Musical musings

The morning of my wedding, as we were getting ready at our parents' house, PetDoc and Noise decided on a "theme song" for the day, and put the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" on a loop on the laptop. They and Jay sang and danced around the living room, and we must have listened to the song a dozen times over the course of the morning. Later, at the reception, Noise requested the song from the DJ and I got to dance to the song not only with my sister and brother-in-law and dear friend, but with the love of my life and all of our nearest and dearest, on the happiest day of my life. As Serdic and I toured Europe on our honeymoon we heard the song everywhere we went, up to and including in the taxi on our way home from the airport when we finally got back to Ottawa. I have since found out that this is because that song is, like, the #1 song of the year (I hardly ever listen to the radio or contemporary music, so my knowledge in this area is sadly lacking), but for me it will always be "my" song, and the minute I hear the opening phrase I think of that day, and those people, who are so, so dear to me. I know PetDoc and Noise didn't set out to give me the song as a gift, but in a way that's exactly what they did, and it was one of the best gifts I received that day, because the memories and associations it evokes will always be there, and it will always make me think of them, and that day, and the happiness and excitement and anticipation and love and celebration and all those great and beautiful things that were part of that day. It's amazing how a song can do that, isn't it? There's a lot of music that I associate with our wedding now, music that I always knew I wanted to be part of the day -- the song I came down the aisle to, our first dance, etc. -- but I never expected this one!

On another musical note (no pun intended!), I attended the annual Come Sing Messiah! on Friday night. I went last year for the first time, and swore to myself then that I would never miss it again. What an incredible evening of music. The more familiar I get with Messiah, the more I become convinced that there has never been and never will be a work written to equal it. I've sung major sections of it several times now, and I never fail to be moved by the power and beauty of the story it tells, and the glorious, glorious music. I have not been looking forward to Christmas this year, finding it more of a burden than something to be excited about, which is really upsetting to me as Christmas has always been my favourite time of year. This year I think it's just the post-wedding let down and trying to get life back on an even keel, plus we've been dealing with a number of changes since we got back to real life, and I don't handle change well (who does?). But after singing Messiah Friday night I am feeling much more in the spirit of the season, and reminded of what is important and the reason for the season, to break out an overused and worn out phrase.

Of all the things in the world that give life beauty and grace, I think the one I am most grateful for is music.