Music as defined by its legal definition in the dictionary is the art of arranging sounds in time as to produce a continuous, unified, and evocative composition, as through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre, however, music is much more than this. Music is the aforementioned as well as the universal language that is understood by all persons no matter their race, color, creed, or gender. Music is also a form of self-expression that has been used by all musicians known to mankind, past, present, and future. Whether music is only a language or just a means of self-expression is let for one to decide for themselves, however, one thing is for sure, music is perhaps the only true way that a musician can express him or herself. Through their music, the musician also has a profound and often revolutionary affect on society that may at first seem outrages but in the end, will be highly accepted. Mozart and Madonna are primary examples of such musicians that have lived in our society and revolutionized it. From giving a whole new meaning to the word ‘opera’ to redefining what a woman’s role in society is are all examples of such great endeavors that have been accomplished by these revolutionizing artists. In “A Wagner Matinee,” writt

In Mr. Holland’s Opus, Mr. Holland dreams of becoming a famous composer and selling millions of dollars worth of music compositions. Unfortunately he never has the luck to land such a role in society so he takes on the career of becoming a high school music teacher. As a teacher he is able to share his passion for music with his many students and enlighten them with the knowledge he has acquired with the years that he has been dealing with music. Mr. Holland’s new passion was to teach his students about the importance of music in ones life and in society. He made it his goal to reach out to as many students as possible and teach them as much as he could about music. Mr. Holland had his students feel the same love for music because it was their way of expressing themselves and relieving themselves. Music was a scapegoat to paradise for Mr. Holland and many of his students as well. They turned to music for guidance, support, and a better overall understanding of themselves as well as others. Mr. Holland’s community was enriched by the music education that he provided for them. His teaching ranged from classical to rock to pop and to alternative. With out a doubt, Mr. Holland’s music appreciation class was one that benefited the whole school as well as the community and himself.

A different kind of musician can be seen in “A Wagner Matinee” a short story written by Willa Cather. Georgiana, an elderly woman, needs to claim the estate of one of her bachelor relatives that passed away and left it for her. Her nephew, Clark, lives in the same town as her deceased relative and receives his elderly aunt with open arms. He hasn’t seen her in a long time and feels that he owes a lot to her; she was the one responsible for his upbringing and caring. One day, Clark decides to take aunt Georgiana to a symphony where Georgiana has a flash back of her younger days as she recalls some of the keys being played in the symphony. “…her fingers worked mechanically upon her black dress, as if, of themselves, they were recalling the piano score they had once played.” (Cather 34) She pressed firmly against her dress as if she was really playing and went into deep moments of concentration. All that Clark could do was watch his aunt’s passion for music shine brightly about her face. When the symphony ended, she exclaimed to him, “I don’t want to go, Clark, I don’t want to go!” (Cather 35) Georgiana had been hurt that she had to leave so soon, she was recalling the days when she was able to get away from it all and play her piano to clear her mind and her thoughts. Music was her escape form reality; she was able to go off into places that she never could actually go to. “I understood. For her, just outside the concert hall, lay the black pond with the cattle tracked bluffs; the tall, unpainted house, with weather-curled boards, naked as a tower; t