Why Music?

What is the importance of music? Why is it that a series of sounds travelling at different wavelengths can tell a story? This leads to another interesting question that I will post at a later date. In a literal sense, music is nothing more than variations on the frequency of wavelengths. How is it that variations in vibrations are able to tell stories so intricate and beautiful?

I believe that the answer lies in how we perceive these variations. Certain pitch variations may seem more pleasant to an individual because of the association with a pleasant memory from one's childhood. For example, my mother would always call upstairs that dinner was ready. In her phrase, "Dinner's ready," the word dinner was on the 3rd note of the scale, followed by the tonic, or 1st note of the scale. Because of this, I enjoy hearing the interval of the third (in most cases, that is) spoken or sung.

It would, of course, be different for all individuals, or it may also be that they do not have pleasant associations with music or certain aspects of music. Yet another question concerning music is raised by this, of which I will discuss at a later date.

Music is also one of the only truly universal languages. Of course, one might say that music is not a universal language because the lyrics might be in French, or German, or Russian; three unrelated languages. The problem is that classical music is enjoyed around the world by all sorts of people. Classical music does not have lyrics. Similarly, most jazz, new age, and film music lacks lyrics as well. Yet these are also enjoyed in most parts of the world. One might say that music touches our soul. I think that this cliche is true. Music appeals to the brain and to the human person because of the emotion that it embodies. Very few human creations are as emotionally charged as music is.