The Power of Music

The recent death of “Pop-Super Star” Michael Jackson, got me thinking about all those, who where affected by his music, how much it meant to them and how deeply the music (as well as the performer) touched their hearts. From what I’ve read over the years, the deaths of some of the great classical composers had many similarities to what we’re hearing in the news now.
The outpouring of grief along with the necessity to “be there” when they where laid to rest.
Take for instance, Beethoven, his funeral in Vienna drew several thousand people that lined the streets for the procession, some reporting, as many as 30,000 attendees. The theaters were closed, and many notable artists of the day participated in the funeral procession too, as pallbearers or torch bearers, including fellow composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel (who they say was at Beethoven’s side during the last moments), Beethoven’s close friend and student Carl Czerny, and even fellow composer Franz Schubert. Beethoven himself was certainly a celebrity in his day and it’s been reported that in the days following the funeral, one of the grave-diggers was actually offered a lot of money to remove his head… “eeeek”!!
Thankfully that didn’t happen.
Music... with the ability to evoke so many emotions, pleasure and appreciation, that can last a lifetime. It affects everyone in one way or another and it doesn’t matter the style or if it was 200 years ago or yesterday, what's most important is that we take the opportunity to listen and discover as much of it as we can.

Thanks for joining me (when you can)…
and stay listening:

Mark Calder