What Is The Importance Of Music In Life?

16
3.5K followers

Are you a music aficionado? Have you ever asked yourself the question, "What is the importance of music in life? Is there a melodic theme that links your days together?

For me, music has led me to many of my finest life adventures. It all started with the music that wound its way through my childhood.

My father had his collection of serious flaws, but I prefer to remember him for his remarkable skills. As a result of these, I received an introduction to music that I am sure is unique.

One of my father's skills gave him the ability to build anything. As one of his early building projects, he remodeled an enormous barn on our property, and turned it into a dance hall of sorts.

The milk cows resided in stalls built under the barn. The structure rested on a small rise, and the bottom floor took advantage of this downward slope. The main floor had been constructed level with the top of the rise.

Inside, this main portion of the floor was divided by tall walls into hay-storage sections. A huge center square connected to side sections divided in half. Before dividing, these two sides must have been the size of the center square. Only the far right side held hay for the cattle.

In the center square and on the sections to either side, my father prepared the floors to make them a surface suitable for dancing.

In the half of the side section farthest from the hay, Father built in bathrooms and a kitchen, and above this area, he built a stage for the band. This stage needed to be elevated so the band could see the dancers over the high walls dividing the sections.

Along one long wall he built a wide balcony, spacious enough for a row of old surreys and sleighs where people could sit to watch the dancers.

I wish I knew the dimensions of that barn. I do know that on a Saturday night it filled with over 500 dancers. Father hired a young man from New York City to park cars in the meadow out front. How did he advertise the events? Where did all those people come from? I'll never know.

On to the music -- the band featured local musicians, and they played extremely well. Contra dancing, the big New England popular dance of the day, drew the large crowds. My father hired "prompters" who were known all over New England -- names I can remember included Al Brundage and Ed Durlacher, both recording artists.

I loved sitting somewhere on the balcony and watching the dancers. I also loved the music. Acoustical music has remained a part of my life ever since.

I actually remember some of the musicians' names. One, Dorothy Stokes, became my piano teacher. Another, Walt Rochette, a crazy man, played upright bass.

Walt, quite the character, would sometimes get that bass spinning around and, still playing, would jump on it and ride it around as it spun on its point. His maddest trick I witnessed one night.

Across the long expanse of that barn extended huge beams. They must have been at least 12 inches square. Walt would take his bass and walk out to the middle of the barn on one of those beams, playing all the time. I'm so glad he never fell!

Once, Walt entered a local "beautiful baby" contest, with his bass in a baby carriage, and a scarf on its "head." He didn't win anything, but gave the onlookers a good chuckle.

Late at night when the dance ended, the musicians came to the house, bringing along a few dancers. In the large front parlor of our house, you could fit two squares of dancers, and the party continued, sometimes dancing and sometimes singing. I remember Walt had a funny song he always sang, called "Barnacle Bill the Sailor."

The stairway to the bedroom floor of the house started in the hallway just outside the parlor door, so I'd sneak down the stairs and sit on a step, listening to the music.

Where did the idea to create a dance hall come from? Had my father danced as a boy in Kansas? Did my father and mother go dancing when I was a baby? These are things I'll never know.

I do know that music flowed through my family's past. I was told that my grandfather, who died before I came along, played fiddle very well. I have cousins who are professional musicians. In fact, I played music professionally for a few years myself.

I've never heard stories about the remodeling of that barn, but my father must have had a burning desire to complete such a monumental task. He completed other Herculean building projects during my life. He makes a great example of succeeding by turning a dream into concrete form.

Perhaps he has given me what it takes to succeed as well. At any rate, I have always done my best to grow my dreams into firm reality.

Login
Create Your Free Wealthy Affiliate Account Today!
icon
4-Steps to Success Class
icon
One Profit Ready Website
icon
Market Research & Analysis Tools
icon
Millionaire Mentorship
icon
Core “Business Start Up” Training

Recent Comments

20

Fran, a delightfdul story! So there are questions in your mind that will never be answered. I am sorry. For me, too. Both my parents are gone, several years back.
Consider sharing your own stories from an interesti ng life, before someone pops up saying, "I wish I had asked!" Don't lose your life to the world!

Fran, what an interesting story, you were very privileged to have such gifted parents. Without music, the world would be a very sad place indeed.
Let us all rejoice with a song in our hearts.

Many thanks for sharing and take care.

Johan.

Music is indeed an essential part of life, in my opinion. Life would lose a lot of its color without it.

Beautiful Fran! Music is the strings of life!
Great post, as always.
Joe

Thanks, Joe -- so good to see you on here. Miss your blogs.

Just been crazy busy!
Thanks
Joe

Fran, what a wonderful story. Yes music is a an important part of our heritage, whether we perform or just enjoy.
My mother taught me to play piano and that started me on a lifetime of music as well as other things. I also studied voice in college. Taught piano and voice for years, and at 88, am still playing and singing. In my senior living complex, we have a great choir, and several of us still get together for a music bash once in awhile. Music is indeed the international language.

How sweet to still play and sing where you are living. I am hoping to do the same, if there comes a day when I'll have to enter a senior living complex. I have my name in at the Pioneer Home here in Alaska, should that step be necessary.

Meanwhile, we gather here in my community to sing and play. Have missed doing so, with the Covid restrictions, but hoping to be back together soon.

See more comments

Login
Create Your Free Wealthy Affiliate Account Today!
icon
4-Steps to Success Class
icon
One Profit Ready Website
icon
Market Research & Analysis Tools
icon
Millionaire Mentorship
icon
Core “Business Start Up” Training