subject: Beethoven's Heavenly 5th and Hawking's Gravity [print this page] I used to listen to my Dad playing his weird long playing classical music, which later on made sense.
I was a teenage rocker during the seventies and I was hooked like anyone else on the sweet heavy metal classic mantra of Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven. The whole piece enchanted me from beginning till end.
How can I forget the eerie intro of the flute , the classy plucking of strings, the introduction of the drums, the nonsensical lyrics which were just pleasant to hear, and all these leading to the climactic solo guitar lead of Jimmy Page amidst all the sounds and chaos of rock and roll voices , madness, and highs.
I loved them alright all the way until the early eighties when I got my first Walkman. And then the music , I just don't exactly recall when, suddenly stopped playing in my mind.
Surprisingly, Beethoven's music kept on playing. His 5th symphony specially . I can still vividly recall how the four opening bangs in his piece that went da da da daaa twice over, stuck to my mind and silently attracted me to listen for more. Analysis of German classical music came in much later. I believe that during those raw and live exposure to Ludwig's music I was probably flooded with his fifth to the core.
I learned or perhaps my Dad told me that the famous da da da daaa twice over, was actually a knock on the door, on ones personal door that opens to the soul. Frankly, Led Zep and the 5thmovement equally created a stir on my being, except that Beethoven's music, again I will say, kept on playing.
And a lot of other people hear this German music until now. The Japanese for one plays a lot of Beethoven among other classical masters in their parks. Babies respond positively to his music while inside the mother's womb. Studies even suggest that positive thought patterns are stimulated by the masters music. And we begin to ask how this genius is able to rock souls with his music.
Actually, Beethoven recognized God and believed in Him. In fact some of his pieces were composed for the Holy Mass. I wouldn't want to sound too religious here but the spirituality of Beethoven's music was and still is . And I would not be surprised if his music is played up there in heaven.
Beethoven was a musical genius of the first rank. His music was great. But he was humble enough to recognize a being far greater than himself and his music. During these times when Physicists like Hawking declare that there is no God but gravity, Beethoven's music is a sweet consolation. It feeds the soul with a truth that is not even seen; unseen like faith in the good and loving God.
Perhaps, all the crazy theories of Physics may literally pull us down like gravity .But Beethoven's 5th elevates our soul to the heavens, where they say good music plays non stop.
