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Show INTRODUCTION A student of music can be aided to understand and appreciate a particular work if, through text or lecture, the piece is introduced, its background given, and its major and minor themes identified as they occur and recur; but only to a point. The facilitator may become an intruder by over-explaining or over-interpreting, thereby under-estimating the intelligence of the listener and eclipsing rather than elucidating that which is presented. He must know when to let the music speak for itself. Similarly, we shall attempt to present this glance at the life of Dr. Ellis Reynolds Shipp by introducing her, providing background material, identifying some dominant themes as they occur and reappear, but intruding as little as possible and thereby permitting her to reveal herself. In biography, where a human being, and not simply the work of a human being, is under consideration, the mandate is to present that person fairly. We shall try to fulfill that mandate for our subject. If Ellis felt that her own efforts, however intense and dedicated, could not possibly suffice to see a given project through to a successful conclusion, she would (having at the outset invoked the assistance of the Holy Spirit) rely upon an all-powerful, all-merciful God to "overrule" in behalf of the project. When He seemed to have done just that, as was frequently the case, she was quick to return thanks and to attribute the success not to herself but to the Source of All Good. We could do no better than to try to emulate this nearly perfect pattern of performance in our present project. Salt Lake City, Utah December 1983 IV |
