“The Musician’s Invocation”
Photograph by John Diamond, M.D.
The etymology of music is from the root MEN, to think – hence mental, mania, and of course to muse. I have never been happy with this, for music, to me, seems to be the very opposite of musing, thinking.
But what if the muser realizes that his musing has been given to him? After all, we do say we get ideas – not that we make them ourselves. That they are inspired, breathed into us.
“Sing, O Muse,” sang Homer. Other times translated as “Sing, O Goddess.”
The Goddess is the Muse, as is the musician – the lullabier.
The concert about to commence:
“Sing, O Goddess, my Lullabier.”
