Music

When D. L. Moody visited New Haven in 1878, R. A. Torrey was a student in the University there. He said, “The ripest scholar in the University at the time, if not the ripest in America, was President Wolsey, Ex-President of Yale University. One night a young man went up to hear Mr. Moody preach and President Wolsey sat on the platform, and when they sang the old Gospel hymns, President Wolsey, himself a gray-haired scholar, joined in singing the hymns with all his heart.

In an eye-opening study, researchers have found that teenagers who listen to songs with raunchy, suggestive lyrics are more likely to lose their purity than those who do not listen to such songs.

In 2001, researchers surveyed 1,461 teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17. Most of the participants were virgins at the beginning of the study. Between 2002 and 2004, the researchers carried out follow-up interviews and found that around 51% of teens whose music collection consisted mainly of music that degraded purity lost their purity within two years.

As a young boy he worked in a factory, but had an intense desire to be a singer. When he turned ten years old, he took his first voice lesson which procured a less than encouraging remark from his teacher, “You can’t sing. You haven’t any voice at all. Your voice sounds like a wind in the shutters.”

His mother, however, believed that he could learn to sing. She was very poor, but she hugged him and said, “My boy, I’m going to make every sacrifice to pay for your voice lessons.”

An astronomer was lecturing a group in France, and declared, “I have swept the universe with my telescope, and I find no God.”

A musician appropriately rebuked the astronomer: “Your statement, sir, is as unreasonable as it is for me to say that I have taken my violin apart, have carefully examined each part with a microscope, and have found no music.”

Source: 1001 More Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking, Michael Hodgin

A typical concert piano has over 240 strings that, when tuned and tightened, create a pull of 40,000 pounds on the frame. Without the tension, there would be no beautiful music.

Source: Unknown

Johann Sebastian Bach said, “All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul’s refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hub-bub.”

He headed all of his compositions: ”J. J.,” the initials for, ”Jesus Juva” which means “Jesus help me.”

He ended them “S.D.G.,” the initials for, “Soli Dei Gratia” which means “To God alone be the glory.”

Source: Light Steps, Timothy W. Bowes

Q: How do you get two piccolos to play a perfect unison?
A: Shoot one

Q: What’s the difference between a bassoon and a trampoline?
A: You take off your shoes when you jump on a trampoline.

Q: How do you make a chain saw sound like an alto sax?
A: Add vibrato.

Q: How do you make a trombone sound like a French Horn?
A: Put your hand in the bell and miss a lot of notes.

Q: What’s the definition of a gentleman?
A: Someone who knows how to play the accordion and doesn’t.

1. Did I turn the pot roast before I left?

2. Did I turn the iron off before I left?

3. Will the person behind me ever hit the right note?

4.  90 minutes until kickoff.

5. Where are my car keys?

6. What are the chances of that chandelier falling and hitting me on the head?

7. How many people here have lost more hair than I have?

8. I wonder if there are any doughnuts left in the church kitchen from fellowship.

9. How many verses are we going to sing?

Source: Unknown

An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.

“Well,” said the farmer, “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.”

“Praise choruses,” said his wife, “What are those?”

“Oh, they’re okay. They’re sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer.

“Well, what’s the difference?” asked the wife.

Ira Sankey was traveling on a steamer down the Delaware river when he was asked to sing. He led the group in singing “Saviour Like a Shepherd Lead Us.” When he finished, a man stepped from the shadows and asked, “Did you ever serve in the Union Army?” “Yes,” Sankey replied, “in the spring of 1860.”

“Can you remember if you were doing picket duty on a bright, moonlit night in 1862?”

“Yes,” Sankey replied.

Pablo Casals was considered the greatest cellist to ever live. When he was 95 years old he was asked why he continued to practice 6 hours a day. He answered, “Because I think I’m making progress.”

Source: Your Road Map for Success, John Maxwell

David Merrell conducted an experiment in which he timed seventy-two mice running through a maze. He divided the mice into three groups and let each mouse run through the maze (establishing an average time of ten minutes). He then left one group alone, played classical music to one group, and played hard rock music to the other group.

Some say that the music they listen to does not affect them. It would be hard to convince the Kuntz family of this. Fifteen year old Richard Kuntz was listening to a Manson album when he committed suicide by shooting himself. His father says Richard was a major Manson fan and his favorite song contained calls to commit suicide.

Source: World Magazine, November 22, 1997

On the Sunday that a church was supposed to make their giving commitments, the organist fell sick so a substitute was brought in. The pastor gave her a schedule of the service and asked her to think of something to play during the commitment time. At the scheduled time in the service, the pastor said, “I want anyone who is committing $1,000 to the building fund to stand up.” The organist immediately began playing the “Star Spangled Banner.” And that is how the substitute organist became the regular organist.

Source: Unknown

A choir was practicing for a concert when the director, “Eight years ago I was directing another choir in this anthem, and they made the same mistakes you’re making.” A choir member called out, “Same director!”

Source: The Story File: 1001 Contemporary Illustrations, Steve May

Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962), the world-famous violinist, earned a fortune with his concerts and compositions, but he generously gave most of it away. So, when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he wasn’t able to buy it.

During musical tryouts, a young man with a horrible voice auditioned for the lead part. He simply didn't have the ability to sing and that became more obvious with each passing measure. His entire rendition was off pitch and painful to hear. The panel of judges sat in stunned silence, but when he finished, one judge jumped to his feet and gave the young man a rousing ovation.

In the Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007, a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about forty-five minutes. During that time approximately two thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After three minutes, a middle-aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds before hurrying to meet his schedule.

4 Minutes:

The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat, and without stopping, continued to walk.

Researchers have found that teenagers who listen to raunchy, sex-filled lyrics are more likely to indulge in early sexual activity than their counterparts who don't.