Measured, though Exuberant

Last week I enjoyed a thirty-minute organ recital performed by Joe Trucano at Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa.  As I sat in the sanctuary soaking in the glorious music, I compared music to writing.  There are several similarities.  Writing, as well as music, is defined by melody, harmony, and rhythm. The sub-plots, characters, and story provide the harmony to a strong melody line.  A reader quickly notices any time one of these minor “notes” overpower the melody.  Writing “clunks” when it loses its rhythm. Scene and characters must be fully developed , just as musical chords must be complete and full.  Let’s not forget the beauty of a “rest,”  that pause in language that sometimes speaks louder than words.  I was interested in the beauty of the music with its measured exuberance and building tension.  Good advice for writers who must measure the building plot and storyline.  As the  final crescendo filled the sanctuary I thought of all the details that made the concert enjoyable.  I left with new enthusiasm to make my writing sing.