Music: Much more than just an acoustic phenomenon

Did you know that music was a means of communication and social cement – and always closely linked to spirituality?

Many world religions and mythical tales attribute a divine origin to music. The oldest musical instruments found so far, flutes made of bird bones and ivory from the Swabian Alb, were allegedly used for ritual purposes.

In ancient times, music was considered a gift from the god Apollo to people. The Indian god Krishna is represented as a flute player.

Music is relatively open to interpretation. It is not a concrete medium, but it is a solemn and alienated medium. Perhaps that is what makes music so approximate and similar to faith.

However, music is not without controversy in religions. In Islam, there are on the one hand very strict camps that strictly reject the practice of music, while in Sufism music and dance open the way to spirituality. In Christianity, too, there have long been efforts to know the influence of music.

Fantastic songs have been used to stimulate memory formation in people. The fact is that singing is beneficial for memory formation.

Frontal lobe out of control

From a physiological point of view, it is interesting that the very part of the brain that dictates your everyday life so orderly concentrates, and behaves properly ‘programs’ that this part is deactivated.

In the course of evolution, music played an important role in creating belongingness and identity.

Music was a brilliant way of organizing the division of labor, and organizing groups. At the same time, it was also a way of dealing with the problem that you are finally.

Communication with the ancestors

In Zen Buddhism, monks use the tones of their bamboo flute to contact deceased family members. And European composers have also conjured up the transcendent power of music in their works.

“With Richard Wagner, the music and the stage work are a kind of parallel church service that was staged in Bayreuth on the Green Hill and is still staged in part today. Or if you look at Penderecki’s St. Luke Passion, behind it is the belief that music means more to you than just an acoustic phenomenon.