Compiled from TT by Annegret Liebig, June 2012
Dear Temple sisters and brothers, dear friends,
One day, in my first year at school, I was to be kept afterwards because I could not hold the tone of a tune. My mother, who wanted to meet me at the school, saved me by saying: “It´s not her fault that she is not musical.” This did not diminish my love for MUSIC. MUSIC talks to my feeling, my heart.
“The fact that sound – MUSIC – is a perfect language capable of expression by voice or instrument – a language which may be uttered without a spoken word, is known to many.
The sense of feeling is so closely identified with the sense of hearing in the case of the natural-born MUSICIAN, that it will enable him easily to comprehend my words when I say that it is more through the sense of feeling than that of hearing that the tones above mentioned, in use by animals or insects, are interpreted, one by the other. In other words, the horse or the ant feels the vibration of the idea or force as it is expressed by higher, lower or intermediate tones, more acutely than it hears the tones, although the latter make a distinct impression on the sounding board – the drum of the ear.” (TT I, p. 208/9) I feel with the ant.
In the TT “Your Keynote” are we told: “The place that MUSIC fills in the economy of the universe is all important, although this fact may not be recognized by one who is indifferent to musical sounds. But as such sounds may be transposed into other sensations he may feel corresponding sensations, pleasurable or otherwise, to the sounds, in various parts of his body, although he may not have the slightest knowledge of the ultimate cause of those sensations.” (TT I, p. 315)
“In its last analysis, all life is Vibration; that is, all forms or differentations of liefe are generated and evolved by the different vibratory rates of one homogeneous State of Substance which is of a Spiritual nature. ….
DESIRE is the ruling force of the Universe, and in its highest aspect is LOVE.
WILL is the MOTIVE POWER – the propelling energy – resident in matter, and is also the BASIC PRINCIPLE OF SOUND.
MIND – LIGHT – is the GENERATING FORCE and at the same time the Matrix in which Desire and Will mold and bring to outward, expression all those forms used by Nature to embody the Monads, or individualized lives.” (TT I, p. 46)
So we are not surprised when we read: “ No matter how prolonged a SOUND may be there must occur an interval between that sound and another sound of the same origin. If your sense of sight is acute enough you will see the flash of light which at once succeeds the sound and which fills the interval between the two sounds.” (TT I, p. 418)
To the MUSICIAN, that wants to get to know the source and duty of the MUSIC, there is said: “Long time ago the creative waters streamed through the secret chambers of the earth, while the mists of the heaven, moving over them, safely stoved away the earth in their delightful vestments until they could not stand the high ecstasy and a tender trembling arised, like a soft heartbeat, a struggle for expression, a brake through from the rock-cave, a joyous spring from the mothers breast in clear and swelling TONES, which incessant and untiringly flowed further and further through the ‘seven strings of universal consciousness,’ that leap alongside the sounding-board of the cosmos” for in the end to find rest in the TONELESS, shapeless, “that swing to and fro from one eternity to the next one”. …..
MUSIC and movement are one. They are what was from the beginning. In manifold ways they call for you from all sides. Each fundamental law of your art lies hidden in the numberless aspects of the nature that surrounds you. The most insignificant parts reveal a teaching and a golden truth, which every one can express who opens up for it. ….. Therefore wait until your heart opens up for the MUSIC of the stars, until the dawn of the morning with rosy light starts to shine above your clouded awareness, until the labour-pains bring the understanding you have yearned for, from witch the well of rhythmical power arises, that involuntary will have its MUSICAL expression by you . Because than You will have lead a life that is necessary for the acquisition of such power, and wisdom will arise quite naturally in you. …..
Surely you will have to adjust to other people, and you will learn a lot from them. But take care that you do not damage the shores of your own life’s river and lose the pureness of his rhythmic flowing water in these torrential, dirty pouring streams.
For some time your companions will not acknowledge you, but this must not diminish your confidence. May it in the contrary rouse greater expenditure of your power in order to transmit the truth in clear and full TONES, that the VOICE of the CREATOR speaks through you and the art, you endeavor to obtain, serves the original high purpose, as it was meant to do.” (Music, re-translated)
This high purpose is described thus: “The MUSICIAN whose soul is throbbing with the melodies he expresses by voice or instrument is the greatest among all the scientists, artists, or creators of form among men. He not only gives expression to his art in TONES which pleasure the ears of all within SOUND of voice or instrument, but he ensouls the themes he sends forth. He releases the pent up forces in SOUNDLESS SOUND and sends his creations out to take the form conceived and born in his soul as a theme or melody.
This ensouled form may circle around in the aura of the earth of some other planet for centuries of time, but some time, in some age, it must return to the plane of its first expression to take on material substance. It may be as crystal or plant, and eventually as animal and human life.
His creations, conceived and born in pure and unselfish love, bear none of the marks which distinguish the work of the scientist or other earthly creator, being devoid of all selfishness. He pours out his soul in melody without thought of return and out of pure love for the imprisoned MUSIC which he strives to free. Therefore, his creations are eternal, as love is eternal.” (TT II, The Soul of Music, p. 52)
A friend of mine, who lives for gospel songs, asked me one day: “Will I be allowed to sing in Heaven?” The answer is: “It is … true that every man makes his own Devachan (heaven). The results of his kindest acts, his highest and purest Ideals and Desires, form the basis of his realizations in the Devachanic Interludes. …..
If the earth life of any one individual had largely been given up to MUSIC, and he had but little real interest in anything else, his Devachanic experience would be passed on one of the sub-planes where MUSIC was the prevailing motif. The works of great MUSICIANS and his favorite MUSICAL instruments would all be at his command. He would be conscious of other MUSICIANS; in fact, all his highest ideals of MUSIC and MUSICIANS would be perfectly realized. When his Devachanic period was passed, he would enter earth life better qualified for the profession of MUSIC. He would have assimilated all that he had hitherto only idealized. …..
‘Tis is equally true of other idealized forms of expression in Art, Religion, Science in their relation to the Human Soul.” (TT II, Reality, p. 30/1) Perhaps there I will also learn to hold the TONES.
Yours as always with love
Annegret