Music is the food of love - much more than love!

“Music is God’s best gift to man; the only art of heaven given to Earth, the only art of Earth we take from heaven”. So wrote Walter Savage Landers, an English poet and writer who died in 1864.Yes, folks, music is one of our greatest gifts and in its purest form is not even tied to money. Never has this gift been more needed or welcome. Out in the Old West, the pilgrims, making their way across the prairies suffered many hardships on their hazardous journey. Women and children were not spared from the roughness of the terrain or the merciless elements; but come nightfall, all the families gathered around the camp fire and sang at the tops of their voices and this is what kept their spirits up. Music soothes the troubled mind and heals the weary heart. Napoleon said; “Give me control over he who shapes the music of a nation, and I care not who makes the laws”; Shakespeare referred to it as “the food of love” - but music feeds much more than love and anybody who cannot enjoy music is not fully alive. It is wonderful to have an ear to enjoy our favourite kind of music, but those chosen few who can entertain us with the gift of being able to play should be more appreciated and supported.I recently attended a performance by The Tennessee Breakdown Band at The Stables; and what a show. I have been to lesser performances at “The Point” and yet the Mullingar venue was sparsely attended. The buzz was mighty nevertheless and those of us lucky enough to be there, left feeling uplifted and the better for having come.Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that as study participants listened to the music they enjoyed, their blood vessels expanded, increasing blood flow in their bodies and refreshing the brain. Ah ha .... I bet my doctor friend I met in the Stables that night had told his wife he was going out in the interests of research! Music can greatly influence our moods. A marching band plays “A nation Once Again” and we all want to go and fight for Ireland; while a sensual romantic air increases the urge to ...ah, you know yourself, like! At a funeral “Amazing Grace”, “Nearer my God to thee”, “The old rugged cross” and such, draws most of us closer to our higher power and a tear from the eye. When a dance band strikes up a tune like “In The Mood”; as a friend of mine used say, “it would make a cripple dance” and Little Richard or Chubby Checker has us rockin’ in the aisles. Think what Riverdance has done for this country ... just solid uplifting music.We associate favourite tunes with milestones in out lives - both happy and sad. Instantly we are transported back in time and that is when you can literally “smell the coffee”. Music is a magic carpet and it contains magical formulas in other ways as well, therapeutic and healing. I bet you would not have guessed that Einstein was a poor student as a child. One of his teachers suggested to his mother that Master Einstein would be best suited to some light manual work, but instead his mother introduced him to violin lessons and this subsequently induced his genius. Research shows that music lessons can improve memory and learning ability: Canadian scientists compared children aged four to six who took music lessons for a year with those who did not. They found the musical group performed better on memory, literary and mental ability. Previous studies showed that older children given musical lessons recorded greater improvements in IQ scores than those given drama lessons. Another study found that older students doing music achieved higher grades. Doctor Takako Fujioka, of the Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute, states that, “It is clear that music is good for the children’s cognitive development and that music should be part of the pre-school and primary school curriculum.”The absolute proof of the soothing benefit of music is the effects it can have on birds and animals. When I milked cows we always had music on in the milking parlour. It relaxed contrary cows and maybe even the contrary milker - if the truth be told. Milk yields improve with piped music. Similarly with hens; you get more eggs for your bar of a song. I once ran a rabbit farm and here again, I discovered the benefits of having music in the shed.No matter how down or depressed you may feel, music will revive your flagging spirits if you give it a chance. Tastes in music differ of course, but it is truly the only international language.I am unfortunate that I cannot sing, but fortunate in so far as that I can enjoy a wide range and style of music. One of my greatest ever trips took in Memphis, Nashville and New Orleans - just before the hurricane. If pushed, I would say though that my greatest ever concert was in Dublin; Bruce Springsteen’s “Seegers.”Our greatest musical inspiration was the late irreplaceable Joe Dolan; a good friend and I have to say I am proud to also have among my friends talented performers like the great Paddy Cole over yonks years. Of course, in a way, music is always evolving and replacing itself. Coincidentally in the past couple of weeks I have received two new DVD’s from talented artists with Westmeath backgrounds. Castlepollard men, Brian and Greg McCabe have recorded their own song, “Long Way Home”, along with Vinny Baker. It is a hauntingly beautiful song about Westmeath - in the Christy Moore style. The song can be accessed by searching “mccabe long journey home” in the “You Tube” search box. The range of magnificent shots of Westmeath beauty spots alone will richly reward you for your efforts. Donegal man, Finnian Drumm appears to have hit the international jackpot with his “Facebook Song” - which received 60,000 hits on “You Tube”. Facebook has put it on their cover and you can access it on “You Tube”, or at ww.downloadmusic.ie. Finnian is a past pupil of St. Finian’s College. His father, Gerry, is a native of Mullingar.Walton’s last word used to be; “If you feel like singing, do sing an Irish song”: This column is here and now going to make it easier for you; If you feel like singing ....sing; and if you don’t feel like singing ...sing!Don’t ForgetOpera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and instead of bleeding, sings.