As Long As I Have Music

LeeR first sang for an audience when he was five years old. He sang (and WHISTLED) on a local radio program:

Whenever I feel afraid
I hold my head erect
And whistle a happy tune
So no one will suspect 
I'm afraid. 

While shivering in my shoes 
I strike a careless pose 
And whistle a happy tune 
And no one ever knows 
I'm afraid. 

The result of this deception 
Is very strange to tell 
For when I fool the people 
I fear I fool myself as well! 

I whistle a happy tune 
And ev'ry single time 
The happiness in the tune 
Convinces me that I'm not afraid. 

Make believe you're brave 
And the trick will take you far. 
You may be as brave
As you make believe you are

(Whistle, whistle, whistle the tune)

You may be as brave,

As you make believe you are!

I can honestly see in my mind's eye a little LeeR sticking out his chest and giving it his all. Not much has changed, really. 

I've been singing this song to myself all week--I really may be as brave as I make believe I am. Now, if I could only whistle it just might be true!

Music continued to be an important part of the Lambert family life, where, in Fillmore, playing in the band was as big of a deal as being on the football team. LeeR followed in his brother's steps playing trumpet and then a perceptive band teacher suggested he was suited best for the French horn. When he was 15 he was playing French Horn in the Utah Symphony under Maestro Maurice Abravanel. Life altering.

So life continued accompanied by music with many expressions of many methods and genres: singing, choir directing, horns (French, flugel, trumpet, and alphorn), guitars, bass, the family band (heard often from a microphone set up in the basement of our Pennsylvania home: "I'm down here...if anyone wants to come play...I'm down here...can anybody hear me?...I'm down here..."), music programs, recitals, music lessons, etc., etc. 

One of the songs our not-so-little family learned and sang at community programs and other events is titled "As Long As I Have Music." I felt it was appropriate then and feel the words are especially appropriate now:

When the world seems far beyond me, and I have no place to go;

When my life seems cold and empty and I feel I'm all alone;

Then a song that I remember helps to ease my troubled mind,

And I find the strength within me to reach out just one more time.

For as long as I have music, as long as there's a song for me to sing,

I can find my way, I can see a brighter day.

The music in my life will set my spirit free.

When the road is dark and lonely, and I feel I want to cry;

When the dreams I keep inside me seem to fade and almost die;

Then I call upon my music, and it helps to dry my tears.

And I know that I can make it; I'll go on despite my fears.

 For as long as I have music, as long as there's a song for me to sing,

I can find my way, I can see a brighter day.

The music in my life will set my spirit free, set it free!

LeeR's latest "fun thing" musically has been playing the alphorn. We live in a little town-without-a-stoplight community in the mountains that was settled by the Swiss. True to LeeR's character, he just had to take up the alphorn (if you don't know what that is, think of the Ricola commercials).
 
His favorite alphorn activity has been to go out on the upstairs balcony, play single notes and sometimes tunes (Amazing Grace being my personal favorite) and then listen to the long echo that followed. Ward members miles away commented on his playing and, luckily, the neighbors graciously loved the little concerts. He's been excited to play at Swiss Days this year and we're really hoping that is in his future on August 31. Last Saturday HE DID WHAT HE HOPED HE COULD and played at the Sugarhouse park Swiss celebration:

 

Since that time, he's continued to improve physically, mentally, and spiritually. He's having fun again. In his words, "I'm getting better!" The weekend was filled with lots of music: listening to Beethoven's 9th symphony, singing "Jesus Once Was A Little Child" and "Give Said the Little Stream" (although he can't get through either one without tears), singing "My Way" out on the patio, whistling "When Ever I Feel Afraid," playing the flugel horn, and, yes, the alphorn. We have a very happy musician amongst us. "As long as he has music!"