Greetings, readers!
As I write this, I’m listening to Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop.” I’ve always loved music; I have played the trombone since fifth grade, and have participated in eighth grade show choir, as well as two musicals: Seussical Jr. and Footloose. Loved both of them.
The topic I want to discuss here, then, is the connection between music and feeling. In my mind, the two are irrevocably intertwined. Music, to me, is a symbol of feeling, and in some cases, even a generator of feeling. Every time I hear a song or look at lyrics, I try to imagine what kind of feelings went into creating them. More often than not, my feelings resonate.
Take, for example, Carl Orff’s orchestral version of “Fortuna Imperatix Mundi.” It’s a chillingly beautiful poem written in Latin about the twists and turns of fate. Every time I hear it, it gives me shivers. The beginning is attention grabbing, the middle calms down to tell the story, but then the ending drives home the drama, and the urgency is almost overwhelming. This is a prime example of a piece of music written with a specific feeling in mind.
It’s not enough to have a feeling in mind when writing, though. The performance is even more important. You have to be convinced of your feelings if you want to induce them in anyone else. The feeling gives the music purpose and direction, and lends an extra sort of… well, quality, I guess. The same thing can be applied to purely instrumental pieces, as well. Take Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. Every note, every rise and fall of pitch and volume, every accent is designed to instill joy into the listeners. The performers know this, and pour that feeling into their playing to make the piece truly memorable.
Expressing and inducing emotion. Does music serve any other purposes? How and/or why? Examples?
Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.
-Victor Hugo
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