What are the first things you say about April? April showers. . . April means rain. And rain makes noise.
Today, I played my monthly program over the rain drumming on the windows. You might say that April showers were my percussion section.
The first time I heard a storm represented in music, I was in the audience for a performance of Wagner’s Tannhäuser sympathizing with the harpist on stage who was trying to play over the full Wagnerian orchestra. In the darkness of the hall, I was fascinated by the large tin sheet the percussionist was shaking to imitate the thunder. Because its reflective surface
was shattering shine from the stage lights, it was thunder and lightening all in one.
There are many was to represent rain in music–rain sticks, shaking metal sheets or long falling glissandos on the harp. But as I played today, I tried something more audacious than Wagner tried in representing rain. I played “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”
How do you imitate a rainbow? Rain is simply falling down, but rainbows are refracted light. On the harp, I involved lots of upward glissandos. In life imitating a rainbow is actually much easier.
Take the light that is falling on you and pass it on.
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” “
John 8:12