My musical education
posted by Kate Good on 06/03/10 at 09:49 AMIn the Mennonite world of effortless four-part harmony, I lip-synch.
Honestly.
This is a habit I developed in my high school choir when my fear of hitting the wrong note had me sweating profusely in the alto section. Since then, I've learned to manage the soprano part, sort of. My voice is naturally low so if a hymn is high, I’m faking my way through at least part of the song.
If my musical ability is, well, limited, my appreciation of music is enormous and it began early. I grew up in a house filled with music, from opera and country to the sacred music of Mennonite choirs. Nothing was off-limits, as far as I can remember.
We listened to everything at FULL volume and often while sitting in the Red Chair. An ordinary upholstered chair, the Red Chair was positioned by my father for optimum listening opposite the two large speakers in the living room. Friends, family, and neighbors all eventually ended up seated in the Red Chair, listening to Simon and Garfunkel, Mozart, or Willie Nelson cranked loud. "You'll like this," Dad would say just before he hit Play. He was almost always right.
I hated the bluegrass music he played. Maybe it was the twangy voices or the old-fashioned tunes. Or maybe the sound was just too close to the country music that my friends mocked.
If the Red Chair was my musical classroom, then a sunny morning driving through
Back in the car, Dad inserted the tape into the cassette player and turned up the volume. The first chords of that first song, "Where the Streets Have No Names," were unlike anything I had ever heard before. I can still picture that stretch of road and hear those notes. As soon as the song ended, Dad hit Rewind and we listened over and over to the astonishing music unwinding around us.
I became a devoted fan of U2. I loved their songs for their poetic lyrics and soaring guitars, but I also learned a lot from their influences. U2 might be an Irish band, but they tap into the great sounds of American music, country, blues, jazz, and, of course, rock and roll.
Through their music I discovered the bluesy B.B. King and the irresistible Johnny Cash. I found the complex jazz of Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. I fell hardest for the twang of Bob Dylan. Nashville Skyline became my favorite album, and I listened to it repeatedly, rediscovering the bluegrass and country music that I hated as a kid. It was one of the first albums I brought home and played for my dad while he sat in the Red Chair.
The complex harmony of Dylan and Cash on the first song of that album, "Girl from the
The Red Chair is now blue, and Dad and I swap music these days. He introduced me to the Be Good Tanyas. I bought him a CD by
Editor's note: This column first appeared in Timbrel magazine. Kate is reposting it here in honor of Father's Day and her dad, Merle.
Kate Good lives in Lancaster City, Pa. She is a member of Blossom Hill Mennonite Church, Lancaster. She is assistant publisher at Good Books.
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Kate, I really enjoyed this column for a number of reasons. First, I too am a challenged singer, though I dearly love to sing. Like you, I find encouragement in my father, mainly because a lack of natural ability has never kept him from belting out his favorite hymns with great passion. Second, I can remember the first time I heard U2 also, and their music hads a similar effect on me. They have an energy and passion in their music that I rarely, if ever hear elsewhere. In fact, seeing U2 live was on my "bucket list"--a dream I was finally going to fulfill in July when they were scheduled to be in Philadelphia. Alas, scratching that one off will have to wait another year. Finally, I have had similar experiences exploring music with our kids. We don't have a Red Chair, per se, but I love introducing our kids to the music we grew up with (and having them actually like it!) and having them share with us the music they discover (and we actually like it!). It demonstrates the amazing power of music to bring people and generations together and inspire them. I applaud your desire to keep expanding and improving your musical repertoire and capabilities. I believe it's what God would want for all of us. Thanks again for a great column; it's always nice to hear someone who's singing from the same page! Jay Gordon Lansdale, PA
My father, some 70+ years ago, was told by his high school choir director to just pretend to sing when they performed for music contest. Perhaps that's why he insisted that all three of his children take piano lessons and why he took great joy in his grandchildren's musical accomplishments. All five of them sang, in both German and Spanish (his first and third languages) at his funeral in January. Thank you for reminding me to say a prayer of gratitude for his witness and his legacy. Mary Klassen, Goshen, Indiana.