It is most aptly illustrated by Jesus as He concluded in the
parable of the four soils”. . . He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” I
think not that Jesus entertained the thought that His lesson would have lacked
purpose or effect had there been no ear willing, and thereby incapable, to hear.
This was still the Word of God being spoken, an eternal thing of great substance
that does not gain it’s power from the person who it is meant for (the world).
To the contrary, I consider that sound is simply that name given to the
difference made to an individual when his ear transposes the environmental
changes (sound waves) produced by a particular event. From this perspective the
real question appears to be not whether a difference occurred, but was a
difference made. In the case of the tree, a lasting difference definitely
occurred at the time of it’s falling. Animals no doubt scurried for cover and
sun-light, no longer blocked out, reached new areas of the forest floor,
resulting in a host of new life being brought forth from the decaying carcass of
the wooden giant. Until I encountered the tree, no difference had been made to
me. Yet now, as I could not pass by, the course I took was now forever altered.
From this perspective I can truly say that, though I was not present at the time
of the event, either in the case of the life of Ludwig van Beethoven or in the
falling of the great tree, I am now aware and thus truly affected by both.
Bibliography
Milton Cross and David Ewen (1962). Encyclopedia of the Great Composers and
Their Music. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc. Alessandra
Comini (1987). The Changing Image of Beethoven: A Study in Mythmaking. New York,
New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. Irving Kolodin (1975). The
Interior Beethoven: A Biography of the Music. New York, New York: Alfred A.
Knope. Alfred Einstein (1969). A Short History of Music. (4th ed.) New York, New
York: Alfred A. Knope. Felix Greissle, eds. The International Library of Piano
Music. (Album 14) New York, New York: The University Society, Inc.
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