The Musical Life

by William Allaudin Mathieu

Everyone, according to W.A. Mathieu, is musical by nature—it goes right along with being human. And if you don't believe it, this book will convince you. In a series of interrelated short essays, Mathieu takes the reader on a journey through ordinary experiences to open our ears to the rich variety of music that surrounds us but that we are trained to ignore; such as the variety of pitches produced by different objects, like glassware, furniture, drums—anything you can tap; or sounds that hover on the border of music, like laughter, the clinking of glasses in a toast, or the unintentional falsetto produced by yawning. Along the way the author teaches aspects of music theory that nonmusicians might ordinarily shy away from. He reveals the way of music to be a profoundly spiritual path—one that is everyone's birthright.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

248 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

William Allaudin Mathieu (born 1937) is a composer, pianist, choir director, music teacher, and author. He began studying piano at the age of six, and began recording his music and compositions in the 1970s on his record label, Cold Mountain Music. Mathieu has composed and recorded solo piano works, chamber pieces, choral music, and song cycles, and he has written four books on music, music theory, and how to live a musical life.

Reviews

[Alex Tripp · Rating 4 out of 5]

the good parts are really good

[Axel Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deep musician's contemplation on life, music, and sound. Poetic vignettes that will get you thinking, asking questions, and admiring the miracle of life.

[Becca]

A bit new-agey for my taste, but the overall themes really stuck with me. He teaches how to bring your musical training into your everyday life (or even non-training), and vice versa. He speaks very well about the relationship between harmony and melody, and the way rhythms pervade every party of a person's life, from birth to death.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helps you listen to the rhythm of everyday life and to find the music in everyday things. It's a bit healy-feely, which is why I only gave it four starts instead of five. However, the book brings the rhythm and melody of life to a broad audience and for that, I am happy.