THE MUSIC OF THE SPHERES. By A Banker

Otago Witness, Issue 2651, 4 January 1905, Page 67

THE MUSIC OF THE SPHERES. By A Banker

From very early -times, niusic has had a most potent influence upon mankind. A popular chant or song has swayed entire nations, } even contributing *to the overturning at dynas- j ties; while many a. great movement, political j or otherwise, has very greatly aided by j popular songs and hymns. How tiring does the soldier find a long_ march ±± there be no band, or drums, and fifes, -or bagpipes, to enliven its monotony; or how utterly uninte- ■ resting would a fiance be without nrusic of any kind. Who, unless, indeed, his senses -were be- ' numbed into adamant, could listen 'to for instance the harp duet from Ii Martiri as it - used to be sung 'by a *G.uiglini and a .Piccolo-, minf- "without a tremTiling thrill coursing ; through and .through his veins**- 'Or who could hear the soul-stkring G.aribaldiig_hymn sting by a choir 'and 'orchestra ,of five thousand, an , audience> of more Shan twenty "thousand -sing- . ing "the choruses, the 'hero himself standing there-.on. a .platform between the two, without "a throbbing passion pulsating through ', -his very soul, and r inflaming him -with a. wild ' quiver of -uncontrollable- enthusiasm for the ' igallasrb and intrepid 1 -warrior, who. stands 'there impassive aa -when on the plains of Helazzo Francesco's cannon shot and bombs'Tvere hurtling around him. " Of all the musical instruments ever in- • vented, the organ must surely be the one which fcofch for grandeur and for sublimity ex- * eels them all. To hear, -for example, Bee- , thoven's, "Storm Symphony" played upon the ■great F-reiburg organ, one of the iinest in Europe, is -a treat indeed. The birds are singing, the shepherd is piping, and the stream is purling and -rippling. TBut in the .far-off distance a low muttering xumble is heard, ap- ' proaching ever nearer and nearer. 'The birds cease their singing and a deluge of Tain commences to -fall. Soon the rolling peals of reverberating thunder boom and roar, now for ■ a moment'hushed into '-silence, only to "burst . forth again and again in a rending,^ crashing blast, ra_ very -orgasm of fury and turmoil. At . .length the violence of the storm .moderates, "the : stricter of the thunder peals is less and less fiolent, soon slowly rolling ,back rand becoming ever fainter >and softer, until at length a solemn hush -has supervened. Now again are heard the rollicking trill of the song .birds, the contented lowing, of the herds, and the silvery harmony ioi the shepherd's pipe, and all Nature is gay and .joyous. But if we with our instruments can produce , such melodious harmony.'; -if we can create ' .such ■thrilling and -soul-stirring melody, what ' must be the music of the celestial spheres ; what the choruseg -of 'the angelic -choirs ; what ' -the -anthems and (chants -of heaven-? 'Surely these -must -as far surpass the- finest and grandest of our efforts -as the glories of the celestial realms surpass the 'be-auties of our fair 'earth. Ah! and -with what lervour and . passionate emotion will :those join in the songs of praise -to their Redeemer, who .in virtue of Sis .sufferings iiave attained to the glory, and , have escaped the 'dread wrath to come.