Daughters and sons of History!

 A student in Leipzig and a gifted young poet who spent his spare time in Auer Bach’s Keller, with a question in his mind, how much would a person be willing to give in order to have everything he wants?  Would he be willing to sell his soul to the devil?

mmmm… Auer Bach’s Keller seems like a good start point for this weird trip with Mephistopheles!!

Another young poet trying to write a poem cheering for humanity and unity, may be it must say something like we all must be one or let’s say: all humankind become brothers! Seems like a great anthem if someone would put it to music someday! However, this would needs a composer with a certain temper and strong character to get it to be fiery and inspiring!

 A homesick Norwegian student in the conservatory of Leipzig, who lived and studied here for 4 years, I can see him writing some letters to his loved ones back home between assignments , training and composing some music on a  Norwegian fairy tale story named ‘’Peer Gynt’’, may be that will enlighten his homesickness..

 A composer and writer of music critic journal, who loves his piano professor‘s daughter. Herself a prodigy pianist and composer. His professor though refuses to bless that marriage doubting the future of the man and worried about the big difference of age between the man and his young daughter!

A rich and charming young composer and pianist and a dear friend of the lovebirds, helped the man to organise a series of musical concerts to earn some money. He also invited both of them to work with him in a newly inaugurated conservatory, the first in Germany, before that student had to travel to Paris.

He also revived the works and music of a giant organist and composer who wrote tones of cantatas and religious music. A uniquely structured music so simple complicated and filled with beauty and peace!

Probably you have guessed the names of all those people. Loved and respected  in our hearts. History loves them too. He knows them.. treasures them, he  knows their stories by heart….but History  is a discreet witness who keep his  unbreakable oath to never tell a story until all the chapters are written, but when the whole story is complete then he never stops telling it repeatedly in joy and pride of his daughters and sons !

However, back in time, those stories were not the ones on top in the Leipziger society! May be other stories of kings, Queens and princesses where the ones in the mind and souls of people, common dogmas were accepted and cheered more than the views of those unknown poets, musicians and philosophers.

As music therapists, we may sometimes find ourselves surrounded by lots  of intrinsic and extrinsic questions and doubts. What is music therapy?  What defines us? What do we do for humanity? What do we do for our professional development?  Moreover, where do we see ourselves in 10 years from now as a profession?

Surrounded by doubts, much of our efforts is sometimes deviated to explain ourselves every day to our patients and colleagues from other professions meanwhile we have to keep going with our mission with passion and empathy! Surrounded by doubts. We may burn out easily and lose our eager to learn, help, change lives, open the eyes of beauty in clients’ hearts.

Surrounded by doubts though the Young Goethe  In Auer Bach’s Keller wrote Faust.

Surrounded by doubts Schiller wrote  his ‘Ode to Joy’ and Grieg composed the ‘Peer Gynt suite ‘.
Surrounded by doubts, Robert Schumann married Clara  and they both shared the love and suffering with the humanity through music like it never was before.
Surrounded by doubts, Mendelssohn inaugurated the first conservatory, wrote his beautiful music and revived the works of J.S .Bach!
Surrounded by doubts, Bach wrote a Motets or a Cantatas every Sunday, and inspired generations by his works!
When History  choose some of us to reveal his secrets to, one have to stop and know that it is not haphazard; it should be for a certain reason…

I am really short of words to describe my personal experience this week-end, singing and hearing Bach cantata in Thomas Kirsche where he performed his works and where his body lays and Playing the piano in Mendelssohn and Schumann’s houses is certainly an overwhelming experience that will change forever  the way I play or listen to their music !

Millions of people lived in Leipzig…kings and Queens…Princesses and princes, scientist, rich people, poor ones...but only few of them managed to live until now  not just in Leipzig, but in our heart and souls ..

Those  rich souls and mind whose names and souls crowned human kind with beauty.

May all your dreams come true,

Mina.