What would the world be like without music? Would it be the end of romance? Would I mourn the loss of symphonies? Would I long for the memory of childhood lullabies? With the absence of music, colors would no longer be vibrant and a certain dullness would seep into life.

Music encompasses all of the emotions. It speaks to the heart; that is the figurative heart. It soothes us, excites us, inspires us, awakes the sleeping self to reach the excellence, the passion, the purity of love. Many agree that music is a gift and should be classified as a treasure. Historically, the first musicians to emerge into the known world were African drummers, Chinese pipe players. One of the most specific historical references to music can be found in the first book of the Bible. Today, music is available for download with the touch of a button.

There are many among us who consider music as an international language. This belief stems from our ability to enjoy the folk music of many different lands. Some songs date back thousands of years yet when we listen to these melodies there exists a familiarity we can relate to on an intuitive level. Songs of peace and love, war and sorrow, drinking and marrying, fictional characters and fairy tales, all are easy for us to imagine so we sing along.

Europe is the birthplace of some of the most famous of musical composers. It is the home of opera, operettas, oratorios, symphonies and choral compositions. The music of Spain has historically been praised as one of the most distinctive types of music. It is a combination of folk, gypsy and Moorish influences that delight in the use of the guitar, the tambourine and the castanets. Next we find a preponderance of German music; a music rich in harmonies. Then much can be traced to the sounds of Italy and France; music that is often light and full of romance and rhythm. When listening to the songs of Russia one can easily identify the intonations of the Orient. During the thirteenth century, the Mongols covered the land and left their cultural mark in dress, food and music.

Music is all around us; nature resounds with birdsong, frogs croaking, the wind whispers through the trees, crickets chirping and waves upon the rocky shores. One thing is for sure and that is that the variety of music available is endless.

More about this tomorrow. Just glad to be writing again.