Well, I don't know.
But I DO know that as I'm listening to Lauridsen or Pärt or any cello piece lately or a capella choral stuff, I get all these tingles, and, I won't lie, sometimes tears just fall and fall (and I like to let them rather than wipe them away, is that weird? Maybe).
OR sometimes the connected-ness feeling doesn't manifest itself physically quite at all, but I feel it just the same. But WHY??
There are lots of ideas as to the solution ricocheting around my head, try to follow me as I journey through them if you like.
1. As I wrote in another blog "Manifesto", I have a theory- and it holds true according to studies and just plain common sense- that people are relational beings. (Gasp! Revolutionary!) Thus, human beings have a need to feel like they belong to something- a group, whatever, label it as you please. Here's where it gets a little less certain- Music fulfills this need because it is reassurance that something exists that is bigger than the individual. I mean, how can it not? Unless you composed the music, built the instrument, and played it for solely your enjoyment, how can someone else not be fundamentally involved?
To sum up so far: Music makes us feel connected. But that doesn't answer the whole God thing. Nor does it explain why certain (types/genres of) music makes us feel more or less integrated.
2. I'll address the latter point first. Here's another earth-shattering proposal- everyone is different. Therefore, we all feel different degrees of attraction toward any one type of music. I like to think that, since I am in fact a music major, I've gained an appreciation for, and therefore a draw towards, music of a more classical feature that most people never have the opportunity to acquire (and perhaps they don't even care to, and that's all good and fine!). And if I like classical music and don't care for country, I obviously won't feel "in my element" enough to feel connected to others and God whilst listening to country. Substitute genres to your taste; the argument remains.
To sum up so far: Certain music functions as a "connector" for certain people because of the simple fact that we are all different. Let's take the classical thing a little farther, though. And I'm working on getting to the God part, I haven't forgotten.
3. *The upcoming paragraph has the potential to get pretty jargon-laden, so feel free to skip on through if you don't want to read about harmonic analysis and minimalism and the like. Then again, I haven't written it yet, so it might not.*
Arvo Pärt's "Fratres" has been a big part of this whole web of messy ideas. The violin/piano version especially. It begins with quick broken chords on the violin-- media has ruined me and I at first pictured a wide shot of a car driving through the woods in a scene from any number of scary movies. THEN, then, the violin stops and the piano strikes several open chords in moderate succession. Honestly, the rest of the piece is all a blur, the first two minutes are done so well. As I reflected on this piece, I just assumed that, despite the rhythmic simplicity, the piece must be fairly complex in its harmonic structure in order to be that moving. Today, I found the sheet music and sight-read it. The whole piece consists of just six different harmonies. Six! For a ten-ish minute piece! Yet that dang piano entrance made me fall head-over-heels in awe of a 74-year-old Estonian man.
To sum up so far: Music makes us feel connected, different styles for different people. I, being a fan of pieces belonging to that of the more classical persuasion, learned that musical potency certainly does not necessarily equal complexity. Implications? Not sure yet. On to God.
4. I am more susceptible to the power of God's presence when I'm listening to music. Maybe it's because, since I feel connected to more than myself, I'm more prepared to feel in tune with God? Maybe I'm being exposed to something so powerful (yet so taken for granted) that it's impossible to not have an emotional reaction, and my personal corollary is the connected-ness I've been trying to analyze? Or maybe no one else really does feel the way I do, and I'm just a fiery music major who's hungry to feel more God in her life? Or maybe I'm drawing circles around the answer, or maybe there isn't even an answer and I should be okay with that.
Any way you slice it, it's beautiful.
As you can tell, I have by no means figured anything out, nor have I expressed my attempt to escape confusion in the most eloquent way. So, I appreciate your reading this and will appreciate even more your thoughts on the matter.
Like the new look! Can I get a copy of the sheet music to Fratres sometime?
ReplyDeleteThat's cool that you've analyzed some of the music; as far as I know, it's a trait of Part's to amaze us with such minimalist material. He says something somewhere about "why can't one note be beautiful, just for itself?" One of my favorites. In your study, have you found anything about "tintinnabulation"?
Perhaps it's the emotions and thoughts connected to the music that make us feel close to God, as opposed to the music itself. Though, perhaps there's no difference between the two at all.
I'd love to hear a discussion between you and a music therapist someday...
You hit sure hit that right on pitch... Music, like any other part of God's creation (Man or Beast->Imagination or Emotion-> expression-> Music) points to Him in ways our subconcious cannot deny. And because music is a more substantial language than sight (of creation, for example), people (faithful and faithless alike) are drawn to it and in turn connect to Him. That inborn sense to desire a relationship with God cannot be avoided and music is so easily understood and embraced by the human psyche. The rhythm, the pitch, the cacophony, the forceful flow of fine tuned harmonies, the blazing thunder of the tympani (that one gets me every time)... Yeah, God is there.
ReplyDeleteFor me, its symphonic metal and/or large chamber choirs. Albeit loud at times, I'll admit, but a full orchestra with a fantasy metal edge, fused with a choir's harmonious echo, the bass and cello riling the senses... I thank Him for grace and mercy, because the kind of power and I envision when such an ensemble strikes up is frightening. Though typically, without any provocation from fear or imagery, tears come as soon as I hear the epic chords... it energizes me. I can just feel the passion within, my imagination seeing herculean feats of both chaos and beauty... and yes, 'I get these tingles.'
Of course, classical has its place as well, better, worse, though again, you're right to say it's an 'appreciation...[I] never have [had] the opportunity to acquire.'
He has left his fingerprints upon the earth, sea, sky, and psyche; and we seek Him, whether we wish to or not, to fulfill our need for a relationship with Him, that greatest of all beings. If through music one (you) may find the shortest distance to that place, praise God for it, as in all things.
To sum up so far: You're absolutely right, "Ever since the creation fo the world, His eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen thorugh the things he has made." (Romans 1:20) Music man hath made, God made and blesses both. A most pleasant read. I look forward to more.
Go with God, girl.
Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI will try to personally respond to your post, but I would like to first share this with you. This is a quote from a Philosopher.
"The fundamental difference between music and the other arts lies in the fact that music is experienced as if it reversed man’s normal psycho-epistemological process.
The other arts create a physical object (i.e., an object perceived by man’s senses, be it a book or a painting) and the psycho-epistemological process goes from the perception of the object to the conceptual grasp of its meaning, to an appraisal in terms of one’s basic values, to a consequent emotion. The pattern is: from perception—to conceptual understanding—to appraisal—to emotion.
The pattern of the process involved in music is: from perception—to emotion—to appraisal—to conceptual understanding.
Music is experienced as if it had the power to reach man’s emotions directly."
Ok one more on musical performance that is quite intriguing:
"This does not mean that the performing arts are secondary in esthetic value or importance, but only that they are an extension of and dependent on the primary arts. Nor does it mean that performers are mere “interpreters”: on the higher levels of his art, a performer contributes a creative element which the primary work could not convey by itself; he becomes a partner, almost a co-creator—if and when he is guided by the principle that he is the means to the end set by the work."
To me this statement is profoundly inspiring.
Music as a "connector" can be equaled, in emotional response, by a well-written poem or statue.
Your perception of music as sounds representing more than what they are,is romantic and purely beautiful.
I am a devout Objectivist and therefore cannot comment on your connection to god in music, but will say I agree that these tones, this "music"(beautifully arranged series of notes etc) has a unspoken and indescribable power to engage every one of our senses and emotions(Sometimes simultaneously!).
I am looking forward to further developments in this series of musical thoughts.
NPR today... basically, while music may be a part of the human experience naturally (they noted babies singing/humming at the same time they start to talk), music is greatly dependant on culture. As an American, you were brought up to know that Pomp and Circumstance was the graduation processional played at all graduations. You could proably spot a sea shanty or the token hanukkah song at the holiday concert. You automatically know what those are because you have learned through the culture you were brought up in. So if you were to go to a different culture and hear a song with no context, you may be free to let your mind come up with a mental picture that you feel is appropriate for the piece, but the purpose of the song may be totally different.
ReplyDeleteSo when you listen to music that you find "inspirational", it is inspirational because your culture tells you that it is inspirational, or at least it has elements of other inspirational songs in it. And on the same line, perhaps this nearness to God you experience while listening to certain music is there because your culture has told you that it's there. I'm not belittling that experience at all (it's quite amazing). Even if it were an outright gift from God, that music was there so we could have those goosebumps, well, in the words of C.S. Lewis, it is only a "nearness to God by resemblance." Meaning that there's no real work in getting "that feeling." It's just given to you to enjoy for the moment (and it usually only lasts a few moments anyway).
Anyway, I think my point was something like this. Music is awesome, right? Yes. God is awesome, right? Yes. Music = God? No. Worshipping music as a god = idolatry. I think that God = Music though... God = Everything. But Everything does not equal God. If that makes sense. Music is just another gift (nature, art, love to name a few more) that is there to give testament to God's awesomeness.
I think maybe we were taught to look for God in music. And being a music major, you are more prone to find it. But I think you could also find God in the same way in nature, art and love. It just may be harder for some.
Why is it always the slow songs with richer harmonies that we always get these feelings? Never the fast, jaunty little numbers? Ok, that's all. Hope my ramblings made sense.