“If Music Be the Food of Love …”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df-eLzao63I


If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it.”

Thus wrote Shakespeare in Twelfth Night and as usual the Bard hit the nail on the head. Music plays such an important role in our lives we are often unaware just how important. From the earliest beginnings of humanity, there has been a desire to make music and initially it was inspired by the sound of the wind passing through and around physical objects and of course the songs of the birds. One of the first musical instruments was the Aeolian Harp, built so that when the wind passed over and through its strings, music was produced. From there the flute and various other woodwind and stringed instruments followed and then we discovered that a string plucked over an echoing board or bowl, also produced musical sounds, and so all the string instruments followed, using not string but cat gut as a rule.. The invention of metal and its exploitation enabled us to produce brass instruments and of course the harpsichord, which is wooden, was developed into the piano ultimately.

Strolling Minstrels singing their ballads were a great feature of the Middle Ages in Europe and are the direct progenitors of today’s Pop Groups! This reminds me that the invention of electronic amplification of sound has been a further development in the evolution of the music of humanity. It seems that few inventions have not been adapted in one form or another, to the production of music; music, which so frequently “calms the troubled breast.” It appears our emotions and spiritual aspirations are more easily stirred by music than any of the other arts. This may be because there is a wider variety of music than of painting, poetry etc. Also I believe it is because the effect upon us of music has no intellectual pre-conditions. To understand and appreciate poetry, one must be able first to read and although the appreciation of painting is more spontaneous, it often demands an understanding of symbolism for its full appreciation.

Music, different types for different people and also for different moods, requires no such pre-conditions, unless you feel the words of songs are more important to you than the music. We are deeply moved, made deliriously happy, peaceful, overawed, made angry, the range of emotions is almost unending, depending upon a particular piece of music. We do not have to think about it; we just surrender ourselves to the music and allow it to become part of us. Our emotions will become engaged automatically. Even music, such as opera, that includes words, engages our emotions without us necessarily understanding the words. The music translates the words into emotional language we understand. Scientists claim that certain music stimulates brain activity and it seems that some pieces by Mozart are best for this and can actually help students to learn more quickly.

I have talked a great deal about music but what of love? Anyone of us who has been in love will know all too well how certain pieces and types of music seem to become important to us at such times and the same piece of music will rekindle those feelings years later. It is as though falling in love sharpens our musical ear. It could be of course that because love is the most powerful and basic of human emotions, all our senses are heightened as a result, not just our appreciation of music. Lovers frequently write poetry, for instance.

However, let us look for a moment at higher, spiritual love and the influence of music. I well recall chairing a meeting in England when the wonderful trance medium Ursula Roberts and her guide Rhamadan, who spoke wonderful words to us for over an hour, came to visit my church. As Rhamadan was leaving, I heard the most beautiful music. It was so uplifting and ethereal, I shall never forget it.

Also, when we sit in our Home Circles to spend some time with our dear friends from spirit, we are urged to sing or play music in order to “raise the vibrations.” That is exactly what music does; it somehow links us more closely to our higher self and makes us more easily aware of the subtle energies of the spiritual spheres. The role of music and hymns in our divine services is designed to do exactly the same and used properly, it really does raise the vibrations. To me the music, prayers, address, or sermon and the demonstration of mediumship at a service should all blend together; each should blend into the other seamlessly.

When I speak about music, I am talking about music we really listen to and not the dreadful musack that forms a background to so much of modern life and to which no-one really listens. This is an abuse of the true function of music but I guess, just as imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, musack is acknowledging the true power of music over human emotions.