"Nice Work If You Can Get It"

I was playing the piano this morning and came across a great song by George Gershwin. You've probably heard it at one point or another, but it seemed especially poignant considering the dearth of 'bad news' that is being published these days. "Nice Work if You Can Get It" was part of the 1930's musical "A Damsel in Distress"- but it's the opening line that really caught my attention:

 

The man who only lives for making money

Lives a life that isn't necessarily sunny

Likewise the man who works for fame.

There's no guarantee that time won't erase his name.

The fact is, the only work that really brings enjoyment

Is the kind that is for girl and boy meant.

Fall in love, you won't regret it.

That's the best work of all if you can get it.

 

Yes, money is important. Yes, having a job is important. However, these things change over time. Real riches lie in discovering those things that are timeless. What this Gershwin song says to me is that Love is one of those enduring riches that is worth searching for. It doesn't have to necessarily be love for another person - it could be love for a hobby, or even a place. "Fall in love, you won't regret it"...

 

The next time I read or hear a headline about the "sour economy", "sinking profits", "fraud" and the like, I'm just going to think about all the things in my life that I love - and I'll feel like the richest man in the world! It's nice work - if you can get it.

Fiorentino - the musical angel says it all...

This painting is the perfect way to open this blog - it's titled "musical angel" - but there's a lot more to it than it seems... This was painted by Fiorentino - an Italian painter during the Renaissance period.

I first saw this painting at the Uffizi in Florence. There was something 'magical' about the painting, but what was it? Was it the colors? Was it the style? I couldn't quite figure it out.

The image of the musical angel stayed with me for years - until one day I received a framed copy as a present.

As I spent more time with the painting, I started paying special attention to the expression on the angel's face. More time went by, and I noticed the connection between the lute and the way the angel was holding it. His face said 'pure bliss'. But why?

One day, it came to me: the angel was deaf! He had to hold his head against the instrument so he could FEEL the vibrations. As a musician, this discovery had a profound impact on me. I always knew music was more than 'notes' - it was about 'feeling' - but here it was, expressed in art!

So, in the end, this musical angel wasn't just another chubby cherub....