What is the power of music. The transformative power of music

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

From the earliest times, the existence of mankind has been closely associated with art. Paleolithic rock paintings are still found in ancient untouched caves, and Gregorian chants are still considered one of the examples of harmony and beauty of sound. Along with the exact sciences like mathematics and astronomy, music in the era of Antiquity was considered one of the most important components of human life and the real embodiment of his endless desire for beauty.

Primitive rhythms of primitive tribes over time not only acquired a new sound, but also filled with new meanings. From century to century, music became more and more beautiful and diverse, the greatest composers were born and died, new genres and trends were created. In different eras, the sound of instruments either became sacred, or was declared diabolical intrigues. However, this did not prevent humanity from preserving the love for music, carrying it through the years and even centuries.

Where sounds were born

There are a huge number of theories as to what the power of music is and how disorganized sound became systematic, endowed with feelings andabsolute power over human consciousness and soul. It was perceived as a gift from the gods and as a way of contact with an alien mind, it was considered from the point of view of the natural development of a person who at one time paid attention to the sounds of the nature around him. Where are the origins of the musical staff and the modern variety of musical styles, genres and trends?

Before man realized himself

We all live in a world filled with a variety of sounds. Modern man has long been accustomed to the constant cacophony of horns and the rustling of tires, the creaking of floorboards underfoot and the whistle of factories. All this has become a completely natural part of our lives.

For primitive man, everything was different. Loud sounds told him about the danger, and the cries of animals - about the possibility of a successful hunt. Thunder, so familiar to us, was a real shock for ancient people, and the crackling of logs in a fire was perhaps the most familiar sound imaginable.

Our distant ancestor was forced to adapt to the environment. That is why at one of the stages of his development he decided to tame the sound. At first, these were simple exclamations based on onomatopoeia. Then primitive rhythms like drums were added to them, and over time it all turned into real ritual chants, the echoes of which we can still hear in traditional ethnic motifs and the culture of some African tribes that have retained their closeness to nature.

Initial function

To understand the power of music, one should turn to the beliefs of the ancient peoples. It is quite obvious that initially it acted as a kind of spell, a kind of language with which a person could communicate with the forces of nature, gods, the universe and even the afterlife. In Slavic culture, the memory of solemn round dances and chants in honor of the Solstice or winter Christmas time has still been preserved. Even today, music is capable of performing similar functions, but the impact is not on external factors, but on the inner world of a person.

What the ancient Greeks knew

Perhaps even in Antiquity it was known what the power of music is. This is evidenced by a large number of representatives of the Greek pantheon, directly associated with sound harmony. Apollo, for example, was traditionally depicted with a permanent harp in his hands, and drums and a flute were an invariable attribute of Dionysus. And that's not counting the Muses, each of which patronized a particular art form.

What was the power of music for the ancient Greeks? Bringing soul and body into harmony, an eternal tribute to beauty and grandeur, one of the surest ways to touch someone else's nature. Even healing with magical sounds was possible in ancient Greece.

What is said in fairy tales

In the folklore traditions of the whole world, this type of art is also reflected. The magical power of music is described, for example, in the tale of the rat-catcher boy (Niels), andlegends about the beautiful sirens, whose singing beckoned brave sailors to the cruel rocks, are known to many peoples. In German culture, for example, there is a legend about the beautiful girl Lorelei, whose voice brought destruction to many ships.

Whether music gives life or takes it away is not so important. More noteworthy is the fact that the miracle of harmonious sound has always existed for humanity in one form or another.

Classic to maintain tone

The fact that the transforming power of music is available to a person is now an indisputable fact. Today it brings not only spiritual, but also physical peace. This is especially true for classical compositions. Specialists from one of Italy's leading universities once discovered the so-called Vivaldi effect, based on the immortal masterpiece The Four Seasons.

Scientists have been able to prove that regular listening to this song not only has a positive effect on the emotional background, but also improves memory in the elderly, in general, having a very positive effect on the physical condition of the body.

Mozart for intellectuals

The transformative power of music finds a slightly different reflection in relation to this composer. It has been scientifically proven that regular listening to his masterpieces has a positive effect on brain activity and helps to increase the intellectual potential of a person.

Treatment by the Miracle of Sound

Numerous research in the field of alternative medicine allowstalk about the possibility of direct treatment with the help of both world classics and modern compositions. The degree of sound power in music determines the level of impact on the cells in the human body, which leads to a positive effect.

By and large, our body is a kind of tool. The cells of our body are filled with liquid, and musical vibrations can affect them both positively and negatively. In fact, in this case we are talking about an effect similar to ultrasound.

Beautiful and dangerous

However, like any other, music therapy should be done with the utmost care. Incorrect use of sound waves is unlikely to kill a person, but it can harm your mood and hearing.

The power of sound in music is a phenomenon that should not be underestimated. It is a powerful tool in terms of influencing our consciousness and subconsciousness. Thus, soothing sounds can lead to a state of absolute calm even with an extreme degree of irritation. That is why music therapy is often used in psychiatric clinics to work with violent patients.

However, the opposite effect is also possible, in which an alarming and emotionally overloaded composition, listened to fairly regularly, can have an extremely detrimental effect on the human psyche.

The great director Stanley Kubrick managed to show this very accurately in the movie A Clockwork Orange,based on the book of the same name by Anthony Burgess. Beethoven's magnificent Ninth Symphony became a real weapon in the wrong hands.

When it's the only way to live

Finally, what was music for the greatest composer? The power of love for her literally made Beethoven live, create and not give up. In his most terrible, most difficult days, he remained true to the musical staff and the beautiful sound, which he could no longer hear, but could feel with his whole being.

Young Mozart was elevated by music to a pedestal, and then plunged into the abyss of poverty and obscurity. The harmony of sound is a real power, not tamed, but comprehended by man. It is one of the most powerful and beautiful forms of art that knows no boundaries of time and space.