Why I Love Music (Part II)

In case you missed it, here is Part I of this series. Here is another reason why I love music: #2: Music Brings People Together

Of course, you say. Tell me something I don't already know.

We go to concerts where groups of people gather, we play in ensembles together, we sing together. Music brings people together. But actually, that's not really what I mean.

Granted it's great that people get together to experience music and perform, listen, embrace all genres in communities large and small. But what I really mean is that music brings all kinds of people together. People who otherwise may not have much in common can be united through music. Language, geography, race, age, creed - all these types of boundaries can be crossed by music, and not many other things have that power.

I recently performed a couple of soulful and jazzy songs with a wonderful older gentleman, which got me thinking about this topic. Although I'm sure he and I have a number of things in common, on the surface we seem quite different, influenced primarily by the large age gap that "separates" us.

But it was music that brought us together and allowed us to share something special together. And the music crossed all boundaries - we were just two people playing music together and loving it. Indeed, music unites us on many levels.

Here's a video that's pretty popular (you may have seen it), but one that I think illustrates this point really well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEs8yqhavtI

Why I Love Music (Part I)

The other day I realized at least one reason why I really love music, and so I thought I would create a little series of posts on this topic. So, without further ado: #1: Music is not a material thing.

This is the thought that started this whole idea for me. I realized that amongst all the material goods that surround us (i.e. smartphones, computers, cars, houses, gadgets) there is music - just sound waves traveling through the air. Sure, you can record it and turn it into a tangible, possibly material thing, but that's not the point. The point is that music exists on a wavelength totally separate from our material-obsessed society.

When we sit there and marvel at the beauty of a piece of music, we aren't marveling at its monetary value, shiny exterior, or sex appeal. We are enamored solely with the sound itself and how it makes us feel. In our society today, we really have to dig our way through the material-saturated culture to find those things which possess inherent value beyond a tangible state. As our world grows even more focused on material items, music will remain. If all of our material things vanish, music will remain.

Stay tuned for Part II.

PS. I realized a piece of music to illustrate my point was probably in order. Thus, I give you Mahler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0Px44IuVKM