Wednesday, December 24, 2025
Printed music doesn’t contain anything that resembles real music. The depth and success of a performance is what is not on the page, nor could it ever be symbolized as such. The symbols fall short of what makes real music mind-blowing. Real living is the same way.
Real music-making is a delectable rendering, never writable, only experiential. However, choirs have a hard time with this truth. They can demonstrate some understanding in rehearsal but seem unable to retain this “off the page” truth. Real music has nothing to do with what’s printed. The emotive, magical variations off the printed page is where it’s at. Choirs revert back to the page – the emptiness which doesn’t tell us anything at all. My sermon for 30 years as a choral director was “The music is not on the page.” Eyes glued to the score!
It’s farfetched to think there is something greater and truer than the symbols. The note heads themselves, the indication of duration, the dynamic markings, instructive words, and markings are woeful skeletons of what a true musician does to lift it “off the page.” How can I symbolize life in words?
Printed music is the map and many cannot move from the map to the actual territory, bathing in its velvety luxury. People are too scared to let go of “the map” and fall in love. The narration of the past, future, and present gives us a sense of control. Meanwhile, the real territory awaits your abandonment of the map.
Do you dwell in a map or live and dwell in the territory? Are you experiencing reality as one would experience music “off” the page? A talking mind is a map of reality. Reality is more than our commentary about it. Music is more than wispy symbols on paper. Surely you know that?
Why would life be a story? Because that gives you a sense of control. Throw away the story and what do you have? Pure abandonment into Truth.