Today’s Word from Karl Olsen, Minister of Music…
“Talent copies, genius steals.”
Pablo Picasso
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Isaac Newton
A few years ago, I wrote a song. That, in itself, is no great surprise. I have written many, many songs, most of which have never been heard (and probably won’t ever be heard) beyond my internal ears, or at least my living room. Not every creation is a masterpiece! I have evidence!
But, looking at this song made me pause and consider, as I had before and had been questioned about by professor Robert Penn years ago… what right did I have to create this piece? Because I had taken a poem, or set of lyrics if you will, and added a refrain and written “my” song using those words.
It was a perfectly good, in fact (to my mind) wonderful, poem with words that evoked myriad responses from me. It was fine literary work; otherwise, why would I have bothered to write a song using said text? So, the question I needed to ponder was, “who do you think you are to take this finished piece of art, fully capable of standing on its own, and dare to create something else?” Was I trying to make it better?
Mark Earl, in his column from the blog ‘Campaign’ said “We tend to think creativity is all about originality – shiny new things no one has seen before. Things that appear out of thin air, or from the mind of those with special gifts…” But, ceramicist Grayson Perry says, “creativity makes use of stuff that already exists. Originality is for people with short memories.” Make use of the stuff lying around to make something original, rather than wait for the Muse to return your call.
Genesis 1:1-2:3 talks about God, the universe, and the role of humanity in the cosmos. The text depicts God creating stuff and offering blessing. We humans are made in God’s “image and likeness,” reflecting God’s creative power, evidenced by us having dominion over creation and even creating children—like God.
But another way to see that text says “…and the earth was a formless void, darkness was on the face of the deep…” in other words, chaos. Then it describes how God transforms that chaos into an ordered cosmos. Creating from the already created! (As for who created the formless void—well, that’s for someone else’s more astute missive!)
In the mechanical/engineering world, creating from the already created abounds. Two examples: the concept of pointing a “mouse” at a picture on the screen of a computer to make it do things was around for years before Microsoft and Bill Gates introduced it in the “Windows” platform. And elevators of various sorts had been used for centuries, making people go up and down, but didn’t get put to widespread use (like in tall buildings) until Elisha Otis invented a way to make them STOP! during an emergency! Sometimes wonderful original ideas lead to new and different great ideas!
So, back to the song. This year I revised my original. I eventually wrote to the lyricist, Fr. Nigel Weaver, an Anglican priest, and got permission to use his lyrics after a little discussion about how it would be used. He had some reservations, but said “no problem.” Standing on his shoulders, I finished and recorded the song and sent him a copy. So far, (I’m not too worried) I haven’t heard a word from him. It must have landed in his junk folder! I just trust…
My work … develops everything around it. There is nothing I do that does not affect the world in which I live. In developing a spirituality of work, I learn to trust beyond reason that good work will gain good things for the world, even when …I can’t see them.
Sister Joan Chittister, O.S.B.
If we are created in God’s image, and God is creator—then we are called in that Imago Dei to be creators as well. So, as you find yourself locked in or somewhat isolated for another few weeks or months, feel free to follow that creative urge and… create something! Even if you’re using someone else’s creativity as a springboard. God says it’s ok!
Now, after all that, I’m not going to play that song! Nasty, huh? You’ll have to wait until the Synod-created service on April 11, and hear it as part of that service. Here, however, is another creative person’s take on that creation. Ray Makeever’s There Was the Word. Click HERE to enjoy!
Karl
There Was the Word
Words and music by Ray Makeever. © 1987, Ray Makeever,
Admin Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Used by permission, OneLicense.net #A706896
