The Power of Music
I'm regularly reminded of what a powerful influence music can be to human beings.
I didn't go to church today. I'm still not feeling well after dealing with a mysterious illness this past week and I didn't want to risk being out in public or feeling suddenly worse in the middle of church. So I decided to watch “Music and the Spoken Word,” the weekly broadcast of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
They had The Orchestra at Temple Square accompanying them today and, as always, the music, performance, and message were inspired. It had been a while since I last watched the program live. I've usually been in church meetings of one sort or another.
The piece that stood out to me today was a sublime arrangement of “Wayfarin' Stranger” arranged by Mack Wilberg, one of the choir's conductors. This very well-known tune was set to a lush orchestral background, the choir singing with a sense of wonder and wistfulness. A lone recorder playing the melody at times evoked an ancient feeling of longing, of yearning for God.
Visually, shots of the choir and orchestra were interspersed with video footage of individuals hiking and walking in various locations, through woods, over bridges and mountains. Scenes of this beautiful world.
I was enthralled. My thoughts and feelings were drawn heavenward. It was an emotional few minutes. A brief ray of light breaking through clouds of sickness and worry. A moment when I felt close to God.
Music has always been an important part of my life. But its power to resonate within our very being never ceases to amaze me.
#100DaysToOffload (No. 192) #music #faith