The Gift of Music

So I've been reading this book called The Gift of Music by Jane Stuart Smith and Betty Carlson, and it's about music (well, obviously :]), and great composers and their influences. And it's opened a whole new world for me. Now all of a sudden I want to study music and composers and travel to Italy (well, I've wanted to do that for a long time), like they did.

I've even tried to compose some stuff, but I'm not very good at it. It's all missing something. First I tried the piano, since I composed stuff on my flute all the time, but never really remember it. I found this great background tune, but it needs a melody, something I just can't find! So, while talking to someone on the CleanPlace forum, I downloaded Finale Notepad, which is this free composing program. It's actually really neat! Notepad is free, while if you want to upgrade you have to pay money. Perhaps someday I'll get there. I've already had a lot of fun with it.

If you'd like to download it, go here: http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/
The information is asks you is bogus, so make it up *chuckle* I didn't really for a lot of it, because I wasn't aware that you could fake it, otherwise I would have.

Anyways, this book has begun to open my eyes to a lot of things I didn't know about composers and music. In the secular world, teachers don't mention that Bach, and quite a few (actually, probably most) composers were Christians! And the whole reason their music was so good was because they got their inspiration from God. Also, the Psalms have been used for thousands of years as key inspirations for songs. I've even figured this out by listening to comtemporary worship music, or other Christian songs. They're a great place to find the words you can't. :)

Check out this book if you get the chance. It's great!

Well, I've got to run so TTFN!
~Shae