| It's a safe bet that, since the arrival of | | | | 'sheet' in unison while singing a familiar |
| cognitive human beings on this earth, music | | | | 'hornpipe' or reel; The wonderful gospel |
| has, in some form had a significant effect on | | | | sounds that poured from the wooden churches |
| their lives. The first sounds, other than | | | | of the Southern states black population were |
| speech, were probably produced by hitting | | | | a potent community tool to promote and |
| something; wood, stone or hide; and ancient | | | | celebrate their culture; a lucky offshoot was |
| peoples must have appreciated the sounds of | | | | the inspiration of much of our modern rhythm |
| the world around them; of water, weather and | | | | and blues. Nowadays factories all over the |
| animals; and were the sounds of a rippling | | | | world use 'piped' music to soothe the |
| stream or a gushing waterfall music to their | | | | workers; if you're doing a humdrum task music |
| ears? And when they stood at the seashore did | | | | can make the time go faster. |
| the crashing waves and the suck of the tides | | | | |
| move them in some way? | | | | When we think about it music is not just a |
| | | | pleasant pastime that is either passively |
| There is something deep within our psyche, | | | | listened to or actively produced. It has a |
| which reacts and 'remembers' music. It is | | | | much deeper, more fundamental purpose. Our |
| more than probable that sounds relating to | | | | reactions to outside events can be completely |
| music and rhythm came long before sounds | | | | altered by music. It can make us happy, sad, |
| relating to communication and speech. Today, | | | | frightened, elated, thoughtful . . . the |
| this theory can be tested by noting a baby's | | | | list of emotions it engenders are as long as |
| reaction to a lullaby as compared to speech. | | | | their number. And words are not necessary to |
| If you're lucky, humming can soothe the most | | | | create this ambience; for instance, how would |
| fractious child and even send them to sleep! | | | | silent movies have worked without the music? |
| Music, in the form of rhythm was used by many | | | | Those Keystone Cops without the frenetic |
| peoples as a way of sending messages to out | | | | piano plinkity plonk; the doe eyed heroines |
| of sight recipients; consider the jungle | | | | without the sobbing strings; the huge |
| drums of Africa or the Alpine horn, the | | | | sweeping epics without full orchestral back |
| Aboriginal didgeridoo or the use of bells as | | | | up? They just wouldn't have worked. Nowadays, |
| a warning of attack. | | | | with the proliferation of world music, we |
| | | | listen to and enjoy music in many different |
| The days of learning our lessons by rote | | | | languages, without necessarily understanding |
| have, mostly, disappeared. This is because it | | | | a word the singers say; much as opera was |
| has, rightly, been recognised that we don't | | | | once listened to as the fashionable 'world' |
| necessarily absorb the content of what we | | | | music of its day; just another example of the |
| repeat over and over again. But, as an aid to | | | | emotive power of music. |
| memory, music still has its uses. Songs we | | | | |
| have learnt in childhood can be recalled far | | | | So, it's fair to say that music has an innate |
| later in life than mere words. Music is a | | | | basis in our evolutionary makeup. We have |
| well known and much used therapy in illnesses | | | | probably used it since homo sapiens first |
| that involve memory loss; Stroke, Alzheimers | | | | walked the earth. Other animals do use sounds |
| etc; and not only as a recall aid but also as | | | | in their day to day living (frogs croak, dogs |
| a re-learning tool. Speech therapists use | | | | howl, sheep bleat etc.) but, with the |
| music extensively when trying to teach stroke | | | | possible exception of birds, we are the only |
| victims how to speak again. The rhythm and | | | | species to enjoy making melody out of sound. |
| melody of a familiar tune will often | | | | We've utilised every viable tool, from the |
| 'trigger' a positive response, when no amount | | | | human voice to electronic tones, to create |
| of visual stimuli has an effect. | | | | ever more varied compositions. Wouldn't it be |
| | | | intriguing to discover how soon into our |
| And then there is the cohesive quality of | | | | evolution the power and beauty of the human |
| music; from the singing of a country's | | | | voice was appreciated? As the centuries have |
| National Anthem to a football crowds chant; | | | | passed musicians have been, rightly, feted |
| from carol singers to brass bands. Musical | | | | for their skill to move us with song, melody |
| participation has been used in every walk of | | | | and rhythm. Once musicians were revered as |
| life. The chain gangs of America's Deep South | | | | priests, interpreting the sounds of the gods. |
| would use music to get through the day and | | | | Nowadays we are more pragmatic; but we still |
| establish a rhythm to mundane physical | | | | need that harmony in our lives; even if it's |
| labour. Sailors would pull a hawser or | | | | only our mobile phone ringtone! |