Music - The Language of the Soul

Yesterday I had the pleasure of touring the Music Instrument Museum in Scottsdale AZ. Going in I was not sure quite what to expect. You know "museums", they tend to either be done really well or really badly. This one was a pleasant surprise. The building itself is a work of art and the contents are truly amazing. (Sorry I couldn't get a real photo)

Needless to say, for a musician, I was in a little bit of heaven for 2 hours. The experience included personalized headphones so that you could not only see but hear many of the instruments from literally around the world. They have rooms representing all of the continents and then broken down by county. I am not sure how many different instruments are contained in this building, but it is a true treasure.

My son has been talking about creating his own see-through guitar since he was about 8. Well, guess what I found? Sorry to burst his bubble about not being the first one to think of is - but it was really cool! I think one of the things that struck me most is that people truly make music on what ever is available. I saw some of the strangest instruments, things that most of us would not even put in the classification of an instrument and yet, here they were in a museum with a collection of some of the "finest" instruments in the world. Old gas cans, pop bottle tops, gourds, bent pieces of metal, wood, nylon, horse hair, skins, I could go on... One of the coolest things I saw was an electric guitar made in Africa from old gas cans with what we would term a "modern guitar neck." Sorry I don't have a picture (camera battery died), but not only did it look cool - it sounded AMAZING!! Whoda thunk? 

I will also include pics of two of the most "unusual" (for lack of a better word) instruments I saw. One made from a human tibia bone - you blew into that one - GROSS! and one made from a bull scrotum and bone. NICE! And I am not sure exactly how you play that one  kinda don't want to know. People across the world truly make music with what ever they have available to them. It kind of solidified my thinking that whether you consider yourself musical or not - music is in everyone of us. God put it there.

Music is a powerful thing. When listening to all the music from around the world, I was struck by the passion that was in it all. Without a spoken word, it had the power to convey joy, anger, sadness, hope and so many more emotions. I found myself laughing with the people in Africa as the celebrated, tense with the people of Samoa as they reenacted the Haka war dance and cry as I was moved by one of the most beautiful symphonic pieces I have ever heard. It made me really think about how narrowed my musical taste has become and long to branch out to give my spirit room to soar. 

I was also reminded about how the spoken word added to instruments can add power and move people. Many cultures that I had the privilege of catching a glimpse of used the spoken word added to music to pass stories down from generation to generation to instill values and keep the culture alive. Once again it reinforced that as a worshiper, I must KNOW the one I am singing and believe the words I am singing with my whole heart for it to hold the power that it should. 

With the power that music has been given by it's ultimate Creator, it is not wonder that it is to music I so often look for comfort, for healing, for joy and for inspiration. May your day be full of music that fuels your soul and allows it to sing to the glory of the one who gave you the song. I know mine will be!