Music to Your Ears?

The goal of this blog is to add harmony to your Friday night dinner table. Please print and share.

One of my favorite quotes about music comes from the great Wynton Marsalis.

It is told here about the time a young person asked him, "Wynton, how do I break into the music business?"

The reply: "Break into a practice room."

Doesn't that answer really apply to a lot of things in life?

(For your table: Can you name one?)

On this theme of music, this week I have one simple question for your table, followed by an important music-related announcement, followed by my own answer to the question.

The simple question:

What's the most important secret to two or more people making great music together?

Think about it.

While you're pondering that one, here's the important music-related announcement:
We've started to add music to BestJewishKidsBooks.com.
 
For kids - try Shmuel Kunda's blend of music and storytelling.
For pre-teens, try Miami Boys Choir.
For teens - try Baruch Levine.
For adults - try Tzvi Gluckin's bluesy album. Or this one.

(Do you have some favorite Jewish or Jewish-inspired music that you think we should add to the site? Please let me know.)

Now, for the rabbi's answer to today's question:

The most important secret to making great music together....

....can be summed up in one word....

Listening.

If you are listening to each other, you can create a sublime harmony. If you're not, the music will be nothing special.

Great musicians know this secret.

Great orchestras earn their bread by this secret.

Rabbi Cardozo once compared all the complexities of Judaism to all the complexities (and rules) in music. Jewish life has the potential to be a great symphony, but it will only become a beautiful harmony to the extent that:

a. We are all playing the same song.
b. We are listening to each other.

Think about it.

On a scale of 1-10, how important is music in your life?


Shabbat Shalom


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