas picni© was not half a picnic! No singimg! Oh, dear!

But there's no need to worry over such a contingency", because picnic promoters are always sensible people, aren't they? They would) never dream' of suggesting suh a thing as "no singing '' at a picnic

Music is specially suited to express joy and light-he,artedness, and if w& start by liking*it ever so little, the Spirit of Music is such a winsome thing that why, after a very; little time we can't do without it for very long. We feel we simply must have music of some sort or other! There are some people, of, course, w.lu> don't like Miasie at all, but they are the excetption^ aaad even they, at Christmas time, even they, I really believe, do get livened up a bit when they hear Christmas music.

And now, a great many of us like music very much, although, another kind of music may not interest us in the least. Anyiway; it is always best to make a start with, the kind of music we feel sure about liking,' because so many people enjoy various types of music; that, as time goes on, we will; most likely, chance to meet some one who likes the music that we find dull. Then, more likely than not, our new acquaintance, by liking and understanding niusie that we could make nothing of, tvill all at once give us that Music's' Message in such a powerful and interesting fasiiion, that we shall find wonderful beauties in what, „ before, was meaningless. When that happens, surely the Message of Music is speaking to our very hearts. Oh, yes, I think it is.

And the wonderfully encouraging thing aibout Music's Message is that ■when we like music, we can never be utterly lonely, can we? What a joy it is to go to our work or our play—lbeeause who wants to bother about work at Christmas time—-with tthe memory of a lovely tune in our mind!

WKhat a power Music has too. Often, if. we can't Temember a lovely tune (and some tunes, even very lovely ones, are hard to rememiber at one hearing) yet- we do remember the joyous thrill felt when those lovely sounds first greeted our ears, though, the actual tune .may have slipped from out memoTy. Is not this yet another proof of the vital joy of Music's Message?

' And, wthen we hear beautiful music, don't we just long to let others among our friends and acquaintances hear it too? Oh yes! The more we love Music ishe more w^e want to share . NotMng

can quite take the place of actual personal contact and personal interpretation in the delivery of the full and com plete Message of Music. Nevertheless, Jwhen and1 where it would.be quite impossible to enjoy the full message as prodteeed than have no music at all, •there still eadst for us tie wondexiui Inventions of the gramophone and of wireless. Barely, these devices were (bring Music's Message within the

brought into being by Man's desire to reach of as many as possible. The more we think of Music's Message the more certain we become that the great triumph of this message at Christmas time lies in this' through Music there throlbs the feeling of brotherly love— infinitely joyous, infinitely hopeful—> heralding neivsr seasons of delight—calling to listening humanity-—"Welcome, Brothers and Sisters! Rejoice, leathers

and Mothers! Cheerio, Comrades alii, Behold Music makes a cheerful worldl HaTken to Music's Message, and Joy can never be banished from among you. Verily, Music's Message is a right cheery one! Again, and yet again, Oheerio, Comrades all."