Quote from Winston Churchill on Life and Living

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.

In just about any relationship there is give and take and this quote from Winston Churchill is a good reminder of that.

While our work may bring home the bacon, it is the bigger picture – the shared human experience – that gives our lives meaning and perspective. By giving to others our time, patience, knowledge, money or labor, we not only elevate ourselves, we raise the bar on humanity and the greater good.

(This is one big reason, for example, why I enjoy playing music and working on this web site.)

In the music business it certainly helps to remind ourselves of the greater cause. It is generosity that gives our musical lives the value and worth to keep moving ahead – even in down times when things may look very dark and bleak.

At the Bassoon Blog, Betsy Sturdevant of the Columbus Symphony brings an interesting perspective to this discussion:

The ancient Greeks took it upon themselves to explain how music works. They proclaimed that music was about relationships among invisible, internal, hidden parts of human hearts and souls. Music moved those parts around until the positions were “right.”

…The first time I ever became consciously aware of the effect of live classical music was when I was 8 years old playing in my school’s marching tonette band. (A tonette is a plastic recorder-like instrument for children.) I recall the thrill of the experience- it was almost as if an electrical spine-tingling charge surged through my body- as we marched through the center aisle of my school’s auditorium during an assembly.

Visceral memories and feelings like these are a basic connection; this is what really matters, far and above the money or strife.

I would point out that if anyone knows about generosity in the face of great adversity, it would be a Columbus Symphony Orchestra musician.

Related to this article

Quote from Charlie Parker
In the quest for space and a better user experience, the random quotes feature at the top of Horn Matters has been taken down. If you were a fan of this feature, fear not (!) – that bank of wisdom is something that will make excellent...
Quote of the Week–Fox on High Range
I find this a very interesting description of how the muscles work, especially compared to the typical Farkas-oriented approach. The embouchure consists of two pairs of separate control muscles. The corner pair, the ones used when pronouncing “eeeeee,” and the middle pair, the ones used to...
Debbie Reynolds and the NY Philharmonic: a Look at LIFE Photography
Beautiful photography from Life magazine. I was a little kid when Look and Life were regular staples in magazine aisles. Both were periodicals devoted to photojournalism. Among the great photographers that worked for these magazines was famed director Stanley Kubrick – a staff photographer for Look...
Quote from Benjamin Franklin
It is hard for an empty bag to stand upright. This is one good reason for visiting web sites like Horn Matters, reading horn-related texts or listening to recordings. This knowledge is empowering; it fills you up and makes the likelihood of tipping over less likely....
Quote of the Week–Reynolds on High Range
As the semester starts for students after winter break, a reminder from my teacher at Eastman, Verne Reynolds. For young embouchures, the high register is especially sensitive to what and how much one played yesterday and how carefully one warmed up today. Verne Reynolds, The Horn...
Quote of the Week–Gardner on the High Register
If you are looking for a book to read over break, the Randy Gardner book is to be recommended. In particular I found this quote to be right on the mark: “Use it or lose it” is a truism in many walks of life, and it...
Quote of the Week–Kling on Condensation
Horns get water in them–condensation–that must be removed. Some students seem to have more trouble than they should getting it out of the horn. It helps to have good problem solving skills. I will always remember when I was a undergraduate and a trumpet player converted...