Well that's a heavy read all right.

Vladimir Ashkenazy, one of the greatest musicians of our time, once said words to the effect that music is a great mystery to him. To me, it's similar question to the ones that ask why human beings make paintings, sculptures or any other form of what we like to call "art." Music, and these other art forms and more, communicate lofty and life-affirming notions that words can't (and words have their place too).

As for the talented very few, music is a way of making a living (for the very very few, a fortune). To me, who can't make money out of it, music-making is a prime means of having fun.