An open Letter regarding NOISE

I frequently hear music in the very heart of noise.-George Gershwin

To regulate noise is to first define it. Who is willing to take on the challenge of defining what should fall into that category? What one speaks of in the term of noise another labels a joyful sound- “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands”.
Matthew 24:31. Should then only joyous noise as in the bible be tolerated but the “Blues” scorned? Take it upon yourselves to define noise and the debate will last forever.

A baby crying in the local restaurant or aboard your latest flight, is certainly noise. We all agree, Or do we? What of that same baby crying at the moment of birth- certainly no one can call it noise. The obnoxious peal of church bells ringing non stop can be construed as noise, except when they rang unending announcing the end of WWII. Yes. That joyous noise. And what of that annoying rumble of heavy equipment as it works next door? I’m sure it was much of the same noise at the time when they used those bulldozers to remove the Berlin wall. Again joyous noise. Those loud claps of thunder as they persist through the night, waking us from slumber? No need for that noise! Unless of course you are an American farmer barely hanging on to his homestead during a drought season. Do we regulate the sound of mortars if it was cause to protect our shores? The sound of 21 guns paying homage and tribute to a fallen Hero? Be so very careful in your definition. Children squealing as they are released from their last day of school? The roar of the crowd as your team wins a crucial game? The sound of jets flying to close to the ground? (Blue Angels beware of Sarasota)

I live in this area for one reason it is a “Community of the Arts”. All of the “arts”, Paint, sculpture, theater, music and even culinary. It’s what makes Sarasota unique. No matter how you regulate it it is not black and white. The palette of the community is made up of more than black and white, It’s the color of the sunsets, the color of the blue skies and frothy wavebreaks. It’s the primary bright colors of the three ring circus and the stark white of the beach sand. It’s seen in the colors of our flora, our greenery and the neighborhood homes. It’s a large palette and everchanging it’s what makes it ART. We are the Arts and undefinable, we reject labels and conformity and we smile. Who among us wants to label Picasso as “Non-Art” but the realism of Ansel Adams in black and white as the norm?

“I frequently hear music in the very heart of the noise” and I find the music in the Heart of our community!
– Mark J. Bartlett