UNIFIED DISSONANCE

I sing in the Portland Mormon Choir and we rehearse on Tuesdays. Last night, while rehearsing a new piece for our Christmas program, we counted the dissonant chords in the climax of the song. There were about ten full-bodied, eight-note chords in the progression, and of that number, we counted only one that was "standard" -- you know, the comfortable, pleasant-sounding, all-the-notes-in-the-same-key kind of chord. Just the one -- like a teaser, a reminder of the routine.

You'd be surprised, perhaps, at how utterly cool that section of the song sounds, given all the dissonance. But we sing with "unified dissonance", as our director admonishes. When everyone is singing their note with accuracy and confidence, no matter what we're hearing in our ear or from the other side of the room, we can actually feel the waves of sound reverberating in our bones, the discordant notes crashing into each other above and in our heads in a beauteous cacophony. Yet there is unity in our dissonance, because we each know our part and sing it well. And eventually, the chords resolve into a rich, round sound of pleasure and peace.

It reminded me of my family. Often, we sing long stretches of dissonant notes, with just a few teaser chords in there to remind us of more pleasant tones, better times. Just as often, however, we end the day with resolution, that final chord that brings everything and everyone back into harmony, even if only temporarily.

Unified dissonance. It brings interest and excitement and movement to a musical piece. And to a family. So sing your note with gusto. Hold your part, no matter what else is going on. Trust that in the end, all will resolve. And in the meantime, in the middle of the discordant song, close your eyes and feel the unity and the beauty rattling your bones and your soul.


PORTLAND MORMON CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA'S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM: 19 DEC 2009