William Caldwell

As a singer I particularly enjoyed William Caldwell's Preface to Union Harmony:

"The giver of every good and perfect gift has been pleased to bless us with singing faculties, and to music we are indebted for one of the most refined and exalted pleasures which the bounty of heaven ever permitted to gladden the hearts of the children of men."

What a beautiful description of the gift of song that God has given us! But he didn't stop there..

"Then, most certainly, it is reasonable that we improve those faculties of our nature as we have opportunity that we may be prepared to exercise them in accents of acceptable praise to our Creator... Music like all other sciences must be critically learned, or it can never be performed correctly, and if it is the duty of one, it surely is the duty of all to sing... those therefore who have musical faculties and neglect to improve them are living in sin, for it is an ordinance of Gods' worship in which all are commanded to join."

God has given us a gift and Caldwell reminds us that we must use that gift to the best of our ability. I found this article freeing as it pointed out the duty we have to sing and to sing correctly by critically learning the science of music. I'm sure the rest of you can see how, as a music major, I appreciated and was challenged by this article. What a perfect summary for this class and challenge to a beginning of a semester.