The Piano Player
Long ago a young boy was sent to piano lessons by his parents.
His instructor set before him a music score.
"This note means this key should be played." She pushed down on the piano key, and he heard a sound.
"If you learn how to read the notes, and play them exactly as they are written on the paper, it will sound like this ..." Then she played the entire piece and the young boy smiled.
When the boy came home, he began to play the piano one note at a time. He was barely able to recognize the sounds, which were a little bit like the music he remembered at his teacher's house.
He soon discovered that to play the song as well as the teacher, he needed to practice the song over and over again, and so he played it many times.
Eventually, he could play the entire song perfectly. His parents came to listen and said, "What an excellent song!" But to the boy it no longer sounded like music, it was like he was only hearing words in a distant conversation without knowing the meaning.
The little boy learned to play many songs. Each time it sounded a little bit like music while he was learning it, but eventually it sounded like a memorized speech.
Many people came by the little boy's house to hear him play. They liked listening to him very much, but the boy became angry when he was alone, "Everyone likes my music! Why doesn't it even sound like music to me?".
In a fit of frustration, the boy seized his music books and threw them across the room. He dropped his elbows on the keyboard, which made a loud noise, and he began to cry.
The boy had no desire to lift his eyes open. He put his hands on the keys and began to play the notes -one at a time- with his eyes closed.
Only this time the song did not sound like music, it was truly music.
His mother came home and heard him playing from another room. "I've heard that song before, but I've never heard anything played like that ... how did you learn to play it that way?" She said.
The boy looked at his mom and said, "The music wasn't in the books or the notes on the page. It wasn't in the keys, or the piano. The music wasn't even in my ears or my fingers. The music was in me!"
Image from: here.
His instructor set before him a music score.
"This note means this key should be played." She pushed down on the piano key, and he heard a sound.
"If you learn how to read the notes, and play them exactly as they are written on the paper, it will sound like this ..." Then she played the entire piece and the young boy smiled.
When the boy came home, he began to play the piano one note at a time. He was barely able to recognize the sounds, which were a little bit like the music he remembered at his teacher's house.
He soon discovered that to play the song as well as the teacher, he needed to practice the song over and over again, and so he played it many times.
Eventually, he could play the entire song perfectly. His parents came to listen and said, "What an excellent song!" But to the boy it no longer sounded like music, it was like he was only hearing words in a distant conversation without knowing the meaning.
The little boy learned to play many songs. Each time it sounded a little bit like music while he was learning it, but eventually it sounded like a memorized speech.
Many people came by the little boy's house to hear him play. They liked listening to him very much, but the boy became angry when he was alone, "Everyone likes my music! Why doesn't it even sound like music to me?".
In a fit of frustration, the boy seized his music books and threw them across the room. He dropped his elbows on the keyboard, which made a loud noise, and he began to cry.
The boy had no desire to lift his eyes open. He put his hands on the keys and began to play the notes -one at a time- with his eyes closed.
Only this time the song did not sound like music, it was truly music.
His mother came home and heard him playing from another room. "I've heard that song before, but I've never heard anything played like that ... how did you learn to play it that way?" She said.
The boy looked at his mom and said, "The music wasn't in the books or the notes on the page. It wasn't in the keys, or the piano. The music wasn't even in my ears or my fingers. The music was in me!"
What is best in music is not to be found in the notes.
Gustav Mahler
...The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Corinthians 3:6b
Image from: here.
5 Comments:
This falls softly upon my own heart today as a thought that points the way out of my own present struggle.
Pam
I find it strange, the way I write things which are hardly anything and God breathes meaning into it for someone.
I will remember to pray for you.
Perhaps it is the simplicity that leaves room for God's wisdom. Thanks for praying for me. I certainly need it!
Pam
this is giving me alot to think about...as you usually do.
I've recently started a site, the information you offer on this website has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work. "'Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world." by George Washington.
------------------------------------------------------
icamtech.com|[url=http://icamtech.com/led_strip_lights]Led strip lights[/url] [url=http://icamtech.com/christmas_led_lights]Christmas led lights[/url] [url=http://icamtech.com/led_panel]led grow panel[/url] [url=http://icamtech.com/led_light_bars]led light bars[/url] [url=http://www.icamtech.com/led_flashlight]Led flashlight[/url]
Post a Comment
<< Home