Jazzy Javelin 10/28/08

Of all noises, I think music is the least disagreeable.

Samuel Johnson
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There is one thing in this world that I can honestly say that I hate. I'm somewhat ashamed to say that I hate anything, but this one thing I truly detest. I hate it so much it can send me into a rage.

Ugliness disgusts me. Disappointment and dashed hopes make me sad. War and torture anger me. The abuse of children and animals makes me sick. But I HATE NOISE.

The increasing cacophony around us is one of the greatest threats to civilization there is. I think the internal combustion engine is a marvelous thing. But when it finds its way into lawnmowers, hedge trimmers and leaf blowers it becomes a menace. The ironic thing is that when you buy one of those things they will put in ear plugs so that the noise doesn't bother you. But they give you no ear plugs for your neighbors.

In Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, they wait until noon, when everyone is out on lunch break sitting in the park, enjoying the peace and listening to the birds, to start mowing the lawn or blowing the leaves around. That's another bit of irony.
In New Hampshire one year a man decided to make a few bucks by installing a Go Cart track in his back yard, oblivious to the idea that the noise would annoy his neighbors. A bunch of people from all over town chipped in to hire a lawyer to get the thing closed down.

I love music, I hate noise. When most people think music they think songs. Songs are good. I like songs. But songs are mainly about words, lyrics, not about music. In many cases the music is minimal, it's the words that matter. In the case of Rap the music has virtually disappeared (even though it's still called "music"). I have also noticed that with some popular music the stupider the song the louder they play it.

I don't care for Rock Music, most of it is way too noisy for me, but I won't put it down because there is extremely good musicianship among some of the performers. I don't care a rap for Rap.

Pure music (if there is such a thing) is classical, jazz and some new age. Folk is usually pleasant to hear, but it's very simple by nature of what it is. And Opera is for crazy opera lovers like me.

In 1685 a man was born in Germany named Johann Sebastian Bach, who took all of the music which came to him from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, organized, codified and engineered it into some of the greatest music ever written He wrapped music up in a golden spear and thrust it out into the world to weave through the centuries right into our own and it';s still flying. Western music, of whatever kind or style, owes its forever existence to Bach. And every serious musician will acknowledge that.

But the horrifying fact, which Bach could never have imagined, is that the noises of the world are drowning out the music of the world. Noise is a pollution. It's toxic, dangerous and destructive. And it's getting worse.

So remember, the next time you take out that motorized lawn mower or leaf blower that, unless you live where there are no houses near you, you are destroying the neighborhood.

DB - Vagabond Journeys