Divine Inspiration

According to Greek legend, Marsyas, a satyr, happened upon a flute lying on the ground. Upon taking it up, his performance was so captivating that it elicited spontaneous dance and frenzied joy in his audience. He was so proud of his musical ability that he challenged Apollo, the god of music, to a contest. By the end of the episode, not only would Marsyas lose the competition, but he would also be flayed alive, his skin hung on a nearby tree.

This gruesome tale—more Game of Thrones than X Factor—is very telling about the nature of Apollo. Some may regard his cruelty as a just response to what the ancient Greeks called hubris, but for me, he comes across as insecure, vindictive, and elitist. It is as if he wanted a monopoly on being a great musician. Shouldn’t the god of music want to inspire others to create beautiful music too?

From Theogony to the Iliad, ancient literature offers us countless appealing tales of Apollo and his music. He delighted the gods with his songs on the lyre. His virtuosity captivated audiences at the celebrity nuptials of Cadmus and Harmonia, Eros and Psyche, Peleus and Thetis. Because of Apollo, Plato argued, music directly influences a person’s soul and actions, and should form an essential part of education and culture. But if music was so vital to society, why would Apollo’s behaviour put, dare I say it, the fear of god in anyone wishing to excel in music?

During my summer at Tanglewood, I had the privilege of meeting several of today’s classical music immortals. Of course I was no Marsyas, challenging them to musical duels. But as a young ambitious violinist, I was just as keen as the impulsive satyr, keen to witness the mastery of these musical gods—the unparalleled technique of Hilary Hahn in Bach Sonata, the ethereal expressiveness of Yo-Yo Ma in Beethoven, and the transcendent interpretation of Remembrances by Anne-Sophie Mutter, conjured under the baton of John Williams himself. What’s more, engaging with them informally, between performances and masterclasses, I felt their great humility, kindness and empathy. For me, it is these qualities that have the power to truly inspire. These are what separate the true gods of music from the others.