Music, as one of the arts, is a natural cultural
development, and the Guardian does not feel that there should be any
cultivation of "Bahá'í Music" any more than we are trying to develop
a Bahá'í school of painting or writing. The believers are free to paint, write
and compose as their talents guide them. If music is written, incorporating the
sacred writings, the friends are free to make use of it, but it should never be
considered a requirement at Bahá'í meetings to have such music. The further
away the friends keep from any set forms, the better, for they must realize
that the Cause is absolutely universal, and what might seem a beautiful addition
to their mode of celebrating a Feast, etc., would perhaps fall on the ears of
people of another country as unpleasant sounds -- and vice versa. As long as
they have music for its own sake it is all right, but they should not consider
it Bahá'í music. - Shoghi Effendi (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the
National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada dated 20 July 1946)
