GroshLink

"In today's competitive music world, the temptation is always to make yourself look better by tearing down the reputations of others. As a young man in music school, I was often surrounded by the clash of egos, and, it must be admitted, I had my own struggles in this area. Bach provided a way out.

I remember reading for the first time in my freshman year a simple statement by this master musician. Bach said,

Music's only purpose should be the glory of God and the recreation of the human spirit.

The more I pondered this sentence, the more it liberated my heart. Music was given to glorify God in heaven and to edify men and women on earth. It wasn't to make lots of money, or to meet my ego needs, or to see my name in lights. Music was about blessing the Lord and blessing others. After months of auditions, rehearsals, recitals, and competitions, the simplicity of Bach's statement was a balm for my soul.

-- May all of our work come from such a perspective. Taken from J.S. Bach For the glory of God by Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh, the Artistic Director of the MasterWorks Festival and the Executive Director of the Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship. He is the author of nine books, including Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers (Zondervan, revised edition 1996).