David Tame-The Secret Power of Music

First published 1984 This edition first published 1988

O DAVID TAME 1984

to the,seventh angel to the two olive trees and to all who will sing the new song

Alln'ght~re~erved.No pan of t h r ~book may be reproduced or utilized in any formor by any meam, electronic or mechanical, ancfudz?tgphotocopying,recording or by any information storage and retnevd system, without pennirsion in wnting from the Publisher

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Tame, David The secret power of music. - 2nd ed. 1. Music - Psychology I. Tide 781'.15 ML3830

ISBN 0-85030-752-X The Aquanirn Press ispart of the Thorsons Publishing Group, Welhgborough,Northamptonshire, NN8 2RQ England Printed in Great Britain by Woolnough Bookbinding Limited, Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire

The good is one thing; the sensuously pleasant another. These two, differing in their ends, both prompt to action. Blessed are they that choose the good; they that choose the sensuously pleasant miss the goal. Both the good and the pleasant present themselves to men. The wise, having examined both, distinguish the one from the other. The wise prefer the good to the pleasant; the foolish, driven by fleshly desires, prefer the pleasant to the good. - Katha Upanishad

Contents A c~nowledgements

11

verture: Music and its Power

13

usic as a power - music, the individual and society - music creates order out of chaos as in music, so in l$; Music as a Mould for Society - the protest of Confucius; sound, Music. and the Wisdom of the Ancients - the walls of Jericho destrqed by the scientific use of sound - music for good and music for evil - the ancients were more aware than we of the unseen causes behind all outer events - music and moraliy; The Hidden Side of Music - a personal experience of the author; Primal Vibration music as a manrfestation of the O M ; Music and the Twentieth Century; Music and Materialism - the modern viewpoint on music - Aquarian Age people have not yet rejected anti-Aquarian Age music - an outline of this book.

1.

The Ancient Wisdom: Music in China

33

Music and Morality - music as an energy formula - the beliefs of Confucius; Music d Spirituality - the stoty of Master Wen of Cheng - the allegory behind the story rli.sit from the celestials; The O M in China; Astrology and the Twelve Cosmic ) n a - one Cosmic Tonefor each lpdiacal month; Sound Above and Sound Below

sound a manifestation of the twelve Cosmic Tones - music and ceremony Chinese music transposed in accordance with astrological gcles; The Mysticism of Music - musical notes as an outpouring of the One Vibration - the subtlety of the iiuidual notes - the mystical basis of Oriental monotone instrument.^; Music and actical Magic - gigantic orchestras to release vast quantities of Cosmic Sound; usic and the T'ai Chi -the forces of yin and yang in Chinese music; The Concept the Logos in Chinese Music - Cosmic Sound associated with Cosmic Consciousness Chinese emperors as incarnations of the Word - the huang chung; O f Times and {cles; Of Music and Modes - astrology, Cosmic Sound and earthly rtmtr - thr ertial ynphony - to align earthly music with universal principles; T h e Hulrrrg Ch141g ;IS the Foundation of Civilization - standardiatron of 1~7~~qbtt and mtvrtttrri rl

111cancients believed that music could affect man and civilization. 'I'llc ancicnts were convinced that music could become internalized

I,y the individual; the music influencing, as it were. the rhythm of 111rn'sthoughts, rhe melody of man's emotions, and the harmony of his bodily health and manner of movement. In all these ways, music was thought t o determine the manner of our thoughts and actions. '4s in music, so in life - this one timeless axiom contains the central concept upon which entire civilizations once founded almost (.very aspect of their society. And upon thls same seed concept generations of kings, ~ r i e s t sand philosophers based the whole work o f the long span of their lives. As in music, so in life, An axiom which declares that consciousness and all of civilization is shaped and moulded according to the existing style or styles of ~~lusic. A shattering concept indeed! When one ponders upon its i l ~ ~ ~ l i c a d o that n s : music magnetizes society into conformity with ilsclf

...

Could it actually be true that music tends to mould us, in our ~ h o u ~ hand t s our behaviour patterns, into conformity with its own itlnate patterns of rhythm, melody, morality and mood? Irllmediately, one's mind turns towards specific examples: styles of l~rusicof which we know, and the society or sub-culture which is to I)c found around them. What of the music of today? The society of t ~ ) d a y Clearly ? the above axiom, should it prove to be valid, is one Ir;iught with significance for modern civilization.

MUSIC AS A MOULD FOR SOCIETY Whenever, at any time during the course of his life, modern man has lislcned to music, has he really known the meaning and the implicalions of what he was doing? Certainly not according to the ancient T~l~ilosophers. W e may take ancient China for example: Each year, in the second month, Emperor Shun could be found journeying eastward in order t o check upon his kingdom, and to cnsure that everything was in order throughout the vast land. Yet he did not d o so by auditing the account books of the different regions. Neither by observing the state of life of the populace, or by receiving petitions from them. Nor by interviewing the regional officials it1 authority. No, by none of these methods. For in ancient China thcre was considered to be a much more revealing, accurate and scientific method of checking on the state of the nation. According I O the ancient Chinese text, .Shu King, the Emperor Shun went :~lloiitthrough the different territories and . .tested the exact pitches o f //~i-h notes of music.

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16

T H E SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

Back in his palace, if the Emperor wished to monitor the efficiency of his central government, what did he do? Get expert advice on policy making? Review the economy, or the state of popular opinion? The Emperor was not ignorant of any of the above methods, and at times may have taken recourse to all of them. But most important of all, he believed, was t o listen to, and check, the five notes of the ancient Chinese musical scale. He had the eight kinds of Chinese musical instruments brought before him and played by musicians. Then he listened t o the local folk songs, and also to the tunes which were sung in the court itself, checking that all this music was in perfect correspondence with the five tones. Primitive superstition? Certainly Emperor Shun did ,not believe so. According to the philosophy of the ancient Chinese, music was the basis of evevthiwg. In particular they believed that all civilizations are shaped and moulded according to the kind of music performed within them. Was a civilization's music wistful, romantic? Then the people themselves would be romantic. Was it strong and military? Then the nation's neighbours had better beware. Furthermore, a civilization remained stable and unchanged as long as its music remain unchanged. But to change the style of music which people listened to would inevitably lead to a change in the very way of life itself. If Emperor, Shun, on his travels about the kingdom, had discovered that the instruments of the different territories were all differently tuned from each other, then he would have considered it a foregone conclusion that the territories themselves would begin to (if they did not already) differ from each other. They might even lose their unity and begin to squabble among themselves unless the tuning was at once corrected and made uniform from one place to another. And if the music he heard performed in the villages had begun to become vulgar and immoral, then the Emperor would have expected immorality itself to sweep the nation unless something was done to correct the music. A graphic account has come down to us from the time of Confucius which shows the very real and practical importance the wise men of China placed upon music. A gift of femalc musicians was sent by the people of Ts'e to the kingdom of Loo. Confucius himself protested to Ke Huan, the ruler of Loo, that these foreign musicians should not be received, lest their alien, and possibly sensual, music influenced the native musicians of the kingdom. Confucius believed that if the music of the kingdom was altered, then the society itself

MUSIC AND ITS POWER

17

would alter, and probably not for the better. Unfortunately we I not know today entirely how the episode ended, and what effect r foreign music did have on the kingdom. But what we d o know I llat despite the protestations of the legendary moral philosopher. I- Huan did receive the females, and no court was held for three ~ y swhile the Emperor and his government availed themselves of c sight and sound of the exotic foreign performers. S o much for c government's sense of responsibility to the kingdom! But Conc , i u s ? The famous philosopher was absolutely uncompromising on issue. The same level of importance which politicians today o d d attach to militay or economic matters, Confucius attached to 1. issue of the kingdom's music. H e was certain and firm in his oral convictions, and was prepared to back them up to the hilt. clusing to listen to the music, he stormed out of the court in protest. I lr had heard the alien music, and he had seen the writing on the w;~ll.H e knew. And just what was it that he knew? Along with all of the other l.cit philosophers of his land, Confucius believed there t o be a iddm significance to music which made it one of the most impor1111 things in life, possessing potentially tremendous power for good 01.cvil. And we discover the same basic beliefs regarding music in ril.l~lall~ every advanced civilization of antiquity It was the same in Mesopotamia. The same again in cultures as far apart as India and t irrcce. These various peoples of the past were in agreement in their uirwpoints upon music to a most striking degree. Music was not ~rrnccivrdby any of them, as it is conceived today, as being merely ,111 intangible art form of little practical significance. Rather. they affirmed music t o be a tangible force which could be lied in order to create change, for better or worse, within the I llrracter of individual man; and, what was more important, within rociety as a whole. In fan, though today we still can hear people \,waking of the 'magic of music', the ancients used the phrase far Illore literally, for music was men believed by them to be capable of c.ffeaing change upon matter itself.

SOUND, MUSIC AND THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS A famous example of tonal magic is the story of Joshua's destruction of'the walls of Jericho. According t o the biblical account,' Jericho. a city rampant with evil, had closed its gates and prcpared to withr~:mdthe seige of righteous Joshua and his force. But when Joshua Il.~darrived near to the city he met a strange man, who called

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THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

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himself the captain of the hosts of the Lord, and who told Joshua how to destroy the mighty walls of Jericho through the use of sound produced in sequences of seven. Following the instructions, Joshua's legions marched around the city, headed by seven priests blowing seven trumpets of rams' horns. The rest of his men Joshua cornmanded to remain absolutely silent, uttering not a word. Once. they went around the city. And again on the next day. And the same for a total of seven days. But on thc seventh day they circled the city .seven times, and on this occasion Joshua told his people to shout along with the sound of the trumpets. This they did - and the walls of Jericho, according to the account, fell down flat, the city then being stormed and taken. Of course, as our modern materially-minded friends can tell us, the story must be only superstition; a mere legend. - Except that the ruins of ancient Jericho have been unearthed, and it has been found that the walls apparently did at some stage collapse, falling outward, But still, the modern scholar tells us, there must obviously be some perfectly natural explanation. - Yes, WC reply, a natural explanation. Certainly it must have been natural. And yet in order to fully understand the account, perhaps we need to wait a little longer, for science to progress a little further in the field of acoustics . . While the people of ancient times certainly did believe that sound was capable of such spectacular feats, they were nevertheless equally concerned with the more usual effects of sound and music - upon the human psyche and upon society. If a civilization's music was in the hands of the evil or ignorant, the ancients believcd, it could lead the civilization only to an inevitable doom. But in the hands of the illumined, music was a tool of beauty and power which could lead the way for an entire race into a golden age of peace, prosperity and brotherhood. T o the major civilizations of antiquity, intelligenth-organized sound constituted the highest of all the arts. And more, for they also believed music - the intelligent production of sound through musical instruments and the vocal cords - t o be the most important of the sciences, the most powerful path of religious enlightenment, and the very basis of stable, harmonious government. More than anything else, however, the great thinkers of antiquity emphasized the powerful effect of music upon the character of man. Since music seemed to hold such sway in determining the morality of people, it was a subject which none of the great moral philosophers could

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MUSIC AND ITS POWER I,:II~IT.

Aristotle, for one, wrote that :

... emotions of any kind are produced by melody and rhythm; by music a man becomes accustomed t o feeling the right

I l~rrefore

I-l~~otions; music has thus power t o form character, and the v;~t.iouskinds of music based on the various modes, may be tlistinguished by their effects on character - one, for example, working in the direction of melancholy, another of effeminacy; 11nc encouraging abandonment, another self-control, another enthusiasm, and so on through the s e r i e ~ . ~ Ill ,I 11 Plato and Aristotle discuss the moral effects of music in several 11 I heir major works. Music and morality. Is there a connection in reality? Certainly I I I idea ~ that music exerts an influence - and a ~ o w e r f uone l - over 1111.character of m m persisted on a widespread scale beyond the I 1r11ruf Christ, through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and I I ~ I O the last century. The concept that music affects character was 111c onr great inspiring force behind the creative lives of the great a I.~\\icdl and romantic composers. I t is clear from what we know of 1 11r.ircharacters that each of them, motivated by an earnest desire to *.c .rrfr ;md spiritualize humanity, saw their music as one of the most I ~ t , w ~ . rmeans f ~ ~ l posrihle of influencing the consciousness and direcI I I , I I of the human race. Wars and politicians come and go, but 11illsicabides indefinitely, never failing t o affect the minds and hearts 1 1 1 ,111 who hear it. As Andrew Fletcher, the writer and orator, stated in the Scottish I ' ~rliamentof 1704: 'I knew a very wise man who believed that if a 111.lewere permitted to make all the ballads, he need not care who . , l ~ r IIIICI make the laws of a nation'. It can easily be seen, then. that the subject of music and its \ M !-a\il~le psychological and societary influences is anything but an ~lr\cr,ice,theoretical one. If music can be used t o exert l~iil~~rnces of tither a negative or a beneficial n a m e over us, then we I I . I ~ I better know about it! What damage might certain kinds of ~llliaichave already imposed upon our without our I r.~liringit? What opportunities might there be for us to take the I I I T C C ~ kind of music an; use it from now onwards in order to 11 r clrratc our own mental and spiritual evolution? Clearly, these c~~~c*\tions are of importance to cach and every one of us. Virtually i ~ r ~ h listens o d ~ t o music in one form or another. When we speak I #I 'r11,ln' or of 'the listener' in the pages ahead - that also means you

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THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

I I I C ! Fcw could claim t o be free from any possible influence wllic11 music may exert, directly or indirectly. ... Perhaps none could, if we are to accept the ancients' viewpoint. For in addition t o music's more direct effects upon man - the psychological effects of its audible melodies and rhythms therc was also t o be taken into account music's second, yet more extensive and more potent, power. A mystic power this, a force inaudible and invisible, and a force only understandable in terms of the ancient philosophy and its distinctly non-materialist basis. .rrrtl

THE HIDDEN SIDE OF MUSIC One evening in London I attended a concert of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. Seating myself, I exchanged some words with my companion, and took pleasure in glancing around at the marvellous Royal Festival Hall as it began to fill up. I t was only as the players came out and took their bow, and as they tuned up, that I dimly began to feel it. Something uey dzflerent and unique was lurking about. It could not be seen or heard, but I could feel its presence, and it seemed to be approaching! And then, as the players prepared to begin and as the audience hushed, this unknown something saturated the air with a crackling, pregnant potential of which none other seemed to be aware. Then, literailyfrom the f i s t note, the timeless moment was upon me. Yet I was already far beyond the ability to reflect consciously upon it, for the experience was totally engulfing and allencompassing. It left no scope whatever for any other mental activity other than to be the perceptions to which my mind now scemed to have been opened. M y body seemed to come alive with light; my heart was a fire which flared forth to consume the dross of my soul. My perceptions were opened as though they had always before been firmly closed. Never had I hcard music in that way! What previously I had often listened to as abstract sounds were now Sound - a tangible, living filigree lattice-work of mathematical precision which I could almost reach out and touch, and which I could virtually see as it flowed from the leading violin. Every note hung suspended in the air, timeless and immaculate beyond all powers of verbal description. M y body froze into a coma-like rigidity as I hung my consciousncss upon each next chord. For several long minutes I lost all awareness of myself. The sheer beauty of it all was quite indescribable. From the first bar, silent tears ran from my staring, unblinking cyes. The Fifth Brandenburg Concerto had opened the evening, and

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MUSIC AND ITS POWER

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;IS the sublime vision seemed about to wane, therc began the ~rncerto's unique harpsichord solo. Again I was whisked quite Iwyond myself, and saw the music in a way never perceived before. 'I'llc long, fugal arpeggios trilled through thc air like visiblc, emanatI I I waves ~ of divine essence, one behind the other, filling all the hall .111clpassing beyond its walls into the city. I cannot say that I saw 1 1 1 music-wave's, ~ for the process did not involvc my cycs; yct ncvcrI l~i~less I somehow did see them. I saw the music! As the other instruments came in once morc with indcscribablc I~,veliness,this impression of emanating waves of a tangible goodness 1,ccarne reinforced still further. It felt as though the music possessed ;I definite and very real energy, and that this was radiating out Iwyond the hall in all directions. M y consciousness scemed to cancompass the entire city. For a few moments I felt as though I were looking down from a viewpoint which revealed t o me the cantire urban spread; and not only the visible, physical city, but also llir underlying, causative forces which shaped and moulded it. The r~nderstanding came that this music, as it radiated forth, was somehow acting as a sustaining, invigorating force for the whole slirrounding area. As the awareness of my body returned, sitting in its seat in the lioyal Festival Hall, the impression was left with me that the concert was in some way a glowing light amid a great, chaotic sea 11f darkness. The darkness threatened to encroach upon the flame nd extinguish it forever. I shall never forget this sensation: one not lf fear, but of the deepest, gravest concern; of the vast importance ~f the music which I was hearing, of the deepest gratitude for the lpportunity of experiencing it, and that it should at all costs be preerved for the humanity of the future. Mystical experiences have been a subject of debate for centuries among philosophers. Up to the present day no general consensus of opinion has been arrived at as to the reality of such experiences. Are they less real, equally real, or more real than our usual experience of everyday life? Each must judge for himself. But it is interesting that visionary and mystical experiences are known to have provided the initial inspiration behind many of the world's greatest inventions and scientific breakthroughs; even those of such giants of the mind as Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla. It can be noticed from others' accounts of such experiences that unless we are of the stature of a Ramakrishna or a St John of thc Zross, they can come upon one when one least expects it -and then hey are gone, seemingly impossible to recapture or call back. Ficklc ,II.;I

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THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

MUSIC AND ITS POWER

and fey, as though they have minds of their own; for our own imperfections d o not enable us to embody such experiences on a permanent basis. O r as the mystic would word it: it is the vision of transcendent reality which is permanent and cternal, and we who insist upon being fickle and fey in our relationship to the Supreme. Christians may be correct in speaking of divine grace. Those who are searching for truth seem frequently to be granted a kind of spiritual 'honeymoon' period. All kinds of experiences and revelations come to them in the early days of their quest, and at the time it is as though All Truth were already theirs. But then the honeymoon is over, and one comes to realize that one has been granted a vision of the goal, as though as a goad to move towards it. For a few months or a year the veil was drawn back for one, but only as a temporary act of grace, bestowed by destiny. And now it is one's duty to reclaim that vision and that knowledge through one's own unaided effort. Truth has temporarily been brought t o us, but only in order that we might then be encouraged to find our own way along the long and difficult path t o its permanent abode. In retrospect, I now see that my experience of that evening was one of the key starting points which eventually led to the development of this book. Only later did I discover how closely the occurrence of that evening tied in t o the ancients' conception of' music and its innate power.

IIIC substances and forms. According to the combination of Cosmic 'I'ones pres ent within any given area of space, so was the nature of 1 1 1c substance within that space determined. And thu1s we find ourselves throwing light upon the widely-held I~rlirfthat all matter is composed of one basic substance or energy. 11ccording to the great thinkers of old, this energy was Vibration. In nod ern times, the physical sciences are now arriving back at this original point of departure. Once again, science is beginning to suspect that matter is all composed of one fundamental something, .ind that the frequencies o r rhythms of this something determine the .;pccific nature of each object and atom. The universal vibratory energies were called by the ancient E g p inns the Word or Words of their gods; to the Pythagoreans of ( ireecc they were the Music of the Spheres ; and the ancient Chinese knew them to be the celestial energies of perfect harmony. The Cosmic Tones, as differentiations of the OM, were the most I>owerfulforce in the universe according to the ancients, for these 'I'ones were the universe - the very source of the Creation itself. And herein lay the vast significance of all audible, earthly sounds, such as are by the performing of music or the uttering of sl)eech. For audible sound was believed to b e a 'reflection', within 11ic world of matter, of the Cosmic Tones. Audible sound itself, which is taken so much for g a n t e d today, was in those days tllought to contain within itself something of the enormous (:restive, Preservative and Destructive force of the Cosmic Tones ~l~emselves. The very phenomenon of sound was regarded with great reverence. H e who knew how to could release sacred energies ~lirough the use of audible sound, and thereby wield a mighty p)wer. And, in fact, spicific knowledge was not nrcessarily ~.rquired,for something of the mighty energies of the Primal Vibralion was believed to be released whenever and whercvcr audible sound was produced. According to the nature of the audible sound, so would its hidden effect be determined. Hence, the role of music within civilization could not have been considered more vitally important. In the long run, the power of sound as a force which could be used for good or evil was conidered to be unsurpassed. And as a specific and concentrated form ,f sound production, music was of ultimate imporvancc, deriving ts energy from Above for the working of change in the world \>rlow. As Julius Portnoy, the musicologist, puts it, the common belief ~l~rt,nghout the world in many past epochs of history was, 'rhat

PRIMAL VIBRATION In ancient times sound itself, the very basis of all music, was thought to be intimately related in some way to non-physical and sacred dimensions or planes of existence. W h y was this? Because audible sound was considered to be but a n earthly reflection of a vibratory activity taking place beyond the physical world. This vibration was more fundamental, and nearer t o the heart of the meaning of things, than any audible sound. Inaudible to human ear. this Cosmic Vibration was the origin and basis of all the matter and energy in the universe. In its purest, least differentiated form, this Cosmic Sound was known to the Hindus as OM. Yet just as pure white light differentiates into the colours of the rambow, so this Primal Vibration was belicvcd to differentiate into a number of more greatly defined superphysical vibrations. These different frequcncies or Cosmic Toncs were thought to be present in differing combinations throughout the universe. Not only were they present within all substances and forms, in differing vibratory combinations, but they w e y e

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;III~.(.s OS nausea or of headaches may be caused by such I I I I I ~ I SIl('i~~g crnitted from items of machinery at a distance. Similar t . t t c . , 1s 11pon human beings and animals appear to be caused by the ..rtl~cotiicvibrations which precede earthquakes, coming even many 11o111.s before the 'quake itself. Rhythm too can be all too real a force. I\/l i1it;u-y experience has taught from centuries past that when troops n~archingin unison need to cross a bridge, the commanding officer should give the order for them to break step, for the effect of the marching " ri'. lef, ri', lef' " rhythm has more than once led to the collapse of such constructions (and casualties even before the enemy are engaged !). And does music emanate other, superphysical, powers? This is one of the prime questions which we must attempt to answer. Though modern opinion would answer with an unhesitating 'no', we would be unwise to accept this answer before examining the validity of the modcrn viewpoint itself. In this respect, it is possible to point to an enormous (and ~otentiallydangerous) ~ a r a d o x that : despite the general lack of conccrn about the real nature and effect of music, this latter half of the twentieth century has witnessed a huge explosion and proliferation in the availability and variety of tonal art. There are vastly more musical styles for the listener to choose from today than at any other time in history. Recordings, and even live performances, are available of types of music as wideranging as that of Mozart and of thegamelan of Bali; as that of the electronic experimentalists and of Frank Sinatra; the Indian rdga and punk rock. Musically, then, the twentieth century is notable for its staggering variety of available sounds. But more: an equally unique twentieth-century development is the ease with whicch thc sollnds of music can now be acquired. L a us not forget: a ceritury ago it was only possible t o experience a Beethoven symphony w11t.n dozens of trained musicians werc gathered together to rehearsc and perform it live. A constraint we can hardly conceive of today, when that same concert can be heard from cassette or radio, even if we choose to find ourselves on a trans-globe expedition across the poles. Practically the same aural experience as a live conccrt is now available at the flick of a switch. True, somehow nothing will ever quite replace the live performance, but hi-fi and Dolby video-cassettes can come very close. And today, should we choose to listen to Beethoven's Ninth, we can pick between conductor X's 1978 performance or conductor Y's classic 1914 recording. W e can even keep it repeating in the background as we g o about our daily work 1

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~ ~ o t i oquite n alien (and which would possibly have seemed not a

I I I ~ l distasteful) c to the audiences of thc nineteenth century. Yn - that amazing paradox! Never was music so easily avail.~l)lr, so diverse, so continuously pumped through the city streets and .t~rossthe airwaves - yet never has theorization or real. practical 1~1,owled~e regarding music's nature and its effects been at a lower t.hl,. Acoustical researchers r ride themselves, it is true. in showing t ( T rheir graphs and sine-wave displays, but these tell us no more I~outthe real nature of music than a man's age and personal details (.l1 us about his character and outlook on life. Is it not time t o at cast stop and collect our thoughts for a moment? But no, there is no ime! Let those who wish t o theorize d o so we are too busy: there c so much music t o listen to! A few seconds spent tuning a radio ,rings to our ears the music of many different nations and cultures ( h e radio itself being bought at a price which even a schoolchild can afford). Then, incidental music plays almost continuously in the background during a good proportion of cinematic and television productions. During television advertisements the sound-track is utilized with microscopic care and intensity in order to extract every last penny-worth of effect out of the few seconds of time paid to the television company by the advertiser. In fact, the average Western man often 'hears' (if the word can be used) more music during the watching of television than he hcars on its own and for its own sake. W e seldom realize just to what extent music has become a part of our lives. Surveys have shown that the average American teenager listens to no less than three or four hours of rock music each day. There are few in the modcrn world who do not hear a number of hours of music each day. Most of it is not truly 'heard' at all; yet even background music to which our conscious minds are oblivious affects our heart-rate and emotions just the same. (A chilling thought: an entire two-hour feature fiim, using incidental music extensively throughout, can pass without our consciously noting the presence of a single note. And as it happens, thc screen's background music is almost always of a basically jazz nature.) For sure, we can only conclude that music is a most important sociological But again, w e must ask ourselves: prccisely, and scientificdy, what b music? What is it, apart from ;L collection of organized sounds! That is, what is its function in society? What tr its effect upon the mind and characrcr of man? Does anybody know? In search of answers, we peruse the literature of our rnodcrn

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MUSIC AND ITS POWER

world. And we discover that there have been twentieth-century investigations into the nature and effect of music. The problem has been approached from several different viewpoints - philosophical, sociological, psychological and acoustical/physical. Howcver, these studies have been surprisingly limited in number. And even more surprising is how narrow in scope they have been. Moreover, whatever limited answers they have come up with can hardly be said to be known to the average performer of music or his audience, but have been contained within a narrow circle of specialized academics. Altogether, modern knowledge or theory about thc nature of music is not very inspired or rllumining. In short, it would be nearer to the truth to say that any thought or significant investigation into the nature and effect of music is, in modern times, conspicuous by its absence.

11.111icalbrain. Putting it this bluntly, the materialist philosophy nlusic seems hardly sufficient. Yet the fact rcmains that the III I jority of contemporary musicians themselves do, ultimately, ,l~(civeof music in this way - as 'sound' (whatever rhar is .) w l ~ i ch entertains and gives pleasure to the brain of Homo sapienr. 'I'hc result of this materialist viewpoint upon the music of today? \t ~nultitudeof musical forms - but virtualy all of them the music ,,I. ;it best, materialistic humanism. A century in which, to a large tlr.!;rcc, music has lost its way (for what direction can there possibly I)(. to take when nothing in the universe possesses any ultimate ~ ~ ~ c x nor i npurpose g in any case?). And yet . Izor perhaps two decades now there has occurred the beginning ;L newTawareness abroad in the world. Not only in music, but in ;my areas of life, among a certain minority of people there is t o be und a resurgence of committed interest in matters of the spirit. 1ung and not so young people are frequently t o be found rejecting c. materialist world-view outright. They seek instead to embrace a ystical outlook, and tend to do so with unswerving dedication. )me speak of the new age of Aquarius, in which, it is said, religion ill become more scientific in the best sense, and science more I I' ligious. Whatever its cause, that there is a new movement among '31) me towards altruism, hope, brotherhood and an interest in self( ' V olution is unmistakable. Yet what I believe will become dear in the pages ahead is that, r alI our rejection of the philosophy of materialism, we have nevercless failed to reject the ?nusic of materialism. Almost every form of rcntieth-century music IS utterly devoid of genuine regenerative iritual value. The ancients may well have been correct in the belief at music patterns affect llfe patterns; and if so, then for a grassots movement back towards spirituality to allow itself to continue be subjected to the music of individuals who are of an entirely fferent frame of mind makes no logical sense. The minds of these rformers are gross and coarse. T o follow them, whilst aspiring )ward, makes no more sensc than to attempt t o climb a mountain rolling downhill. The non-materialist world-view demands a non-materialist ~ilosophyof music. And from such a philosophy, in its own good ne, there will be born inevitably a new music of the spirit. The alternative is too horrible to contemplate. From down thc tcades there comes a warning to us on the dangers of wrong types music - from none other than Henry David Thoreau. who wrote

MUSIC ANDMATERIALISM If there be any modern conception of the nature of music, what can we say to dcscribe it? Only that the tonal arts are thought to be based upon the intelligent generation of air vibrations, thcse air vibrations somehow serving to communicate various subjective moods or experiences. But, ifwe look deeper, we realz~erhat a s o c i e ~ ' ~

vety conception qf the nature of mmic is itrev conditioned b~ the entire general philosophical viewpoint upon whzch that sociery is based. This is

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THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

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most important, for it calls into question from the outset the twentieth-century conception of what music IS and what it does. The modern notion (or lack of a notion) of thc phenomenon of music is, in short, the inevitable result of thc current materialistreductionist world-view. In this world-view, music is inevitably described in terms of its most tangible, measurable aspect: that it consists of air vibrations. Also. according to this world-view, human beings themselves - the very performers of, and listen ers to, mtlsic are merely biological machines, evolved by luck. possessing no ultimate purpose for existencr, and whose thoughts and emc)tions are nothing but biochemical processes automatically produced as conditioncd reflexes to the world around them. To the materialist it naturally follows, therefore, that people only perform or listcn to music in the first place because past experienccs have 'programmed' thcm to do so. At his most charitable the materialist might grudgingly concede that these past experiences consisted of 'pleasure-feelings'; that the first movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. in hitting this and that vibrational frequency, somehow releases certain stimulative chemicals into the listmer's bio-

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MUSIC AND ITS POWER

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from his log cabin:

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)M',analyses what evidence there is in support of the idea that

exerts an influence, not only upon life, but even upon ~o.lnin~ate matter. Can all things be destroyed, changed, created or I 1. created by the power of sound? .['hc above, then, is a general orrtline of this book: and we begin w i r h the teachings of the sages of old. It is not that it is necessary I ~ I I . u s to accept absolutely every single notion of the ancients on the ~.~ll,jcctof music as'objective fact; to keep an open mind will sufficc. in approaching the subject of the tonal myaicism of ancient I lnlcs we must also d o so in humility. After all, can we possibly afford 1 0 he haughty towards the great spiritual musicians of the past, living as wc do in an age which has virtually no philosophy of music #,I. its own; and an age which has allowed its own music to tlrgenerate to the point of finding acceptable that whch it has, 111t.ludinglyrics such as:

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Even music can be intoxicating. Such apparently slight causes destroyed Greece and Rome, and will destroy England and America. The modern man's reaction to Thoreau's warning is likely to be one of, 'Oh, but that's taking it a bit too far, isn't it?' Yet it isprecisely,

absolutely at this point that twentieth-century man departs from the vieupoint held by virtually every thinking person from ancient times right up to the nineteenth century. . . Possibly the greatest weakness of the modern materiahstic outlook upon the world is its inability to perceive the causes behind effects. If anywhere, it is here that the philosophers of ancient China, India, Egypt and Greece deserve our fullest respect, since it could be said that they specialid in seeing to the cause and core of things. And they most certainly would have agreed with Thoreau, that music can destroy civilization. They explained in some detail what kind of music should prevail in order to maintain the stability and welfare of the state, as well as the happiness, prosperity and spiritual advancement of each citizen. Further, they warned in similar detail what kind of music should be rigorously avoided because of its destructive, degenerative effects upon man and nation. Because of the importance of what the ancients have to tell us, two chapters of this book are devoted fully to the subject. These are the two chapters which are classified, or sub-titled, as chapters upon 'The Ancient Wisdom'. Of the two, Chapter 1 deals with the music and the philosophy of music of ancient China, and Chapter 4 with the music of India and its mystical basis. Following each of these chapters there is placed, for contrast, a chapter on the music of our own era. Chapter 2 investigates the serious music of the twentiethcentury - the 'new music' as it is often called; and Chapter 5 reveals the origin and possible effects of jazz. In addition, the book also includes two chapters which are classified or sub-titled as 'Assessment' chapters. Each attempts to assess the validity or invalidity of the notion of the power of music. Does music possess a power or powers which can produce objective effects in the world around? What evidence is there for this belief of the sages and philosophers of old? The distinction between the two chapters is as follows: Chapter 3, 'Music, Man and Society', assesses what evidence there is in support of music's claimed influence upon animate matter, and in particular upon man himself. Chapter 6 , 'The Physics of the

Right now !

Ahhhhhh ! I am an anti-Christ I know what I want And I know how to get it I wanna destroy passers by For I wanna be - anarchy 'Anarchy in the UK'

- Sex Pistols

'I'llc ancients, then, may yet have a thing or two to teach us. And *.illcrwe have already dipped into the subject of the music of China, Ict it be to China that we first return. . .

1.

The Ancient Wisdom : Music in China Almost three thousand years before the birth of Christ, at a time when the music of European man may have amounted to no more 1lr;~nthe beating of bones upon hollow logs, the people of China wrre already in possession of the most complex and fascinating I~l~ilosophy of music of which we know today. Whence came this i~~volved system of musical mysticism, or how it was developed, is a Irlystery. W e can but say that the tradition of Chinese classical l~li~sic is so ancient that its origins are described today only in Irgend, being lost beyond the mists which govern the extent of the r rod ern historian's gaze.

MUSIC AND MORALITY In the case of China the rule holds true that the further we go back in history, the more sacred and vital a significance we find t o have Iwcn attached to the phenomenon of sound itself. In the viewpoint of the ancient Chinese, the notes of all music contained an essence of transcendent power. A piece of music was an energy-formula. Each different piece of music qualified the sacred power of sound in different ways. Each composition exerted specific influences over man, civilization and the world. The particular mystical influences of a piece of music depended upon such factors as its rhythm, its melodic patterns, and the combination of instruments used. Like other forces of nature, music itself. as a phenomenon, was not biased towards producing either beneficial or destructive effects. The Chinese understood the power within music to be a free energy, which man could use qr misuse according to his own free will. Above all it was this fact which motivated the Chinese philosophers to direct much of their attention upon the music of thcir ration. For if all citizens were to be free from thc dangcrs of rlrc. ~nisuseof music and its power, and if all werc to henct'it from irk.

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MUSIC IN CHINA

optimally beneficient use, then it had to be ensured that only the correct music was played. The object of music, they believed, should never be merely to entertain; the dark side of man's nature could, after all, be as readily entertained by wrong and immoral music as by correct music. Consequently, all music should convey eternal truths, and should influence man's character for the better. Indeed, the very word for music in China (Yiio) is represented by the same graphic symbol as that for serenity ( 1 0 ) . ~The writings of ancient China w h c h have survived through t o our own day leave us in no doubt that music was considered to be able to direct and influence the emotional nature of man. But the powers of music were thought to extend even beyond the art's emotional influence. Music could even directly affect the health of the physical body. (To sing well, states one text, can not only spread moral influence, but also strengthen the spine.) Yet one effect of music was considered above all others t o be the most important, and this was its moral influence. The Chinese were certain that all coarse and sensual music exerted an immoral effect upon the listener. Therefore all music was closely watched so as to ascertain whether its tendency was towards spirituality or degradation, and whether, in general, its effect was likely to be good or bad. Confucius condemned several styles which he thought to be morally dangerous. Stated he: 'The music of Cheng is lewd and corrupting, the music of Sung is soft and makes one effeminate, the music of Wei is repetitious and annoying, the music of Ch'i is harsh and makes one haughty'. W e cannot fail to note the important difference bctween this outlook of Confucius and the usual viewpoint of twentieth-century man. Whereas various styles of music today are also 'lewd', 'soft', 'repetitious' or 'harsh' in their content, there is no longer any real consideration given to the e f e c t of such styles upon the character of the listener. O n the positive side, Confucius believed that gnod music could help to perfect man's character. H e said:

cording to Confucius: 'If one should desirc to know whether a I4.111~dom is well governed, if its morals are good or bad. the quality #,Iits music will furnish the answer'. I3ccause of the power for good or evil inherent within the tonal .II.~%, the moral effect of music was considered so important by the Chinese , / I 10 rank as the most rmportant test of a music's worth. A thought for lllc day, this, for so many of our own contemporary musicians and ~llciraudiences. According to the Chinese, there was scarcely I,c.neficial effect which good music could not bestow upon a civilizalion. In the ancient Chinese work, Y o K i ('Memorial of Music'), we cad: 'Under the effect of music, the five social duties are without .~dn~ixture, the eyes and the ears are clear, the blood and the vital cnergies are balanced, habits are reformed, customs are improved, ~ h empire c is at complete peace.'6

The noble-minded man's music is mild ;ind delicate, keeps a uniform mood, enlivens and moves. Such a man does not harbour pain or mourn in his heart; violent and daring movements are foreign to him.

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MUSIC AND SPIRITUALITY Numerous Chinese legends attest to greater, and even magical, lx)~sibilitiesof music. One, for example, tells how the music master Wen of Cheng learned to control the elements. Master W e n was following the great Master Hsiang on his travels. For three years Master Wen touched the strings of his zither, but no melody came. Then Master Hsiang said to him: 'By all means, go home.' Putting down his instrument, Master Wen sighed, and said: 'It is not that I ot bring a melody about. What I have in my mind does not :rn strings; what I aim at is not tones. Not until I have reached my heart can I express it on the instrument; therefore I d o not uarc move my hand and touch the strings. But give me a short whilc and then examine me.' Somc time later hc returned and again approached Master Hsiang, who enquired: 'How about your playing?' It was spring, but when Master W e n plucked thc Shang string and accompanied it with the eighth sernitonc, a cool wind sprang up, and the shrubs and trees bore fruit. N o w it was autumn. Again Master W e n plucked a string, the Chiao string, and accompanied it with the second semitone: a languid, warm breeze appeared, and the shrubs and trees bloomed fully. It was now summer, but he plucked the Yii string and had the eleventh semitone respond, upon which hoar frost and snow came down, the rivers and lakes freezing up. the winter had come, he plucked the Chih string and accompanied it with the fifth semitone: the sun blazcd forth and thc ice imlnediately melted away.

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Further than this: since individuals are the basic building blocks of society, music could also affect entire nations for better or for worse.

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I ' I I I . I I I ~ , M ; I S I CWen ~ of Cheng sounded the Kung string and did with the other four strings: beautiful winds murmured, l l , ~ l t I \ of good fortune came up, there fell sweet dew, and the 6.l~l.ingsof water welled up powerfully. 'T'his particular legend is not, of course, to be taken absolutely at lace value. The Chinese did believe that music could influence the phenomena of nature. But they did not believe that the tones of mortal man could be expected to literally call forth one season after another as in this legend of Master W e n of Cheng. If we look a little more closely at the story, bearing in mind the great tendency of the ancient Chinese mind to gravitate towards matters spiritual, and to express itself in symbolic terms, then a deeper meaning stands revealed t o us: The four outer strings of the zither, and the four seasons, are symbolic of the ancient conception of the four aspects of man: his abstract mind, his concrete mind, his emotions and his physical body. (These four were later to be called by the alchemists of Europe, 'Fire, A r , Water and Earth'.) Master Wen cannot satisfy his guru, Master Hsiang, because Wen has not yet mastered his own four aspects of being. Hence, as one result, he cannot perform sublime music. But he goes off, and does not return until he has attained the full flowering of the spirituality of his heart. Now Master Wen can play the four outrr strings to great effect. Likewise, and much more meaningfully, he has mastered, gained total control over, and can 'play' his abstract and concrete thought processes, his emotional nature, and the physical naturc The result of this mastery of mind and body? Thc vital outcome is that in playing these four outer 'strings' (his four-fold nature) in unison, he has learned also to play the central Kung string (corrcsponding to his Higher Self or spiritual nitturc). From thc four-sided base of the pyramid of life, hc has raised hin~selfup to the very apex of perfection. H e has attained full mastery of' himself, and hence his inner genius now manifests from the heart. Hcnce, too, his music has attained the necessary levels of grandeur rrquired by his guru. The moral here is two-fold: firstly, we must master our four-fold nature before we can attain self-realization. And, secondly, only by doing so can we then g o on to perform music which is truly worthwhile. Another legendary account, from the Shu Kin3 ('Book of Odes') describes a music so sublime that it invoked the presence of the great, spiritual men of the past who had ascended to heaven. Kwei,

MUSIC IN CHINA

37

I ,Inpcror Shun's chief musician, said :

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whcn they tapped and beat the sounding stone, and struck and \wept the ch'in and sh2, in order to accord with the chant, then 11lc ancestors and progenitors came down and visited. The guests of them filled the principle seat. And the host of nobles virtuously [place t o one another]. At the bottom of the hall were the pipes and the tambours, which were brought into unison or suddenly checked by the beaten trough and the scraped tigcr, while the mouth organ and the bell indicated the interludes.' Yct even in legend the use of the power of music is not always 1)cnevolent. For instance, one account tells of a music invented by clcmons and spirits. This music raised a tempest, destroyed the Irrrace of Prince Ping Kung's palace, and then caused the Prince's own illness and death.638

THE OM IN CHINA Why the importance, the vital importance, of music within the lrl~ilosophicalsystem of ancient China? Because music was believed t o embody within its tones elements of the celestial order which governed the entire universe. As did the people of other ancient civilizations, the Chinese believed that all audible sound, including music, was but one form of manifestation of a much more fundamental form of superphysical Sound. This fundamental Primal Sound was synonymous to that which the Hindus call OM. The Chinese believed that this Primal Sound was, though inaudible, present everywhere as a divine Vibration. Furthermore, it was also differentiated into twelve lesser Sounds or Tones. These twelve Cosmic Tones were each emanations of, and an aspect of, the Primal Sound, but were closer in vibration to the tangible, physical world. Each of the twelve Tones was associated with one of the twelve zodiacal regions of the heavens.

ASTROLOGY AND THE TWELVE COSMIC TONES The twelve Tones were at the root of man's earliest recorded conception of astrology. That is, astrology was originally conceived as being based on these twelve Tones and the influences whlch their vibratory frequencies exerted over the earth. I n nll lands, astrology began in ~ncienttimes as the study of Cosmic Tone. Almost everywhere in the civilized ancient world this concept prevailed. The perfect order of the heavens was thought to be

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governed by thc twelve Tones. Therefore the ancients set out to reflect this cclcstial order within the earthly world. They did so in many ways, somc of which h tve bcen passed down cven until our own day, though their original significance is now forgotten. Two surviving examples of the mysticism attached to the number twelve are. for example. the dividing up of the year into twelve months, and of the day into twenty-four hours. But in times past these time divisions wcre not arbitrary. Nor wcre they merc superstitious homage to the heavens. Rather, to the ancients they werc instances of man's wise recognition of objective, scientific facts. It was bclieved that the twelve Toncs really did express themselves individually to a greater degrce according to the month of the ycar, the time of day, and so forth. A particular Tonc 'sounded' more promincntly in a particular month. and during a particular hour of the day. Chincse philosophy is saturated with the idea of opposites - of two opposite (though not necessarily opposing) forces which arc found throughout nature. Thcse wrrc called jcrtzg (the masculine, positive force) and yitz (the feminine, negative force). Twentiethcentury science can only agrcc with this concept: two opposi~e forces are found in everything from magnctic charge and the stntcture of subatomic partic!es to all cycles of waxing and waning, of night and day, of the scxes, of lifc and death. In view of this prig-?in basis of Chinese philosophy, it should comc as no surprise then that of the twelve Cosmic Tones, the Cliincse belicvcd six to be yang in nature, and sixyir:. Between them, the sixyatly and the six yirz Tones wcre responsible for the crcation and sustainmcnt of everything in the universe.

SOUND ABOVE AND SOUND BELOW Audible sound was conceiz~edas being a physical-leuel manfirtation of the twelve Tones. In other words, sound on earth was a kind uf 'undertone', as it werc, of the celestial vibrations. This fact was at the very heart of why the ancients attributed such tremendous importance to worldly sound. For not only were audible sounds 'undertones' of the ccl~stial Tones, but rhpy lotere nlso belreued t o contain somerhzng of'rhe celestial Tones' supmatural power. Even as thc Cosmic Tones rnaintaincd harmony and order in the heavens, so then should music maincrin harmony and order upon e a ~ t h And . so it would, provided that its composition and performance provided an adcquate rcflrction of the order, harmony and melody of the Cosmic Tones. And whcthrr or not earthly music did so depended

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musician who did not understand these cosmic roots Quite simply, he would not realize the neccssity for his art 11,. ,lctuned t o the celestial regions, nor would hc bc able t o make

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I'ltis is explained in the Chinese text, The Spring and Autrrmn of 1\11 Ve: 'I'lie origins of music lie far back in time. It arises out of ,~.oportionand is rooted in the Great One. The Great One gives risr to the two poles: the two poles give rise t o the powers of tl.~rknessand light. The powers of darkness and light undergo (Ilange; the one ascends into the heights, the other sinks into the (lcpths; heaving and surging they combine to form bodies. If they :trc divided they unite themselves again; if they are united they divide themselves again. That is the eternal way of heaven. I-leaven and earth are engaged in a cycle. Every ending is followed by a new beginning; every extreme is followed by a rcturn. Everything is co-ordinated with every-thing else. Sun, moon and stars move in part quickly, in part slowly. Sun and moon do not agree in the time which they need t o complete their path. The four seasons succeed each other. They bring heat and cold, shortness and length, softness and hardness. That from which all beings arise and in which they have their origin is the Great One; that whereby they form and themselves is the duality of darkness and light. As soon as the seed-germs start to stir, they coagulate into a form. The bodily shape belongs to the world of space, and ,errer)rthing spacial has a sound. The sound arises out of harmony. Harmony arises out of relatedness. Harmony and relatedncss are the roots from which music, established by the ancient kings, arose. When the world is at peace, when all things are at r a t , when all obey their superiors through all life's changes, then music can be brought to perfection. Perfected music has its effects. When desires and emotions do not follow false paths, then music can be perfected. Perfected music has its cause. It arises out of balancc. Balance arises from justice. Justice arises from the true purpnsc of the world. Therefore one cait speak of music only with one ~ l h oIJJS recognked the truepttrpose o f the world. [my italics].

The performing of music often came in conjunction with tnystic:il ceremony. Each of the two - music and ceremony - were v:~lurclh r

40

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their harmonizing elements, which attuned man to the heavens. Each helped man's being - his thoughts, feelings and physical actions - to become aligned with the rhythms and harmonies of the universe. Confucius wrote that ceremony established the correct manner of physical movement in man, while music perfected man's mind and emotions. In the ancient text, Li chi, the harmony and sacrtld proportion of heaven is viewed as entering the earth through thc mediation of, respectively, music and ritual:

w 1111 an astrological month of the year, during which the Tone was I lc.licved t o be more prominently sounded throughout the earth. The I , l \ r six months of the year expressed the sixyang Tones; the second ..In rnonths from mid-summer to winter solstice expressed the yin 'I'oncs. The musician performed his music in a key which was I I . )ciated ~ with the current zodiacal month. The twelve notes, or lui, the Chinese musical system each corresponded to one of the t~lonths.The note of each month was, in audible sound, the earthly r r.llcction or 'undertone' of the month's celestial Tone. Therefore t..tcll month of the year possessed its own tonic and dominant lui, w i~h which all ceremonial music should be performed at that time. T o the Chinese mind it was self-evident and indisputable that the I>rrfectState could only be maintained by its remaining in alignment with celestial order. Therefore the functions of State were also .~s\ociatedwith a tone. T o do so - to keep in harmonious attuneIncnt with the principles which governed the universe - brought the I~lrssin~s of indefinite preservation upon the State. T o lose this .~tlunementto celestial order, however, inevitably reduced any 11;ttionto a condition of imperfection and impermanence. Celestial ~ " i n c i ~ l cwere s eternal, and all attuned with them would endure. N:~tional upheaval and decline always came about because that tt,~tionwas not in harmony with the universal principles of divine OI-dcr.In particular, the leading officials of the nation should be ~ . i ~ i i i l aattuned rl~ in their personalities and spiritual understanding. 'I'licy should literally be the embodiment of the cosmic Tones. The t)ffices of Emperor, Empress, Minister, and so forth, therefore each 1~)ssessedtheir own special tone which was attuned to a particular t osmic Tone. The key in which the music of a rite was performed wits consequently also influenced by the tone of the officiating Harmonious music became the fulfilment upon earth of the Will of the Above. By its alignment with the principles of heaven, c;irthly music could force by the law of sympathetic resonance the c-nergies of heaven t o embody themselves into the leaders of the State.''

Music is the harmony of hcaven and earth while rites are the measurement of heaven and earth. Through harmony all things are made known; through measure all things are properly classified. Music comes from heaven; rites are shaped by earthly designs. The goal of the musician was to manifest within the medium of audible sound a music which expressed accordance with celestial ordcr. And to do so demanded not only an artistic proficiency. but also a very definite scientific knowledge and discipline. This was because the relationship between earthly music and the Ch'~neseconception of universal order was such an extremely intimate one. Nothing in classical Chinese music was left to chance or performed arbitrarily. ( H o w the Chinese sages wnuld havc shuddered at the sound of much that passes for music today!) According to the Chinese conception that life patterns follow musical patterns, it followcd logically that random or arbitrary notcs would tend to precipitatc cl~aosand anarchy within society at largc. Ultimately, every note was ideally intended to invokc certain specific cosmic forces. In this, classical Chinese music cannot begin to be understood whcn approached by the normal Western method of musical analysis. Well might the prospective Ph.D. researcher attrnipt to assess the rhythms of ancient Chinesc music, its forms and structures. But, in fact, W C can no more grasp the heart and ultimntc purpose of the music in such a way than we can assimilate War nnd Peace by analysing thc frequcncy with which each later of tht* alphabet appears. As one has put it:

111

THE MYSTICISM OF MUSIC Yct for all this attention paid to the details of their earthly music, Chinese did not forget the One Origin of all Cosmic Tones and c )f all earthly sound. The Primal, undifferentiated Cosmic Vibration was a central concept of Chinese philosophy. It was this One Vibralion which, emanating from the Grcat One, became the two -yang . I I I ~yin - upon which all Creation was based. This One Vibration,

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What significance the structure of the waves which bear a useful object? What matters is that the object be not lost!9

As we have said, each of the twelvc cclcstial Toncs corresponded

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the origin of all matter, energy and being, was considered t o be the enunciated W o r d of the Supreme. Since each of the twelve Cosmic Tones was but an aspect - a twelfth - of this O n e Vibration, the Chinese felt that literally every note of their music, being a rcflection of one of the twelve Tones, was also an earthly manifestation of the O n e Great Tone. Each note of music, indeed, was performed as a conscious celebration of, an homage unto, and an invocation unto the Fathcr-Tone. And since all ~ o u n dwhatsoever derived from this Vibration, the sounds of music the-tnselves, on their own, irrespective of their combination with other tones in this or that melodic pattern, were held in great rcvercnce by the sage-musicians. T o understand this, it is necessary for the modcrn Wcstcrn musician o r music-lover to instil into himself a vcry different outlook. We tend t o havc a somewhat ingrained Occidental attitude toward musical appreciation, but to really get to grips with the meaning which music hcld for the Chinese mind, w e need to go back to the beginning. W e nccd to adjust and refocus thc faculties with which we listen to and appreciate music in the first place. Today, we do nor ns rrrle lirten to

the notes of music at all. Strangc statement! And yet true. We d o not tend to listen to the notes rhe7nselt~es.All that we hear and assimilate arc thc combir~;ttions of a numbcr of notcs in the form af a melady. Evcn

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gestalt fashion, look at the entire form and meaning

of

o u r cycs, in ;L dr;iwing, and rarely focus themselves exclusively upon individ11;Il li11c.s or marks t o the exclusion of all others, so have our ears hrco~nc.~lsccito organizing musical notes into overall patterns and forms. 1,ittlc- l ~ c e d is paid to the qualities of each individual sound. Profcssional musicians sometimes refer t o this fact I)y s;iy ing that it is not the notes which we listen to in music tnrI:~y,I U I I o r 1 1 the intcrvals - the pitch differences between the nlltr+%.' I ' l l ( . strong of tendency is to hear only the melodic stream, as a riqiti!: .111tl (:~lli~lg pitch diffcrcnces. I n this, the notes themselves C ( I I I I I I 11 11. 11,,t llillg cxccpt as dots on the score-sheet which govern wl~ichw . 1 ~i 1 1 ( * 11nc r. c r.1.y I I I L I C h of thc melody goes, up o r down The notes arc tllrrt-lll~ 11ke the abstract points of mathcmatln o r geomrtlv 'I'l~c.vin(l~c.~tc a position, but fill up n o area there: even as a Iinc in 111.11II('ITI,II I ( j0111s up points ~n a n abstract way, yct in theory thi.; linr 11.15 no w ~ d t h and takes up n o area. But not so, the muslcal note as appreciated ITV tllr .ini-irn[\ of Chma! For to the Chinese t h e individual norpc tl1f~v1\vli~r\ ICJPYF r(~nl, llvzng and vibrant They were not abstr,~ci 131,ints o n thc

43

mathematician's blackboard, but were large, radiant dots, swollen with feeling and esoteric significance. I n the modern mind and in the ancient, mystical frame of consciousness w e find, then, tendencies towards t w o very different ways of concentrating upon and assimilating music. I t is well worth dwelling on this matter a little firther. T w o different approaches to the experience of tonal art: the concrete and the mystical; the objective and thc subjective. In one, the listener stands back, assesses the structure of the piecc (is it A-B-A-B-A or AB-A,-B-AI?), and remarks upon the originality of the harmonies during the fugal finale. I n the other, the tonal pilgrim plunges into the notes, attempts t o reach t o their Source, to become them. I t is not that one approach is correct and the other wrong; each is valid in its own way. W h a t we might call the concretc approach has obviously been dominant in the W e s t for a numbcr of ccnturies. I ~ l t e r e s t i n g l ~ , in its rise to prominence throughout the European baroque and classical eras, it paralleled the simultaneous rise of objectivc science and of man's increasing mastery over the concrete world. As Western man began to classify and experiment with the phenomena of Nature, so too did there arise a music which was also a science. each component of the music being carefully analysed, each composed note carefully considered. Eventually, like the scientific formula or experimental procedure, pieces of music became totally composed beforehand, the not permitted to alter a single notc else the entire work be subverted. And in the East? The Eastcrn mind has always tended t o direct its attention, not inro the world, but above it. Similarly, Oriental music. Each rhythm is a prayer, each melody a contemplation. In his quest for the One, Oriental man discovered divinity a n d reality within the one fundamental component of all tonal art - the individual note. Because of this importancc which the ancients placed upon each note as an entity in itself, rwer the centurics the music of China, India, Egypt and other lands evolved a vast array of different ways in which even the same note could be played. Indeed, is this not still the one must irnmediatcly striking difference between the music of the W e s t and that of the Orient? In our o w n music, a note is x notc (C, C minor, etc.), and it's as simple as that. Yet in the East tlic musician has that unmistakable, but at first undefinable, Oricntitl way of striking each note, this giving to Oriental music its distinc,~ flavour. The tones of Western music, like the abstract points of geometry,

44

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

MUSIC IN CHINA

can usually each be written as a straightforward-enough note on the score-sheet. Even on paper we can usually see exactly how the note is intended to sound: as a certain pitch performed by a particular instrument and sustained for a stated period. In thc Orient, however, the individual note is heir to a far more extensive variety of possibilities. The same note, even upon the same instrument, can be played in a dazzling multitude of different ways. In his book on the Chinese lute, R. H. van Gulik explains:

~lt.\igncdto be able to perform the flowing streams of melodic 1u1tc:rns inherent in virtually all music. Frequently the same instruIII(.IIIS are able to entire melodies through from start to I ~ ~ ~ i sso l i ,broad are the instruments' capabilities. But we find in ( :l~inaa fundamentally different approach. What mattered was to I I W earthly tone as an aid in reaching spiritually inward and upward to the Source of all tone and of all Creation. Therefore, in their I I I I I S ~ C , the tendency was to express single rones as clear, undiffe~x-ntiatedmanifestations of the imminent, living Cosmic Tone which Iwrvaded the entire universe. So what do we find? That in the Chincsc orchestra a large ~n-"portion of the instruments were those such as bells. single stones ;tnd metal slabs to be struck. String instruments followcd a similar I>rinciplcWestern string instruments such as the violin or the guitar 11;ivcfrets upon which an entire melody can be played - even upon a hingle stru~g.But in China the unfrctted string held prominence, as in the harp, each pluck sounding a single, pure emanation of the One. Nor in the case of wind instruments did the Chinesc depart from this emphasis upon single tones. Chinese wind instruments, instead of consisting of one tube with holes or some other rnechanisrn to vary the pitch, consisted of rows of pipes joined together, each pipe emanating its own, singular differentiation of Cosmic Vibration. Usually there were twelve such pipes: one for csch of the twelve celestial Tones and their audible counterparts. (The mouth organ was also used, which is obviously based on the same principle, but in miniature.) It may seem from the abovc that the resultant music was stiff, stultified and unmelodious. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. As we have seen, single notes upon a string could nevertheless be rendered in all manner of ways, extended and enriched with subtle nuances. Moreover, orchestral performances displayed the wonderful skill of the performers t o blend the succession of notes from different instruments into a tightly coherent and flowing melody. That is, melodies were less frequently performed by the same instruments all the way through than they were built up from the notes of different instruments. (The practice is not entircly unknown in Western music, and is called open or pierced music. O f it Beethoven spoke in relation to his supernal Op. 1 3 1 String Quartet in C Sharp Minor, when he wrote that it contained 'a ncw manner of voice writing'. Striking instances are also to thc fore in Holst's The Planets Suite.) Such 'open' melodies were the nllr ri1thr.r than the exception in ancient China, however, and still rc.ni:tin to

In order to understand and appreciate this music, the ear must learn to distinguish subtle nuances: the same note, produced on a different string, has a different colour; the samc string. when pulled by the forefinger or the middle finger of thc right hand, has a different timbre. The technique by which thesc v;iri;~tionsin timbre are effected is extremely complicated: of tllc viI,r;~toalone there cxist no less than twenty-six varieties. T h c inlprcs*,iolimade by one note is followed by another, still anothrr. ' l ' l 1 c ~ 1 . c . is thus a compelling, inevitable suggestion of a mood, .l11 ;~trl~osphere, which impresses upon the hearer the s c n t i n ~ ~ nrl1.11 i illsl>irc.dthe composer.' It is often pointed out that whereas Wcstern ton;~l;I[ t ,111 11csaid t o possess four dimensions - rhythm, melody, h;~r.rlltI .r 11J tone colour - Oriental music is largely lacking in thc rl~irtlI ) I I llt.sc. the dimension of harmony. Yet a casc could be mactc. to I 11,. c.I'(;-ct that the Orientals nevertheless enjoy a four-dimensic~~i;~l . I I , I . 111c multitudinous choice of options in which way each .;ilr!!ll Irolr c;tn be sounded has no parallel in the West, and deserve?,1 1 , l ~ ~-c-!:;irdcd r as a rnusical dimension in its own right. The dimension of tone colour, or timbre (i.e. ~ l i Ir-I f 1.111 Illrt rornmts and their distinctive sound) is also very developrtl ; I I ~ l l Ir ~ ; I s L . This further adds to the variety of sounds which C;III 111.~~~.c)tll~c,c.cl even from the same note. A note played oh a flutr i\ .I V . I ~ ~ I tlit'icrent I~ aural experience to us than that same note playctl l r r l . I II.II.~I. ~ y or. a drum! The glittering array of variegated - ancl ( I I I r.11 v1.1 v ?.tr;mgesounding - timbres is another immediately no111r..ll)l(. 1r.1111l.c of Chinese and other Asiatic music. In the case of the Chinese, however, how I.IVi l ~ . ~ t i ~ l; !I : is to discover that their deep and complex philosophit . ~ .,vcrg's rl~irciphase of strict serialism gavc urn t o a less rigid 51yl(. in which, while serialism was mainiiclncu, clements of tonality wrrc increasingly introduced. Upon first founding the method. tlic originator of scrialism had at thc r i m t been criticized by the craclitio~~;~lists. But serialism had sincc thr.rl bccome well established in t h c musical world. Now. for abandonill!: it in its pure form, Schoenhrrg was criticized almost as much ag:iitl!

ENTER: THE COMMANDOS Music normally evolve4 as an almost 'natural' drvrlrrpn~c.nl.(Inc. composer after another extrapolating and building irpon I II(* i t l ~ . . 11~ ~ ~ (

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TI-IE 'NEW MUSIC'

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

his predecessors. T o the esoterically-minded thinker, however, the coming of the 'new music' in the early years of this century is particularly intriguing in that, in many respects, it did not so much evolve as appear as though from nowhere. For centuries at a time during earlier periods of world history the face of music had changed comparatively little. A composer had once felt it his prime responsibility to create new compositions of music. But in the case of the 'new music' the emphasis radically shifted: the major purpose became to create ncw k2nd.r of music altogether. Now it was as though a veritable wave of individuals were born in the late nineteenth century who all shared the inherent trait of being seemingly incapable of conforming to the traditional standards and purposes - of the tonal arts. Nobody illustratcs this factor of the 'wave phenomenon' more than does Charles Ives .(l 874-19 54), America's first composer of real significance. Born and raised in Danbury, Connecticut, Ives was almost totally cut off from the radical musical developments which were taking place in Europc. Ivcs studied music at Yale University at around the turn of t h c ccritur) I, but in later years had little way of knowing what was t;&kingpla ce musically across the - ~ . work he heard none Atlantic. During these years o f his own crea~ive of the music of Schoenberg or Hindemith, and of Stravinsky only The Firehid and The Ni'qhtingale. And yet it was as though the composers of thc ' * l * . t ~ r n~usic'had been some sort of commando squad trained icI cithcr heaven or hell (depending upon one's viewpoint) t o p;trachute into Europe and rc-channel the entire . . - , l *Ln* L l l d L Ives' parachute had been caught in an course of music, drru almighty gust o f wind which had blown him off course t o the other side of the Atl;tntic. For there. alone and in virtual seclusion from any other nii~sician or any outside influence, Ives quite independently devclopcd bi-tonality, polytonality, atonality, multiple rhythms or poly rhythms, the use of chance factors within music, and all the other tr;cppinps of the 'new music'. In his output, Ives not only paralleled. hut even preceded such devclopmcnts as they took place upon European soil. As Ives oncc wrotc to his copyist upon sending him a new work: ~

..L

"V

C.,

'Mr Price. Please don't try to make things nice. All the wrong notes are right. ' And again, Ives' jotted comment on the margm of the manuscript of his Second String Quartet:

9j

a Cadcnz~it c ~play or n o t to pl:iy ! II' I,l:~yc~J, to be played not a nice one - b ~ cvcnly, ~ t prcc.isc-ly I I I I I I I I I S ~ ~ ,;is ;~~

. . ;IS .I\

I : ullvrirncnt was thc nanic of thc g;tnle; ; i l l cl I vc's tried out any I,.,llnical innovation in onc composition rllr i n ~ ~ o v ; ~w;is ~ i oscldonl ~l Yet to 1c.111r11c.d to in his music in anything likc rllc: s;iInc W ; ;onant, I I W c;~rsof his contemporaries, Ives' music vV;LSnot m . .l. . 1,111 m;~d.Ives was trying to reflect in muslr 1 1 1 ~ul>>c,n;tllrcs; ~ n d *.t.trk realities of the world around him. Yes - in ;I w;cy this w;~s ro h.111ssc~rgsk~'s 'realism' all over again, and ng;~inin con~r;~cliction I 111. greatest musicians of all earlicr cpochs o f 11rtltl;in I~iscorywho 11.1tl sought, through music, to impose ordcr ;uld nlc.;ilring lipon (..lrrl~ly chaos. It may tell us something about the psychological el'fi.c>rsof Ivcs' O ltll~sicthat, while decades of life still remaincd t o him, his ; ~ l , i l i tI ~ t ~ ~ c n t i vcompose el~ did not. His wife was later t o rec;ill tllc pain allcl ~ r : ~ g e dof y those months and years during which Ivrs li;~tl~ricclI O se, only to discover that the fount had dried up. H e livttl out ny remaining years as an invalid in almost complctc iso1:ttion ther musicians. rucuertheless, their parachutes well buried, others among thc t ommando team were ready to strike elsewhere in the world. . . . 'I'o what extent are we justified in speaking of a 'wave I~llcnomcnon'in the way in which the radical musicians burst upon 1I1cscene? It might be said that it was difficult for a young musician I I O ~ to be radical in that period - it was in the nature of the times, W;IS it not? And yet, let us attempt to adopt an Oriental manner of vicwing events: what, ultimately, was the cause behind the ~.;tdicalismand cultural revolution of the ncw century? MJere the 'new m~~sicians' a sign of the times . . . or have the limes, or at least to~tilrudegree

of the nature of lifi irr the twentieth century, been a sign of the 'new music'?

,or~iin~q athe

I%utback to the cultural commandos who fell upon European ' During the time of Ivcs, half a dozen composers in Paris sct ton their own particular revolutionary mission. Known as thc tvir aim was delibcr;ltcly to write music which was dcvoid of llllY >,irring or lofty feelings. In order to help accomplish this, j;lzz Iicr popular idioms were borrowed by them, and the resulting was 'successfully' noisy and cheap. Serious composers first I,(.( ;lnlc widely aware of jazz during the 1920s. and fcw o f tllr I,lc,l,orlc.nts of the 'new music' failed to incorporntc i t i n t o rlicir w c ~ l l i I O some extent. Stravinsky, Ravel, Hindcrnith, (:opl;~~~tl ;incl '

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

many others - composers good and bad - all allowed jazz-like effects into their work. By this time, spiritual standards were either non-existent or had been turned upside down. Regrettably few musicians of the 1920s seemed to realize the difference between mysticism and moodiness; or if they did, they preferred the latter. And still this was only the beginning. . . .

IGOR STRAVINSKY In the early stages of the 'new music', one work above all others marked the arrival, not to mention the sheer, irrepressible force, of the revolution. Today, music students listen to this revolutionary work in what is usually passive humility. They arc iicademically trained to analyse the structure, rhythm and harmonics of a piece of music rather than its overall effect and impact. No thought at all is given to such considerations as the work's lcvcl 01' sl>irituality, of course. Yet there are still many pcoplc out in thc world who, having found it natural to love eighteenth and ninctrrnrl~ music, . .. c,c~~tury Ic have ra rely, have scarcely heard the works of thr 'new m \ rxsion I have if ever, heard this particular composition, :II played a recording of it for thcni. lnv;il~i.~l)l~ r 111 upon t:hem .J has been one of powerful dist:urb:tncc. ;illcl ~ I I I I C K , vv I I I' lI C aarnitting its intellectual genius and originality, I llcy 11cvc.1I 11c.lrssfound it to sharply lower their state of conscioi~sncss,;ln[l I I O I ;I single one professed the desire ever to hear the work ag;tin. In the reactio~ I of thes e divine innocents, wllo 11;1t1 somehow in the shielded themselv-cs from the presence of the 'nr-W ni~~sic' world about then,, -..w r 111ust be c,oming very claw I I I the initial impact- of the work upon its first audiences. T/J?Kitrv o f Spring is without doubt the most famous work of Igor Strit~insky.Stravinsky (1882-1971) based the work upon the concc.pt 01' a pagan ceremony. Certainly the music of The Rite of Sprit% is norhing if not pagan, being wild, aggressive, and fierceIy unp)tlly. The melodies seem designed to frighten; the harmonies to disrllI>t rhr mind. But more than anything it was the complex rhythmic 5itlc of the work which was so unique. The rhythms race cornprllingly, driving relentlessly onward, breathlessly, and with dark undertones of violence and dread. For the premihe performance of the ballet in I 9 1 3, Nijinsky directed the choreography, and none other than Nicholas Roerich, in a rare misjudgment, agreed to create the dkor. 'The choreography followed the only general pattern possible, given the music upon which it was based: a primitive ritual of pre-Christian peasant

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THE 'NEW MUSIC'

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Russia which culminates in the sacrifice of a virgin. Even by itself, the music alone of The Rite of Spring reaches such a crescendo of hedonistic abandonment as to suggest the sacrificial virgin, intoxicated by the pagan ritual and violent rhythms, literally dancing herself frenziedly to death. W e are familiar by now in this book with the very real powers which music seems able t o wield; also one would have had t o have lived as a hermit for many years not to have heard of the acts of violence and riots which sometimcs takr place at rock concerts. It should little surprise us then that: thc prcnnii.rc of The Rite of Spring, ... 01 ..L.l over forty years before thc coming r O C K , ;ind yrt strangely akin to this music of later decades in the irrcprcsaihlc violence of its rhythms, likewise resulted in a riot. Accounts writtcn at the time record that the audience sat and listencd in silcncc. . . . for two minutes. Then there came catcalls and shouts o l outragc. People seated next t o each other began to fight with fists ancl cancs. Ncxt, the attention of the audience became directed towarcis thc orchestra, towards which everything conceivable that was 10osc and- r~cmotcly aerodynamic was thrown. But resolutely, the mu!sicians pl ;~ycdon through a hail of abuse and a torrent of missiles. 7The concl ~lsionof . .R I the ballet was greeted by the arrival of the gendarmes. m.cantinle, the composer at the cause of it all had escaped through a window backstage. Such scenes had never been heard of at a ballet before, and the incident caused a great scandal. But Stravinsky, at 30, had only as yet begun to get warmed up, and certainly was in no mood for apologies. 'I heard, and I wrote what I heard,' hc said. 'I was the vessel through which Le Sacre du Printemps passed.' Stravinsky had written The Rite of Spring while still only 29. It marked only the beginning of his world-renown, and only the end of the beginning of his output, l-lc went on to compose for a total of over six decades, and had become the acknowledged grandmaster of the 'new music' long before his death in 197 1 . Hardly a singlc style or movement of the 'new music' went untouched by him. As thc general in the field, he bustlcd through the ranks, showing his f;tcr i l l this division and that, encnuritging here, advising there, addin!; 1.011fidencc by the fact of his presence. Along the way. S~r;tvi~i.;kv became one of the first composers of serious music I O i r ~ III~IC. r elements of jazz in his work. This tendency hc c:ipprtl will1 1111. Ebony Concerto, composed especially for the 'big I ~ : a r ~ c lj.177 ' 1r1 .I yc.r S11111 I y l( l , * r I of clarinettist Woody Herman and trumptt Ftrr decades, cven as he devclnprd hi3 ; I I . I .I r 1 1 l !:.l1 r ~ c . , l ~ r * l l l I, 11r.e.11

I

m

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THE 'NEW bl l l S I ( :'

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

*cognition, Stravinsky remained next t o penniless. But this did not prevent him from becoming closely acquainted with a11nost all t he major names in the European arts. Picasso, a similarly cc3mmandi"g and avant-garde figure, drew Stravinsky scvcr;il timm . Duri "g I W o r l d W a r I, while attempting t o cross the Italian border, ac.~ r a v i n sky was stopped b y the guards who accused him, as he later wrote, 'of trying t o smuggle a $an of fortifications - in fiict my portrait by Picasso - out of the country'. Neither did his long-standing poverty dctcr him from maintaining a whisky intake of the kind that woulcl l)c cxl>cctcdt o kill most men. H e oncc preceded the conducting o f ;I (.oncc1,1in Moscow by downing ten drops of opium and twc .S 01 whisky. (Given the youthful age at which he gaincc ,I y , l ~ i sdegenerative k y not lifestyle, and the radical nature of- 111s I I I I I \ I ( . , S ~ ~ . , ~ v i n swas very dissimilar, within the context 01' I1i5 O W I I (.I.;I, to, say, the ; MOSCOW Rolling Stones and other rock st;irs 01 I O ( I . I ~ . ) I ) I I I . ~ I I ~ this concert he then suddenly felt sick. l ; i ~ ~ t l i ~ ~ ! : I ~ ~ ~ I \ w(';tk, (. a doctor I)!! l ( 1 1 1 Illis oi~traged the forbade him t o c c I 1111 composer, w h o we^ I , 1 1 1 r+r ilrdulging in his o w n 'remedy' of bra O n c of Stravinsky 1 1 1 o w l . ( l l l o t l . l L V I I I I : ~ ~ IOI. 111~.stage is the KCY ( I 02 7 ) . 1 1 1 I W Cu k , I~owcvcr,the opera-oratorio, Oedi/~zl~ institution and estal)lisl~c(lc.onccp~io11 I )l' I l ~ r . I I ~ I ( . I, I i5 completely c worli ljy Sopl~ocles,the ridiculed. Though b;~scd111)or1 ~ h c~l;~?;sic:tl libretto is sung in Latin - which n o doubt I I I O \ I 01 I I I ( . audience cannot follow - whilc a commentator in evenin!; ilrt.sc; \1;111dst o one side of the stage and interprets the action in n ~ i ~ ~ l j:~~.gon r . ~ - r ~t o the audience, which has the effect of utterly alien;~rin!: I 11i.5i11gersfrom the onlookers. centuries? W a s the 'new music' so different to that of ~~l.r.vio~ls Stravinsky's treatment of Oedipzrs Rex furnishes 11s M J ~11I I lie answer. T h e narrow-minded critic will argue herc thar III(.11c.wmusicians did not break with the past, but merely followr~l1 1 1 ~ .course of thc natural evolution of the art, following the i n n o v : ~ir 111.; ~ 01' Beethoven, Liszt, Wagner and others. T o which. in reply. it nlllsl h r emphasised that the prime distinction between twentieth-cc.nt1lry music and that of classicism and romanticism was never the ohvioils technical one. but the difference between the spiritual level OF [llr two. I t is a question of motive, of the goal of the music; it i 4 ;I fundamental question of morality. W e must ask ourselves of any picce of music: Does this build up or does it tear d o w n ? Ultimately, it is a question of the ~onsciousnessof the composer. '-

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1 1 1 6 ~

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I t is necessary t o b e sufficiently tlr~.rtl~c.tl ; I S 1 0 I,c impc.rvious to intimidation b y the materi; usical wliich intellectuals. These, proud t o belon ron ;ill 'the average person doesn't underst who could dare t o be so 'old-fashionc.c~ 1 ) I . I > O I - I I I , ~ ,iLlI ( I ~ I I I ( . \ I 1011, ; ~ r this late date, the validity of The Rite I , / . S / r , i r ~'.l ' l ~ c ...II.III ~ i . l , ~ i l l lt o our face: The Rite of Spying and Bec.1l 1 1 ~ v c . 1 1 ' 5N in1 11 S s ~ ~ ~ ;l~ ~r c l ~ ~ ) ~ ~ s each equally valid within the contcxl I 11 I l~c.il I C - . ~ K . . I ii", . I / : ( ' \ , '7'0 which the disccrning shall reply: True 1 1 1s rl1.11 ( . , i e 11 , I I ( , I I I I I ' , cI' ~~c,. 1 1 consisting physically of air vibrations , 1 1 1 ~ 1~ ~ 1 1 11 I(.III/: 1 ~ ) ( . I - I o I 111e.(l 1))' similar musical instruments ; but thesc work\ , [ I I 111. I I-,IIII I ) I I W O diametrically opposed philosophies - ;tr l ~ c . i \ li c I I I I I I I , I I ) ~ ~ I I I ,111~1 spiritual idealism - which have warrrd 5inc.c. l)c.101.(.I I I ( . ~ I , I W I I 01history for the possession of the minds o f ti7c.n. ; I I I ( ~ ~11c If we should doubt whether or not Thr Kitc o/'.il~t.h~,~: . other early works of 'new music' are really so 1>;1~1,ts ,111 I h ; ~ r 1l1un . ~ 10. we have only to glance further on in time t o see w l ~ t rt l ~ c I(.(! W h a t manner of art did the 'new music' g o on t o bccomc l'ollowi~~g these first beginnings? After all, the real nature of the secd bcco~nzs inevitably outpictured in the flower! T h e seed itself may givc littlc or no indication as t o that which lies within it. and the non-hot:cni5r might easily put thc namc 'rose tree' t o the seed of a Vcnus fly-tr;tp. h becomes revcaled. But in the proccss o f its & ~ o w t all Is therc a diffic~llly in disccrning the subtle naturc of a music. whether it is beneficial or cl(,structivc in effect? Then the answcr t o the dilcn~mawas put into I N I . I~andstwo millennia ago: - Ye shall know tbrr)/ /bc>ir./i.rrirs. . .

BALLET MECHANIQU E, ANT) AFTER The date: l 0 April, 1927. 'I'll(* l)l,~cc: Carnegie Hall, N e w York. A quarter of the way into tl. ' now. And an American audiencr of the wonderful new music. The prepared themselves for ;I composer, George Anthr oduced a work befitting the ncw century of progress. R u l ~ c t ~ ~steadily lg upon each other's work, composer after composes h ; ~ c l])ushed the grandeur and sublimity of Western music ever highcr. 1. S. Bach, Handel, H a y d n , Mozart, Beethoven, Wager - ancl now George Antheil, with the f'irht p(.1-101,mance of Ballel Mhchirlvrqz[e, his newly wrought c r c ; ~ion. ~ /\1.1(1 'wrought' it had indeed IIxen : 'm1lsical engineering', Anthtripping, etc. - thus introducing wh.11 Larorrsse politely calls 'unusual timbres',19 and Virgil Thomson ':L ping cpalified by a thud'. Anuilier Cage mastcrpiecc, which no doubt took cnnsidcr;ll)lc, ( r ~ r ! iI pains t o compose, was r:ithcr less discordant. 4 rninil!~.~ .second.s consists of performers w h o arrive on stage, lily u p I I I ( * ~ I . instruments, poise themselves t o play ... and rcmnir~I I I J I W , I ~1;)s yc:s, 4 minutes and 33 seconds.

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Are we being unkind in ridiculing 4 minutes and 3 3 seconds? I believe not. It is true that all sorts of lofty mystical concepts can be associated with silence; this work, it could be argued, brings silence to our attention. Yet one feels that this is grossly to underestimate the majority of the audience. Those who cannot normally sit still and appreciate silence will not genuinely d o so during this 'composition' either, whereas those who are meditatively inclined do not need John Cage to make them so - they enjoy meditation and the stillness of silence frequently. 4 minutes and ?J seconds might therefore be viewed as nothing but a joke; cheap, unnecessary and, perhaps also, egocentric. Imaginary Landscape No. 4 appeared in 195 1 . This piece, in one respect, was in the best tradition of the ancient wisdom, involving as it did the mystical numbers of 12 and 24. The work required 1 2 radios as the instruments and 24 performers (onc performer for each volume dial and one for each frequency dial). ?'hc prcmiPre performance was delayed for quite a while, ilntil 1;itc cvcning in fact, with the result that when it finally did takr pl:tcr. m;lny radio programmes had changed and some stations 11;itl golri' 01'1' the air entirely. Some critics scoffed that the pcrforrn;tncr Ii;ld t llrrcfore flopped, but Cage himself, turning defeat into vicrtory ;IS i~ wc.~.c.,brought forth his new doctrine of music. 'I'he wholc point, i~ sc-cn~cd,was that Cage's work had involved chancc lactors, ii'ro~.\ out of the composer's control, and so the late performancc 11;1rl, i r ~Ii~ct,succeeded in demonstrating these all the more successfi~lly!A ~ i ~ the i n critics attacked: they pointed out that the performance 1 1 , l c l not involved pure. random chance, but only relative chancc, si~~c-c t11(- composer had still laid down a number of stipulatic)r~s.(:,ISC therefore renamed the new doctrine ' I n d e t e r r n i n a ~ ' . ~ ~ Indeterminacy was a radical concept for rn~~sic,. 'l'llc composer, according to the work he envisaged and the c o r ~ s ~ ~ .11c ; ~either i ~ l ~ sdid or did not impose, could allow for anything from ,r slight degree of indeterminacy to a very large, almost total, degree t 11' ind~terminac~. (Such music is also sometimes called aleatory music:. f'rom the Latin term for dice, alea. And yes - Cage d i d use dic-c to decide the sounds for some compositions.) A good example of indeterminate music in action was the work, Concert, of 19J7-8, In this piece, each player was simply instructed to play any, all or none of his notes. The result could have been anywhere between total noise to total silence, with a more likely area of partial noise in-between. Whether the rcsult could ever have been music, however, is another matter entirely. (But then, of course,

THE 'NEW MUSIC'

~liosewho question the validity of such sounds 'do not understand'; tlrcir 'conception of music is too narrow'.) It might be felt that such ,111ticscould have little or no bearing on the stream of serious music as a whole. Yet nothing could be further from the truth: Cage has cxcrted a great influence, over the years, upon other musicians. Indeterminacy in music, for example, has actually become quite widely practised since Cage first began twiddling his radio dials and tlirowing his dice. In time, Cage's own use of indeterminacy also grew more sophisticated. H e left off his dice-throwing as a determinator of the tones, and took up I Ching. Then later, as the computer field developed, Cage made use of computers also, thus having progressed from gambling with dice, through psychism with I Ching, and arriving at the mechanization concept of life. One might imagine that the idea of music as being sounds produced without the intrusion of human will is as near as the art can be taken t o the edge of the crevasse of cynical nihilism. However, Cage's Concert for Piano and Orchestra and Atlas Eclipticalis may be said to succeed, through another method, in pushing music completely over the edge. 'To borrow Peter Yates' description of the works, these 'may be called an antimusic, as a scientist speaks of antimatter. The many motifs do not harmonicaUy draw together but are mutually rejecting

. . .'23 Personally, I am attempting to explain to myself here what manner of mind it can be that feels moved to actively pursue the creation of a literal antimusic. Once more, we must not avoid the necessary enquiries: What is the inner motive? W h a t u the consciousness which has brought forth these works? In what direction is

such a music like4 to take czt~ilrlption,should it be true that life patterns are influenced by musicpattems? Cage himself has offered a number of insights into his mental processes and his personal attitude to music. In 195 2, in a lecture ;it LIIC Juihard School of Music, he explained to the breathless, openruouthcd students (the blank4 indicating his musical interludes): and t11:tr i\ and I am saying it I h ; ~ v enothing to say contemporary music is changing. poetry as I need it we could sinlrly tlcc itlr But since everything's changing To have somrthi~r~: Ilc .I to drink a glass of water have to have enough timr t o r , ~ l k wl1r11 nla.;rcrpiece you you have nothing to say.26

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THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

THE 'NEW MUSIC'

So then they knew. Also, one other statement by Cage deserves mention. While nevertheless composing more and more works, he has simultaneously insisted that he is 'less and less interested in music'. Not exactly encouraging to the audience ! Cage's style of poetry, it will be observed from the above, is very reminiscent of Kerouac, Ginsberg and the 'TOs' beat generation. And the parallels also go further: Cage lived in the same state, California, at the same time, the 19JOs, as did the early movement of ~ot-smoking, 'spontaneous prose'-writing drop-outs. Cage likewise professed an interest in Zen Buddhism. and Cage's concept of Zen was likewide a perversion of the genuine article. In fact, Zen actually became the mainstay of Cage's defence of his doctrines. Genuine Zen may be defined as a mystical path to selfrealization based upon methods designed to stretch the limits and break the over-automated hnbitu~llpattcrns of the mind. Certainly its goal and its effect are positive and constructive; with insight, Zen can be seen to be entirclp in cnnfornlity with the great world religions and mystical paths. Thc 'Zcn' of Cage and of the selfprofessed 'monks' of br:it CL~lifornia,however, is altogether less well-defined, and takes 11ic form of an excuse for artistic and behavioural anarchy. Cage uscs Zen as a philosophical basis for his techniques of indctcrn~inac~; and yet, as Christopher Small has pointed out. true Zen docs not teach a doctrine of luck or chance, but one of a diffcrcll~kind of order: a spontaneous order, but not rand~mness.~' Francis Rot~rli,wlio is actuallp considerably involved himself in the 'new music', ncvertheless dismisses Cage's philosophy as being seriously in rrror. St;~tcsRouth:

Alas. not all modern musicians can boast such penetrating sanity. 1;ollowing Cage's lead, a number of others have also worked mainly or entirely within the 'Zen'/indeterminacy framework; the majority of them living in America, and most of these in California. Terry Ililey, the sleeve notes to whose record we quoted earlier, is among them. Among his creations we find the composition, I n C . For this work any number of performers may be used. Each plays as many times as he desires a short melodic fragment, before moving on to the next. Fifty short melodic fragments are included in all, each being diatonic on the scale of C. Through all the noise in which this set-up results, some semblance of cohesion is provided by a piano; upon this the note C is repeated rapidly and continuously. LaMonte Young's Composition 1960 No. 7 consists of nothing more than the instmction: 'B and F sharp. T o be held for a long time.' As in Cage's 4'33", any pretensions at mysticism are here overshadowed by the overwhelming and gigantically egocentric attitude of cynicism. And any suspicions that such cynicism stems from some form of actual, suppressed malevolence may not be illfounded. For to Young also goes the dubious distinction of having pushed concert programmes inside a violin and then having burned the instrument on stage. Another 'new musician', David Tudor, has on more than one occasion attacked a piano with various weapons - a chisel, a rubber hammer, a bicycle chain and a saw - while in live performance. Sounds familiar? During those same years sundry rock musicians were doing the same: smashing guitars, burning drum kits and amplifiers, biting the heads off live chickens and bats, and so on. Clearly there is no real diffcrcncc. lxtween t h e e patterns of activity within the two musical movcnicnts. True it is that 'serious' music and popular music stem from ditfcrcnt origins and have tended to be widely divergent in style, forn~;tnd purpose. But there is today a common element moving within them : something motivated by hatred rather than by love or :my other higher emotion; a forcr unmistakably destructive and m;1lignant. Some compositions seen1 almost t o have been envisn!:r.tl specifically as a means of ch:innclling this malevolence into thc 11il.c.c. tion of the audience. LaMontc Young's The Tortoise, Hir Drvirr)r\ and Journeys expects the audience, no doubt composed {If'i n r ~ CcT~I II wide-eyed, admiring college students, to sit through scvrr;~lI I O I I I ~01~ aural and psychological onslaught. Young and thrcc :IS\( , ( . ; . ~ r c-. 4 11.11 11 an open chord through vastly powerful, car-splittirll: ;inlpl~f1c.1 . l 1 1 1 1 maintain this solitary chord non-stop for alniosr two I I ~ I I I I , , ,111 I 111,.

John Cagc rrprescnts the point of no return; nothingness. zero. W e are bidcicn t o leave the world of reality as if in a trance. The sound has no hcginning, middle or end; disemhodiment is the ideal; the music is not to be 'listened to' so much as 'experienced', which is not easy l;)r a Westerner .. But, Cagc says, forget all you have ever he;crd, all traditions, musical associations. everything; forget life. The flaw in this is iln~nistakable;if the listrncr is to enter such a state of nihilism, he will also forget John Cagc. Moreover, has not King Lear already told us what can 'come of nothing'? And in denying its past, thc Cagc aesthetic inevitably denies any possible future.22

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109

C..

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THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

within a darkened room in which the only light comes from projections of astral, psychedelic-patterned art. Then there is a break; following which comes another like session of similar duration another two hours. It is possible in one hundred per cent seriousness to equate such practices with the modern brainwashing techniques of Communist and other dictatorial regimes. (Yet who is the more imprisoned and brainwashed - he who is kept under lock and key due to his activities on behalf of freedom, or he who, from the free world, goes willingly into the prepared and darkened chamber of psychological onslaught 2) A friend and fellow composer of Young, Steve Reich, has seen fit to study - not at any established school of music, nor even in the Orient - but under a voodoo dmmmer in Ghana. Now, voodoo is one of the few musics which, rather than cloaking its innate hedonism and malevolence behind a mask of intellectualism, openly admits to being intended as a means of inducing orgies and of inflicting harm and even death upon other individuals. This is the intent of the voodoo ritual. whatcvcr wc may think of its objective ability. And, in view of our data thus far on music's power, the idea that voodoo does possess romc ;tctu;il clrutruciive power should not, perhaps, be lightly disn~isr~d. A sign for the future, t h ~ t l iArc ihc ,iv:i~it-prdegoing to be returning from Africa by the dozen '15 1r;iinc-d voodoo priests? How long before the first voodoo rite at London's Itoyal Festival Hall? (A ridiculous concept? Think how inconceivahlr i t would have been to, say, Haydn, that concert audiences woulrl ever sit through violin-burning, dice-throwing, and the biting ot'i of the heads of chickens.) The glorious dream of the expcrinlcntalists fulfilled: Western music improved and evolved in our tirrlc from Bach, Beethoven and Wagner - to the jungle beat ! Meanwhile, the subtleties of Cage's own arti5tic style have continued to evolve. But, to ensure an unbiased report, Ict us hear from Peter Yates, who himself has much sympathy wit11 ~nostof the 'new music' : Some of these compositions are a type of glorified play, for example Cartridge Music. Phonograph-nerdlc cartridges are attached to an overhead boom and the edge and centre of a table, chosen for the resonance of its vibration when shoved back and forth across the floor. Cage and a companion, each following a different graphic pattern of events by chance, insert slinkies, pipe cleaners, miniature flags, even a tiny birthday candle which is

THE 'NEW MUSIC'

111

tl~cnlighted, into the needle slots of the cartridges and agitate ~llcrn,producing noises in the loudspeakers, which accompany the l~crl;~rmance with low-frequency vibration sounds culled from ~.c.cordsof his music. One watches the actions of the t y o pcrfor111c.r~as in other days one watched the actions of the clowns (~rculatingaround the three rings of the circus, and the morc onc rcblaxes into uninhibited attention the funnier it gets. The acrion. likr great farce, treads with dangerous steps, as if unaware \ I O W 11arrow1~ it avoids the precipitous inane.23

Arid of Cage's Variations IV, as performed by the O N C E gro111)01' Anr~Arbor, Michigan: On a small platform an interview was being mimed (an Arncric,;~~~ composer interviewing another American composer), whilc a r.cl)c of the actual interview, taken from a broadcast, playcd thro~~gh an inconspicuous loudspeaker. The interviewee blasted sevcr;tl of his more popular contemporaries, saying many things ;tl)out musical conditions and personalities as true as ernbarrassi~~g, while the mimed 'feedback' turned it all into parodic comedy, tllc audience laughing at truth and parody together. Meanwhile a girl was being tied to a table and elevated by two men to the top of a metal pole. Firecrackers were exploding, an automobile running outside an open door. A man appeared, bemused and carrying a baton, as if expecting an orchestra. A girl approached him with a scarf, wound it around his neck. returned with an overcoat to put it on him, returned to exchange his glasses for dark glasses, to outfit him with a piano accordion, finally to replace his baton with a blind man's white, rrd-tipped cane. The image of the reduced conductor was lcti up the aisle, bleating his accordion. An allegory of 'the end of lnusic as we have known it'!23

'T~IIISmusic becomes theatrc; not as a synthesis of the two, but as a tlisint cgration of each. Nrither has dance been allowed to escape the treatment. I11 witncssing the activities of .Mcrce Cunningham's dance troupr, one rcc~llsthe original psyche-splitting plan of Edgar Vartse, t11;tt his D6ert.v should be played in conjunction with a film of lightphcnomma, 'absolutely in opposition with the score'. 111 h/l nc-C Cunningham's dances - yes; the reader's anticipation Imps :~lrc.:ttlo f 11s - the dance movements bear no relation wh;crcvrr I ~ IIIIC ;~ccornpanyingsound.

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THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

Cage himself has in the past worked with thc Merce Cunningham group. But the relationship, if 'relationship' it can be said to have been, was of the following kind: cach composer or dancer would g o off quite separately t o plan and practise his or her own individual stage performance; then they would come together to perform on stage. - All of them, performing simultaneously. When one thinks about it, such a situation - with everybody playing or dancing his 'own thing' - must be the way music and dance actually began. one day back in the steaming primeval forests. But then, at some point, there arose co-operation and organization which, in retrospect, is after all considered to have been a point of evolution.

A VISITOR FROM SIRIUS Not for no reason did the face of ECarlheinz Stockhausen (b. 1928) peer out at us from the front cover of the Beatlcs' Sgt Pepper album 1L' . -. on the cover represented a of 1967. The numerous faces and oo~cccs synthesis of the Beatles' pet loves and hates; and Stockhausen was included by those four lcading figurcs of one revolutionary field of music in recognition of this lcading personage in anothcr branch of what was, in some ways, the same basic musical revolution. Though Stackllnusen has never been quite as radical as Cagc, thc difference brtwecn the two is in fact one of degree, and not of type. Stockha sic ia still1 of the stylc which thc majority of people would n Icr to be music at all. Nevertheless, Stockhausen is acknowl itl~inthe realm of modern 'serious' music to be the most important c.omposer since the Second World War. His work has influcncc.~lvcry many young musicians. Given this notability and influence, itl~owhich dircction then has hc dirccted thc tonal arts, this 'rnobt important composer since the Sccond World W a r ' ? At first c.otnposing within the bounds of total serialism, Stockhausen the11 went on to introduce electronics into his music. And next thcrc camc indeterminate music, still largely working with electronic materials. Stockhausen has therefore become the virtual embodiment of the ni;~jortrends of music within the last thirty years. Not as a followcr. however, but very much as the leader. Among his flashcs of genius is the use of electronic modulators into which are fed the live sounds of the performers, thesc sounds then being subject to electronic potcntiometers, filters, generators and the like. If all this sounds worryingly inaccessible to the layman, there -

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THE 'NEW MUSIC' III v,-4

113

1y y r.1 IN. cause to take heart. For as everybody knows, music with # I,I-, is ;~lways easier for the man in the street to ~lndcrstand;and a

01' Stockhausen's influential works d o cont;lin text. For V . I I I ) ~ llle ) I C ,7 ,l-minute work Mometzts (1 964) includes the listed 1 1 I I I I I . ~ , 01- Stockhausen's wife. children and friends, s111;1ll portions 1 1 I I I I ICI trrs he received while creating thc wc-~rk,otld lincs from \%'illi,rn~Ulake, clapping and shouts of 'cncorc'. (Wit11 lhcsc last 111 III\, llowever. the composer may have bccn slightly ju~npirigthe I I I ~ I I )II T~

t

r6l1ll

)

F,,I )n after Moments, Stockhausen unveiled M ikropborire I I 1 ')(14),a work requiring four players, t w o of whom, wit11 thc ultra-

. , I I O I I S and self-important concentration normal to pcrforn~crsof the . , ' i 1 l . w rnustc , excite a large tarn-tam from opposite sidrss with a 111~11I 11 IIIII- of different objects made of everything from wood ;und p;tpcr 1 1 , I)l;~stic and glass. The resultant sounds are picked up hy microI ~ I ~ Ah, ~ , ~the~ usual c ~ . raucous 'new music' sound once a g a i n N o t a I , I t o i it! For, not to be outdone, Stockhausen has seen to it that this well, 'acoustic material' - is then fed into the gadgetry workcd, or 'Iu.~.iormed',by the other two participants, who process and alter I l l r . volume and timbre of the material. Four speakers emit both the i!:inal and the electronically treated sounds simultaneously for thc 1.J1.4 of the audience. (John Cage has not reacted favourably to the IIII.:~ of the raw 'new music' sound being thus tampered with by the will of human beings. It is said that Cage was present for one of \~c,c,khausen's concerts, but that when Stockhausen began using I U t1cntiometers etc. to alter the acoustic produce of the other perforI I I I . ~ ~Cage . stood up haughtily and walked out.) IJpon composing a lengthy picce which he chose to call Sirius, c r things about the work. Y~rrckhausenwent on to explain a n ~ ~ m b of I'l~cjumble of sounds comprising the picce he claimed to reflect the I osnlic music which inund;ttcs 11ic earth from the heavenly body of I I I I . title, and from the cosmic hcings dwclling thereupon. ( S i r i ~ was s ~c.lv;tsr.din a format most ;~liint o the presentation of rock recortlit~!:.;:the psychedelic covcr tlcpicted an unclothed Stockhausen, as IIIOII/:II in the role of rock 'star', lying on the sea-shore and Id~otogr;tphed stylistically whilc gazing up at a cosmic sky.) Follow111): tllc release of the work, Stockhausen claimed with intcnsc* .l~.ri~~i~sness to have a c t ~ l ; t l ldescended ~ from a civilization of tltc ' I )og St;~r'.For their ~ ; I I .csotcricists I, found much of signillc;t~~cc it) Illis st;ttc.ment ,. Ccrl;tin critics, however, contentctl thcmwlvc.c w i l l 1 I hr observation th;~tit was probably timr ior ~I1cr t r / ; r r t ~~r,rriljl~* t onlcmporary music to he returned home.

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THE B.F. SKINNER SHOW, OR MUSIC TO GET UNDER YOUR SKIN Now, as we approach the close of the twentieth century, the dream of those 'new music' composers who began it - that the works of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven would be left far behind by the wonderful new advances which the 'new musicians' heralded seems without doubt to be close to full realization. The orchestra has been successfully replaced by electronic filters and potentiometers. W i t h typical twentieth-century ingenuity, it has been perceived that when music is indeterminate in any case, and relies fully upon a network of electronic connections t o determine the resultant sound, then thc old-fashioned score-sheets are therefore not only unnecessary. but even unemployable. Thus, the instructions for music today often consist only of circuit diagrams and notes on how the various items of electronic equipment s h o d d be connected up. Lest conditions become ripe for B. F. Skinner himself t o g o on the road, perhaps it is time to gct back t o simplicity. And what could be more simple than the sol(-)performer? In Alvin Lucier's (b. 19 3 1 ) 1 96 S 'composition', Music For .'?olo Performer, the 'performer' has thrcc Glass Instrument silver electrodes placed upon his licad. 7'hcse pick up his alpha-waves and amplify them through spc;~krrs;the resultant sound is then used to activate a varicty ol prscllssion instruments placed in front of the ~ ~ c a k e r s Vcry .'~ wrll. let us put it down to typical 1960s' exuberance; but striking a more sinister note by far are the statements of ;I $rowing number of individuals who - all humour apart actzralb are m ~ n i c ; ~Skinnerians. l Thcir ideas have already assumcd sufficient import;[nc-c- to gain an honorary mention in the Larozrsse

E ncydojedinof-M //sic: The ncw music niade possible by the [new] instruments and procedi~rcs .. i'lill no/ be less, o r move valid - it will be different [my italics]. Ir 1i;is been said that in a few years' time, our understanding of tlir rc.:cctions of the central nrrvr~ussystem will have advanced so f : ~ rthat it will be possible to produce 'functional' music predetrrmincd ;~ccordingto parameters defined by thc laws of sociology and human behaviour. Knowledge of sensory systems will permit thc diffusion of this music by dircct application of electrical stimuli. T h e musical element will be established by an electronic syntlicsizer fed with a score in the form of a computer programrnc. The 'instruments of music' will have become a clinical electrode applied to the forearm.I9

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THE 'NEW MUSIC'

115

I I 1 1 1 c.ommerua1 ~ proliferation of such 'music to g r t under the skin' 11.1.. lot arrived yet, the same cannot be said of the commercial t~tt)liic-r;~tion of musical vibrations applied directly onto thc surface 4 1 1 11ir skin. T h e inventor, David Lloyd, receivrd thc idca o n e day wllc~lanother of his inventions, a musically-vibrating flying saucer w l~iclihung from the ceiling, fell d o w n and onto his lap. T h c srnsitI 1o11'felt good' t o him: 'It made m y whole body tingle.' (And Ilc.ilcc, the dividing line between the musical arts and the 'feelgood' tlsug-like experience becomes less distinct.) Lloyd began marketing t hr idea in the form of a two-inch disc which can be attached t o tlir wxistband of shorts or panties. While listening o r dancing t o music, tlic vibrations can also be transferred directly t o the body. Lloyd Irrst put out the discs 'as a joke', but found that the 'rock 'n' roll hot p;tnis' idea caught on fast. However, certain implications associated with these musical vibro-discs are somewhat less of a joke. Researchers have discovered that when vibrations are applied t o one part of the anatomy, as for instance during a workman's use of a pneumatic drill, the vibrations travel throughout the body and to every organ. As we shall see in the next chapter, the acoustic effects of the rhythms of much modern music have already been found t o be harmful to the human organism. O n e wonders, therefore, what effects might be expected whcn those same rhythms are transferred directly-to the body by means of raw vibration. The spiritual/ philosophical implications of using music in this way are also sobering. T o the idealist poitlt of view, music should be used in order t o influence man's spirit~ralnature, inspiring his soul with feelings of love, beauty, rczolulioll. ;~ltruismand all good emotions. W i t h this commercial invc.nrio11 o f David LloydVs,however, we have the application of mucic, not 10rhc spiritual nature of man, but to the physical body, and in trrclrr t o c;lusc 'tingles' and other bodily sensations which 'feel goo~l'.A plioto8raph, published to show the musical vibro-disc in action. tlispl;iys thc torso of a near-nudc fcmalr with the disc's lead d i s a p l ~ r ; t r i rclown ~ ~ the front of a pair of vcsy brief panties. I t can be seen, then, r l i ; ~ r with the coming of new ypes of music. come also new uses of music, the niusic and its uses bcing of ;I sin~il:rr orientation. The new brrrci c ~ fmusician, being fully S k i n n c r i ; ~I I~I outlook, can be said to r.otlstitute the ultimate and incvit;tl>lt. I.CSIIII of the reductionist-materi~~list approach t o the art. If tlrc 1711qj1 I I I music is not t o sublimate. nian's being and spiritualizt s0cic.1 - i I I I l i . aim :,f all a n is not to dircct consciousness .f 'hrc:~u\c.I IICIY. I., l l t r .f ' - then it logically follows that music shottlil ins1 c,~clI N - t14(.c,cn ioc~usrcl rlpon the pcculi;tr ;tnd o f thr raciic:~l.iv:tiit-gnrdc thcnisclvcs ns q ~ ~ c s t i c ~ n ~conscictusnesh iblc ind~viduals.This is to pct right to LIIC cor-c o f the rn;t~:tc-r.Stephen solcmniry with which i2';tlsh wrltes candidly ot- t l ~ c'p~,ctc~irious o f [~nodcrnmusic'sl Ic\\cl. cxponrnts conrinuc to rcpnrd thcms ~ l v ~ sI v ' . Y chudi I\4rniil1in, r lie liuniblc ;tnd pcrcpicacious '13;itron saint' of good Mrc,stcr~imusir.. rcicrs to thc a v ; l n ~ - p r d cas 'mcchano' composcrs. sincr tlrcy clisl>l,ty;nind ~vithoutheart. Even by the c;trIy 1 O.;O>, the direction takcn by some cornposcrs had bcctrmc. \uf'fic.ic.ntly I>iz;~rrefor T h o m ; ~ sFicldcn. in :t chaptcr cntitlcd .Ml~;t!is (;crocl'~usic?'to w'trn 11s that:

... WC* h.~1.C , 1 1 ) rc'tiictnhcr t1i;tt w l i i l ~W C may discitrd the vulp;tr, rvc go [ c , 1 1 1 ~ .crtl~crcxtrcmc if W C spend rrur tirnc posing and .tciop~i~i+~,e'll~rico ~ ~ t p ~ ~ ;IS i r great, i ~ i g j~u q t I>cc;tr~hcb they happrn to 1~ i r t l ~ l ' r r11~ 'I'lic onc is just ;[S inutistic and ncjn-contrib~ltoryt o cctlturc 2nd cl1;11-;1ctcr as the othcr."' (

In his esccllcr~~I ) o t r k , iMusic

it! t h r

Life qf'hlrlr~.Julius Portnoy

clearly dcfincs t l ~ cl ~ ~ ~ o l > l c m :

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l

1'1

,,

,l,

I

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A composer r n r l \ r lie. i~rihucdwith a dccp semc oispirituality, but many of our contclrllie)r;tr> ones confi~scit wit11 sentimentality ;uid ~ssociatcit with a n ;tgc o f romantic chivalry which n o longer has a p1;ice in a world cxpl;~ined p ~ ~ r t . l in y mechanistic tcrminoloKY. Many contcmpor;lry composers will not toil and bcconie p-oficicnt in thcit. cr;lft. 'They would r;tthcr bc vague ;tnd \ilhjcctivc. ,tnd clo~tkthcni.;clvccs in ac~st1icti.cpurism so tlicrc is n o

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w.ly 10 communicate with thcm musically Thcy simply follow I I I C I I ~ ~ n ~ u l \ which es, is very good ds therapy for them per,,l 11r.1 l1 ; but unfortunately, they d o not go beyond t h ~ point t and 1 1 1 1 c.11J result is often chaos, not a well-ordered niu\ical work. h1.111yof our younger composers have lost the clu,ility of I I I I I I I I ~ I ~ ~ , d most important elcmcnt for scrving thc Musc. \ V ~ ~ I i o uhumility t there is no love o r charity, and dogmatism 1l..ll.tllY follows."

W I I AT IS THE PURPOSE OF MUSIC? '.nI~o~lI~l WC desire t o help reveal the actual inner nature of the 'new . I I I I I ~ Iand L . , its possible effects upon the listener, then there exists a \ , I - I y effective method of doing so. Let us recall our previous . I I I : I ~ofOthe ~ ~seed and its end result: that the real nature of the -.(.(.(I is only fully discovered when it has sprouted and flowered. \2/11;1tthen, we should ask, is the ultimate goal of today's radical U 4 ,l~~l>osers? W h a t manner of flower d o they envision for their seed? Wlr;i~is the purpose behind their endeavours? T o what d o they ~ \ j j i r c iD o they believe, as did J. S. Bach, that music is for the glory # , I G o d and the betterment of man? D o they believe, as did all the 111;ljorclassical composers, that their art should be consecrated t o the ..l>iritualuplifting of society? No. for such concepts cannot in fact be contained within the 111indwhich precludes the possibility of the vertical dimcnsion of ~ . c ; t l i twith ~ , its mystical implications. It is true that many, and rvcn most. twentieth-century composers 11;tve claimed to hold t o sorncs form of spiritual belief, and have es included supposedly rnystical elements within their ut these 'beliefs', likr C:;iSc's 'Zcn', have usually tcnded to Irc t ~ n ~ watered-down ~ ~ e , ;~ntl111ixcd-up;they have been, for the A' genuine religious and mor;tl ~ n o s tpart, a severe comprc I>ritlciples,and even, at timr! m. W e would usually be corrcct . . h composers, and realizing that 111 ~gnoringthe token word. 11it.y rcmain, for all their intcllcctual posturing, atheists itntl rc~iu~.rio~iists. Tow;~rds what goal, thcn. do they envision their art :is I>~.~II!: tlirectcd? Suggestions as to the purpose of music from even tlir I I I O - ~ I wcll-inrrntioned and humanitarian of materialists arc incv i~ . ~ l r yl found to be substantially wanting. Theorists with ;I I ~ i c ~ l o ~ : ~ i . l l I~ackground,for instance, have frequently statcd wit 11 I . I - I I I . I I Ilcand transient artistic standards was the only basis upon wliic I.):id for digestion; it is also dangerous while driving. Fi~rthel.,si11c.crock raises the blood pressure, it is bad for cases of prc-cxisril-lg hypertension. And since the heartbeat in rtnd emotions, these too become subject t o turn affects one'\ 111ooc1 the inflilcrlcc o I ~,oc,krhythms when thcy are heard, tension and inharmony of [h(. 111i11clbcing increased. Indeed, rhythm affects not only orlr bodics. niinds arid emotic,ns, but even our subconsc,ious. Mrho h.1:, not sudcJcnly rea.lizcd that his leg was movil ig to the beat of somc lx~ckgr( ) I ~ n dmusic: while t1hc conscious mitltlI was ent:irely directed clscwl~crci Thosc rhythms which are more harmonious ; ~ n dhealthy havc been found, dcpc-ntling on their tcmpos, to 1~ vcry effective stimulants or sed;~tivc.s,;tnd they are of course much Illore beneficial in the long run th;m ~ o x i caddictive , chemicals such :IS Valium. Julius Portnvy tells us : '

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music can definircly changc metabolism, affect rnuscular snergy, raise or lower blood prcrsllrc, and influence dipcstion. I t may be able tu d o all these things more successfully and pleasantly than any other stimulants that produce those changes in our bodies."

MUSIC, MAN AND SOCIETY

139

\I'lrcrl~c*rrhythm stirs us up or soothes us d o w n sc.c.111~ to dcpcnd r i lh o~w its frequency of beats relates t o t h ( . 111 )1.111;11 hcart1'111 ~ ~ . ~upon 1 1 r - . 1 [ 0 1 ' 6>-80beats per minute. A tempo at about the s,tnlc, p;~c'c its ~ l ~ normal r . heartbeat soothes us, as if our body think^^ 1 0 it\c.lf: '/\h, I ~ I . I I ' \ right, v ~ e ' r eboth together in unison.' I n fa(1, 1 1 v 1 1 1 1 1)11t yollr 1 1 . 1 1 r t l over your heart while listening t o such m~l.iic,y o i l will (ilid t 1 l . 1 1 rlic hcart tends quickly t o correct any discrep;~llc.yi 1 1 i t \ 1(.1111)0. .III(Icomes into rhythm with the music. K ~ I V I ~ IWIIIC.II I I I ih !:l1 t l l ( * a.la~wcrthan the heartbeat. however, builds suspens1 l 0 Ill(, I r c l r l y is getting ready for the music's sudden speed-1 11[)rm;11rate of the heart. ('Any moment n o w . . . ..-. , . I O I I I ( , I ~ ~ ~ i o w. . .'). At the other end of the scale, fast rhythms i,li.;t. tlrr Ilc.;rlt \C' Irc.;~trate, and therefore emotional excitement, right 111'. , ~ I I ) ' U IC.III ~ r this r ~for himself, as there's certainly nothing subtlc ; t .l ) r ) l i t. i t . COIIIII I ch;iir, I I I ~number of heartbeats over a minute of silent s I l ( * f:l51 111. if listening t o avcragcly paced music. Then swit illi1111t 171usicand, after a minute or two, count your heart1 .'l,i~;llll. Since fast rhythm releases into the bloodstream chcmic:~ls wl1icl1 c-ucite the organism, such music can literally be said to givc a 'kick'. When a young person is used to listening t o fast rock music ior ; I 1111niberof hours per day, such kicks literally become a form of .i~ldiction,and a sense of emptiness is experienced if for some reastn I I I ~music cannot be listened t o for a polonged period of time. Although no research has yet been conducted on the subject t o thc ,111thor's knowledge, it also socms likely that the heart-ratc of such I'cople is faster than that r,f othcr people even throughout the day, 1~1bilethty art not listenitZnl;~ll I I I I ) I I , . I c11111 off a box. Later, the children of each gr.ot~pwc.~,c.s1-c.n 1 0 I I I I I I . I I I . 1111. I j ; ~ r t i c ~ lactions ar they had been ahlc t o oI~.;c.r\~r..'"' 1

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These were children of the same age as those who, in millions of homes in Britain, each week watch Top of the Pops on television. Not having seen this programme for many years, I happened to switch on a television set recently - and witnessed what this programme and its music have become. Near-naked men and women danced sensuously in the midst of an occult which had been drawn on the floor. The men wore animal masks with antlers and horns. The music and its lyrics (as far as these could be discerned) were complementary in their lustfulness and violence. Onc almost wishes that one did not know of studies such as those of Bandura and Huston . . . In denying the fact that music and the behaviour of musicians tend to shape people's character and behaviour, the materialist musicians are by implication attempting to refute the entire body of carefully documented psychological research conducted and established over the last several dccades by hundrcds of responsible researchers. Not only music, but all forms of experience mould the way in which we think and bchavc. To t;~kc.the example of television, which in modern tinies has also c0111r I 0 llold a powerful sway over society: according to the N;ction;il Vic wcrs' and Listeners' Association of Grcat Britain, thcrc I l o w rais~ n o less than six hundred pieces of scientific study which h;~v strated that there is a link between televised and social violr Experiences aff'cct our charactrr throughour our rlvcs, but their influence is particularly strong during childhood ; i r l t l adolescence, when the personality is still taking shape and is niorc. rn;~lleable.Not for nothing is schooling conducted during thesc yr,lrs. Music too, then, can be expected to be particularly powcsfill in r llr nioulding of character during childhood and the teenage years. I

MUSIC AS AN ENCODER The strength of music's effect upon man can l>(. inferred from detailed studies conducted by psychologists into 111~-c'ffects of other environmental factors which influence man. Lanhql;~gcis one such environmental factor, and one particularly similar t o music in that it also involves sound, pitch and rhythm. Thcrr. ;lrc unmistakable indications that one's native language does mould cl~aracterand the way in which we perceive the world around us. Kcsearchers have discovcred that when a society does not possess ;I word for something, that something frequcntly becomes incapable of being conceived of or identified by them. Some African trihcs do not contain within their language the words for certain colours; hence they

8

149

.1111iot distinguish those colours even though their eyes nrc perfectly

1111l.rr1a1. On the other hand, some societirs, possrssing tcrrns not

lwrscnt in our own language, are thereby enablcd co distinguish that which we could not hope to. Since their snowy world iz :tlnlost r-~~tirely made up visually of white and light-grey, Eskimos possess tlozrns of names for dozens of minutely different shades nf grey to whitc. These shades all look about the same to us, even though OIII. rycs are as good as the Eskimos'. I n having a word for cach sliattr, 1111. Eskimos are able to specifically conceptualize, rcfcr t o , ~,t.rncmber,and hence perceive and recognize them. Elsewhere, tlic I Innu60 peoples have no problem whatsoever in distinguishing llrtween ninety-two varieties of rice, since they have names for each I 11' the ninety-two varieties." I)sychologists call the ability of a referential word to enhance I I I ; I ~ ' Sperceptual and conceptual abilities codabiltg. The words of a 1.111guage clarify and encode concepts and phenomena for our minds . I I I ~ memories. The process is very marked during childhood, the I I~ild'sintellectual abil.ities increasing in close accordance with his or I~cr mastery of language. It is as though words provide the \l>ccifically-shapedchalices into which our otherwise vague and fluid ~lloughtscan be poured. It seems highly likely that different W e s of mustc, tn giving to us rvrrious kinds of emotional experiences - romantic love, lust, religious /;rlings, patriotic fervour, rebellion, etc. - also encode such feelings and d)rir various hues. A style of music which we have never before Ilcxrd, and now hear for the first time, may open our minds t o an entirely novel feeling or way of looking at the world. A stirring. triotic tic song during wartime can encode, unify and intensify the ~lloughtsof an entire nation. And in combining words with music, I I I ; I I ~ concepts ~ can be encodcd ;IS ncver before. The word 'Lord' I I I . I ~ not move or mean anything t o thc non-religious person, but in 11c:lring it sung in paeons oF rising, fugal praise he can realize and It-rl its power and glory for thr first timc. Music has often encoded cntirc movements of human life whit l 1 wc.11. virtually non-existcnt rtntil the musical referent madfa i 1 5 .~lyw..~r.tnce. The Beatln' early singles began the creation of ;In canti1.c' t~~l~-c.ulture by encoding it in music. A few years later, tllr ;III)IIIII ,$:I I'rlrper did the same again. Ic 11 not possible that music, like language, gives os ;I I'I-:III~~.WI)I li r t i c.111t trional experiences and mental concepts whicl~I c1111 I 1 + o l ~ . ~ l i ( . IIOW wc. view the world? It is not only possihlc, 1>11r i t II.I*. 1 0 111r. .IW! A r ~ i l it may well be that music, likr 01 1 1 1 ~ 1 I)I.I, . I . I I I I I , I ~ U

I 10

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

t-xl)cricnccs,can affect us in exceedingly specific ways, moulding our way of thought in direct relation t o the specific elements of the music. In his book. Music, Its Secret Influence Throughout the Ages, Cyril Scott stated his belief that the music of each great composer of the past played a vital role in very specifically altering the minds and hearts of the people of the day, and thus paving the way for civilization as we know it today.' For example, Handel was born into a period during which morality and piety in England were at a low ebb. Yet the effects of Handel's music, and especially his devotional works, according to Scott inspired a reawakening of true religious feeling, while Handel's very formal style brought about the formalism, and even over-formalism, of the Victorian era. Scott cites two typical tributes to the awe and reverence which Handel's Messiah invokes. Thc first is from the Qudrterb Review, which runs :

MUSIC, MAN AND SOCIETY

~~l)\crve that he had a strong predilection fr~rthc repetition of u.inglc chords, for two or more bar phrases, and for sequences,- viz.: I IIC. rciteration of a phrase in a different position or on a diffcrcnt tlcgrce of the scale. Thus, apart from its emotional contcnt, I l;~ndel's music was pre-eminently formal in chnr;tctcr, consecl~tcntlyit was formal in effect. If, however, we conibinc its 1.111otionalqualities with its formalism, and to repetition ;ind ~nusicalimitativeness - for sequence is but imitativeness - add ,i:r:tndeur, the net result is the glorification of repetition and inlitativeness; and if we translate all this from the planc of music to that of human conduct, we get love of outward ceremony and .~~lhcrence to convention.

M USIC AS A COMMUNICATOR AND MULTIPLIER OF Y'I'ATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS philosophers - and even the occasional musician - havc .ltc.gorically denied that music contains any meaning whatsoever, ~lr.~.l;tring its sounds to be purely abstract. Yet the emotional content 01 n~iwicseems so obvious to most of us that we simply accept its c.xist.cnce a priori. There is surely no doubt that music actually t)~~vcys very real and sometimes vcry specific emotional statcs from 1111. musician or composer to thc listencr. For this reason, thinkers II,I\TC* from time t o time postulated that music is a form of language. \'(.I in fact music is both less, and more, than any language of words. Words are highly specific: it would be difficult to com11111r1icate in pure tone form that, 'Jack callcd: he will mect you at {:I.Tpm by the bridge on thc A47. Rring your report.' But on the rlrllcr hand, while words n1;1~bc specific on the mental level, they 11.11~1 to be little more than of information. Though some t.l~~otion is contained in all spokc~nwords, words nevertheless tend 11, l,(. mere symbols of reality; o n l y symbols, what is more, of real I I I I I V I . icelings. Music, howcvcr. conveys the very emotional essencc 111 ~c..tlit~ behind the information. 'Iic> listen t o Handcl's Messiah is t l t , r 10 &bate intellectually ;thou1 rcligion; it is to feel and bcconlt. 1 1 r l r . wit11 that surging inncr f1;tnlc of devotion. In this sensc, music i ~ ; 1 1 1 1 11-1. 1l1.1na language. It is thr language of languages. I t can h(. ...lit1 111:11 111' 311 the arts, there is none other that more faithfully cclllrrc.\l.t I 111. ~ I I I Istate ~ . I .of the artist; none other that more powrri;;llv Illllvr.i. .111tl 11.111gesthe consciousness. Y 1.1i t music can so move and transform thc inncr I'I.~.I~II!~~, . I I I L I I 11(I I I I I C I - I~c.l~:~viour of man, what exactly is it t h : ~( I~~ ~ I V I I I I I I I\ PI ~~ I . I I 1.110 I ;tny !:ivc.n piece of music has upon prcq~l~.i \2'11,11.1 1 1 1 1 1 , . I 1 1 1 . 1 1 \IBIIIC

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W e feel, on returning from 11c;lring the Messiah, as if we had shaken off some of our dirt .tnrl dross, as if the world were not so much with us; our hcarts ,trc clcvated, and yet subdued, as if the glow of some action, or the grace of some noble principle, had passed over us. WC arc conscious of having indulged in an enthusiasm which cannot lead us astray, of t a ~ t i n ga pleasure which is not of the forbidden tree, for it is the only one which is distinctly promised to be translated with us from earth to heaven. The second q ~ ~ o t ; ~ t iiso nfrom D r Gregory's biography of the Rev Robert HRU,;incl reads: M r Hall was present in TYestminster Abbey at Handel's commemoration. Thc King, George 111, and his family were there in attendance. A t onc part of the performancc of t11c Messiah (the Hallelujah chori~s)the King stood up, a sign:tl for the whole audience to rivc; IIC was shedding tears. Nothing, said Robert Hall, had cvcr ;~ffc.ctc.Jhim more strongly; it sccrncd like a great act of national asscni to the fundamental truths o f rcligion. Concerning Handel's style, Scott himself writes regarding what he sees as having been its subsequent effect upon Enslish society with the coming of the Victorian era: Those who have closely exntnined Handcl's technique will

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'II'HE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

. I I Iy.A, ~ ~ i h rhc origin of the emotional effects of music? Is i t 11ot the state of consciousness of the musician? Surely the Iowcsi common denominator which determines the precise nature of ;tny nii~sicalwork is the mental and emotional state of thc composer and/or performer. It Is the essence of thls stale which eizters into us,

rending to mould and shape our olov cotzscioz4stzess in10 conformig with itself: Through music, portions of the consciousness of the musician become assimilated by the audience. T o spcll it out so bluntly is almost too shocking. Yet if W C accept that music does fulfil such a function, transferring elements of the consciousness of the musician into the listener. then the moral implications for the use and misuse of the tonal arts can no longer bc dcnied. W e have secn that thinkers down through the agcs have warned of thc social dangers attached t o the misuse of tonal art. But there is also the positive sidc. W h e n used correctly, music is perhaps unequalled in its power t o instil in man the 17c;tuty of true morality and those higher, inspired purposes fc)r wliicl1 o i ~ rli\ics are intended. Thomas Fielden, thc n1usici;~n;lntl wrircr, 1'(.1t tllis most strongly. H e askcd : Which is t o bc r~scfcr~~c.cl? 'I'll(, ii11!:o , 1 1 1 t l I I I C \ l ~ o i ~ t i n geasily , . . excited Philisti oltl ~II,II .; and thinks is rious, humble the criterion fr student, sittin? ;ic.l~ieveskill, perhaps himsctlf t o l)ccornc a ma,stcr, ancl i l l . I I I ~ c.;~sct o have a be reached dwelling on I-';~rrlassus,whose lowcst slopes C.,IIII.IOI without cl'fi)rt i W h o shall deny that character is c~~!;cmdcred,that exa1t;ition ;ind triumph, as well as the tenclcr rl~in!:\ of the spirit, . has can rc;~chgreater heights, through this a r t 01 I I I I I S ~ Cwhich always inspired nicn to achievcmenr, ancl L . ~ ~ . ~ , ~ ~ g thcir rl~cned minds t o finc and noble thinking?30

MOTIVES FOR MUSIC For argument's s;tkc we have tendcd t o assumr 111116, I-;lr in this book that hedonistic ;irtists p r f o r m their anarchistic n1115icbecause they d o not believe that music influences people. Ant1 yrt the morc one looks into the subject, tllc morc it is discovered ~ I I . I Ieven the perform e n of violent contcn1por;Lry music do believe I l l ; c t their music has an effcct o n their listeners. That is, they d o not perform such music out of the belief that it is harniless, but out of .I deliberate desirc which in former days w n ~ l l donly have been called evil. T h e fact is that all types of musicians, good and bad, tend t o be

MUSIC. M A N ,

;iwareof the comrn~~ni~.;crivc 1 I I )II;II ,111. ' I ' l ~ r o u ~this h ~ r ~ ~ r ~ ~ u n i cpowcr, a t i v e thc cn~ori o ~ l . i l.,I.II 1 01 I , I I ~ *,111 i51 (.;(l1 Ilc transill i ~ r . i t ~ ; I I oI f~ all Ir.l.rrcl 10 a hundred, or even t o [ c a l l 1 1 1 i 1 l i o 1 1 ,I ! : I . I ~ I . ~ Shave thereby seldom I-)c.c~i ignor:~n~ /;IS[ l c.nl~;cnc.ccl . ~ l ~ i lto i t direct ~ the minds ;inJ ; I I ~ , I ~01I , ;iyx ;Ire divided into hours and minutes. The time of day, date, nionlll ;incl year of many historical events are exactly recorded. T h r lu1t11~. et;iys and weeks of our lives are often well planned out i t 1 .lclv;~ncr.\VC are strongly Moreover, aware of each day's progression frolir t ~ ~ o t . l ~10i n 11i~ht. ~: w e tend t o live with the feeling t l l ; ~O~I I I I i v n ,II.(-taking us some;I p a l . where; with thc sense of progress o v c . ~I i111r~ow;~l-cls All this is not necessarily tlic c.;lscbi l l 111~.I I I I I \ I ( . .IIICI t11c intellectual ~ L 1 1 0 11ot write their framework of other cultures. n ; l l i ~ ~ rI *I IsI ~I ~ ~i;1115 I O ;t rc-pertoire of music down, and therefore ( l t r I I O I I l j : ~ t l l y .~cIllc.r*c. C (t11ough within inviolable classics. Rr~thcr,1111-irIov(. r c V I I I I ~ I I,viw certain definite rulcs). Building upon this, ( ~ : l ~ ~ . i \ l o ~Stll;lll ~ l ~ l '1~1 ..1 ~ ~I car c'nrly 111;idea very of Rali: that interesting obscrvatioll ; I ~ I O I I I 1111.1 1 1 1 1 \ i c . I I I ~ I 111r. ~lc.oj~I(. ; I \ W C ;ll.cn ~ , \ r c ~ r w l l l . l ~ ~in ~ ithe ~~gly the musicians ;ire not e,ot~c.c.l-nc'cl, West, with thr ii1r;tl ol' Iiro~:rr~\. since- t l ~ c - i l . V V I - y a)ll~.cl>t of time itself is not l i t i c . ; ~ ~11111 . (,i~.e.~~l;lr. Morrover, ;11ii11 1 1 0 * ~ 1, I I I ~ , ~ I . I ; I I ~ ~ : This rirc111;11 i t y 01 I ~ I I I Cis rcvc;~lednot only 111 rllr 11111sic but also in many ol-rht. ri111;tl>;uid social customs of I?,;lI; .. . Thc c;~lcncl;lr-.;irlrilarly reflects the circul;~riry 01 111cBalinese but . , the scnsc of time. I t rncasures, not the elapsinl: oI I ~ I I I C char;lctcristics OS r l ~ cvarious parts of time cyclc~~:'! Such sin1il;tririca 1)c.l wibcn music patterns ancl 1i1c Ixttterns are unlikely t o bc wholly duc to the nature of thc C - I I I I I I ~ C ' in general the other to dictating the pattel,ns 01' its music. Each must infl~~c.r~c(, some degree. O n t l ~ conc hand, it would be u n r c ; t I ~ ~to ~ i csuppose that civilization, as ; I I I environmental factor (;ttiil itlcluding that civilization's already-cxisting music), does not h;tvc. an influence upon the course of thc music of the present morncnl. as this music comes forth. Yet civilization, in influencing music, is itselfaffected by music. W h a t w e have here is a classic chicken-or-egg situation (which came first?). I n encoding this o r that world-view, music must t o some cxtent be merely reacting t o the culture it already finds

16 1

ilsclf within. But having conccclcd lliis point, it niust ;ilso be .~l'firmedthat, as Cyril Scott indic-;itrcl. ;i sluily .ol' Iiistory clearly I-c.vcals that changes in nitaic. h;tvc 1c11tlct1to I~rc-c~cilc outer, 'I~istorical' events. I n other words, n~usic.tloc:s ; ~ l s osyt~~l~olic;illy I-licode lifestyles a n d ideologies whic,l~c10 rot yrl cxisl in 1 1 1 ~olttcr lil'c, but which come t o exist due prc.cisc.l I ( : I 11;:; 1.1 ivc. c l l ~ : l l i ty o f r l ~ art. c is One of the few modern writcrs wlio i l o ( ~1101 (Irl~ytl1;11 11111sic. i Ior I I I V 41;11>itig -15 important for the shaping of Socicty ;IS 1 ) I ,I ~ , c - t , ( - ~l),~ )OIL t of music is John Shepherd, o n e o f t h c fotu I+;VL Sl1rl~I~(.rcl y of M IISI c,nlitled Whose Music?A Sociolog rpn'

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Music is .. a n open mode that, through its C'SSUII i i ~ l *,I l ~I 11t.111r.11 01 nature is singularly suited to reveal the dynamic slrr~c.tt~rir~,t: social life, a structuring of which the 'material' LII~IIIS o ~ l l yOII(. ~,;III aspect. Music is consummatory ... because social ti~c~;~ninp, arise and only continue t o exist through symbolic cotittiit~nic;~lio~~ originating in consciousness - communication of wliie.li t1111~;it forms a part.G3 111 the same way that the time-sense of the Balinese seems to 1l;rvr I w n patterned after the time-structure of their music, John Shephcnl points to the spatial, temporal and structural similarities between tlic Western music of different historical periods and the societies of tliose same periods. Certainly it is true that in medieval plainchant the individual was submerged in the overall structure of the music. cvcn as medieval man tended to lack individuality within thc -.rl.ucture of society. Today, individual expression in music is l~;tr;~llrled by individual expression in life. Are notational and tonal systems also associated with thc *,I I 11' I lire of society? Shephcrd suggcsts that this is the case, and that 1 1 V l l . ~ l i l encodes the industrial world-view. H e writes that:

;trchitectonicism of tlic ronal structure articulates thc wclrlJ of industrial man, I'or it is a structure having one crnlr;~l vic.wp)int (that of the kcy-note) that is the focus o f ;I sin!:lr., 1111ilic.d sound-sense i n t ~ o l v i na ~high degree of d i ~ t a n r i n ~ 11 : . is, I I I c )r 11c.1words, a centre-oriented structure with margins . I I is, nioreover, a dialectic correlate of thr s1>;lti ; l l i \ r . l l I I I I I ( . I ~ * Iit.lll;~t~dby tonality that industrial man, i l l Iwc O I I I I I I , ~ : ~l~c.rc-;~singly objective and self-conscious, is ;11)1c I ( I *.I .111tI 1 1 . 1 ~ 1i ~llr.

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objectify the passage of time .. B y bringing the corporeal Ix~lscof music into such contitmal high relief - and thereby altering and negating its original 'timeless' and hypnotic characteristics - the rhythmic structure of tonality helps to maintain industrial man's intense and constant awareness both of the passage of time, and of his own c o n s ~ i o u s n c s s . ~ ~ .tlitl

Shepherd therefore emerges as one of the few modern thinkers to suggest in print a n at least partially cre:trivc. role for music. Elsewhere in even the same book, howrvcr, thia possibility, with its vast implications, is generally avoided. Virclcn iind Wishart, for example, interpret Shepherd's line of rr:tsoning ;[S hcing merely that (and I have placed their key choice of wcrl~l\in italics), 'medieval ; 'tonality music articulated an idealisation o f it.; s o c i : . ~ ~ 'that, expressed musically the nationaliscd ;tncl c.cntr;tliscd hierarchy that was actually emerging througliotlt c ~ c o ~ ~ c r ~~)olitical ~ r i c , and cultural life'; and that, 'the transforlnation;~lgc-11c.r;ilivc. r~llcsfor tonality were thus established as a miisic;~lr ~ n . o ) ~ t p , r r r r r )t~or tl~l ~~ emergence c of a new general sense and organis;~ticrn(11 1111.I I I I I I ~ ; I ~world.'62 W h a t can be seen herc is rhc opposition i l l I > c . c ~ l j l r " \ owl1 lllinds t o the realization of just how powcrfi~l ;111cI I I I I ~ ) I I I ~ , I I ~111usic I is. The association between structures in niusic. . r ~ l c I , S I ~ I I ~ . I I I ~in~ ' Ssociety would seem to be undeniable, but whcn i t L 4 ) I I I I ~ . S 1 1 1 111cpersonal intetpretation of this fact. the tendency is to II(.~.I)IIII. ; I I 11:;tst rather vague, if not completely reductionistic. Yet while it may not be difficult for the arnlc.11.1ir.~~llilosopher to discount the independent, creative role of music- 111 .~l'l(.c.ti~ig society, it can prove impossible for the practical philosopl~r.~. ' i l l 111cfield' to d o so. And, even more amusingly, when an ; I I . I I11.1ir I ~ philosopher becomes suddenly confronted with the real worlcl, 111.is often compelled t o alter his outlook. A good examplc of' wl1.1111;tppenswhen the materialist philosophy of music comes up .~!!.~instreality is afforded by the story of music under thc rr,qililr of the Soviet dictatorship. According to strict dialectical m;lli.l.i.tlisln, man does not shape civilization, but civilization shapes ni:ln, In the words of Marx, 'it is not the consciousness of men th;tt tlcrcrmines their cxistence but, on the contrary, their social existtnc,~tlctermines their consciousness'. W o r d s which R. F. Skinner wo~rltl11:tvcbeen proud of. As such a materialist vicwpoint has it, then, men are merely biological machines which arc programmed by tl~cirenvironment. Music, as a creation of the consciousness of individuals, should therefore exactly reflect the structure of socicty, cxcept in sym-

MUSIC, MAN AND SOCIETY

bolized form. This was an in1port;inl notion to the Communist dictators who emerged as victors of' the Octohcr Revolution. Their concern was t o keep the masses in ordrr, ancl to prcvcnt a n y i o r ~ no f c,ounter-uprising.Thus, as one ;lsprcr o f t h i ~conrrrn it was nc-ccssary for them to formulate a definite I-mlicy tow;~r,cl\11ic ;t~.ts,in 01.c1t.1.to rnsure that the arts did not b e c o ~ ~;I~IcI1rc;11 ' I I ) I 1lr.ir r11li~r:;lii1>. /\c.~.c IF ding to dialectical materinlism, Ilowrvl.r, . I ~ Isl~o~rltl fc,lli~rupoli~ic;tlcconornic events, and therrfi~rc co111t1 111. Iidr Ii,rv I 11 I,c,lir ic';~l l to 171. interference. N o influence 8Ii1 i(,;tIpossible, since art (from economic events (society) . i t .111(1 die other arts, the Soviet dictators bclicvr~!t l l ; ~ t 1111 t l i l i W lI i ~ ~ ~ i ' t v r ~ t tion was necessary; that their political and ccc~rir,111it r l l t r v r n - , wl I I I I I I be sufficient. Initially, therefore, a liberal view tc rw;~l.ici , r ~ ~W;IS s ;ibsorbed into the conservative, ideological Russi, F Proletarian Musicians. In the following yc.:rrs, .S were kept fairly much in place by virtilc o f r h ~ . I of anything remotely progressive. As c;11,1~ ; I \ I ' ) . l r ) , 1 1 1 i . I \ I I ~ ~ , I ; I I /\ssociation I of I ) y I I i v l l lion of Soviet Proletarian Composers w:ls itscll- rc-l~l;~c-r.tl Composers, an official organ o f t l l ( . ! : O V ~ . I . I I I I I ( . I I I ' In its basic essentials, the story 01' lItr Sovlr.~cllc.or~ncc~r with the I I ~ T I , ' that, power of music is simply that ol' rlic C ~ I I I I I I I I clis~.ovcry I ~ I)OSSCSS the despite all of their reductionist thcorizi~lion.I I ~ I T ~clor.5 ~ I I I I 1 &,I )c.icty, thus power to introduce novel modes of conscio~~s~~r.\., changing the society. T h e only way of prrvc.rlllll!: Illis was t o suppress thc novel music itself. It is also important to note that somc forni\ 01 I I I I I . , ~ ~ , ,such as classical, are cfficicnt in the preservation o f (111 I O I III., 01. modern )ly society, whether Capitalist or Communist. ,11111 ~ ~ l - ~ l , . r leven . I Imusical ~)I whether good or evil. Conversely, anarchistic ancl ~ I ~ ~ . Iivc I ', ot moclern forms, like plagues o r famines, are destructive to irlrv L ~ 111 society. This means that certain typcs of music. w111l1. I )ring the last thing a politician would want t o see let loose wit11i11 1 ) wn nati(on, cllc Cdlllp of are exactly what he would want t o sec at large wirl~in.I-.. the 'enemy'. But ir I order to use music as a wcapo~r~ J this I way, it is obviously essential for the politician t o realize . ~ n ( lI>clieve in the l P . power of music in .rnc rlrst place. This, Western 1v;lclr.r~havc rarely donc. However, their hard lesson regarding thc ~iolilical and social power of the art was never forgotten by the Sovic~Communists. In more recent times the Soviet and other Cornmunisi regimes of the world have kept, or attempted t o keep, a tight rein upon the importation of rock music into their o w n countries. Yet there exists I

I . ~ h . s i ( . , r l

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cvidence that the political (l(f1-wing) II;I~III.C oi 1 1 1 ~W c s r c ' r ~rock ~ . .. .. . . industry has been signif'ic;i~~r ly cl I,:I( II('I'SIVCS from the 1 9 j 0 s onwards."' Evt.11 III~II!~, 11 c t , I I1;1r, since the 1 9 4 0 s , the Sovic*l\ II;I L ' ( ' ;l1 1 1 1 . 1 I l y 1 1 1 1 I I ( X , I C ; I S ;I 'l'. . 1 1 ~ ~ I I , II I,.rvicI I ~ \ .A . means of upsetting thc tii(-n~,ll ~ I ; I ~ ) I I I I O I \.Yr.q3~c.l.l~ Noebel has documcntcd i l l t i t , l ; ~ i l III(. ; I I I I . I I I J ) I ~ . 0 1 Sovir'l rc.l;l~c*cl radicals t o set up record comp;r~iic.si l l 1111.M'r-s.~I I P I I I)(.l ) ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I ! : : ~ ~ i o ~ ~ 1'111 1 1 1 1 1 t l i ~ ( . r 1 . .I,; wrI1 .lL, of hypnotic and harmful rni~sic:rl rt.r,l)l.cli~~!y. for the releasing of left-wing ;rntl ; I I I I: I~ ~ ~~ ~ I (I, ( I lcrty. TIICvital rolc of the I'l-cc,rnasons in the entire story of tlir 1trvol11 tio11 c,;cnnot be overtstin~.~~c.cl. George Washington, his ( : l i ; r - f r . 1 1 1 S ~ a i f ,lllc grcat majority 01' the signatories of the Dci.l.~r.;~l 11 111 I $ 1 Indrp rndence. and almo51 ;rll the early prominent ~ ~ S I I I. +I I I(, .~ > II!: I llr. coloni es were Freema5ons. So too, amusingly cnc )r~!:li, rtlrhl.r r 111. 'Indi:igl> ~ r s k ~ u n s i bfor l e the Boston Tea Party. The. M . I ~ . I I II II I. >1.1,. I . t cntirc CaLl5c ,1111d core of the Kcvnluticrn. lay ; ~ thc 'The p ~ ~ h l i cion ; ~ tof pa triotic freedom songs w:~.,O I I ( < ( 1 1 I 111.I I I . II I ~ I

'I'l I [I SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

I, '

I 111 111. w l ~11i the ~ Masons rallied and awoke a people t o their I x r I I I v hI ,111s()I' the political leaders of the emerging nation. such I., I I . ~ I II t'('ti i l l ( OI.I.(V I .

I l i ~ l ; t ~ i(o$ 1~ ~11-1. \ quencies. In a variety of ways there exist indisputable simi1nritic.s I)(.I w ~ . ( * I I Hinduism and Christianity, and one of these sirnilaritics lic.5 i l l III(. concept of the O M , for one can hardly avoid the conclusion th:~tI I I ~ . OM and the W o r d of Christianity are onc and the same (horror 01 horrors though this may be t o the Christian fundamentalist!). I r : ~ t . l l ;ire associated with the Creation, and each with the Second Prrson of the Trinity (Vishnu in Hinduism, and the Son in Christianity). 'To speak of 'the W o r d ' is to rcfer indirectly t o a phenomenon; whereas the OM is that phmomcnon. OM is the W o r d . The Vedas place great emphasis upon audible sound, for sound is said to be a manifestation o f the Cosmic Sound itself. The Vedic language of Sanskrit diffcrcnti;itcs bctween audible sound and Cosmic Sound, calling thc Sorrncr nbata and the latter andhafa. .4 hata, audible sound, can h r Ilc;~rdby everybody by means of thc c;iI.\, W]lereas andhata cannor. Flowcver, a?zahata can be heard - 111. c q ~ t.~ ~ r t ~ ~-cby e d the advancctl yogi sitting deep in contemplatinn.* iuL,lllrrnLed tonc. The Sanskrit words for thc I wrl \rl,ll 1 4 11 li!:l~t ;{r1'1 .S[!rZRI f o r tonr -- indicate in root syllnhlrc Itow ~ . I I I I I ~ . I 111 I a wcre o~tlcc known r o I>(-. 'I'lrc- . I ~ I ~ I I I I ~ I I I . I I I I , I I I I ~ Ct:hc two ~limomcn (,

.

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THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

I I?

thc end of svara, the word for tone, indicates that tones are particularized light. Music holds a position of vital importance within the Hindu cosmo-conception. Since it consists of audible sound, or ahata, it is viewed as being a manifestation of anahata, which is to say, of the OM. Therefore. music, like all audible sound, contains some of the very power, energy and consciousness of thc Word of God. T o the ancient Hindu, as to the Chinese, audiblc sound was thought capable not only of influencing the mind ; ~ n dcmotions of man, but literally of shaping and changing physical cvcnts taking place within the world. Sound accomplished this by gr;ccIually altering the nonphysical vibratory patterns which lay xi thc roor of all objects. Of all the forms of audible sound, tliosc. c,rc*;itcdby man were deemed to cxert the most powcrfi~lc.l'fCcr,Ior ~ h csounds of man the use of the voice and the pl;iying 01. I I I I I S ;II~ ~ instruments - were a very specific and intelligently cont rollrtl I . ( . ~ I .I :)SI ~ vibration. Hence they were capable of resulting i l l c l ( . I i ~ l i ~ ,c I~ I I ~ \~)ccific ~ changes in consciousness and in the physic:~lcvcwl.; of 1111' world. Shiva is said to have exclaimed, pointing out INIW II~.;I I O sc*rvc.him: 'I like better the music of instruments and voict-s t l r : ~ ~I i lil;I\,(. c olllpelling power over the Gods themselves. The instrunitnr I I I , I I conveys that power is the word.''

l

It is said that a singing girl, by singing so perfcrtly a certain raga, avertcd a famine in Bcngdl by causing the cloutls to shed their moisture upon the crrsps hclow.16 Another tr;icii~ionrefers to the fearsome, magical effects of the Dlpaka ragd, which was said to destroy by fire all who tried to sing it. According to the story, the

173

MUSIC IN INDIA

1~1111xror Akbar ordered a fr~~iious n~usic.i;~~i, N;tik C;opaul,

to

sing

I I I ( - rdgn. Akbar's motive in d o i ~ ~s go w ; ~ st o 1)rovc. I>c.yo~lddoi~ht I II;II the raga really did posscss suc.11;r ~ ) o w t * ;oj);1111 ~. 11.ic.J 10 vxcrac I~llllself,but Akbar insisted th;it C;ol>;ir~l01 '1'111. 5i11j:r1.1.11md")r~Ilc.gged permission to return home ;incl I i ~ l':~rc.wc-ll l 1 1 I I l i \ I ; I I I I ~ ~ :illcl 1 1 ic-nds. The request was gr;~ntcd;111cIrll) I I I I I I I I . ,11111 11.11 li I : I ~ < ~ I I ~ : ;opaul six months. When he rcturnctl i~ w;~r,W in1 1.1.. y1.1 cl~-sl>i~r 11ic. 1 1 1 l t l and before singing, Gop;tul pl:tc.rcl I l i l l ~ \ ~ . l iI l l 1111. \ ~ I I I I I I . I riv(*~-, I I I V waters reaching up as high ;is I~isnr.c.k. ( ; I , ~ Y ; I II IIO I~ M' ~+ ,w;I*.I ~ I . I I 111ccoldness of the river would 1)roirt.l I I ~ I I I - yc-I 1111 - a ~ ~ o t ~11.10 c n ~ Ilr , ..ling a few notes than the rivcr grcw hot. (;o~>:IIII ( I , I I I I I I I I ~ ' I ~1 1 1 .;~ri!:, . ~ n dthe river began to boil. At this point I I I C . si11~:r.l.111 . I J : I I I I ~ , 11c.ggedto be excused, but Akbar would 1 1 ~ ~ 1 1I . I O I I ( ~ of i~ 'I'III'I(.IIII.I' N;tik GoPaul resumed the song, upon which viol(-111I ~ . I I I I ~ - . I)IIIL.I Iorih from his form, consuming him to as he^!^' (

'I'HE MYSTICAL BASIS OF MUSIC AND SPEECl-I 'I'llc idea at work throughout the Vedic mysticism o f s o ~ ~i..~ 1 ~ I I . ~t I l ~llusicand the human voice provide a vehicle for thc 111:111il>hl ; I I i l , I I o f the energies of Cosmic Sound. According to the souncis protl~~r.c.il, *;I) will the effect be. Each instrument, possessing its own unit111c I imbre, therefore releases a different form of sound-forcc. l i t 11 c.xample, the three classes of instrument - string, wind and yrrc 11,. rion - are associated with the Trinity: Brahma, Vishnu and S1iiv.c. 'I'l~rpersonages of this Trinity actually represent all manner of t r i u ~ ~ c ;lspects of Nature which are manifested throughout the universe. At ~ h c i rmost fundamental level, the Trinity represent three primary ,I~ n d sacr,ed forms of cosmic energy, and it is these energies which arc I',cleased into the world by means 01' music. Acco rding t o Occidental t.sot-c-ric traditions, the Trinity arc present in music in the form of' 'Il;~rmony , melody and rhythm ~ 'I'liough Indian music has virtu:~ll!/ rio h a rnony, there are sirnil;~~. rsl'~rcnceswithin ancient 1ndi:111Io r e t o tlhe role of melody and &I. :L :rl1y111111. Western esotericism it mac l r IS the Father-God asprct 01. tllc 'Trinity which relatcs 1 0 harmony; yet not so mucl1 t o I ~ a s ~ ~ i oitself n y as to interval.; of' pitch differences bctwecn the cliff;. rent Ilotcs of the scale. In other words, the Father aspect rcl:ll I 1 ) what 11 called thc 'vertical' axis of music, sintr pi1111 ~Iiffercn )t in thenisc.lves take place over t-inir ;it ;III. I ~ I I I , I l y ~ l ~ c ~ i ~ s c l~vcc~s ,~ labstrxct din and unmanifested. In this sc.n\c., I\I-.IIII)I.I 01' the tl indu Trinity c;trl indeed b e said t o be prrcc~itin ,111 I I I I P . I ~ . S l ~ i v ;o~r ,~ h Holy t Spirit, rcpresent S the presrncc of ( ;I 111 I I I . I I I I ~ ~ . \1.11 I .L

'I'lil:, SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

MUSIC IN INDIA

~ ~ l . ~ r t . world. r i , ~ l In music, Shiva is that which gives music tithin the known world of time and space, for Shiva relates m, the movement of music over time. O f these two, 13rahma {;I, is born Vishnu the Son, even as melody is born of the Ir~t>~cn.rtonnl Cross between rhythms, or 'horizontal' movement over ~ilrlc,and harmony, or the 'vertical' difference in pitch. Indian writers havc always stressed that primacy in music I)clongs to the voicc. The voice is thought to be a more potent medium for the expression of cosmic forces than are inanimate instruments. Esoterically, the voice is associated with the MotherG o d , thus adding a fourth member to the Trinity of string, wind and percussion instruments. There are t w o reasons for this more potent power of the voice. Firstly, n o other instrument can express s o perfectly all the delicate subtleties of spiritual feeling that the musician seeks to give forth t o othrrs as sound, because only the voicc has a direct bodily connrction wich the intellect itself. Secondly, the voice of man is particul:lrly intiniatcly associated with II the O M , the voice of G o d . -H- ~ I I ~ I ; I slwcch is ;t lesser, stepped-down aspect of the OM itsclf, si tlce nI;lri is ;I Son o f , ;tnd a part of, G o d Himself. Therefore, throul:h tlic trsc of 11;s v I IC.;IIcord s in speech or . . . :.I- P . in singing, man is thought ,-.I L O 11t. .r co-~.rc.:~tor W I ~ I ~ I o dAccording . to the symbolic writings of the Aifdr~yrrI lp;~nishncl,the Creation involvcd the formation of a cosmic 'rno~~tll','I:rom the mouth proceeded speech, from speech Agni. firr.' Wirl~ilirhc lesser world of time and space, this same crcative Holy S l ~ i r iIrrrccb ~ or fire, Agni, is said to proceed from the throat of mortal nl;ll). (;roups of sadhus roam the land of India o r congregate at rcligio~~s irstivals, chanting bhajans ;tnd yogic mantras for many hours prr it ;I y , ctvcry day o f thc year; an d this for the dual purpose of eIevatin!: them srlves in consciousne: is and maintaining the equilibrium oi t l ~ rsociety. For thousands of years there has never been an in\l;ln~of time when many thousands of holy men were not chxntin/: Sanskrit verses within the Indian subcontinent, that evil OI. tliwster might not prevail on earth. A similar function is attributed t o thc in~oning, over the millennia, of the ancicnt Vedas. T h e Vedas, which are the basic scriptures of Hinduism, are also revered by thc ;]clherents of other religioris.such as Buddhism and Jainism, and ;trc. among the oldest religious texts in the world. A point often nlissed by Western readers of the Vedss is that these texts never were primarily intended only t o be read and quietly studied, but were sacred hymns which were intoned and sung. The Upanishads, which form a

1 ~ ) r ~ i of o n the Vedas, and which sol(! i l l 13:1~1t.rl),tc.k 1;)rrn in the ~ I i ; ~ l o g t ~ ~ : )rigs West. are not p1 : their function 1 1 ) c011 I-,ICI. a1 wisdom, but lit( I wist111111 ;~ncl S . I ~L C U energy. Energy was a~w;[y\cc~rl..~t~t.~-t.tl I I I I>(. r - r ~ c - . t \ r - c ~wltc.11 1 1 1 ~ . magical Sanskrit forrnul:~~ wrrc. vot.~l~;.r.tl. 'I'lii\ I - 1 l ~ 1 . Ij ;I ~I I ~ I ~ c I ~ e-d not only thcorctic;llly, I>LII ; t l \ o 1 t 1 . 1 c I I I , 1 1 1 ~ to C I < * * I { C 1111. \piritual states of mind and o f l i t . wliicl~I I I V wrr111..1 1 1 . a . t 11lrrcl

I ) I a11

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MUSIC AND SPIRITUAlITY I>ue to the danger of music k i n g niistl\~-clI ) y I I I V 111 I , : I I ~ 11 1 1 1 1 . I I I C-l;tssical Indian music great stress .III(I \piritual stature of the musician. I n ,111 11 .l11 Indian nlusician o r dancer, the stt c.\rablished artist. Invariably the teacher, after thc m,lny yc..~~.. a r I III., own training and association with the music, h;ts ilcvt~lol)c.,l. I l i v r , ~ ~ scnse of spiritual awareness and responsibility. The tc;~c.l~c.~. I I1r.1 (.I111 1. 1)ecomes both a music teacher and a guru to the stilclr.nr. I t I-. 1 1 1 1 1 *,idered inconceivable for the student t o attempt t o seriously IN'I I I I I , I I I c~lassical Indian music o r dance before a solid rgroundin!: i l l 1111% xncient religious texts and their teachings upon the rnystic;~l;Irlwc 1,. OS music have been mastered. From the outset, the training i., 1)11111 ~lli~sical and spiritual. As early as the third or fourth century BC, the author 01' rllc Kar~zayamastated that a singer should eat sweet fruit and roots in slnall quantities, that he should accept n o money o r other rernuncralion for his art, and that hc shnuld ;tlways sing exactly as taught without any attempts to impmvc o r change the master's composilion with flourishes and thc likc. S t ~ c hstandards are not always Ii~llowed today, yet still the most ;tccomplished arc ;tlways extremely religious inclivi~l~~;~ls. In the past, however, 1ndi;~n 111usicianswere not only g r c ;t~ 13crli)rmcrs, but also advanced yogis. Wlr;~ttheir music must havc sot~ndedlike, fusing so perfectly t h r :rrt oi lone with the peak of sislf-control and the heights of rnystic.,~l .I w;trc.ncss, w e can today o r l l v hegin to imagine. Writing o f rllc.,,r. !:rc:~t fiKilres of the past, Rxvi Sllankar states that they had c t r n ~ ~ ) l ( . l ~ . (-ontr~rl over their bodies: 8

( , I

kncw all the secrets of Tantra, hatha yot(n. . ~ t ~ tc ll i t II'I I . I I I ..c ,,l ..--..l* r r c c u n power, and they were pure, n.;r.c.~ic .111t1 1 1 1 1 1 1 y 1'1i*rirl11 as hccn the wonderfui tradition 111 I I I I I I I I I I ' S I ~ . t t i ~ lc\ , though such miracles may nor Itr 17r.1 I O I 111r # l , o r l c I s r l l l n

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'1'1 I E SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

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I

,111

sbr.~- I

11,- inlnlense impact on the listener and, as many put it,

l ~ ' r\ j ) i ~ . i t ~ l ; ~experience7 I the

listener feels.68

h l ~ ~ \ i;tssists c the Indian devotee to direct his emotions upward in Ior the Supreme, to still the rebellious mind and bring it to a 1xli11r of concentration. Music even aids, it is believed, in the raising i 11 the 'vibration' or spiritual frequency of the body itself, beginning thr process of the transformation of matter into spirit, and conseqirently returning matter to its original state. Thus, as all is O M , the OM as music calls to the OM as manifested in the soul of man, to draw it back t o the Source of the OM itself. lllvc

NAME AND FORM I

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The moulding power of sound is attributed not only to music, but also to the spoken word. According to the Hindu cosmology, the name of a thing is actually a vital key to understanding its inner nature. The name of anything is its key-note sound-pattern, the expression in audible sound of the higher vibratory patterns which have created the form itself. This is conil~lctclydistinct from the Occidental conception of name, which is tllought to act merely as a label, much like a reference numbcr. To tllc studivd Hindu, a name is not an arbitrary reference numbcr, I.YIII tllr ,rc~.u;tlmathematical formula of ratio and vibration upon which t c,rr;rrion and sustainment of the form or living being is bascd. 'Tllrrr c,;un only be one correct name for any person or object, for any otllc'~'11;ime would be an incorrect formula. T o change one's n;rnir is to change one's personality.$ This is the understanding upon whicl~rhc language of Sanskrit is based, in which all phenomena arc n:~liirJaccording to their root-formulas. The language is derived froni ;L long-forgotten, unknown source of great occult wisdom. Sanskrit 11;tsalways been considered to be a holy language, because its snuntls are such a pure expression of God, the Geometry of Divinity. li;lch letter and syllable of the language is mathematically and mystically precise. T o alter the language is absolutely forbidden. The seed sound of any object, phenomenon or condition is known as its bijrI rnantra. By knowing this srrcl sound, a yogi believes he can achieve ;I state of absolute knowledge of the thing itself. Likewise, by a certain use of the mantra, thr thing itself can br destroyed or changed - or created if it does not yet exist. O n the subject of bija mantras. the American religious leader, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, has stated:

MUSIC IN INDIA

177

Over thousands of years, ancicnt tr;tclitic~n11;rsbrought forth the I~ijasounds of many of the nlost cx;~ltc.clIx*~ngs,its wcll as thc elements of earth. air, watcr and fire. I3y pi.rlorn~ir~g j;~l>;r, or repetition, with a bija m;~nls;~, wc-. r,rr:itc .I I ~ ; ~ l t l ~ oI,c.son;incc r~ic with the being or elcmcnt wl~o\c.st.min;~l~.o1111(1 111.11 1)ij;r mantra. In a linguistic sensc, bij;ts 11;1vcno IIII..III,II,; i l l ;1nc1of t 1 1 ~ 1 1 1 selves. But mantra yogis lillly r r a l i ~ c111.1t 111i- S.iltti. or ) ) t l t r . l l l force of the Divinc Hcing, is I ~ ; I ~ S I I I I I I I -1I1~) t l ~ rO I I ~ w110 is. chanting the mantra. The bija sound for the earth clrmc~nr i,. I ,/\M ( I ~ I I I'1'111. ) IBI~.I sound for water is VAM. Thc bijn qotlntl IOI. . i i ~ I., Y A M . I * i r ( - i\ the sound RAM. Ether, or akasa, has ~ 1 1hij:~ ~ . :,o111ri1 1 l :\ /\I As we give these bija mantras, we c;ln : I I I I I I I I . 1 0 l l ~ r . 111111.1 pattern of each plane of God's being. Each one of these five sounds ends in the lcttcr M wl~itI r 1111. sound of Mother or MA. It is the sound of the H l l M (lrtl~l~n) I 11 the Mother flame, and it is the sound that ~ r ~ s t ; i l l i xw1t.11 r * ~ 10% coming forth from the causal stress into physical m;rt I t-I hi I , I I I ~ I is the author of the Mater universe. The first letter of each bija denotes its frequency. Thr. cc.n11..11 vowel of each is A - the action of Alpha, or the Father pritlriplr. The Father creates, the Mother seals the creation. The tlirrr letters of each bija form the Trinity - the Trinity that is :~lw;ty.; necessary to have a s e ~ d . ~ ' ill

INDIAN MUSIC AND ITS APPRECIATION 'Traditional Indian music can hc divided into three general classcs: classical music (i.e. the r a ~ n ) purely , sacred music (vocal chants to deities such as in bhajans),and fidk [nusic. All three are readily avail. able to us today in the form o t rrcordings made by some of India's grcatest artists in these gcnrrs. M(.,rcover, some of India's grcat ;irtists regularly tour in the Wrst. This practice was largely initi;~tetl , who ga.ined great popularity i n sitar player, Ravi Sh;~nk;tr ' and America among sc~nicof the ycjunger generation ~IIII.~II!: :. 1960s and early 1070s. The b r others Imrat and Vil;~v.ll r Nrian, ;lnd Ali Akbar Khan ;ilso tour ~rcr~uently, these bcing : I I I ~ I ~ I I ~ : thc prc;rtest of India's living musicians. However, it cclulrl Irt. ,II-!:~II.~I that i l l order to experirnce the total, committed ; r r r i i t ~ ~ l ~ l ~ 1t 1.1 ~ r . Indian music, there exists no replacement for hearing i t i l l ;I-. I \ . I ~ I I I . I I c-nvironment, as the holy men of the hills chant thcir I I I )~~ - I I I I I , I : I r t 1 1 . 1 l.., t,r ;IS the musicians of the local village s p o n t a n c t r ~ y,.1111r.t ~ ~ l ~ .II - 3 ~ ~ r ~ 5 ~ - ~ L

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

MUSIC I N INDIA

I I # I 111c' hounding out of the tones of the hour. Western and Indian classical music have each taken their art t o the l ~ i ~ l ~point c s t of beauty and sophisticated tonal expression, but each 11'1sctonc so in a differcnt way. That thc qualities of Western music (such as its use of harmony) are not often foilnd in Indian music, and the qualities of Indian music not frequently t o be found in Western music is not a failing of either. Since each 'ire radically distinct cvoliltions of the tonal art, each must bc r~.;~c.ctcd and listened t o in ~t.S o w n M ray, according t o its o w n critcri;~of what the music is o rientcd tc,wards achieving T o the unaccr~\to~ncd ear, Indian music C*,, >uLiLlu strange and alien, and likc ; m y ~uusic., hcforc one is really :xactly what attuned to it, it can even sound rnonot the music's it is not! However, once one has 1 c ~ many deer and hcautiful i t is ,111 ; I I 1 ~ I I I ( . I I I ~ Iwnich ~L is maintained for life. It even seems nt rimcbs .is r lioil,qI1 tllc Wcsterner who t o think and act a develops a taste for the raga dc,rs I i ; ~ r ~ \ c - l II>c.):in little in thc manner of an 0ricllt:ll tlrvolc.r.. Ijcx.o~)lingmore subtle and meditative of clharactcr. In listening t o Irrdian mu. ;ic. on(. ~.oulclt l o woroc. I I I ; I ~ t o heed the wise words of advi cc froni T'er cl- I I ; I I I I ( . ~ , 1111. ( ; ( ' I I I I ; I I I musician and writer, that:

This reveals clearly why it is so iniport;~nrt01.111c. I~ldi;lll~ ~ l u s i c itao~ i i1 music I ' I3e of pure consciousness. In Wcstc, usually 'lost' midst the bocty o i [hl rrc.Ilr\~I.;( ; I l l ( )\(.l,,[ l parts are often clearly laid down I) however, and particularly in the. rti,qr~,I I I C c.11til.c ' ; I I I I I O ~ , ~ ) I I ~ . I . ~; I. I' I C ~ cli~aliryof thc piece depcnds u p o n r l ~ rmu\ic.i.~nI i i l ~ l c t . l I , wllo I)~liltls up and invents the ex;~ct ~ncloclit. I ~ . ~ I I ( T I I - ~'i4. ) I ( . !!OI-F ; I ~ O I I ~ : . I~iterally,the rasa prc5cnts ;I 51~ G I I I I I )C c o ~ ~ \ eI ~I I i\ cI I ~ - ~ +, 1, 1 1 ( l , \ I 11r.1 t , l q s :I very obvious examplc o f OLII. sc:lr ( + I I - I ~i l. lI ,1111I 111cvic ) I I ~ ~I ~ . I \ ) I( . I , that music acts as a comnli~nic;itor;IIICI 1 1 i 1 l l 1 i j 7 l 1 c . 1 i b I ititl(.~. 51.tlr.\.

I

IN

For Indian music, as for the pcrk,r~nc.r I I ~ I ~ ~ < ~ I i' l ~ Iis' , I I I L I C ~morc b p irblr / o I/\/rr~r1,1i/k /he hear/, important that the p~lblic~I3o~ld rathcr than observe the musical d e ~ c l { > ~ ~ m01c ~ 't,l~l ~ ) ~ ) r c c ithe ate' music critically and dispassionately ... C)IIL,(. r ~nr.11.1s'got the fcel of' Indian music, its monotony suddenly I,r.c.r~nlr..;so colourful into deeper and full of nuances that its riches start to \ I j i I 1 OV(.I. dimensions.

'"

Among the programme notcs for his 197 f EIII-c 111r.;t1 1 'I'oilr, Pandit Patekar ;dviscd his audiencc that in listening t o I I I I ~ I , I I I music thcy should : in thought frorli 111c. usual way uf Temporarily rclcasc thinking and coliccntratc o n the higher. spiri~il.~l ,tspects of lifc. I~Iusicoffers the bcst nicans for such concentr;c~~orl. Placc thc univcrs:~l in front of your con~cmplation, and endeavour to Iay aside or t o forget the habit n i looking a t partial aspects only . . . T r y to think your way inside the artist. I n other words, try to fccl with him and t o become one with both artist and theme.

'

THE RAGA The raga (or rag) is the basic form of Indiiin cl;lc.;ic;il n i ~ ~ .# (11~1rr.(l, ~i< it may always have been sa. There cxists cvidcrlr.r I 11.(( I l ) ( . r;?,r l , l 11 ,l rrlga-like form of music, cxisted as early a s 400 I { ( ' . 'I'IIIIII!:II I I I V instruments of ancient India differed c o n s i d e r ~ l >r'rorn l ~ I I I I I..I. I T I I l \ r b today, it seems that the musical forms a n d structures 0 I I I I I W r i1111.r. were similar t o those of today, possibly differing frntrl r o t l ; ~y'c r i y i \ n o more than the ragas of modern India differ betwccn tl~c.r~~~~r.lvr.\ Srom the north to the south of the subcontinent. Over thousands of years of musical evolution, rhtb Vrrgr I I : I ~ cleveloped into a n art form capable of summoning up the 1111151 intense spiritual feelings. T h e listencr may experience indcscril~;~l~ly deep yearnings for something not quite defincd, but which scclilr t o I)c connected with the vcry core of the meaning of lifc. Thew Scclings vary in an infinite variety cif subtle ways, according to [lie type of rdga performed. rr) rhc dcgrcc of understanding it1 ~ h c . , listener. and according, of ) tlic spiritual development of thc ]wrformer. o f music - harmony, melody, O f t he four main dir ~ , l i ~ t hand m timbre - harntctn? is ;lg.tin, as in China, virtually ncmc.\ti\tc.nt in Indian music. But, :IIICIagain as in China, this 1;lck , and timhrr ;II.C, 1nl)l.c. than made up for in [II;II ~ ~ l c l u d yrhythm tl(.vr,loped t o an e x t r a o r t l i l ~ : ~ ~sophisticated ~il~ degree. Cl;ls\ic ;(l I~itli,tnmelody and rhytlin~o l i ~ ncxcceds anything t h ; ~i3 1 1 1 l,r I'orllltl in the mainstream ol' \Ycstcrn music. A . :., the Western di:ttr~nicscalc with irs scvcri major t ~ r l i r - . , 1lrr.11. 11' 111 I

.

:lrcb; 1 1 ~ in i Indian music .;even basic notcs, known as .$A, It I ; , 1 i t \ , M A . I ) A, I I H A and N1. M'hilc the notcs of this 5 ~ . 1 1 ly I>r t \ c * \ ~ tr.11 I I I 1 1 % hl,iritual direction. At times it may exhibit n mixt~rrcoi ~ ~ l r l i l t i r ~. ,~ : ~ l r l clegrading elements, but ultimately all uses of' t o ~ l c; ~ n t l,111 I I I I I ' ~ I I . I ~ lyrics can be classified according to their spiritual d i r r r l i o ~II~>W.II.(I ~, or downward. I t is unusual for movements in music whit:h c . o l r ~ l ~ ~ n r truly exalted elements with those of the downward ilir.rct i l l 1 1 1 4 r maintain their stability for long; almost always one o r 111r' OIIICIforce gains the upper hand, as can clearly be seen throitglior~t tlir l~istoryof the art. It is actually a part of the essential naturc ()I'11ir majority of styles and movements of music that they c i t l ~ t rl i l r people into an awareness of beauty and sublimity, or that rhry inculcate, subtly o r overtly, feelings of indiscipline and hedonisnl. 'To put it plainly, music tends to be vf either the darkness o r of thr light.

TONAL ANARCHTSTS THROUGH THE AGES I listory records that of the music o f light and that of darkness, only o n e is usually prominent within ; I I I ~givc~zcivilization. For as long as sublime and beautiful music prrv,iils, so does the civilization flourish I)oth spiritually and in rnatcri;~lprosperity. Almost always, whencvt.~. [ I I C major music of a civiliz;ttiol~Ii;is been of a more primitivr : c r ~ L l ; ~ h : ~ n d o n enature, d the civili7;rtio1l itself has been barbaric. nncl I I , I ~ \ ~ s ~ ~ gone . ~ l l yinto decline, cvt'ilc~~;tlly ceasing to remain a c i v i l i r ; ~ il I~I ~ ; ~ t:11l. W e have already inclicatcd that the classical civiIi7,;lt i q ) I I,, I 14 -.. . ~ n dIndia have dcclincd together with a parallrl - o l I T ( - 1 1 decline iln their nlusic. The same could be drmnn.;t I , I I ri1 1 1 1 )f many cxher pcoples. - . . -I' - L I I C C.;LW 0 1 ancient Greece provides a particul:lrly t l r . . ~ I. l m ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ l ~ l r Grrck music bcgan to decline during the er:l of I'r.r.;t I{+, .. , I I I ~ I I I ~ I I ~1.14-429 BC, this being at a time whcn Grrrk r ivi117.~1u,11 . I I I ~ I rlrr

I HH

1 ) I its :~rtswere at their highest level. It was music which led the w,ly illto degeneration. As Greek classical music became progressively replete with cheap i~~novation, excessive modulation and decorative shakes, Aristophanes attempted in his plays to counter the rot with parody and humour directed against the cheap new music. H e likened the singers with their quivering voices tu zigzagging ants, and called the instrumentalists ecstatic, effeminate creatures who were so easily bent that they had to wear stays. (Their wavering music was produced by bending certain of their instruments, such as the strophae.) In one of Aristophanes' musical plays the Muse stages a personal protest against the modern wave of innovators who twist her on the rock with their inharmonic notes as they modulate. The play was a foreboding of musical rebellion. an appeal on behalf of the whole tradition of well-educatcd Athenian citizenship against uncultured or alien ideas. The appeal came too latc. Thc ncw music had already set in, supplanting the more refinccl and disciplined classical styles. One year later the revolution in tnrlsic manifested tangibly as a violent, physical revolution. and rllc downfall of the elite of Athens. Following the Grcck rcvolution of 404 BC, a deliberate blatancy and toughness distingllisl~cdthe lyrics of the performing rebels who came to thc forc ;IS thc musical stars of their time. One famous manifesto hy Timor hcus of Miletus smacks strongly of the mood of Chuck Rcrry : ~ n d of the Beatles when they sang 'Roll Over Beethovrn', c ; ~ l l i ~fix i ~ ; Beethovcn and Tchaikovsky to make way for the coniin!: ol' rhythm and blues. In similar win, Timotheus rcpudi;~trd11ir c-nrisc past (also taking care not to miss the opportunity to court I lir younger generations) :

'I'l~roughfoolishness they dcccivc.d ~ l ~ r . ~ ~ ~ \ ci lll vt oc thinking .s that tl~c-rcwas no right or wrong in 11111'iic . 111.tt it wit!; 10 IJC ji~dgcci !;oc,d or bad by the pleasure i t k:;~vr.. Ily rhril- work .Incl tllcir r l~coriesthey infected the mnsscs wilh tllc ~irr..;un~pt i o 1 1 t o t l~ink w;~cnot ~l~c.mselves adequate judpcs ... As it w,~.;,t 111. crilc-l-i~)~~ ~ r ~ r ~ sbut i c , a reputation for proniiscl~ol~> c,lrvr.rnr\r ,11111.I -;l.)i~.it of

I

I do not .;in!: I hr. old things, Bccaurr I h(. ncw are the winners. Zeus thc yo1111gis king today: Once it wa\ Cn )nos ruling. GOto Hell, old cl;c~neMusic. (One can almost im;tginc it being shouted to the accompaniment of electric guitar.) Decades later, in his fi~niouswork, Laws, Plato lamented the musical revolution and its 'unmusical anarchy'. His words are as relevant today as when first written:

189

JAZZ AND THE RL.1JF.S

T H E SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

M r;~nwhile, the music contin~lcd t e , clc.t r-I i o r . t ~c. M car c. t*/r./~tcr,i ~r.~>l;~ced true musicians. Uplifting mrlotlir\ :111tl 1 1 1 ~ . Iol.~nc*l-, cli*.c i . I~linrdstyles were replaced by the novrl~y-ritltlt.11,i l l - ~ ~ l l l ~ . t . l l i ~ i . ~ I ttinds of exhibitionist 'stars'. Greek mitsic- I I ~ ~ - : I I > I ~ I- 1.11r. .~ntl y w.15 t~ll'cminate, and the people followed suit. l lonro.,(-utr.~l~~ I-.lnlpant,and the nation waned over the years :is ;I nrilir . I I .I r~r1.c 1. .I 11c1 .I., ;I bastion of culture. Eventually Greece declinctl lot , 1 1 1 ~ 1111 I I I 11t. ..I~:ide and the Roman Empire came to the fore. I'hroughout the ages peoples have faced the choic-c. I i r - I M I ~ . ~ ' I I 11111sic of the J. direction and music which encour;igcs 11lr. ( O I I 1,-~~iplation of eternal verities. The story of their choices is i l l r i i , l l l y I c..i1'ects the story of civilization itself. W h a t is also noticeable is I 1 1 . 1 1 w l ~ r ndestructive music appears within a civilization, it usual1 y ~1or.s ..(I vcry suddenly. Its onset comes as a veritable wave or blirxkrirg, .1l111ost as though by a deliberate strategy. It attains to a position o f IM)wer and of widespread pop~daritywith the masses within just a Irw years or decades; and its influence upon society in general is t,ltcn similarly sudden, bringing about a swift and negative changc 1 1 1 I'hilosophies, politics, morals and lifestyles. a.,

HOOTS Wcbrr we to scour the globe in search of the mosr aggressively ~ ~ l ; ~ l r v o land e n t unmistakal>ly rvil music in existence, it is more than l i k c * l v that nothing would he fount1 :trlywhere t o surpass voodoo in ;cttributes. Still practisetl in Africa and the Caribhc;iri ~ ; ~ i c ' r . i f ' i as ~ ; ~the l l ~ rhythmic ;lc.companiment to satanic rituals ;~ntl r)r!:ir.;. voodoo is the quintcssrnce of tonal evil. Often irs vc.l-v tlc.t.l;~r.c.tl purpose is to inflict harm upon other parts nT Iiff-. I t . . ~tl\ilripl(.rhythms, rathcr th;111itniting into an integrated wl~olt... I I ~ * Iirrfclt~~i~c*J in a certain kind of conflict with one anothrtr. 1 1 wo111cIbe quite incorrect to consider voodoo to hr '111 ~ I I I II\'(". I 11, ,wcbver.St~ldieshave shown that the mutliple rhyt l ~ n i \ .1rt.l I t 11 111r.tl I t 1 1 ;I I;lrgc number of percussion instruments, arcb ; I ~ . I I I . I I I ~( ' v 1 1 1 ~ 1 1 ~ ' l v 1,111~ilrx. I t is said by some that certain very .;11I,tIr. I I I I , I I I ~ W I I I ( 11 ~ l ~ r . ' i c b

8

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~ncorporatedinto voodoo rhythms, while being too subtle for the car of even the trained Western musician to notice, are actually the source of much of voodoo's claimed occult power. W h a t is certain is that t o hear this music is to become instantly encompassed by the sound of its raw, livid power. As for the evil rites t o which the music provides the background, the author is informed by authorities of unquestioned repute that human sacrifices continue to occur from time t o time in both North Africa and the Caribbean. During the slave trade, voodoo crosscd the Atlantic in the persons of those among the blacks who practised it, and took root in the Caribbean, as well as in the United St;~tcs.'T'hough the historical records on the matter are sketchy, the o r i g i ~ ~ ;African-style tl voodoo seems to have arrived in the West Inclics n.~orc.-or-lessintact. Laws o f st~cli11111sic. ;is early as 1 6 1 9, but were passed against the (loo r i ~ t .l I(.stampctd out on the with little effect. Prlor coulc l l I1;it l)}1 1 8 3 5 t)lacks wc~ u l d American mainlan d. It is I >(-I-I~ nrtti ;I CtS of voc~ d o o inc , ludgather in N e w O r leans t o s ; i s t shistorians are ing the blood sacrifice oi .~ninr;ils.M ~ ~ s i r o l ~ ) ~and in n o doubt that ~ h cd r ~ ~r l~l ynt l ~ l l ~01'\ /\l'ric.:c were carried to America and were t l ~ t r ct r . ~ n u r ~ ~ i r.incl ~ c i lII.:III:.I;II~LI into the style of I j:~r?..S ~ I ~ L j;w% , ( -: I I I ~ thc blues were music which hecnnic ~ I I I , W I ;I*; the paren ts of rock i111~11011, tllis :IISO 1iir:111\t l l . i t tlic.rc. cxists a direct ii t l ~ rvoocioo ~ ~ ' r r n i o n i(r) s I Ail it.;^, through jazz, line b f dc l 01' ~ I I Cotlicr forms ()l- 1.oc.k ~ ~ i l ~current sic to rock allu 1 1 1 1 1 , l ~ ~ c,111 1~ o d a y . T l ~ cI'i rsl clcl-initr documentation of thc. cxisrcncc o f the blues comcbs only Sson~ early during this century, l1111 c%;crlytwentiethcenrury blurs periormcrs mentioned the music :IS 11;Iving existed i cleast d some dcc:ulcs e;~rlicr.The blues seem t o have hrrn I ~ r . r l o s ~ ~at as early ;is thc 1;tttcr nineteenth century. Ensl;tvrtl pcrhaps even more in cnnscious~.~ 'Sometimes I less than Iin body, the Negc feel like a mor.l-~crl css child, a long ways frorr .nd 'Nobody I melancholy knows the troul7lr. I sccn'. Their songs of sac merely served to rc.i~lfi)rcethe repressed and dcpl-crscd condition of their physical lives. M;iny Negroes, however, adl~crcdt o the giving of spirituals, their own p;~rticularform of praisc to G o d , which can still be heard today. RUCthe first blues singers took the lamenting qualities of the spiritual and transferred them in1:o song! the subjects of which were human lovers. From a combination of the blues and ragtime, lazz was born. Buddy Bolden is recognizcc1 as havir~g been a t least on e of the f ~rst, and probably the first indivi dual to p lay the m usic that later cam e to

19 1

JAZZ AND THE H 1.U ES

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

1868 ( N e w -. ()deans at that time still maintiti~~ing irs st; i ~ r gthc ostcnsil~lcvoodoo centre of the Unit(-d Ct;~tc.s,I Ily ). H I>cgan c. Wit 11 otlicr 1)l;iying while in his twenties, during 11 ~ Orlc;ins, ~liitsicians,Bolden would ninrch round 111r51 rrris t r Nrw r x c i t i n ~ ,nc.w ;rnd I>rrforming as he went. His music was ;I str:~n{!.:~., revolutionary s0m.d; and it w:rs :i i-rvol~~~ioll wl~ic.l~ II(. litcr;~lly c;irried into the streets. Frcquc~itlyIlc : ~ n I~is ~ l 11:11ltlw o t ~ l ~rn:~rcli l tllrough and stop over in thc red-ligl~r cIi51rik.1.I\,rl(lrn W;IS ?;:lit1to 1)c well acquainted with all t h c district's frnr;tlr iolr.~l)i~.~nlc. A cornet player, Bolden led a numbcr r ) f h ~ l r x . t . \ \ ; v r - I I . I I I [ ~ \ . I ~ I I ;hs I rtlle result of his heavy drinking and of syphilis I\(. I l r . r , ; ~ ~ i ~i11s;tnc. round 1906. He last performed in 1907. ;incl w;rs t l ~ r ~L I lI I ~ ~ I ~ I ~ I I I ' ~ ~ to a state institution in the June of that ye;tr. 'l'l~c.~-r Ilr. r l ~ r - t l , i r i 1031. This 'father' of jazz, hardly heroic o r inspiring in 11;s I I ~ I I ~ : ~ : I ~ ~ I ~ , .icbcmsin many respects to have set the pattern for all 11i;tr ~ : I W w.10.1 1 I l and r e s ~ d tin. The music he had spawncd first . I ~ ~ ( - . ~ I I I I ' :d, naturally enough, in the whorehouses of N c w I)I.II*;~II\. lere it spread to the brothels of other cities, and thcnc~c.,c rvc.r, trrnc, transferred t o the bars and dance halls. The first actual appearances of the printed word 'jazz' wcrc in 1 9 17. The Hearst newspapers of 2 1 January. 1917, co~itaincdI his lltstice in the column of one Damon Runyan : Irr. tcrmed 'jazz'. Bolden was born in New Orlcans in

New York. Jan 20. - A Broadway cafe announces, as somerhing new to the big Bright Asle, the importation from the West of a syncopated riot known as a J;4s R;lrld.

5 August of the same year :in ;irt~clc~ p p e a r e dby Mralter K i n g l c y )f the New York Sun which wem\ to ~ndicatethat already the music 11.itl \pread and stirred up :in Intcrcst The artlcle was headlinrd ( )n

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'M'l~c.ncecomes jass? Facts f r o m lhc great authority on the suhjc~.~', continued:

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V,~riouslyspelled Jas, J;ls.;, Jasz, and J a s n . T h e word ic Alr i t ,111 igin. It is commnn i ) n thc Gold Coast of Afric;i ;~nclr r b I llr 1 1 1 1 1 1 cbrland of the C a p stle ...

III

' I ' l ~ i r u ~these h are among tne nrst reports of jazz in 111~ I I I .I 11f. I l r r l h . l ~ I., l( tw11 t o h . ~ v rbeen established in a number nf \ I : I ~ 111l r r l I I I ' 1 I I 11.11:1I ~ I C, ~ n dthe blues had paved the way 1'1 11 I III-,.cl{*r.r.lr )1~~~~1: I

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nrt;ilized,thus causing ;i srr-1);tc.k i l l Man's nature towards 111r instincts of his racial chil Jlic )c )cl. For Jazz-music at its lirigllr very closely rcscmhlril thr music of primitive savages. A i111~1llc.r result of it was to hr seen in that love of sensationalism wliich I~asso greatly incrrnsctl. As ,l;r/:/. itself was markedly sensation;tl, IIIC public has incrr;tsingly come to demand 'thrills' in tllc form of 'crook dram;ts' ;lncl I)l;tys, the only dramatic intcrtqt of which is connected wit11 c r i ~ ~mystery ~c, and brutality. This nlso itpplies to sensational fiction: f;)rthe sale and output of this typc is prodigious.' f , t l z c b

'MYDADDY ROCKS ME WITH ONE STEADY ROLL' (- THE LYRICAL CONTENT OF THE BLUES) The perverse elements 01' ihc musical tones of j a n had their parallel in the lyrics of the majority of Idues songs. For one thing. the subject matter and direction of consc.iousness contained within the blues was as a rule of a low and suffocatingly narrow-minded nature. The theme of human love in its il~l~erfect aspects - betrayal, mistrust, physical love devoid of the higher feelings, and so on - is still the

19 1

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Leave you, 01' maid, gonna leave you, 01' maid. Look out Ju-li', 01' maid, look out Ju-li', 01' maid. Or, if the protagonist of the song decidrd t o clid so under his own conditions:

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Just to keep those men from making their early mornin' c1.c.r.p. More sinister themes were also common. But few spe~i.tli7(.tI111 rhcm more than Robert Johnson, the 'King of the Dcltn I3l11t.\'. Ilorn in 1914, Johnson's lyrics dealt with, as Frank Tirro ~ I I I , i l , 'rhree recurring themes: the impermanence of human relation\hlp.;. incessant wandering, and irrational terrors. His blur5 :ire 4 ~ 1 1 rl~roughwith dark foreboding . . ."l One Johnson song, 'MCand t l i v I lCvil Blues' has thew typical lyrics: Early this morning when you knocked upon my door Early this morning when you knocked upon my door And I said, 'Hello Satan. I belirvc it's time t o go.' M e and the devil was walking sidc by side Me and the devil was willking sidc by side And I'm going to beat my wom;tn until I get satisfied. . . . You may bury my bocly clown by the highwayside, So my old evil spirit can gcr Greyhound bus and ride.

I ~ ) I I I ~ ~ died ~ O I ~ in 1938 or 1039. having been either poisc,nr.tl I,y I wcIlll,ln or shot by her icnlous husband. (Nobody i4 I I I I I I ~ . d a ~ ~ ~ r . wl~ic11 ( )!I most common subjects was sexual dc-si~c. I ) I I V I I I I I I V -.III!:('I\ ~cllosynuaticturns of phrase, howevcr, rllr .I{ 111.11 1 1 1 1 . . 1 1 1 1 1 1 ~ ~ ~ . ,!I 111r ~ e n t l ynot realized by 111c. W I I I I r will r I I ~ . . I It l laws had found it n~tr\t.1~1~~.1111.1~~~~1111~. 1 1 1 111. 1111-111.

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%-lackslistened to it. It became their most popular forni of rrilrsic. Again the subject matter was infidelity, perversion, drink ; i l l c l c.rime; again the mood was one of bewildcrrnent and deprrssion; itgain the tones were dissonant. and sometimes of a quite frcnxic*tl1(.111po. The new genre brought forth its own stars: (ol~nnyOtis, Nat King Cole, Julia Lee, B. B. King and innurnrr;ll)l'c.o ~ l ~ c rJulia s . Lee 'sang salacious blues in sleezy gin mills', whilc CI'yl~onicHarris was 'a lord of exccss' who 'lived a life of complete nl;lylic~n... shouting the blues with a wild and hard-driving bo;lsll~llness'. Muddy Waters, the Chic.ago bluesman, and John Lrr I looker of Detroit (one is remindcd of thc ancient concept of t l ~ cname bring the keynote of the i1111c.rm;in . . . !) each 'cut omino\~sfigures onstage, full of menace and prowling malevolence'. Crcil Grant, who came from Nashville, went ovcr thc airwaves with a sex message still not comprehended by the wllitc broadcasters when he made the 1 9 5 0 hit 'We're Gonna Rock' ( p r o ~ n ~ tto l ydie a few months later)." Gradually. rhythm and blues began finding a white market. Simultaneously, several other strands came together which were

'

JAZZ AND THE BLUES

201

clrstined to result in the rock revolution. The most significant of tllrse was the popularization of American country music. By retainI I I ~only ; the more decadent subject matter of' country music, and by I~~aing this with the more racy, blitck-stylr o f 171.;11,i.oilntry niusic I,c.c;tme country-boogie, which in turn led I ( ) rock:il )illy. I)opularized country music's most p r o ~ n i ~ ~c.xl)onznt r-~ll wits I-l;tnk siinplc Williams. The tonal side of Willianis' ~ ~ i u s w.ts i c rrl;~tivc-l~ . ~ n drelaxed, yet his lyrics oncc more rrllec~ctlr l ~ : i l s,lrllr rllorr;tl, ~v.ssimisticoutlook that we have alrc.ady ~~nc~or~nrr.r.c-~l, ;l1111 wl~icll w;~ssoon to take root in rock. S o farni1i;tr ;trr wc. t o t l . ~ y will1 rlicI liuessant playing in the background of s o n p ;tlx jut c~~,yi~lg, t lvsc II;I I ion, betrayal and loneliness that it is almost difl'it.ult 10rc ti)c.~is c IIII. I'crspective into a more objective viewpoint. Yet only I'rolti sllc 11 ,I viewpoint can it be realized that the communicatiorl OS suc.11s~;~tc.s OS I onsciousness to millions of young listeners must withorrt ilo\ll)~I)(. I I ) the detriment of future society. Among Williams' hits were 'I'm So Lonesomc 1 Co111i1( ' I.I.I I I i l ~ emeantime, dicl not attempt to compere wirll r l ~ r . * b t ~ l I r I t , t l I ~ ~ I I I . I I , ~ I of the new rock music. O n the cnntr:iry , I 11r ! p t . ~ ~ ~ 11141 I I . I I ( . . I I I ' ~ ~ increasingly into a stance of ultrn-in~l.llr-~ I I I . I ~ I111 r q.t!:,:~-~..~ccd introspection which was by no mc;lllq.I I I ~ . ~ . III I I I II I '11c.w I I I I I < ~ C . ' of 1 1 1 ~'~rrious'musical stream. I ; I I I I I I t l ~ i 1 1 , 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 I I I V I I I . I I I . I ~ . I ~1loll-ic1r;ilist ISI. ;llldirn~('~,1 1 1 ~ I 1

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THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

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JAZZ A N D THE H1,lJES

rll C-i~tu:tliz:~tion of jazz as introduced by Miles Davis and others w.15; I I I intriguing one. Yet from the higher perspective, the resultant I I I I I S ~ was C really no less questionable than its predecessors. Since this was now 'jazz for the thinking man' so t o speak, the opportunities for cross-fertilization between jazz and other materialistically intellectualized genres were broader. Many of the new jazz musicians had at least a working familiarity with the theories and sounds of the 'new music'. And for their part, the contemporary avant-garde became y a more interested in the musical elements of jazz. Later, during the late sixties and early seventies, when rock also reached a stage of 'intellectualization', a similar cross-fertilization became apparent between jazz and rock. Jazz itself, however, was to discover that increased introspection meant a decreased market. As had earlier been the case among the 'new musicians', the more intellectual jazz artists had trouble in combining their subjectivity with an objective perspective of what was or was not valid as art. Soon enough, jazz arrived at its 'modern' . . ' stage. Now, jus e casc of a few un planned s,plashes of paint on a canvas, ar n l ) u u of a saxophone or Iodd whine of a trumpet was in y scourcd for its meaning by an avid but dwindling body o r c~evotccs,then invariably to be hailed as an expression of genius. Thc saxophonist, Ornette Coleman, proclaimed his tl~c~ory t.l~;~t the performer should be free to create any sound at ;my ,t:ivc.l~tinic, and went on to perform accordingly, as was only tiio r v i d e l ~from ~ the result. As Bcnny Green, the writer on ja72, aptly p111i t : 'Colcman's dialectics would be more to the point if hc ancl his fi)llowcrs were each satisfied t o play alone in a room.'19 Wc 1i;tvr not(d in earlier chapters that the ancients sought to trcxcl ; I I I , I I I i < , path which combined elements of individual frccdom with c.crt:iil~definite restraints. Plato was only one of the carliesr ol' III(. 1n:irly commentators who havc pointed out, down through thc ccnc~~ric-S, that the only freedom which is aesthetically viable in ;irt is ;I I'rccdom married to self-discipline. Otherwise freedom beconlrs :I recipe for anarchy. And it is in search of evergreater excesses OS tllc I:~ttcrthat most jazz musicians have directed themselves over thc I;~sttl~irtyyears. The author is strongly rcrninded of an essay on music therapy written by Howard I l ;~llsonin the 1940s, in which Hanson displayed an acute prophetic insight into what the music he heard around him would mean for tllc future. Hanson wrote.

I ~ r ~ ~ ~ , ~will t ~ , be i r i if i ) thc ~ i prcscSntschool of 'hor j:~x./'continucs to It.\1r.lol~w;~bated.Much of it is cr;Iss, r;nlcorls :tticI ~ o n ~ ~ ~ i o n ~ l ; i c c ~ t t t l to11Ic1 be dismissed without comment if' i t wcrr not f'r~rthe 1 . 1 1 I i o whcreby, hour aftcr hour, night ;~f'trri~i~:ht, Arncrican Iblrtnr.; :trc flooded with vast qu;bn~itirsof tl~is~l~.~ti*ri;il, to which it 111ly. . I I tl,~np;~niment our youngsters dilncr, pl:~y i t 1 1 l711t if I'~.r.ll;l~>s they have developcrt ; ~ nimmunity t o it-+ I I I ~ .li;~vc ~ not, and if the niass production of this .111r,1l t l r . ~ ~ jis: Ilot WC may find ourselves :I n;~rinno I ' n c . ~ l ~ ow~ li t~~ 11i ~~c.vc.11 i111.1.tilc~1, 1111. >kill of the psychiatrist may br h;~rd prrsscd I O( ~ ~ r c . . " '

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I hesitate to think

... of what the effect of musi~c upon the

4

11, irnl W music' 1h r i t l ~r l ~ c11 with our comparison of the 'ne~ Il~tli;~ z and the classit,;~l ( :IIIII:I. ;L comparison between jaz ) I l h 01' ~d spiritu. natures ar I , vi-;~ls the same totally opposite 111,-two. Should it be the case that music has no effect 11pi1r1I I I , I I I . (I11.nrl~ilsicof the downward direction would be all wc-ll ;ultl gootl 1 1 1 1 1 our discourse thus far seems t o indicate strongly th;~tthis is I I I ~ I I 1 1 1 - c.;tse. What is more, the statements of the wise of long ago rcg;~riling 111,.;tl)ility of music to influence life patterns was only a part nf their 111.licfabout the power of music. Music and sound, they statrd, I or~ld also affect matter itself. Audible sound, as an earthly vessel for III(. universal OM, wielded a great energy. An energy which, accorI I I I I ~ to the kind of music played, could create, preserve or destroy 1.vc.n material, inanimate conditions. It is a long-standing belief of 111resoteric schools that in the distant past there once existed former .iJvanced civilizations not dissimilar to our own, but which are lost 1 0 historical record. These are sitid to Elave been destroyed by I'l~ysicalcataclysms which were c: u~sed,in e,ach case, largely through tllc continued misuse of sound ; ~ nI rrhythm. Is there any truth behind huch beliefs, and does music acto;tlly contain such a power t o affect matter? If so, then the phcni)mcna of jazz, rock, and other such musics - including, perhaps, thr vrry allowance of their presence in o i ~ rniidst - would most urgently necd to be looked at afresh. ,\a.

ABOUT ROCK In this book we have touchrd upon rock here and therc olily 111 passing, one reason being that the subject of this m~~sic . t l ~ t l 11%. wcietary effects is so vast as would require a volunir in it\c.ll. I I I ,~ddition.it has been useful to deal with j a u sincc ~ ; I w . . I 1).\1i-111 ( 1 1 rock. displays its voodoo origins more blatentlv: ,111011 11r.i.11 11scfu1to discuss the 'new music' since its prola)nc.lit6.. I , v w~ll~tl!: 11.16,

next

.'Ib.1

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

. I I I J.~l)lcto

their inner philosophies and aesthetic standmore (:learly and intellectually than can the average rock .irtist . Yet sufj6ce it to say that all that we have commented on the new music' or on jazz is at least doubly true of all rock music. I ROCK, properly understood, is music warfare waged upon an unsuspecting society by guitar-gunners who are frequently fdly aware of what they are about. More than any other form of the misuse of sound, ~t is rock with which we must deal today. There is no question but that rock is intimately related t o the kind of state of consciousness found in vast numbers of young people - young people who are to be the 'mature' adults of the future world. Rock has unquestionably affected the philosophy and lifestyle of millions. It is a global phenomenon; a pounding, pounding, destructive beat which is heard from America and Western Europe to Africa and Asia. Its effect upon the soul is to make nigh-impossible the true inner silence and peace necessary for the contemplation of eternal verities. Its 'fans' are addicted, though they know it not, to the 'feelgood', . ,egocentricity-enhancing, para-hypnotlc ei fects of its insistent beat. H o w necessary it is in this age for some to have the courage to be the < out from the ones who are 'different', and to. > c ~ L ~ Lthemselves pack who long ago sold their lives and personalities to this sound and the anti-Aquarian culture which has sprung up around it ! I adamantly bclieve that rock in all of its forms is a critical problenl which our civilization must get to grips with in some gcnuincly ciScctive way, and without delay, it if wishes long to survivr. ) i l l [S

" " . . * + c

6. Assessment : Tllr Physics of the OM [h(,bcginnit~~~ rcJ[i\Urahman, with whom was rbr Worrl. ,.In'/ tkt ~I'IJ)Y/is Brahm~itl.- Vedas It/

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beginnit% I C I ~ I J the Word, and the W o r d was with God, rlnrl Word was God. - Gospel according to St John.

111rreligions of East and West so strikingly agree: in the hegin~iin~; rlic Word. But exactly what was - or, to use the Prcsetz~tvnrc of 1 1 1 1 . Vt+dicquotation, is - the Word? The above scriptures dcscribc i~ I , , I I ~ - I I I R a part of God, or Brahman. Further, the quotation from thc. 11".11ing of the gospel of St John continues, pregnant with meaning: \.l

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same (the Word) was in the beginning with God. A ll things wcrc made by him; and without him was not any thing made I 11:1t was made.

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\t'r have, in these famous, deeply mystical lines from St John, then,

Note

"Thc u\i. of vcilcd lyrics so that only certain sectors of society and ~ the songs are about, is also a widespread not others ~ c . , i l iwhat practicc in rr~oclcrnrock. In rock music both clrug and sexual symbolism arc ircqucntly to be heard.

:inother example of thc universal ancient belief that God, or a Illvine Being, created the univcrsr, and did so by means of a v~l)r;ctoryemanation. This sacred vihration is usually referred to in I - . l l , l y Christian texts as the Word ([his meaning of the term having I1r.r.n forgotten or overlooked I)y most Christians today). In I l~riduismthe divine vibration is. ;is we have seen, more usually irl;.rrccl to as OM. Neverthclcss, the W o r d and the OM are onc .11nd thc same thing. Morcovc.~,a great variety of other tcrnm ,.~c.rntningfrom the different cultures of ancient times also rcfrr ro I llis same universal, eternal phenomenon. Cosmic Sound, in fi~crtl nairll the essence of Consciousness, has been known v;~ricr~~sly A l l M, A M N , A M E N , AMEEN, O M E N , OMON. 1 A M. l l l l . l1AHUVAH, the Logos, the Lost Word, and by o111r1-rl;rmi-; Ilc.\idcs. y5.r

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THE PHYSICS OF THE OM

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

I I I I H I I ' previous 'assessment' chapter, 'Mlusic, M a n and Society1, r 111, ~ k c dat one half of the ancients' claims regarding the power of 11111sic. - that music affects physical health, character, and society at I;trgc - and found that the ancients' claims seemed fully justified. Yet the power of music and of sound extended a!so to inanimate matter. I n fact, the OM was the origin and cause of all matter in the universe. Granted, the concept of the OM seems far removed from our everyday life and experience; and at first sight it appears t o bear no relation whatever to what modern science has to tell us about the origin and nature of matter. But is this really the casei Perhaps we need to examine the subject of the OM in more detail.

'Thus let it be done! Let the emptiness bc fillcd! Lct tllr w;ttrr recede and make a void, let the carth' ;11yxb;ir;incl olitl; Ict it be done. Thus they spokc ... Thcn tlic c;trth v ad I l y t hey hem. So it was, in truth, that the,y crc;~tccl I tllr c.;~rtl said, and instantly it was madc.

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)f the creation of the first human beings wr. .II.I- I , b l t l I 11.11. " l ' l ~ t . ~ wrre not born of woman . Only hy n ~iiir:~' It-, l)y I I I ~ + . I I I \ 01 111c;intationwere they created and rnitdr hy 11ir (:rr.~rol.,111t. M . I ~ c I , I llc Forefathers, Tepeu and Gucumatz.' (

..

'AND GOD SAID

OM AND THE U N I T Y OF CREATIOFr7 MYTHS Music is the harmonious voice ol+" r-""r+;ca..m r r v r r ; an echo a t h e invisible world; one note of a divine concord which the entire universe is destined one day to sound. - Mazzini O f one thing " we can be certain from the outsct. The idea of a divine vibration being behind the cause nf rvcrything was no arbitrary, idiosyncratic concept of only onc peoplc. Tllc same theory of cosmogenesis is discovered in pre-rnodcrn ctllt~trcswith surprising regularity. Often the idea is clothed in tlic rr;ippings of oversimplification or of superstition; but alwitys r11r. basic similarity remains. Sometimes reference is to the pr11rr;il creation of all substance and all life by the One Sound. At o1l1r.r times there are more precise references to the creator-god fornii~~!;cach object and each living creature by means of a succession oC tlivc.rsified 'words'. The Surnerians believed the gods to havc crc;ucd the universe with their 'mighty, commands'. Similarly, life ancl rn:tttcr was created through a sacred word or words spoken by thc f'irst god or gods in the myths of the Hebrews, the Celts, the Chintsr, the Egyptians, the American Indians and the Quechua May;i. Ilcscribed in more analytical tcrms, the same idea appears again in the Pythagorean concept of the Harmony of the Spheres. which concept retained considerable influence through the earIy Christian and Medieval eras. (Though first taught in Greece by Pythasoras, the concept of the Harmony of the Spheres seems to have stemmed originally from Pythagoras' own many years of travel and discipleship in Egypt and other Middle Eastern regions.) counts o~f the In the Popol-Vuh, containing the crc m the ear-th by Quechua Maya, the gods Tepeu and Gucu their commands :

207

...'

) i ~very r familiarity with the account of the Crr;ction p r t - q i . w1lI1i11 ~~~ ~ l l cdominant religion of our own culture can blind us t o I llr I ~ . I I I I , I lion that in Genesis too the Creation is manifcsrcd II~I.OII,:II 1111. .~gcncyof sound. G o d is describcd as accomplishing c;ic.h \ I I , L c.sa.ivcIjliase of the Creation with h k spoken words. The zc~ordiI ~ ) ~ ~ N I U ~ I V , \ m m to enact the Creation: (

And God said. Let there be light: and there was light. . .. And God said, Let the waters under the hcavrn I)(. gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appcxr: and it was so. .. . And God said. Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the frult-trce yielding fruit after his k ~ n d , whose seed is in itself, lipon the carth: and it was so.

I I I the same manner, according t o G cnesls, W ere created heaven and thje sun, the moon and the st ara, fish, fowl and every living c7-eature. God is not described ;IS creating these with his silent rhoughts or desires alone; ncithn ~lncshc fashion the universe with rnighty hands from on high. Nf), hr .I/JCLZ~.T, describing what should ~~i;irlif~~st, and manifest it dncs. 'l'lic-rc seems t o be a strong hint to 11s hcse t h ~ the t text contains ;I ~lrrpcrand more than merely littr:~l ~licaning. Indr.cJ, much of Gencsis miist :n allegorically r n I I(. correctly understood. T h c written w v l u l l l g of the accoun~ (..I 11 IN. 1.I merely a means of - renclerin g the process and thc. .let r 11 I 11,. intelligib~ l et o thc reader. P,ut the essential in!:rl.t l;r.rlt 1 1 1 I I i r C :- -L..- -1 -L so11lr form of s o u n d - r ~ n . ~ lI I~I ~, I ~ I I~ ~ ~ ~ l ~ . ~ ~ - c . o t t I> r ~ lr r l a i v,' the use \ f ~ ~ i Ilighcr dimensions of reality, these sounds hein!: r.c-l(.lI 1 1 1 )lirnlly as words of a mortal language. c;trth,

111

.'OM

THE PHYSICS OF THE OM

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

'I'llere can be no doubt but that, much as the contemporary fundarurnt;~listChristian would like to believe the Creation account of (.;enesis to be a simple, literal record of events, this is not in fact the case. Only from the fifth century AD did the Creation stories of Genesis begin t o be taken as literal historical records; this occurring as knowledge of the ancient wisdom within the Christian movement deteriorated or was forced underground. Before this, we find 0 ) the Genesis Creation as Gregory of Nyssa (c. ~ ~ 3 9 describing 'ideas in the form of a story'. The other prominent churchmen of the time also accepted the Creation stories as being allegorical. The book is known to be a conglomeration of a number of allegorical Creation stories which themselves were derived at least in part from the Middle and Near East. Other writings which have survived from these regions also hint at a general knowledge among the mystics and priests that the Creation was linked with a form of utterance or sound. The Hindu conccpt of the OM we have already looked at. In the BabyIonian account of the Creation, the original state of the universe, hrforr nutter had been pulled together and solidified, is, as in Genesis, rcfcrrcd to as 'waters', or as an 'ocean'. (In all the Creation ~nytlisof antiquity, the concept of primeval waters preceding thr formation of the earth can be taken as references to ;L I ) r i ~ ~ ~ rtlux-like, ~ ; l I , pre-solidified state of matter.) The earth, we arc old. still bore no name, and did not exist 'when no name had I~ccrln;lrrlcd'. The Creation only came forth when it was 'called into Iwing'." From rl~cc.osmology of the Jews, in Psalm 19 we read the follow in^ hc;~utifiill~ poetic lines :

...

71ir hr.~vc.rlsdeclare the glory of God Day unto day uttereth spcrc.lr ... 'I'here is no speech nor language, where their voice is not hr;lrcl. 'l'hrir line is gone out through all the earth, and their words t o lllr rnd of the world. In them hath hc set a tabernacle for thr sun.. . Still more portic is that supremely evocative question in Job 38: 'Where wast thou wl~cnthe morning stars sang together?' - which might have been writrcn hy Pythagoras himself. The science of tlic ;trchetypal cosmic Tones, as known to the Hindus and early Chincse, we would not normally equate with Christian doctrine and dogma. Yet elements of the science were apparently known to the more mystically-minded among the Christian movement, and were retained for some centuries after

(

209

:l~r.ist.The early Church Father, Hippolyl IIS, s1:tr c-d I l l ; ~ tMarcus rivcd the revelation that:

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11ir seven heavens . sounded ( ~ ; I c . ~ IO I I I . v ~ ~ w r lwl~ic,l~, , all combined together, formed a complctc C I O X O I I I ! ~ ~ . . . 1 1 1 ~ .,YOIINI/ whereof being carried down to c;~rrIi.I~rc,;~nir l l ~ rI rr;lle)r, ;III(I parent of all things that be on earth. 'Illc philosophy of the early Christilins w.ll- 111 nr,lrI y w,~y.; ~r ~tlistinguishablefrom the ancient wisdom I c~.~c.liiri/:s $11 c 11 II(.I I.~r~tlr. 111 fact, Pistis Sophia, a Gnostic gospel :uid .In r:lrl~c.rwor h t II.III I 11c Ilook of Revelation, reveals Jesus himself' ;I> Ir;lvinK t 1 1 1 ~ 1 1 1 i o i 1 c111c~l vven major Tones, and also the seven sub.ronrs 0 1 c;~i.l~ I llc. se.vc-ll 11i;ljorTones : Do ye seek after the mysteries? N o mystery is niorc rnc.c-llt-l~~ ... saving only T H E MYSTERY of the seven 1~01~~cl.t ttnr/ /l)rir FORTY AND N I N E POWERS, and their numhcr I ~ I V I .;C O ~ and no name is more excellent than all these vowels [text's i1;llic.s l. A name wherein bc contained all names, all Lights, sntl ;LII powers, knowing it, if a man quit this body of matter no srnokc, no darkness, nor Ruler of the Sphere, or of Fate shall be ablc rcr hold back the soul that knoweth that namc If he shall L I ~ I C I . that unto the fire, the darkness shall flee away

... .. .

EGYPTIAN GENESIS 'I'urning to Egypt, we discover a science of mysticism and a lnythology of the Creation as complcx as those of India and China. And again we encounter the conccpt of the creative force of sacred sound. The Egyptian Book o f tht Dead and other sources declarc quite unambiguously that God. or his lesser, servant-gods, created cverything that is by combining visuitlization with utterances. First thc god would visualize the thing that was to be formed; then hr would pronounce its name : ;incl it would be. ~ r o mas late as the reign of' Alexander 11, a text dating fro111 about 3 1 0 ~ still~ has thr god of the Creation declaring: 'Numerous are the forms I'rom that which proceedeth frorn 111y rnorlth.' The god Ra was also called Amen-Ra, with thr 11rrlix 'Amen'. The term, Amen, or AMN, was well undrrsrocjtl I r y lllr I!h~~ptian priesthood, and equated with the Hindu OM ('I'l~r~ v ~ I I ~ I is still used today of course, for the closing ot' tlrr 1u.1y r - ~ ~I I. ! (:Iiristians.) One papyrus states: 'Ra spakr at r 111. II~.!:IIIIIIII!: (11 -

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'I'HE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

, I ~hade J the earth and heavens to rise out of the waste of w.11 cr. 'l'lia~the archetypal, ocean of Creation, mentioned in so Irl,tny myths around the world, is not t o be taken literally as having hccn water is nowhere made plainer than in Egyptian Creation accounts. In these it is specifically statcd that before there existed any forms of living beings there existed Nu, a vast mass of Celestial Waters. In this cxisted the germs of all living things that were later to take form, both gods of the heavens and creatures of the earth; but they existed 'in state of inertness and helplessness'. From out of these Celestial Waters the first god, Khepera, or Ra, emerged ing his o w n name. Thereafter he btgan t o into being by 1 other gods by the combined process of create other fc visualizing them and uttering their names. The gods which had then been created by him were also able t o crcatc through a similar process, engaging in what wc might call a 'stepping down of the frequency' of the O n e Vibration. r point to the primeval The Egyptian accounts of ~ h Crc;tlir~n 'Waters' as havine bccn :in ~~niliifr.~c.nri:~tt~tI Illass of energy. Into these 'Waters' wcrr p o ~ l r i . ~Ill l r ' vi01.:1r i( ,115 of the W o r d , thus ~ c thrown * into a sending forth r;~tli:irin!; ctlrrrlich, w11r.11.I s ~ t o ~ is r back from pond. When i n ;I 11011~1~ l i ro~.igin;ilw:~vcs; ~ r rc*flccted ;ct~ila much morc the banks, a crisc-t.r(-wing ol' tlic ripples rc.i~~lr\, complt.x p t t r r n oi Kc.ornrtric:il f o r n ~ scmcrgc..;. As wxves cross each other at :inKlr.;, stlu:~rcs,triangles and othcr fortn, c.111be seen. Thcsc and more complex shapcl;, on the cosmic Ievr.l, W C I ~to the ancient viewpoin~rlir m;~tricesfor the precipit;ttion of' n1;lttc.r. T h e kcy to creatinn in m,lttcr was considered t o be thc. v/r.r\c resulting from 'oppo\inK' w;ivcs o f vibration. Not only t h e Egyptian Creator-God, hut the lesser gods ~ words of power, w r c nccrcditcd with the knowledge and thc 1 1 s01' their moi~th.;bring 'skilled in uttering them'. With these words of power thc hicr;truhy of gods could create and tlcs1roy form, heal the diseased and givc lifc to the dead. The God of' gods, Ra, 'spake crcating words' in nrdcr to bring into being all tlic lesser gods of the celestial hierarchy. According to the Egyptians, Ra also gave the secret of certain wnrds of powcs even to the earthly words whereby reptiles, cliscases and other evils could be overcome. This shows that the iiica of the creative power of speech was not limited t o the mythical crcation of the universe. I t was believed that material conditions could bc changed at any time by the utterances of the gods. Mortals. t m , knowing how to wield the words of ( '1 I..IIII)II

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THE PHYSICS OF THE OM

IIIIwcr, could themselves invokc and dircct 11r;ivens.One text has Ra saying:

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Iiear me now! M y command is t h ~ ;,I1 t n l y c't~iltlrrnIN. I , r o ~ ~ g h ~ nigh t o mc [raised in conscinusnr\\ l .if,111,ct I 11r.y r11.i y I , I O I I O I I I I C c* words of power which shall hc Trll Illjrln c.111l1, 1 1 1 t l 1 1 1 111c hcavens In precisely the same way that ~ l l cgod*; t.rr..~rttl I r y c-orl~l>i~~irl,i; viqualization with speech, so too did thc pric.r;t\ Ilr.lir.vr. i t I ~ ( r - > \ ~ l , l r . 1ii;in to work change within the physic:tl wcb~-ltl.V1-~11.11i7.11 ilct o wicld this in-dwelling force (ormda, b n t i , r i t , ~ ) r r t r r .\rI.l. p t f . r r * , r , .~ntlso on) was the kcy to all magic. Tllc f1i.11:rJ l.111I 1 1 . I, ~ 1 1 1h11 14

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'I'HE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

energy to be an impersonal force which man, if he I;III.W IIOW,could control and direct. Ax i l l China and India. Egyptian music was deeply associated W I I I I niysticism and cosn~ology.We have seen in previous chapters tl~armany cultures believed the pentatonic musical scale, with its two auxiliary semitones (constituting what today is called the diatonic scale), to mirror the seven major Tones of Cosmic Sound. So too in Egypt. And again, even as other peoples believed each of the Tones t o be produced by one particular divine being (such as the Elohim of the Hebrews) - so too the Egyptians. W e may take, for example, one particularly jovial Creation account. A Gnostic Egyptian text of unknown date and unknown origin states allegorically that in the beginning G o d 'laughed' seven times : I l ! : , ~ r ~ l ( - t l tl1i5

H a-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-H a-Ha. G o d laughed, and from these seven laughs seven Gods sprang up which embraced the whole universe: these were thc first Gods. Many of the world's religiorts icgrcc with tlcc idea that there are seven 'first Gods' which arc rllc living c.rtll~odimcntof the first differentiati.)n of the One Tone into srvrrl. ' I ' l l c . I-Icbbrews called these Gods the Elohim. (And it is wortl~l x ~ i ~ l ~ i0 l1 1i 1g 111;ttin a number of passages in Genesis, when God is dcscril~ctlrn:~clilcgthe Creation, the English Bible phrase 'Lord God' is actu:~lly;I vtLrypoor translation of this plural Hcbrew word, Elohitn. ' l ' l c ; ~ ~ is, the original Hebrew version has it that the Creation w;ts tlr~cto thc Gods of the seven Tones.) These same first Gods, wliir~l~ cunl;cll;ltefrom the ,. . principile of- the Trinity, are also a part of H i11tl11t r ; I~iligs; ~ but here, in Hincduism, W e also have the interesting disl i11r.tiot~between five of thenI and twc) others, which surely relates t o I 1 1 fict ~ that two of the seven notes of the diatonic scale are scrnironc.~.'Seven are the great Gods below the Trimurti,' we are told. 'l:ivi+t1111yare working and two conccalcd. They are Indra, Vayu, Agni. V;truna, Kshiti.' Egyptian hirroglyphs, wherever they show - ;I.; they often do the descending rays of the sun, are actually ill~lhtratingthe descending Tones or 'rays' of the first Gods as these rays come forth from the One. Invariably the rays are depicted as radiating and descending lines; often with I~;tr~ds attached t o their lower ends, indicating that their purpose is to crcntc and fashion things. They arc always shown in numbers indicative of the Cosmic Tones: seven, twelve or, occasibnally, thirteen. The Egyptian priesthood uscd sound as a means of invoking the

T H E PHYSICS OF 1'1-1li ()M

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1Mlwer of the Amen, or OM. Both the 111usicof i ~ ~ s t r c ~ n ~;111d c n t the s ilr~~nan voice, as in the giving of manlr;ts, il~vot.;~tiolr.; ;clid fi;tts, I ould be used for this purpose. The very wortl I;jr uc I I I I I ~ Ii t cc.ll' (bt>rr'l, litcrally 'voice') indicated that earthly so~llltlw;~:;; I : , ~ . ~ I Ci . l l c . t l wit11 the Word. Single, sustained notes were intoncd i l l c.x;tcr l y 1111. \ , I I I I ( . W ; I Y I ~ I : I I I I I C Hindu intones the OM. this being for t11r ~ N I ~ ~01) I. II( \Ilic\:ill/: I. lllrlcr harmony and union with the C;o~llrt.;ctl.I \ I I I I l ~ ~ ~ l l . c l r lI yI I O I . ~ 1l1;t11 anywhere eise throughout thc civili~rtlIiistol-it . r l v . l c ~ r l c l . I I I ( ' Iigyptian mysteries involved the dclihrratc., sc,ic.nli l i i IIW. I 11 r.1lc.r iSic v(.rbal formulas. Maspero recorded with regard to t l ~ c I!!:yl~ti.t~~r c ~ , c ! : i ~ . r l t rremony : The human voice is the instrument par t.ucefl~rr~-~~ 01 I I I 111 ~ I ~ \ I .incl enchanter. It is the voice that seeks afar the Invisihlr\ ~ I I I I ~ I I I O I I ~ . L ~ , and makes the necessary objects into reality. Evcry ~ I I ( .I I I I I I C sounds it emits has a peculiar power which escapes rhc noti~.c.01 the common run of mortals, but which is known to and n1:tclc tl-.r. of by the adepts .. But as every one [of the pronunciatio~r\. c l l t l their pitches] has its peculiar force, great care must be taken no1 to change their order or t o substitute one for the other.'"

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'I'l~cpower of the voice extended not only to the magical ceremony, to everyday speech. All utterances, it was believed, releascd . I certain energy: good or bad, ;recording to the inner state of thc ',l>c;~ker and his use of rhythm, mclc~dyand syntax. The average 1r1;11i, ignorant as to the powchr of t11c spoken word, constantly 4 I-cnted his own limitations of ch;~r;cctcr, his own ill-health, and his h idle, thoughtless and 1)wn undesirable conditions OS lifc, t l ~ r o l ~ ghis ~n;~licious utterances. Rut a p;cr~ oI' the training of the priesthood ;11vo1vcdthe correct and gu;~rrlrtluse of speech at all times. Thr :;XI rt.11111-centurycabbalist. C ; i ~ l l i o Camillo, recorded that accordin!: 11 Iri:, information the Egypt i;cn priesthood, in their perfect ;c11t1 ..r it.~rtil'ic~;ill~ proportional usc of everyday speech, caused thc wc)rtl\. w I I ~ I II ~ ~ o n o u n c eto d ,be 'ani n~;ucdby a harmony3. h1111 11 that concerns the Egyptian mysteries is now clo;tkrcl i l l I I I I . I I I ~ \ I \ t r l time. W e can bc sure that little if any of i t s ~ I I I I ~ . I I I I I , . , I 1 r a . t t llin!:c were written down and have survived. E5pc.l i.rlly 4 l c 1 1 III!: I I W c.;ll-ly tlyn:csti~s,the Land of the Nile's systcm of I I I V * , I I ~I - . I I I . I I I I I lr~.c!:il.;~lscicncc was probably as highly-dcvcl~~l~c~~l .t.. I 11.11 c 11 ,111 v lll.l1~11(.. liar ~ X : I I I Ithcre ~ ~ Care , indications t11:tl t l l r . r l , . r , I r l I I , I I ~111.1 y I ~ t l calso

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

THE PHYSICS 01:T I 11;. (-)M

II;IVC hccn regulated, as in China and elsewhere, according to the

istianity in which Christ is descrihcd ;IS 'I llr I>l;~yrr of tlic flute' IIC leader of the dance'. 111 Persia the name of the fabulous hum:[ hirtl is ilerivr~ifro111tllr 1 4 1 1 1 1 , Hum, which is related to O M . And trarlition h;~s it t l i ; ~ tsl~ould ~ l l rIluma bird alight for a moment upon thr 11r;itlof' any prrson, t l i r . ~it~ is a sign that the person is crr hrcomr ;I 'kin!:'. Irici~l~~rtt;rlly. the root, Hu, is a d i m cc t o rhr Woril of' God; 111t1 this is most interesting, for this samc root is ;~lso:I Il;trt 111'tlic w(,rd human. In 'human', the man portion cc~rnc-sf'rc~rnthr S;lnskrit 4\1t~na,or 'mind of the ordinary man'. So tlic* trrril 'IIIIIII;I~' is ~llrrcforean eternal reminder of the ancicnt clor~trinr:t1l.11 (;()cl is ~ . V ~ Inow I in all men, and can be more fully rc;1li7.cil l ~ ~y 1 1 .I :vrn its Ir\us was also the Christ, demonstrating the uniiic:~ric~n01 111~. Iwinciples of earth and heaven as both thc Son of M a n ;ancl t l ~ cSot1 I 11 ( h d , so are all men ha-man; God-man. 'I'hoth is the most common Egyptian name by which t lir k:o(t t,:trically corresponding to an Egyptian Second Person o f t l ~ r 'I'rinity was known. Thoth himself is described as God's clcput y whom G o d (in the form of Ra) brought into being by h'1s wortl. 'I'lience, as the W o r d of God, Thoth steps down the vihr;ctorv frequencies of the One fully to the level of material density, crcatin,; he earth with his word or words. But, like the Christ or the h w a q rlrung principle, the spiritual essence of Thoth could also incarnatc within the extremely righteous and purified man. A number of .ICCOUI~ t spez s tk of Thoth as havi ng lived and walk:ed among men. According to Clement of Alexan dria and other sources, Thoth was :Inothctr namc: for Herme:s Trismlegistus, Ivho was the 'inventor of nus sic' and the author of books of Egyptian chants to the gods.

.' I 4 I

t~yclcsof time and astrology. The precentor of thc temple regularly chanted the hours," giving forth a release of sound for each new time-cycle. Dio Cassius of the second century AD givcs the fascinating titbit of information that the Egyptians pactised in their music a sidereal scale, from A to G , connected to the movcments of the planets. (This again points to the crucial role of Egypt as the real birthplace of Pythagoras' teachings on the Harmony of the Spheres.)

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THE WORD MADE FLESH A n d the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld hzs gloty, the glory as of he only begottm o f the ~nther,)full of grace and truth. - John 1 :14

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In many religions the Second Person of thc Trinity is equated with the Word of God. This wc find in the New Testament, where Christ is a number of times referred t o as the Word. The mystery of the incarnation of tlir Word is that the imperfection of man and the perfection of God ;trr nhlr to inhabit one and the same form; and that the forn~crc;,n I~ccon~c the latter. Thus, though the person, Jesus, was h1rrr1 oi wom:tn, the W o r d entered into and was with him. Gnc~sticCIiristi:~nsbelieved that this same W o r d could enter into any nl;tn wlio It~tdsufficiently prepared, purged, and perfected himself. 3'11r1.1-111:tybe something in the fact that the Latin word sonzrs .hrr,;~rnrl ~ c ~ t lthe i English word, son. or Son, and also the ning sound. This dual meaning of 'the Word' Frcncli wt rrtl. lurid and the Son; both Vibration and Con- thnr i t w.15 scio~~s~irss ere more apparent than in the apocryphal 'Poem 01' r l ~ r(;o~,>rlof St John'. This work is almost word-forword thc . ; : I I ~ I ~ . ;IS the opening of the Biblical Gospel of St John except t l i ; ~t l~l c I l-rllt 'the Word' is in each casc replaced by 'Mind': 'In the hrpinnit~!; wits Mind As we havr n o ~ r already, ~l in China the dual Son-Sound concept is evident in thc f';~ctr h;tt the emperor was said t o embody the huang chung or 'yeUow Lrll' trlnr. In Hindu scripture Vishnu, the Second Person of the Trinity, is called 'the Voice' or the 'great Singer', for he is said to have crcatcd the universe with his song. Incarnate within the personage of Krishna, Vishnu enchanted a multitude of maidens (allegorically representing hum:In souls) by the p1laying of his flute. Closely paralleling this are thc:early ayjocryphal . texts of

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GENESIS NOW It is usual to think of the Creation account in Genesis as being a Jrpiction of events which tr;~nspired (whether literally or ;rllcgnrically) aeons ago. Yet wh:tt rnirrges from a study of all othcr myths and doctrines which 5pe;tk of Cosmic Sound is that this morlcr~lconception of Geneis 1s quite erroneous. The description of the Crestion is not only mcxnt to be the story of the original forni;~tion of the earth; it is also an account, couched in symholoj:~,11tt1 vcilcd sllusions, of the eternal process of the creation andpr~rc,rr~trttrrn of all atoms and all worlds. According to the ancient wisdom, this procms is rvrr 131 c...rttl .I 11, l c m-going. Matter is not only created, but also prcsrrvr-tt l III~'.III\ t,fCosmic Sound, and by no other. Indeed, rnatlrr I \ ( : ~ . , ~ 51 I I111rlt1 I

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THE PHYSICS OF THE OM

T H E SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

clr.ll\ificd form; matter is the Harmony of the Spheres l,yst:tllizcd! Putting it the other way around: Cosmic Sound is nl.tlrcr in solution. As the ancients believed: take away the Word, . t l l t l matter instantly reverts into the invisible energy of the void. 'I'hc universe, the earth, and ourselves upon it only exist and continue to exist because the Word still comes forth. T o the yogi, the OM is as immediate as the air around him, sounding out in the eternal present. It beats the rhythm of all hearts, and speaks to the soul having ears to hear. The great mystics of all time have felt the Word to be imminent in and around themselves; have known that it was the elixir of life; that the Creation was not done, neither fulfilled; that the morning stars still sing together. 111

THE WORK OF ERNST CHLADNI AND HANS JENNY Nothing brings a point home better than a graphical, physical demonstration; and the formative power of sound has been illustrated by none more clearly than by Ernst Chladni and Hans Jenny. Ernst Chladni, a German plrysicist, Jcvcloped what became known as Chladni plates around 1800. Thcsc violin-shaped metal plates are able to render visible thc kincl of vibrations which are natural to violins. The plates are evenly cc)vercd with sand, and a bow then drawn across certain points on ttlc. rdb:e of the plate. The result is that the sand moves quickly into thc ~-taltcrnof the waves of vibration produced on the plate. Plates a f othcr shapes, and constructed of other materials, give the same effr-ct; ;tncl anything from sand to maple syrup, or from iron filings to p;c\rc, can be used to render the vibratory wavcs visible. The study t rf I l1i5 phenomenon is called cymatics. The patterns produced are wonderful to wr i l l their poetic regularity. They are also dynamic, changing qi~icklywith changes in pitch and resonance. In this manner it is possihlc ro make visible the vibrations produced by specific moments in thr music of particular works, such as from a Beethoven symphony or it H;~chtoccata. Lyall Watson, the biologist well-known for his book Supmature and other works. has commented with interest that Chladni's figures often adopt familiar organic forms: Concentric circles, such as the annual rings in a tree trunk; alternating lines, such as the stripes on a zebra's back; hexagonal grids, such as the cells in a honeycomb; radiating wheel spokes, such as the canals in a jellyfish; vanishing spirals, such as the turrets of shellfish - all thcse commonly occur."

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I'llrse resemblances between archetypal sound-forms :tnd lifc-forms y not be without their significance. 'Ihc Swiss doctor and scientist, Hans Jenny, has rrccntly 11rldrrI .ckrn Chladni-like experimentation with n morr sophist ic;atcd .ll~~:~ratus, the 'tonoscope'. The vibrating surfncc 01' t11r ronoscopc 1 .l11 have the volume and pitch of its vibrations contrr~llr~l , I I IIIC I tlllch of a dial. Again, it is possible to use various sul3sr ;~llcrrupc it. ,t(c.ording to which best illustrates the patterns (I!' lltr SOIIII~IYill (~llcstion.The shapes and effects produced are rhcn c.;~l>ltlrrcl 1111 film. i r m e of the results are strongly reminiscent of v;lricnls p l r r n u ~ ~ ~ r r l ; ~ Iwrscnt in nature. Vibrated paste, for examplc. ;IS pic.tllrrtl i l l onc -ac.sirsof photographic plates, suggests the appcarnncc. o f rnrly sl:t~;~-s cell division. Other photographs have been taken of liquids suc I t -1% w;trrl.. I p y Incans of a stroboscope. They capture intricate yct l ~ r ; t ~ t ~ i \f ~~I lI lI l ~ tilrtrical interactions of various amplitudes of waves piissitlg rl~rou~:l~ I llc substances. The viewer has the impression of seeing thc Crrnt ic 111 llcclf as when the Word went forth into the Celestial W;LIc-ss. '1'11~ Il~riresproduced are in a constant state of flow. Rotary w~tvcsol'lcn rlnerge and set the pattern turning. One experiment resulted in t l ~ r ~wrfectand dynamic shape of the T'ai cbi, which symbolizes tllc ~litcrplayof cosmic forces, or theyang-yin polarities underlying ;a11 11l;anifestation. This and much more work by Hans Jenny is described in detail I l y Jenny himself in Cymatics I and Nothing could be more t lrarly illustrative of the power of sound to shape otherwise ~lisorganizedsubstances. Through Jenny's apparatus it is possible lirrrally to see what one is hearing. Complex and meaningfill pittterns are even more apparent in Icnny's sound-affected substances whcn viewed at the microscopic 1rvc.l. Then are revealed henutili~l and mathemati~dl~-~recise r~l,tl~~lala-structures looking likc groupings of microscopically-viewed ;c11 I W f1;tkes. The stress-interactic )ns created in substances by their nl.-..lllc to sound frequencic~;always result in formations replrtr w i ~ l i rllcaningful numerologic;~l, proportional and symrnetria~l tlt~.~lit~clepun. does this not ring ;I IIc.lli Where now, the dichotomy 11c.1 wc.c.11 the ancient wisdom's conception of matter and that of thr porary p1lysicist ? removed from the knowledge or awareness of the avrr:l/:r. the stre,et, academic journals on particle physics h;lvr 101. :I Ilirlrs, right down to thc quark, is a harmonic one. Morr rri~rlillv. Ij.ipc.rr h;tvc bccn published in such journals on thc suhjt.c~t(11 wl1.11ir I ~ I I I , W I I ;IS 'exotic resonance', which goes even Si~rtlir.~~, . I I I I ~ w l ~ 11~ itl l 111c- opinion of many atomic physicists is the niob;r~ ~ r i r r n i ~I,..lrl i r ~ gwc. 11.1vrt o tlic disc.ovcry and understanding ol thv 1~11intr.v~rr1tl.11 11.t1111.i. 11 ~ ~ ~ ; t t t ~ * r . " )

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THE PHYSICS OF THE OM U

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THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

I !I 1, ~k which has been greeted with much interest by aware and [.~40~r*~~ic.;~lly-minded Germans is Wilfried Kruger's Das Universum I\

,\tt~q/'"which, as the title suggests, is more than a little Pythagorean 111 irs contents. Kriiger has combined a knowledge of musical theory with that of atomic physics, and has brought each of these to bear in ;In intriguing investigation into the heart of the atom. O n the face of it, Kriiger seems literally to have demonstrated that the structure of thc atom contains ratios and numbers which resemble t o a degree impossible to account for by chance the harmonic principles of music. His findings are supported in the volume by a wealth of detailed and painstakingIy-prepared notes and diagrams. Among his conclusions are: 'With the harmonic minor scale we face a synthesis between the vertically-oriented forces of the inner atom and the horizontally-oriented forces binding the molecule together.' Perhaps the most thought-provoking of Kriiger's findings concerns the secret Pythagorean teaching, the Tetraktys. The Tetraktys linked the four musical intervals of the octave, fifth, fourth a n d second with ratios ;tnd proportions which, according to the Pythagoreans, gcwerned the crc;ction of thc world and of all life. Kruger's research uncovered an unniist;tk;~hlc;tssociation between these intervals and the structure of tllr ri~~c~leic ;~cids- which are the fundamental physical ingredients of orpnic. lil;.. Donald Andrews is another rescarchtr 1 0 h;~vc:cxplored along such lines. His complex theory of the univc-rsc. htts each atom as emanating one key-note 'sound', as a rninrrtc. r.c-sor~;itor,and conceives of collections of atoms (or notes) as forn~inp,~ h chords c which are known to the physicist as molecules. C o r i l i t ~ ~ ~the i ~ r gexpansion outward in size, molecules combine to form rllc. v;~ri~)iis objects and forms of the world, each object and living I)cir~!: ~llcreforebeing compc~srdof a large number of molccules, o r cllor-11s.which give to the objcct o r being its own individual and conlplrx 'sound'. Hence the title of Andrcws' book, The Symphony ofLzfi~."

THE VOCAL RANGE OF THE ONE SING ER N o t only suppnsrclly 'solid' matter, but all forrns of energy, are composed of waves : which is to say, vibrations. All of the different kinds of eIectromagnr~iccsnergy - including radio waves, heat, Xrays, cosmic rays, visihlc light, infra-red and ultraviolet - are composed of a wave-like or vibratory activity, these vibrations travelling through the univcrsc at 186,000 miles per second. The only difference between each of these phenomena is their frequency of vibration o r wavelength. Each merges into the other at a certain

.,.~t,(.ltngth;which obviously means, whcn one gcBtsdown t o it, that , 1 1 1 ~,m1each one and the same thing. W l ~ c nthis vibratory activity occurs at ;L frcqtrcncy o f around r1o0.000billion waves per second it becomes particul;irly incrrestirlg 11111 ;~c.cessibleto us in everyday life, for this is tllc Irr~~11cr1c.y ;~t r v 1 1 1 t . I 1 our eyes have been designed to scnst the vil~s:~tiorlc ;tntl I I .lll~lllit them to our brains in the form of the visl~:ilp r r c c - l ~ ~ i01' or~ II,;III; ~ n dcolour. Slight differences in w ; ~ v c l t t > g ~!:ivr h riw I O 111t ,xion of different colours. That light s h o ~ ~ lIrr tl s c i c r ~ ~ ~ l ~ i ~ ; ~ l l y ihed as a wave-frequency once again ; ~ I i ~ ; rr ~~ ~s~ > r l ( . ~\ t. r. ri c n ~ . ~ jy-side with the ancients. The authors of tllr. I l l ~ : r n i \ \ ~ : ~ tw l ~r . 11.1vrrecounted, knew that light was a forni o f v i l r r ; ~ ~ i oI ~~c - ilr ,l ! : , I r l ~ l l h 0 1 . rarefied form of 'sound'. .111tl N;~tureherself also indicates the close link I2clwc.c.11so1111t1 II!:~II, the solar-spectrum of colours displaying n nun~hcl I 11 ~ l ~ r . I~~~rlwr.ties of tones. T h e resemblance is just as thon);h t l ~ ~1,111. Ill~~.nornenon . . . - light - were a higher state of the othcl,. ~ I I \ I . I \ tone organizes itself naturally into the seven nrlrcs ol 1 1 1 ~ . c scale, so too does the visible solar-spectrum forni rhc \c.vr.n , of the rainbow. 11 will be recalled that the significance of the number scvc11 I \ ; I ~ 11.11lirional1~ held to be associated with the fact that all o f t l l t lllllvrrse is formed by, and therefore mirrors in nature, the scven 111.l jor (and five minor) cosmic Tones. In fact, all of the mysticill I I I I I ~ I I ,of~ ~ ~the Creation have their counterparts in the visiblc ,l~lq>crties of light. One, the number o f unity and of the Supreme, is I ~ ~ ~ l . r -o ~n) rearth e d in the purc, undiffercntiated white light. T w o , the l ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ of t . i opposing ple opposites. is present in the relationship 111.1wren white and black, and all o f their intermediary shades of !.I l a y . Three, or the Trinity, ni:~nifesisvisibly in the form of the three y colours. Then. by miririg thr light of these three colours as we 1 , seven colours inclucling white are produced in all: thesc visible frequencies of the acbvenTones.

17I I MYSTICISMOF COLOUR I 11'1111 . I illustrates what h;lppcns when three spotlights of AiTfrrt-~~r l I = rcd, green and purple - are beamed onto a wall i l l S I I I 11 . I rv.ly r l ~ . l r lhcy overlap The result: one witnesses a s y n l l r ~ l111 1 1 1 1 r I \ jlrirttrvc.,l l l r * l . t ' ~ ' Y ~ \ I L ;:I .,li/:htly different series of seven colours whicli c:ln : ~ l \ oI)(- ~ . ~ l r c.I\- l ~ I rlwesenting the seven Tones. These arc the c o l o ~ ~ Ir,Is r III. I . . I ~ I I I J ~I W , N,tture's own gift of chromatic beauty. Thc scvcn C I I ~ O I I I - ~01. 1111I .I inbow are violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, r II.;III!:I. .111tl I-rtl. I'llcse, and the entire span of the spectrum, are 1wu;llly tlrpit trtl i l l .I , X I r;iight line, one colour blending into the other from vic IICI . ~ t c 1111. red at the other. Yet it is more revealing, and cl~>.;rvIrr I behind all things, to position the colours ; ~ r r ) t ~ n111(. ~l ference of a circle. It is then possible to see how t l ~ r%OI;II, .>l,r-cuumrelates to the circle of the zodiac, which in itsclf is t.rllrr.-, ,.ivc of the total number of twelve Tones. If the spectrum is placed around only about two-thirds of t l ~ r I ~vrrallcircumference of the circle, we find that these must indctrl \>c. 111ccorrect positions for each of the colours, for the different s h ~ d c s ; I I Y positioned in such a way as to be exactly opposite their complclrlrntary colours. This is a fact which has long been known, but its .iipnificance overlooked. U'hcn two colours are complementary. it Incans that when they are conihincd they have the effect of cancelling each other out, the rcsult o i thc ir~ixturebeing grey. In other words, any pair of complcmc.n~:~ry cc)lours are the yang and the-yin :~.;ptctswhich radiate forth from r l i t ccntre on their particular axis o i I I W circle. In astrology this 11;t.i its direct parallel in the principlr 01 ol'ljosi~~gsigns, which facc c;tch other across the six axes 01- 111(. ~ I II olour

votli;~~..

So similar are the properties of tone and of colour that during the 1920s and '30s a number of musicians branched off into an entirely independent artistic movement of colour-music. For example, keyboards were constructed which played, not musical notes, but beams

'1'11~. fact that the solar-spcctrum only encompasses aho~rt I W I I 1hirtl5of the circle is also tliought-provoking, and may link W I I11 I l ~ r 1';lcr r l l ; ~ tthe seven major cosnlic Tones are said to hc n1or.r 1.u' ,I 1 ' 1 1 1 . ~ n t lt;lngihlc in their effects throughout the univcrsr I ~ I . I I I r l ~ c . II!,~. rninor l'cmcs. These five minor Tones (sometirnrs c . ~ I l t . t l ' I ~ I I I ~ .' I I ,I '5rcrcr' Tones), as represented in colour, wcl111tl , I ( ( ~ I ~ I I I I 11111-1-nlnininpthird of the circumference. And sin(.(.~ I I I l I~ c - c ~ I vI ~r t r t i l t *. 1111

S

THE PHYSICS OF T H E O M

'THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

111isremaining portion of the circle would still be complecolours t o the solar-spectral colours opposite them, it is ~l~c.rr.Iol.c possible t o know which colours they are. Opposite the r.ol.tr-spectral colour of green, for instance, is a purplish-red, and c~plwsiteto yellow-green comes a bluish-purple. "l'he total 360' circumference could accurately be called an 'octave' of colour. But to put our conception of this colour-zodiac into a larger perspective, we should note that it is not a closed circle at all, but rather, one 360' turn of a spiral as seen from above. That is, the arc of the circle continues around once more, and again and again, both anti-clockwise and clockwise, but at a lower and a higher plane. The spiral of light-frequencies passes upward into the ultra-violet spectrum and downward into the infra-red, passing in each case beyond the range of our visual senses. Thus, the visible octave of colour is but a note within a larger Octave, which is in itself only a tiny portion of the entire range of frequencies of the Word. This entire range of vibrations is t h ; ~known ~ in physics as the spectrum of electromagnetic waves. I r l I:igurc 2 it can be seen that the known range of this spcctnzrn cxrcncls from the point of zero cycles or vibrations per second to ;I l i l t lc. I)c.yoncl 1 02' or a trillion trilion cycles per second. Beyond that point of very high frequencies our instruments are not yct ablc to rnc;tsllrc. The lower frequencies to thesleft include the broad rangc ol' intluctive heat, and the frequency used to convey electricity alonK 17owe~1. lines. Beyond this come radio waves, and then the infra-rcil ~ ; I I I ~Beyond (I. the range of visible light are the vibrations modern sc ic'nce has termed ultraviolet light, X-rays and Gamma rays. Fin;lIly c ~ ~ r nthe e cosmic rays which are the highest frequency yrr I;IIOWII along the electromagnetic spectrum. This spectrum of electromagnetism is referrecl I O wen in modern physics in terms of its 'octaves', for it is by n.uure a range of vibratory oct;tves, the entire known range cnco1111);1ssing about 70 octaves. It can l>(. sren from Figure 2 that thc r:ingc of visible light takes up only ;I tiny portion of the entire spc-ctrum. Curiously enough, and as thnrlgh by grand design, of t h c total 70 octaves, visible light accounts for lust about exactly one octave. I . ~ l r r . 1111

I~II.III;II.~

&

'l

i~ l

i

1

'

~~ '

~1 ,

,

I l

I

1

l

IIIII..Again, this 'circle' is actually only onc. ~ . c . v o l ~ ~of ~ i o;I nspiral. . of , \ I I I I Ithe I ~ ~360° circuit, the scvcn m;~jor;111dlive. I I I ~ I I ~ I11otc.s 1 1 1 t . 11l11sica1 octave take up their twclvc. posit i o ~ ~,I(,: , orcli11;11cs of 1111. twelve zodiacal signs and tlirir l'oncs. I ~ o l l o ~ v i ~ I ~I I! ~: . sl>ir;~l I t twn, we descend into lowrr octaves :tnrl C V C I I I II;III y inrt l r l ~ 111;111clc II)I(.subsonic range of vibration. Abnvc t11c ; 1 1 1 t l i l 1 l c I.;ln,i:c- wc. cnlrr I I I I O the supersonic range. Strictly spc.;~kiri!:, 1111. s t ~ ~ ~ I I iI t. C I L I ~ ~ I I C ~ ~ b.l,ir;~l cannot be said to be a part of the ol~*t II.IIII~;I~:III.I 1 % I t C . ~ I I I C I Iy~ $III.IT;~S *.lr~r;il : the latter consists of electroniagnc~ri t v il)r IIC.. ~ i r . , . l ~ ~ ~vibrations nd are literally physic;il in LII;II I I I T ~ I(. I,.vc.l I Iilwcver, all can be seen to be derivcd frc1111V I ~ I ~ : I I I 11 mother. Therefore all that there is - 1111 1n;irlc.l.. ,111 tbllt.l!:y ~ntlccdcomposed of nothing more and nothing Icss I 11.111 . vi111.II i t 111. 'I'he illumined sage has always known this t o I,(. I 1-111..Morc.: II(ves in all of nature its essentialy rhythmic forincl;~~io~~*.. 'I'II~. ~g and withering of the flower; the rising and rrl I in!: I )t I 111. he biorhythms of body, emotions and mind; the W : I X ~ I I / :. 1 1 1 t l w;tnlng of the moon; the ebb and flow of the tide; the cyclr.; o! 1 1 1 ~ . ..t.,lsons; and the movements of the planets and the stilrs - 1 0 1111: t~~ystic these all testify of the Word and of the Music of the Slll~c,r l.\ ~ f ~ ~ ~ psince ~ v all e rmatter , is but the warp and woof of vil)r,;~rion, a

(,I)

l

Ii~IIJ; 1111. . L I ( . S ~ ~f ( ~ Ithc ~I Word into the Celestial Waters. Tllc tlrscrnt 01 IIII',V I I , I - ; I I ~ W I~O ~ C V /:ivcs rise, at its different frequency-lrvrl.;. I r ) ,111 I l ~ r~ . i ~ ~ ~ I lil'lcrent forms of energy. But the imll() l , ~ . i s , . 111.11 ; i l l IIIV It I I ~ ~ w nenergies represent only the de.frt*~rt 1. 11 O I I I S I I ~ I - ~ I 1 1 1 1 0 matter. These energies represent ~ , I I I 1111. ~ I ~ ~ ~ ! ; ~ tlrn~il'i~.;~. ra.;c.tl I I ~ M I I I vibrations from the heavens ? Whatever its modus o p ~ r r l ~ dni;~y i IN.. .~\trologyitself is rapidly emerging from the misty rc;~lms01. ~ I I ~ ) ~ . I . i\ I~ i o l i ,newspaper columns itsr-ll . I \ :I v;ilid science. It and ignorant laughter. to cst;~l>lisl~ accomplishes this the more frccl y ; I I I ~l l ; ~11'\51 i ~ ~ when it enters the halls of science in disguise, rlndcr ;IntIrllc.r II.IIII(': [here exists a growing body of information cullc~il 1ro111 ~,lt~sics,statistics, astronomy, chemistry, psychology and, in 1x11-I i c I I ~ . I ~I)iology, , which indicates all manner of influences which t11c. * < I I I I . I III' moon and the planets exert over life on earth. Astrology C l v , 1 1 1 ~I IIII(#I. name smells just as swcet! -4 number of marine creatures such as oy\tc-lL4II.IVI. Iwcn found to be sensitive t o the position of the moon irrc\llc.c I I V ~ .01' whether or not they are in water and can feel the t i d ~ . ~ ' ()lher ' ~ ~ ' ' creatures the worm respond to the moon's 28-day cycle. Onr. of 111(~11i, Platynereir drr/m~rilii,swarms to the surface of I 11(. #,(..Icvery time the moon reach- its last quarter.9u It has been diu ovcrrd that potato tubers react to thr position of the moon: thcy tlir Pomerantz and others 1i:tvc detected oscillations on the .;IIII'S surf;tce which they bclicve originitte from acoustic or vibratory w;tves inside the fiery sphere. Eighty overtones or different kinds of vihr;ttion have been observcd. with periods of from two to eight rnint~t~s. These oscillntions. :IS well as the radio waves of space, have been transposed into audihlc sollnd. The results, though interesting, cannot really be said t o correspond with music as we know it. However, Saturn's magnetosphere produces waves which, when transposed into sound, have been described as 'a slow, dreamy melody'. When Voyager 2 drew dose to the ringed world it ~ i c k e d )

237

"11

iynthesizer, and the waves were indeed found to consist of a f melody. O f the waves, D r Hunt, a British scientist who q%rtllnccl with NASA on the Voyager project muses that, 'Perhaps 111c-y will reach Top of the Pops in years to come.' II' 1 . 1 planets ~ do radiate tones across the void to each other. then 1.1, Iors such as their relative orbits, orbital speed, ancl distance from ~ I I Iitnother I. could be expected to be very important f;tc.tors in deterrr1111ingthe harmonic results. This sets one's mind imnlediatcly to t l ~ ~ ~ ~ of k i tBode's lg Law. I\odcls Law is one of the most clear-cut astrnnr~~iiical rnrssagrs 111.11 the universe has to offer us in order to convince man o f thc ~l~lct.r.rnt order and meaning within the Creation. It was J o l l ~ n I). ~i I ' I ~ I I IinS ,1766, who first discovered the Law, but six years 1;itcr It~l1.111n Bode did a better job of drawing attention to it, so t l i ; ~ tit .~i~r.rwards became known as Bode's Law. Titius had noticrd that 111 of the planets known to astronomers in his day possrsscct mean ( $ 1 l i ~ a ldistances from the innermost planet, Mercury, thcsc. orl)its I l1.4 I ~mingprogressively greater by the ratio of 2 :1 as tllc planets I l l e rr;tsed in distance from the sun. That is, Earth was twicr ;IS far 11,1111Mercury's orbit as was Venus, Mars was twice as f:tr fro111 h1rrcxry as was Earth, and so on. The ratio 2 :1 is, of coursc, the I .tlio of the octave itself, and so it was as if thc pla~lcrr;Iornicd a 11,rin of octaves, each next planet reprcsrntin~nnc oc.~;tvc.The tl~*.t;tncesinvolved were not exactly of thc r;llio 2 : I , hltt wcrc near t.,lou~hto suggest to early Europcan ;tstrnrtorllc.rsrll;ct a definite law : sort might be involved. vever, there was a gap in t h c ch:tirt 01' octaves: there existed ~ w n$anet between Mars ;t11t1 111pilcrwhere, according to r11 0 1 1 t - . l-'hen, in 1 8 0 1, Giuseppe Law, there should havr I~cl l i t 1 with ;.I diameter of 480 miles discovered Ceres, a planc~c: ~rbitedalmost exact1y whrr Hodc's Law had predicted that I' . I I I I . I I I P ~should. Not only did Illis cilscovery fulfil for Bode's Law ~ I i r b.1.111tlard supporting facrr~rnec:cssary for any scientific law: that 1 1 m . l , ~ , l ~ l t l be able to predict fttrtllcr discoveries; but Piazzi had not 1 1 . 1 1 1 111r Iraw in mind at all when he discovered Ceres. H e had , . I I I I ~ J yI III.~II making routine observations for a catalogue of star posi1 1 4 111.. 1 ..11 W , hundreds of other ~lanetoidswere also discovcrcci tr11tl1111 1 1 1 ~ . s:irnt orbit, and the orbit became known as tlir nstrroid ' I l l ( . .ts~croids appear to be the remains of a plztnct whicll oncc I, uIIrlwr.tl tl~i-,orhit, but was somehow mystcrinrlsly ilrsrroycti. This U

111.11

.l

IH

THE PHYSICS OF THE OM

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

,rnlcr planet has by some been posthumously called Maldek. Morc discoveries were to follow in the fulfilment of Bode's Law. 1 s t )I. since 17 72 there have come the discoveries of Uranus, Neptune .11it1 Pluto. Of these three, Uranus and Pluto have mean orbits cxtrcmely close to the exact distances necessary to complete two further octaves. Neptune has sometimes been cited by reductionist materialists as evidence that the Law is no law at all, since the planet does not fall upon an octave position. Yet in fact it is located almost exactly half--way between Uranus and Pluto, as though to fill in the half-octave position. Table 3 shows the exact distances of the octaves going out from Mercury, taking Earth's orbit to be two units out, and shows too the actual distances of the planetary orbits themselves. 11

Table 3 : Bode's Law Planet

Perfect Octaves: units of distance from Mercury

Mean Orbits: ;ictual units of distance from Mercury

Mercury

0

0

Venus

I

1 .l

Earth

2

2

Mars

4

3.7

Asteroids

8

Aplwox

8

Jupiter

16

16

Saturn

32

30.j

Uranus

64

62.6

Neptune Pluto

( 6 4 X 1+=96)

98.9

128

130.1

Could there be further planets yet to be discovered, also keeping to the predicted orbits of the Law? If so, the nearest would be twice as far out as Pluto, and therefore not an easy body to locate. What do contemporary astronomers themselves say of the Law? Smaller astronomical texts rcfer to the Law merely as 'a curious numerical relationship', without even mentioning the essential fact that it completes a series of octaves. More detailed texts content

239

1111-~risclves with the observation that, 'It is probably a mere tttl~~cidcnce'!In fact, a science based upon m;lterialism can say ~llttl~ing else, no matter how many morc pl;tnrts 11li#l11.yrt be lI16.(1,vcredin accordance with the Law. (Thr d;iv lipon which thc Y I',~ctor'of God is finally admitted and rrincc~rpor:~lccl Il;~ckinto IIII. scientific outlook of man will hr a siKniiic;~nrr l ; ~ y indrccl. I'rrhaps no event more than this will sipn;~lrhr ii>rni;~l ;lrr.iv;~lo f lhc 1\1l11;1rian Age, in which religion is to hc mrlrcs scic-ntil'ir,, ;111dsci~ni.(religious, for the perfect wedding o1'tIir I WO.) 1111,r.c llode's Law concerns itself with the distan1.c.s 0111 I'ro~iiM c.rcl1l.y ~ I rllc I orbits of the planets; but therc may ;il'ic, rxisr olhrr. I~:~rl~lonicI lws. unnoticed by astronomers, which conccrn t l ~ c u cl~c.c.tI.~ 111 r l l c Itl.~~lrts' movements around in their orbits. Litcr;~lly.tIi~.\v.;l~c.c.tls. O I I I 111- harmonic level, would represent the planets' pitcl~-l't.c.cl~~c.~~~ in. 11 I I I . I ~ therefore be the case that when planets comc i r l l c , C O I I ~ I I I I I1 i o 1 1 w 11 l1 one another (i.e. become arranged in a more-or-lcss cr ~.II,I;III I I I 11. l:,ulig out from the sun) that 'chords' are produced. Wh;tr is ir~rvrc*s~ III,I! in this respect is that a number of regular planetary cc~njl~rjc, (11' M carcury 11111 Venus. But, what was more, the study found tl1;11 intc-rpl.~nrt;ir.y w.1vrs may have been the cause; specifically, the anion 01. sllock ;incl Inlw waves in the supersonically streaming plasma coniinb: 0111 fro111 I Icr wn. It is therefore only possible, though, for this p;~rricwl;~r inlrrI l l . ~ ~ ~ r teffect a r y to be exerted from a more inward-c.~rl>it inl: rl;tllc.t I I ~ I I I I Ione further out from the sun. Thus, while Mercury ;~ntlVrn~l.; rIirc.t our own geomagnetic field, we might at least 11.1vc. III(. ~i~.;f'action of knowing that our planet likewise disrupts wl~.ttrvc.l; 1 . 1 i l i o reception there may be on Mars! In fact, Atkinson clitl lint1 I 11.11 the position of the earth influenced the frequency of the s~rrf:~c.r I ~ ~ a ~ tknown ~ r c s as Martian blue clearings. 'I'hat high frequency waves from space could significantly affrct ~ll~tlitions on earth would tend to be indicated by experiments into ~ t l rcffects of known vibrations produced in the laboratory. For ~ ~ . t t n p lite , has been found that music is capable under laboratory c llltlitions of. changing the chemical structure and the strength of I v.;~als.This effect is particularly marked when ultrasonic music is 110.r~l in the presence of heat.79 And since we have suggested that w.~vc-frequenciesfrom the heavens cquate with the ancient science 1 1 1 .tstrology, this confronts us with the distinct possibility that .~.~lrological conditions themselves 111i~hteven be able t o influence ~llr-;~.c~~r;tble physical and chemical processes. Aln;r/.ingly enough, this does sccm to be the case. W e havc ,111 l - . l l l y briefly reviewed some of' 111c effects of the heavenly bodics . I I I I I 1 1 1 1 . i ~ positions upon organic l i i ~ and , upon the atmospherc of I 1 1 1 t..tl.ilr. The sunspot cycle and other conditions have l1r.c.n '$1 . I I t V l lI, ;iIly linked with the occurrence of earthquake ancl ot III-I ~ , I I , . I I ~ I IAnd, I I ~ IinI ~view . of thr cffect of music on crystals, tllc- IIIO*,I I I ~ I ~ . I ~ * ~ I Idiscovery I I ~ ; of all is that in crystal growth. t l j ~l l ~ y ~ ~ l t . l l ~.l~.l~ 01l r 111c ~, crystals have been found to be slightly inllllr~lcrtl I * a l ~ i l i l ) j ; 10 t11c positions of the zodiac and thr I l l . ~ ~ ~ r'1'111%~ '~.a I I*.,w c v y c.rc;ires quite a link between astrological inl1111+11t.I 1 ~ I 1IIC I I I I . , I 111:11 lhcy may be based on vibration. ( I t :tls~)tl~t.rlw'~ 1 1 1 1 0 i11111l)l I~IIVIICY I

1

I

I

c 1

8

S.

I

1 1

t

h

74.2

rllc entire concept of the perfect scientific experiment, with its controls and laboratory conditions. Should the finding come to be independently replicated. we will then have to live with the knowledge that the ever-changing influences of astrology cannot be excluded from the tat-tube!)

INFRASONICS, ULTRASONICS A N D ACOUSTIC ODDITIES Acoustic oddities and phenomena rrlated t o sound-vibrations beyond the range of human hearing arc reported from time to time in scientific journals and newspapers ;IS though they were strange, misbegotten misfits of the aural world. Rut it becomes increasingly apparent that many 'strange' acoustic plicnomcna may not be quite so 'strange' or 'odd' at all. Tlicy m;cy simply constitute those rare instances when the vast universr of' ;rctrustics which exists beyond our own range of hearing a t timrs o v c r l ; ~ ~and s enters into our perceptible range. It may be that the intcrplanri:try ~ ~ I Iitsclf K is sometimes audible t o the listener upon earth. ; ~ n dwi;llrllll .111y nred of a music synthesizer ... We have seen that astronnmic;~1/;1s11-1 l l r ll:ir.;tl rvcllts do influence earth's magnetic field. What is nlorr, 111i\ I 11.1tl i n I urn has much to do with the production of thc Ne~rtl~c.rl~ I.i):ltts, the auroral phenomenon visible from Norway. C : I ~1.1, ; I I.I IICI other northern lands. And numerous reports attest th:~ttlu. . I \ I ~ ~ ) I . ;;I ~times t appears along with an audible sound. Since the :iun)r;t i.; ~.c.l;t~ed to the supersonically streaming plasma from the sun, i t I I I . I ~ 111cn be that the aurora is occasionally able t o render thew ~ 1 1 . 1 1 - vil~rationsat an acoustic frequency suitable for the human car. One of the most thorough investigations i111o111caurora sound was undertaken by the dedicated researcher oi r llc I I ~rthern ~ spectacle, Sophus Trumholt, and was reported in thc NIIII~W OS 24 September, 188j. Earlier that year he sent out about a tlir111\;111d questionnaires to all parts of Norway, asking if the recipicnr\ Il.td ever heard the aurora sotlnd, anci if so, what did it sound likc? Of the 144 replies he received, 92 (04 per cent) believed in the sound - S 3 (or 36 per cent) because thry hacl personally heard it, and the others because they knew people who hacl heard it. Of the scores of descriptions of the aurora-sound which Trumholt received, we can list a sampling: Quiet whizzing. hissing ; Soft crackling, sizzling;

243

THE PHYSICS OF THE (-)M

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

,\ k i r ~ t of l sound as when you tear silk ;

I { I I ~ ~ I ,, I S from a stream; I I.~l>l>i~~g, as a flag before the wind ;

, ~ ~ t ~ hissing, i n g , as from flames: I(o,tring, as from a storm; \,VIlispcring and glistering.

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w l , tllings are noticeable from tllrsr cIc.;c.~.i~~lio~~*.. 1;iry.l. 111(-ir ~ ~ ~ t . ~ ~ 1111ll.1ri1y with each other, which suggrxts [II:II 1111.I ~ l t r ~ r ~ o is ,l,,r.tr ivc, and not a figment of thc i m ; ~ s i n ; ~ ~.i\ (o- t~. o~n t.l , I )I(. . I ~ l t ~ ~ l of , ~ rthese i t y descriptions with thc kincl OI ~ I I I I I I111.11 ~ ~ 11.s111la ~ V I I ( . I I c!learomagnetic waves in spacc are pickrtl 1111 . I I I ~ I ~ I I I I V I . I I ( . C ~ I I I I~ I ~ o u n dthrough a synthesizer ! Perhaps in sc )rnr ,,I I..II\!:I+ W , Iy I 111. I I I I ~ I ~ : L makes it possible t o hear the eternal whispc.rin!: . I I I ~I .~O . I I I I I ) : ( I 5 1 3 ; ~ ~It. is not at all impossible for ele~troma~ncti5111 ~ 1 1 1 r r - 1 Iuw I I 1 t rrli~cnaturally converted into audible air vibration.;. I ;c rr. , I III~III., .I ~ttlmberof reported sighting5 of meteors and mctcorirc.s .t1.1. 1111 I crrd where the observer first had his attention dl.;iwll t o 1111. a,l~c.ctacle by a rushing or roaring sound from the burning Ilcrtly. Yt.1 ~~tr-tcors are usually seen at such a great distance that it w o ~ ~ l111. (l ~r~!~ossible for ordinary sound-waves to arrive at the ol)sc.~.vr.r'.~ I~,\itionat the same time as the visible light .. unless the ol>.;crvc.l. wc.rr. hearing electromagnetic waves which had somehow I,rrl~ I l.;~nslated into air vibrations in his locality. A lengthy scientific paper by Charles R. Wilson in the Jorrrnnl o/' (,'ropbysical Research of April 1969 provides support for the ide:~ III;IL the aurora is related to frecjurncics of sound which man cannot t ~ c ~ r n ~ ahear. l l ~ Recording and ;in;llysing infrasonic waves at (:allege, Alaska, Wilson found their structure to be related to the I imc and space distribution of the s~ipersonic auroral motions during I ~ ~ lmagnetic ;~r substorms. Kitpid :iuror;ll motions accompany thc I)~~c;tk-ii~ phase of magnetic s ~ ~ h s t o r nand ~ s , it was then that t l ~ r . were observcil r o occur. Wilson was able to vcril'y i~~I.r;~.;onic waves ~uroralellectrojets gencr;ttc. the infrasonic shock waves."" 'l'l~r I , then, seems to be ;tssociated with acoustic frcquc.ncit*\ In, I,clow :m d above thr r;lllgc of the human ear. I .- by ultrvsonic and infrasonic wavrs, ~lO1lll.I 11 / \ PI;IIIC': 111c.ni!?(.ingrclated to thc cyclrs of the sun and the plnnr.~.;. . . 'I'hc occasional translation into audibility nf ; I C O I I ~ ; I I ( 1 1 1 r l vil)r:~tor~ evcnts normally beyond the range of hti111;11l l1v.11III!! I I I . I Y .tI.;o hc rcsponsiblc for the large number of nr11c.r .,I I .III!:I. IIIII~I*,J I I 1 1 t ( - air which are reported from time to tin11.. \ I I I I I rt.lll,lfb,,111.

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~!:~ll#rt.il y c ~by most scientists, yet they have been faithfully tl~llrc,tcd and published for a number of years by writers and ~ I J I I I . I I : I ~specializing S in strange - phenomena. The t w o most common Iorms of strange aerial sounds are those known as 'barisal " rmns' and t l ~ c'Big ~ u m ' y ~ latter h c of these is a low-pitched, intermittent hum reported by people from many parts of the world. Writing in Fate, Lucille C. Hieber has offered her o w n description of the H u m : For about a year and a half I have been hearing a humming of this same nature. While there is a low humming sound connected with it, there also seems to be a more pronounced overtone in the middle range. It is continuous now, and sometimes loud and sometimes faint, but always there. .. . the hum does not seem to be so much something heard as something felt, possibly a form of radar; for one woman stated she hears it even when she closes her c;irs.""'

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THE PHYSICS OF THE OM

I I I r y people some minutes beforc the physic;~Io11sct of carthIll.lIrt.s.)Rcsearcher R. W. B. S t c ~ h c n siurthcr s t : C.; ~ ~I 11:it:

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I111crnaldamage may occur due t o the i;~cttI1:tt 1il11.1son1cw.~vcs 1 \ i l y penetrate deeply and may inducc rcsnn:tnL c.1It.r on r)l.g;clls . . . Accidents, absenteeism, and othcr factor5 ~ n t l i iin:!;~ ~rlr4qr..~cl.~I l r )n of human performance can be corrcl:~~ctl W i t 11 i l l 1 I .~\orltc cv,~vc\arriving from storms 200 miles a w;iy " l 1

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rlle effects of even inaudible vibrations ,111 , i t l t l 1 1 1 , I i 1 '1'111.. I I I I I I ~ ! us ~ to t w o implications. Firstly, that natur;il w:~vt..11 rr~rrtiY I I L 11 1.- I llose that might originate from beyond thc c;~rthc.1 t ~ l l t l i IICI(.I*LI ~ l rt ~us. . ~These waves would relate at least p r t i a l l y to 111c ; i r l t I(.III P I N r.ption of the O M , the seven Tones, and astralo.qy. v, . . St.c-o~~tll 1 1 1 1 I' we are apparently so ignorant as yet about thc Ion!:- I c.l.111 1 I 1 . c r s on human beings of inaudible man-made wavc-forms, sh0~11~1 IT,,. rc;illy use them so lightly and frequently, without a g r c ; ~ tclc.~l Ill#tl.r. research being undertaken first? As the reader rc:~cls ~ l l i . ; 4 jllt.ncc, he is being bombarded by hundreds of different 11.c~ll~l.t~c~ics of radio, and perhaps even radar, waves. Though wc I I \ I I O ~ hear them, does this really mean that they cannot affect us? ' 1 ' 1 1 ~ ancient philosophers had only the live perforrnanccs of' trjllng music to contend with. M a k e of it what we will, btlt thc lv;il,ility is there that wrong music, travclling through the air by Illr..tlls of inaudible vibrations, may be a5 dangerous as audiblt I P I I I I I ~ : music. Several modem esotcric authorities have stated just 1 1 1 1 . . 1 0 he so: that the penetration of ihc planet and its people by thr I I + 1 1 1 , w:ives themselves from hundred of radio stations broadcasting ,I~..~r~l.tl;int music is at least RS dcstructivc in the long run as thc I I I I - . I I ~ ~(11- ordinary sound-wavcs. ) I i ourse, it is unnecessary t o ;~cldthat as level-headed citizens or' ~-r~l,!:l~tened modern era wc rnust discount such wild ideas. A l l ~ i 111 nCllh them, therefore, w r h ; ~ dbetter also discount the c.nlrc.1 I rill 111.~ t r,llclucted by A. H . Frcy. as reported by Mary anti T)I 1 l l . l l i l 11.11

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The possibility that the Big Hum n~ighr be purely physiological and internal seems discoi~ritctl C 1% that it is heard by many people togcthcr, :ind wit11 c. sp;~cc-timelocalizations, i l ~ ~ sin about it to when for a period of weeks o r I I ) I ~t t ,~ l l ~~ l~> l . ~ pour 101. instance, was in the local authorities. O n e famous 'o~ltl~l~c:rk', England in 1960, when the majority r ) l rrpcms came from East Kent. At that time the phenomenon W;(.; ~:tkvnvrry scriously: it was discussed in Parliament and in military (-,il.c,lc.i.'l'hc Ministries of Science, Supply and Aviation, the Grnt.r:ll I'os~ Office and the Electricity Board all disclaimed responsihilir v. Somc havc thought the Big H u m t n Ix 111t. r~llissionof secret radar bases, but it seems more likely to br rt.l:lrt.~lI O geophysical o r other factors to d o with vibrations norrn;~lly I~cyondthe audible range. ( O r somebody somewhere doing a loll~t()M i !) The picture we are arriving at is one of ;l world permeated with sounds and wavcs of all kinds of different frrtl~l[.ncics,and which at times are linked to extra-terrestrial factors. [[I ;In early chapter we looked at the various very potent ways in which audible sound affects man's mind, body and emotions - and not all of these effects depended upun the sound needing to be consciously hcard. What, then, of the effects upon man of infrasonics and ultrasonics. not t o mention electromagnetics? T o take infrasonic wavcs, for instance, these have been found to cause d i s ~ ~ u i l i b r i u mdisorientation, , blurring of vision, nausea and lassitude. (Identical symptoms to those which have sometimes been

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l l(. IOIIII(I L I I ; I ~ some human subjects exposed to I > ~ ; I I ~ I1 '1 ~1 l i l t h i r;ltl;cr sets perceived sensations o f sn~lnrl L I v . . ~ I 11 I . l h . 1" tl11.r7in!:, clicking, hissing, or knocking, dcpr.~lrl;l~!! 1 1 1 1 I 11,. I t . ~ r ~ . . I I I I I IC~l ~I .; ~ r ; ~ t . t ~ r i s tCarc i c s . w ; ~ s takrn I O t n u t 1 1 1 l l l - I I ~ I - ~ . . I I I I V 11.1

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I I., I I I I C , I ~ I O I I (by loose tooth fillings and the like) of the pulsc111ocli11,tted signal. A peak of electromagnetic powcr density of as IOW '45 400 microwatts per square centimetre at the observer W e shall not discuss here the could be perceived '1s sound possible mechanisms for electrophonic hearing, but perhaps the electromagneticwaves act direc~lyon the brain [my italic^].'^^

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Would not such signals also act upon the brains of those who could not hear them? Perhaps it is time for the invention of a portable anti-radio-wave body shield. But in the meantime we are going to have t o live with thirty o r forty simultaneous transmissions of pop and punk coursing through our blood, bones and brain. Which brings us directly back t o the subject of music and its power .

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r l I . ~ I I Icmtury. I W h o can say what scientific dicr.ovcrics are yet grl~l~,? I \ I I I ~ I ( - 1I1 1t1;~nneeds t o treat music with a grcatcr rc.sprct. Mlisic is #I I r l l ~ I I .:incl vibration is the energy of thc Suprr.nic-. 1,ikc liuclc~r which can be used t o destroy an rntirc city, 01. to ('11111isI1;l11 , ~ ; y requirements of that same city, musir I O O is ;L 11n1tt;tl .lnd its ultimate effects, for good o r cvil, 111,ly 1101 IIC ;l1 .l11 - 1 1 s . ~ ~ ~in ~ their I I ; ~potency r t o those of nuclenr c.ncr!:y. O n l y m;ln can . I ' I,!V IIOW music is t o be used; and thus, pcrlinp.;, tlr.i.~tl(. ;II,II wll;lr 1 1 1 - I rwll ~ ; I C Cis t o be. As w e treat the energy of t11r . I I O I ~ I . will1 ~:I.~.;II 114. -tnd caution, so too d o w e need to handlc ni,~sic.111 ~ l i c - l i 1 1 ; t l is. we should strive t o realize more fully, it .;(.t9~ns, tl1.11 w l i ~ r ~ ;tl with sound we are dealing not merely with 111(. c.r~c.l.~:ic.~ of r, nor only with the art of mortal minds, but wit11 ( ; o t I . 4,111'

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CONCLUSON W e have seen that wave-forms, whcther nudiblc o r otherwise, are a far more important phmomr.nnn than is usually recognized. The information w e have lookcd at ;llso strol~glysi~ggcststhc objective reality of the OM, its link with astrology. ; I I I ~its actual ability to affect matter o n earth. All this 11;~s( ' I I O I . I I I O ~ I ~implications for the r Oh1 is that musician and music-lover. This vcry 5;irnc. ~ ~ o w ocf~the which was said to be contained within ,111 . 1 1 1 c l i l 7 l c ' solind. Chladni the power of plates and tonoscopes demonstrate n l o s t ,t:r;~~~liic:~lly music to organize and re-organizc suhs~;~ncc.\ .~it,ordingt o the tones produced. All this leaves us not vcry 1-ts A I ;III from thc idea that some music is objectizrely good and somc n~usir-ohj~rtivelybad or evil. (Once. passing by a crowded dance hall wl~c.l.c.rock was being played, I could not help perceiving the floor I 11 thr I1;t11 in terms of a world like the Chladni plate, and the danccrs appeared f1)1.. l 1 1 j u m p i v , hclplcssly manipulated grains of s:~ntl.) Consiciering that Western man only emrrl:cll ;I k w decades ago frclm thr. ninctcenth-century style 'little p r ; ~ n ~ ~ l oc rs ' 'tiny coiled springs' thcorics of the atom, the fact t h ; ~ tr l ~ rearliest rccorded civilizations wcrc already aware of the in.;uhstantial, vibratory nature of mattcr can only leave us awe-struck. Whence came this knowledge? Whcrc., ;tnd how long ago did it first arise? Whatever thc ;InSWer, that the ancicnts possessed such knowledge makes clnr thing clear: that it would be most unwise for us t o dismiss other aspccts of the ancient wisdom such as those appertaining to the inncr powcr of music. It might be said that our current understanding of the real nature and ability of sound is as yet in the same kindergarten stage as was the physics of the 1 1 1 ( 8

sotcl counselled me and charged me to listen fir r1nicc.c ~ l ~ , rirr rt neitherf r m the tongue nor the throat. /{+re that day I heard but dully, and nought save clnnrour ' i v d lorlrl cries came t o my ears; l l r r ~nou I have learned to lzsten to silence, ' I 'o hear its choirs singzng the song gages, (,'hantingthe hymns of space, and disclosing the secrets of etemi!~. - Kahlil Gibran

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Notes '11 was the particular hallmark of thc god, M a r d ~ k ' s , ~ o w that e r hc ~ ) u l dcausc objects t o vanish and to be crcated by his words. This other gods asked him t o clcrnonstrate as they spread out a !;:krmcnt in front of him. Thcn, 'As Mnrdnk uttered the word, the g;rrrnent disappeared; and ag;~illhc spoke, and, behold, the garment w ; ~ there.' s I

I X I W C ~the

MYSTERY OF PYTHAGORAS' COMMA

Appendix to 6. The Mystery of Pythagoras' Comma

Ill,wcver, given these twelve notes, if a rhirrcc,r~~l~ I I O I C w,15 in order to complete the octave with n sc.1ic.~~ I 11 I wc.lvc. 1 1 1 1 u . 1 "ills of a fifth, it was found that the octave coulrl no/ /'I. ~o/,.l/ly l~ll~/llr/rd! This is a universal law of the physics of ronrb . ~ n di~lclrr'cl, , ~ r ~ ; ~ [ h c m a t iac scycle : of twelve fifths complctcs stvcn oc~;~vt..; e mystical numbers: twelve and seven) plus ;I little ~iiorc-. cd mathematically: ( 3 :2)12 > ( 2 : 1 ) 7 by ;I sliglir rxt:c,\ This interval, since Pythagoras was one who notcrl i t , 11:1\ known as Pythagoras' comma. The differencc is n r;~rio( I S [) :8 1, the extra 1 being the comma. comma produces huge cosmological, as well as practic;~l, ~ ~ l ~ l l ~ ~ t , ;and ~ t i oresults. ns Since this system of calculating twclvc: 11 I.--cloes not perfectly complete the octave, the specific twelvc ral1111c~cit produces are imperfect for use together in harmony. Thcy I I I 11 Ixrfectly harmonize since they d o not divide the octave into I I r I ly accurate divisions of twelve as, say, the hours of a clock d o 1fr.l l l y divide a clock face. Yet to adjust their slight pitchI d * I r~lvtncies in order t o produce perfect harmony would rendcr 11 I I O I ~ imperfect as an interval of a fifth, or as a ratio of 3 :2. Thc I if., 1i11g of their musical system was p;iraniount to the ancients, for I I LI I ~ 111usic had to harmonize with thc ercrnal laws of the universe. 1 1 1 4 1 1 IIII.(* the perfect ratio of 3 :2;ind its interval of a perfect fifth I I 1-!:;1rded as sacred and inviol:thlc. If the system resulted, as it 1 9 , I. 1 1 1 I 1 1 ~ . harmony of moreal music hcing imperfect, then this hall 1 61 I I C as a manifest symbol oI' man's fall from grace, and of tllc. 1 ~~riperfection of thc nnn-licavenly realm of time and sp:tt,r. I ~lrrliapsthe ancients wcse correct in this, for the commit is . I 1 1 1111:l- . 1 1 1 t 1 widc-ranging phcnomcnon, being literally 'writttrl i 1 1 1 ( 1 ' I 1 1 8 ~ ~ I I ~ . ,.{I I I :lncl mathematical laws of the universe. We art. r111 ~.I.~II,I: I , a I I I I I O I i.!!io~ls of thought difficult for the Western rnintll ro ,:I . I ~ , I , . 1 , 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 . I ~ ~ i \ c i l ) i lyi r sccms to bc that it is by the p l l r . n ~ ~ ~ t O~ I rr~~l~~ I. , I I I . ~ ~ : I , I . . I ~ , ' I ol11111;r th;tt the very nature of our 1ivr.s W I I ~ I I II II I V 1 1 1 1 1 I ~ ~l~r,l.l.~lily I is ;rrrnngcd. II.IIII)LC~,

11

One of the greatest of the mysteries of the science of sound is the strange phenomenon known as Pythagoras' comma, which since time immemorial has been to man a symbol of his fallen state of imperfection. Given that different pitches of tonc arrange themselves into octaves (which have the ratio of 2 : l ) , Inan from the earliest times needed to find a method whcrcby thc noics within each ocrave could be calculated. This coulcl 1~ done, ir was discovered, by using the next most fundamcl11i l l , 1 1 1 ~ 1I I ; I I ~ I I I ~ I I ~ O U S tonal ratio, that of 3 :2, o r L purc fifth. If one pictures the octave the interval k ~f a fifth represents a seven-twelfths as a circle, t ! o'clock, moving clockwise, to 7 circuit of r l ~ o'clock. Thib I;I\~(.:,0 1 1 ~I I I C C I ~ . By continuing around clockwise again, anc)rllc.r ~>itcllis produced, but not at 2 o'clock on the same circlc, li)r 1111. 'c,irclc' is actually not a circle at all, but a section of a spir:tl W I I L I I .;l)i~.;tlsupward into higher octaves. By going around clockwiui. i l l , I ,,c.l,ic*sof perfect fifths, a series of twelve notes can be pro~luc~c.tl,I t . l . 1 1 (.cl hy the vibratory ratios of the series 1, 3 :2, ( 3 : z ) ~:1,1111 . . I ) 0 1 1 1 0 ( 3 : 2 ) l l . T r y this out for yourself: by advancing twr'lvc' l i nd a clock face in jumps of seven hours at a tlme, you W I I back at 1 2 o'clock, having landed once on each hour. Howevrr, rh(-.c I wc.lvc notes could not practically be used as the scale of a systrnl 01 11111sic, sincc they extend over several octaves with wide g : ~ p s in I)c.twcen each note. Therefore the ancient philosopher-musici;r115 tlcviscd schemes whereby intcrvals of a fifth l c notes within only one octave. For could be used to c a l c ~ ~ l :I ~welve instance, the Chincse wcnr rlp in pitch by the ratio of 1 :3, then ~ done. Such a practice was capable of down by 3 : 1, up by 1 : 3, ; t ~ so producing twelve approximate notes all within one octave, as shown in Figure 4.6

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'I'I~(,l~t:ll ~ h comma c may be a symbol of the imperfection of man's rrf:~lsticte, the very same comma provides the way 11.11 Ic r o the original state of perfection. For the comma is not a slight lesr than seven octaves, but in excess of them. In the ancient ~rl~c~rval world this fact was widely conceived as a symbol of renewd. The and finish a cycle o f seven c.yclc of twelve perfect fifths did not octaves, but exceeded it, and thus, as it wcre, spiralled upward. There is cvidencc that this upward spiral of renewal was mystically associated with the widespread ancient myth of the the archetypal 'bird' which is resrlrrcctcd from its o w n ashes. Pythagora.;' corntna, then, can be Seen as being God's o w n engram writtcn into the very laws of the universe and of physics. And it is by thc nature of this engram that man is heir to the promise of cvcntual resurrection and ascension our of thc dim caverns of mortality. ~ OftC'rl ; wrestled ~ ~ with ~ the Through the ages civilizatiorls J riilcrnma o f whether to put up sit11 ilrllx'r~c:ctmusical pitchcs while retaining pure idealism in thcir sysrc.nl I'itc]~-calculation,or else t o ideal by taking the depart a little from alienrncnt wirll t \ , , . Ilc.:~vrnl~ ~ r a c t i c a path l of slightly a d j r ~ s t i l lr I~l c . i l Il,,tc.s in order t o harmonize them. Though there were indi~,iJll:tl li!:lirc*s who dissented, the ancirnt cultures optcd, ill ~ll(.iritIc.;~Iisni,for heavenly alignment at the expense of having sliKI1tIFimlx~rl'cctrelationships century AD the betwecn their notes. However, by the sr.v~.ntc.c.l\~li Wcstcrn world had begun its mLry into t l l ~I,l.c.s(-nt era of science and logic. This era was marked not only ;ru ;trritude of overn~atcrialism,but also by a most useful p r a g n l . l t i ~ ; ~ ~.I.llis ~. pragmatism cntcrcd into the debate on tuning, and c,,lltlovr.rsy heightened: should man opt for hcave~ilyperfection I I I I I \ ~ ( . ; I ~inharmony, o r for :I dcphtrture from abstract idealism for r l l r . s.~kc.of expanding music's l i ; l ~ n o n i cpossibilities? ( ~ l on~ tIlr ~ ,wry down-to-earth level, thc (.ontt o celebrate this most high D;ly. ( :clurort both heart and lutc. a n d twist a s o n s Pleasant and long: ( ) I , \incc all musick is but three parts vied And multiplied, ( ) Ict Thy blessed Spirit bear a part AIIJ make up our defects with His sweet Art.'"'

I S. Bach became the first major musician to dcp;~rt f1-(1111 1111. ~tlt.:~lisrn of tradition, opting for the pragmatic appro;lclr 01 ( . ( l ~ ~ . ~ I 11-lnlwrament,or octaves divided into twelve 'equal' division\. 1,11rlrrd up vast new avenues of harmonic possibility, ; ~ n t lI ~ t l1 1 1 1 . wily into the towering musical developments of the eightcr*nlh , 1 1 1 t l ~ ~ i n c t c m tcenturies. h The intensely religious Bach was ;IS go(ltl #I:+ , 'Well, since we d o find ourselves in this fallen slatr 01 imperfection, we had better be practical about it, harmol~i;ll. usic, and b y this very process begin composing a new ;11i(.I 1,crtcr art form. An art of enhanced sublimity can in itself lcarl 11s luck t o the heavens.' This. in essence, is a summary of man's relationship a n d dealings with the phenomenon of Pyth;lgot;tl;;' comma. But it is not the end o f the entire story, for the he;tvcvdy hodics themselves have a final ~ s l to c add. '"'7 have noted a number of' lin~csthat the months of the year associated in antiquity wit11 rhc total twelve notes of thc )l octave. But there arc. of coursc, two slightly different kinds 111hs: thc solar or ca1cntl.11. I I I )n1:11 ~ which averages 30.44 days, .. I T I : I ~ ~;I Itotal I ~ : of 365.2 56 t l . ~ ~pcr s year, and the synodic I I I ~ ~ I I 11lo11r 11 01' 29.5 306 days. Thr \c,l;tr month is exactly one twclftl~0 1 tlir I I I I I ~ . it takcs for thc r.;trtll to orbit once around thc S I I I ~ .'l'llr month is thc time which the moon t;lk(.s 1 0 1 1 . 1 ~ . * ~ its phnscs - SAY,from new moon to IIC-wrill 11 111 I.tr month is not exactly the same ;IS ;t ro1.11I I I O ~ I I ~ I1 1. rc~rn.i~.k.~hly closr, with the curious rcs11l1 I I I . I I I 111.1 r. .I I ~illl;ttrIyIWCIVC lunar months (yes, that n ~ l ~ ~ i rl wi.1~1. , r . ~ .I!:.IIII ') lcncti~rye:lr. Indrcd, sincc solar rnonthr; ol'lr.~.Ir-,-,I I I I V I Ir l l s . - 8 ~ , t : ~ ~ ' 8 ot their coming ;end going than do thclsc o f I 11r I I I O O I I . 1 1 11.1.. I I - ( . ( ~ I I ~ . I I ' 1 ' 1 1 1 5 ~

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I'ytli:tgoras' comma is an eternal reminder to us of the ancient ~ll~stical concept that there exist two fundamental states or freclt~n~cies of being: the dense and physical state of mortality, and the s ~ t t cof immortality as attained by Enoch, Jesus Christ, and other great masters of East and West. And that it is the goal and destiny of all men t o so purify and perfect themselves that they can be translated from the lower state to the higher. If the W o r d was made flesh in one man, the Word can be made flesh in all.

Coda : The Ancient Wisdom Revisited: The Modern Esoteric Viewpoint 'r )l), please, Master, will you tell us all about t hc Ikc .;i' ironically naive question if ever therc w;ts (III(.!YCI 111c c.r smiled benevolently at the chela (disciplc), c ,111 , I IIIIIII(II.OII% I 111k1r of the eye betraying his inner reflections. 'Wcll, I cannot tell you all about them,' he c;~rrl;~llv~ ~ c ~ ~ l l i r ~ ~ l . 1 1 1 1 1 11 you have reached a very high Initiation. Will you li;~vc.wl1.11I 1(.11 you, which will be partial and inevitably misleading, t r r w~ll ,, witit until you can be told the whole thing?"06 /\I)

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l.trr;ible to nothing, and so the Master proceeded to talk for sonw r r l r l l . upon the subject of the seven rays. The chelas, taking notes ;IS I 1 1 4 - M aster spoke, understood portions of his information but, as hc 11 1 1 1 I'oretold, found much of it incomprehensible. However, the h i .~-.~c.r's discourse marked only the beginning of what was to come. I Ilt-;.r;~fter.stage by stage, an ;~hundantwealth of fascinating data rc.1.~ clea eased to mankind on thc srlhjrct of the seven major rays or , Much was to be told ahout tlic individual nature of the ray.;. 1,c.lntionship to each nchrr. ;irld, above all, how they cacl~ I ( - ( - the material, psych~)lo,i:ic;tland spiritual patterns of lil'v ~.11~1h. I I I C above conversation did not take place in ancirnt l utli.1, I 1 1 China ~ or Egypt o f thc 1 0 n ~ - ~ a s s egolden d ages ~ I rC1 1 1 1 ~ ~ 1 I I I I I I * ~ 'l'llr talk is recordcd by Charles W . Leadbeatrr, wlto w,I*. 1 + c T 8 . ~ .1 1~) ~h;tve ~ . taken in the late nineteenth century, '1'111. I l ~ r * l . t 1 1 t t .t..lic.tl rhc clucstion was the author, M r C ~ o ~ c r - O ; l k l ( . ~ , 1111. P I I = , I (.I w;ls 1)jwal Kul, one of the brotherhood of A C I C ~ ~ I111 . . nrvll .I.. I 1 1 , ( ; I(.;,I W l ~ i t eBrotherhood. The incident t t ~ c ~ lk~ l . ~ cc11 111111.1 . l 1 1 1 I,,!: 1 1 1 ~ . c : ~ r l ydays of the Theosophical Socictv.'"" 1 1 1

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The fact is that the wilder excesses of gross materialism in science, and in the general outlook of Western man, in many ways peaked around the late 1800s, and have since been steadily on the wane. True, present Western civilization can hardly be said to display the same extent of a mystic;tl outlook as prevailed in antiquity. Yet there is present in the Wcst today what is almost a hidden force at work; an underground network of individuals who cannot ever be specifically pinned down, dcfined or counted, since there is as yet no one organization - no csotcric Solidarnoit - to which they belong. Meditation, astrology, human aura siurlics, reincarnation, acupuncture - one could compile a lenbrlhy list of such subjects which are now captivating a considerablc intc.rcst in a large minority of people. The gnosis is returning. Clothrcl in so~iirwhatdifferent raiment perhaps, and with more of an eniplt;~sisupon scientific documentation, but what is essentially the s;tmc. \ysrc~tiof beliefs as that of the ancient wisdom is again finding qui~c.;I ~ll~rtihrr of adherents. And this time it has more than ever t o t e a l 1 11.~ .tl)out the power of sound. Esotericism in the form of myths and rcli!;ic-)us rcxts can be read and spoken about fairly comfortably by ; I I I - i t is sufficiently removed in time so as not to disturb us a n ~ lIi)rt.r 11, 1 0think. But when we find that same esotericism ~onfrontin~: I I - , , with all of its claims, face-to-face in our own time, we h;~vt-l l ~ r . 11ie ~ ~ inevitable ~ dividing of the way between the acceptors ancl r I I 5cc.prics. H o w objective and valid are the tenets of mc1(1t*1.11 c-sorericism? It would not be possible in this book to debarc I I I ~ . cl~lc.stionat sufficient length as would have worth. I would \ i l l l l ) l y say, on the personal level, that a number of experiences it1 liit. 11;tvc. taught me, for one, that no truer statement was ever uttcrrtl 111;cnthat truth is stranger thafz fiction. At times science fiction x n t l cvcn the most fanciful of fantasies havc absolutely paled, appcxiil~ginexpressibly unimaginative, in comparison with some of thc cc.c.t.c.lswhich reality has elected to offer glimpses of. This being said, i t riltrst be left to the reader to make up his own mind as we now cliscuss some of the things which modcrn csotericists have to tell us about the inner powers of sound. Since the conversation between Cooper-Oakley, Leadbeater and Djwal Kul on the roof of the Theosophical Society's headquarters, the great brotherhood of Atiepts to which Djwal Kul belonged has given out more information on the seven frequencies of the Word known as the seven rays. From this information, it is possible to

construct a table to show the main attributes of each of the rays. Table 4 shows which chakra, colour, God-qualities and perversions of the God-qualities relate to each ray. Not only music, of course, but all the activities of life - every thought, word and deed amplify one or more of the seven rays or their perversions. Nevertheless, the use of tone is a major means by which the seven rays or their perversions become amplified. The column indicating the Godqualities shows which psychological and spiritual qualities are expanded throughout self and society wherever beautiful and harmonious music is played. Wrong music amplifies within the performer, the audience, and the community at large the various listed perversions of the rays. From this table there may be gained an understanding of many of society's present ills, as well as the understanding of how these ills may be dissolved by the promulgation of correct music such as Eastern and Western classical music. Looking at the table, I am struck by how immediately and noticeably these traits appear in people whenever music is played, good or bad.

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MUSICIANS REDISCOVER THE INNER WORLDS As the gnosis has gradually re-emerged in recent decades, composers have lost no time in incorporating its precepts once more into their art. O r then again, did they ever fail to do so? From the very beginnings of the Western classical tradition and throughout its history, strong elements of mysticism have been incorporated into numerous musical pieces. As wc noted in an early chapter, many of the works of J. S. Bach, Kccthoven and other great composers are deeply mystical. Yet this kind of mysticism is of a general nature. The spiritual outlook of thcsc. great men, having come naturally to them. was not for the most I-I;II.I related to any particular esoteric school. (The obvious exccprio~lI I I rllis hcing Mozart, who to a large extent based his operas ancl I~isi~~.;rrorncntal works upon the metaphysical and numerological princil~lcsof Freemasonry.) From the late 1800s, howrvt.~,.,clid particularly within our n w ~ i century, the stream of serio~lzco111p~3CI>of music has bccn c ~ ) r l nected to a background of c~sc~~cricism to a degree rarely rt..iIi~l,ll wen by most musicologists. '/'his esoteric backround can hr. \rrbtt rrt retrospect to have been the /.wirnv fi.zctor behind the comporrr:r ' 4 / J , I I , I>/ style and subject matter. One might ask, how did there come to be this nlarkr.tl . I + . I 1 1 of recent composers with the esoteric? P e r h ; ~ ~I .l ;l v 1 1 1 1 1 ~ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 finds itself being directed naturally by rnl~sic I ~ I I I I 1 1 1 I L I I I I , ( I mysticism and metaphysics. O r is it, o n 111t. l l r r I 1 I I I1 , I I 11, 1.r

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are humbly willing to adjust and shape themselves into conformity to the esotericprtnciples. The opposite results when there is an absence of humility and listening grace: the result being that the composer seeks to shape and adapt the timeless truths of the Spirit to his own will. In the purer of these two paths Gustav Holst, for one, possessed the humility to succeed excellently. His deep studies of astrology resulted in his popular and timeless The Planets Suite, while his knowledge of Sanskrit and of Christian Gnosticism likewise resulted in highly original and accomplished spiritu;il works. In the United States a quite uniquc composer, Norman Thomas Miller, has brought forth several tone pc)cnis which truly deserve to be called New Age music. Working froni A background of the teachings of the Great White Hrothrrhood. N. T . Miller has evolved a style which, while in many w;iys I~cingentirely novel, also seeks to return the tonal arts t o ihr 11,.1ditionalprinciples of aesthetics. His music deliberntcly ;~voicl.; rllc trap of overintellectualism, and can be undc.rsrootl ;I lid enjoyed by any spiritually-minded person. lt is ron:ll caxi.rpl where dramatic development specifically requircs ;I ilclil~r~~~;~rc tli,c.orci. N. T. Miller's most important work to date is 'l'kr r ; r ~ l lr,( C r r n ~ l o t , 'a~thirty ~ .;llirit~~;~lity. Miller is minute tone poem of unique and sc~rsclli~~~: actually an accomplished multi-niedi:~ :1r.t15t. I)c*ir~gnot only a musician, but also a painter, poet, p h n t ~ ~ } : r ; ~ ~;tnd r l ~art t . ~ ~director. Yet in The Call of Camelot he seems somrhow t l r 11.1vrcombined all of these talents into the medium of music, ior rllcrc- c o ~ l l c ihardly be a composition more picturesque - and even 11I1111o~:r:l~hic - in the clarity of the visions which it offers to the atr1111c.tlIisic*ner.The Call of Camelot is the voice of the indwelling Goil, t11r inner Grail calling us t o be all that we truly are, all th:~t t ;od is. The work utilizes an orchestra, other more subtle instrur~~c-nts and soundeffects, and indescribably moving vocals to tr:1ll.;,~orlthe listener with Merlin through an enchanted forest; ridin/: with Arthur into the thick of nn i~rchetypalspiritual-physical b:ct~lc; in procession by twilight to a torchlit cathedral. Besides bcing cleeply mystical, Miller's work alsn constitutes a most potent call t o action. If this is the spiritual direction of the music of the future, then the years ahead hold much of promise in store for us. Including lyrics by none other than El Morya, the famous Adept and Chohan of the Great White Brotherhood (adapted from his writings), the work peaks musically and spiritually with a transccndent vocal meditation, 'The Revelation of the Holy Grail'.

263

CYRIL SCOlT, 'THE FATHER OF BRITISH MODERN MUSIC'

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Cyril Scott, whose writings we h;lvc had occiisic I ~ II ( I c1110tcfrom several times in earlier pagcs, was nnothcr 1tli111i I , I ~ ~ ' I (-(l I I c,ornposer who may have drawn his inspiration f'sorli thc grc.;~tI>otly of' Adepts known as the Great White Rrothcrlloocl. Ccrt;linly Scorr l~imself believed that he did. 11is 193 1 l,rll~lic;ttion. Thr /n/l,~or( r. o/' Mtt~icon Histoty a n d M o r a l ~ , "was ~ ~ an irnport;~ntand ~ ~ i l I r l l ' ~ ' V~ ~l l~lI~~ I I I W in its study of the inner powcr of music and w;ls I,II(.01 111cI'irsl books in modern times to renew people's thinkin!; ;111c\ .Iw;Il-r.rlr.;\ 1111 the subject. Yet what is perhaps even more fascin,~tit~!: 111;111 111rl+ook itself is the background and life out of which it wit.; W r;t t rn. I:( lr I 111. life-story of Cyril Scott serves well t o show us j~l:;c I ( ) wll.11 y,rc..rr :I degree esoteric sources have influenced the art and ;lr1isls 01 I 1111- c1.1 y . Cyril Scott was born at Oxton in Cheshire O I I L7 S r l ~ ~ r ~ l l l i r r . 1879. W e are told that by the age of two and a hall' hr W ; I L ;~ljlrI O pick up tunes by ear and perform them on piano, ;incl r l ~ \ ~ l.II.;O tl improvise. Not, however, until he arrived at thc ripc olcl :I/:V 411' seven did he receive instruction in how to read and writc n~usic.:~l notation. Perhaps not surprisingly, by the time he had maturrcl S r o r ~ had developed into a virtuoso pianist. A. Eaglefield Hull, r l ~ r musicologist and general editor of the Waverley Music LAovn,'s Library, once wrote of him: Last night I was spellbound at the nonchalant ease with which he played through his suprrl> I'iltno Concerto from the full score MS.. rippling along (as 1 [lung tlic pages over almost continuously) with truly astonishing gift.; of tcbchnique, touch and reading; whistling the while flurc ;~ntlv~olinmelodies, and vocalizing horn parts in a nawl ~ o i l c ,like horn notes forced through mutes. Where and how clicl he attain such tremendous powers?1l 0 More than for his playing. I~owcver,it was as a composer th:tr C g d Scott gained a wide ~.rl)nt;ttionin Great Britain and o n I I I ~ . Continent during the early twentieth century. His works intlrltlr~l symphonies and other orchestral pieces, choral compo.;ilir,l~\, .l number of pieces of chamber music, and a very large 111l1l1l1r.1 111 songs and works for solo piano. Strangely though. hi, I I I I I * . ; , 1'. l 1 1 I Itknown today - strangely so, since during his day 111- w.1,. I I I W I 11 111r.u1 in the same breath as artists such as VauRhan WiIli;1111~~. A I I I I 1111 1 t . 1 ~ . Percy Grainger and Claude Debussg. A . l l . l ~ l l l - 1(.111 I 1 11111 ~ . . ~ i r l

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around 1920 that Cyril Scott was, 'undoubtedly the richest harmonist we [the British] possess'.'10 In Debussy's estimate, Scott was, 'one of the rarest artists of the present generation'. Besides possessing the aforernentioncd talents, Cyril Scott was also an accomplished conductor, a lecturer. a translator, and a writer on .music. In addition to this, at the agc of 2 1 he began writing verse, and became well known thereafter as A poet. His first published collection of verse, The Shadows of .Filenre and the Songs of Yesterday, ' l 1 came out during his early twentirs, and reflected what was then his rather pessimistic outlook of agl~osticism.The second, The Grave of Eros and the Book of Mozrrnful Mdodies, l I 2 was written during what he later called, not altogcrl~rrseriously, his 'decadent' phase. However, he went through this pll;~sronly half-heartedly, and without conviction. This phasc W;IS 1 1 ) c ~ abruptly ~ d upon his . ~. discovery of Theosophy and Indixr ~ l l y Inde . cd, it would be difficult to conceive of a morc g r ~ r ])l(. t11;111 t:he life of Cyril Scott following his finding 01' 1 1 11 wisdoln in order to demonstrate the close rrl;ctionsIiip 111.11 II.I\ ofirti prevailed in ,11111 I I I I I ' , ~ .~ modern times between esc~tcsici\t~~ According to Scott himself. hc W;IS c - v r ~ l r ~ contacted ~ ; ~ l l ~ directly -l~ and by the Great White Brothcrhoocl, :~ncl i ~ ~ t i t t l : ~ l c sponsored guided by them in the production of mur.l~t r l 11;sn1.llill.r musical and literary works. Already hailed by Eugrnc (,oo.;rns .IS the 'father of British modern music', Scott now turnccl ; t l \ o I ( I 11r writing of books; books on esotericism and alternacivc. ir~rcli~.i~~c' ,. He was , too, the author of the series of three 'Initiate' hot4.ca,wl~ic 41 :ire still! very well-known among csoteric circles. Thcsc wr.l.c. Iwnnea1 anonymously by Scott, using autobiographical mntrri.11j:ivc*n to him by an unnamed poet. The first of the three, The Initi,r/r, .Some Impressions of a Great Sou1113,describes the poet's cncoilr\trrs in England with a high initiate of the Brothcrhood who ;tccr.pl.rdthe poe.t as his disciple. The second book, The Initiate in ~ k rhrew W prldl C 14, follows the spiritual career and teachings of rhc initiatc in the United States, and in the third volume this initiate of the Great White Brotherhood again returns to the British Isles, after many years of absence. Some have doubtcd the veracity of these three immensely readable and steadily popular books, considering them to be fiction. But certainly Scott himself maintained that the books are factual accounts of episodes in the life and teachings of the grrat soul about whom they were written. Before continuing, what attitude st~ould we take in regard to Scott's belief that he received ciirect con.tacts

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from the Great White Brotherhood? Though rhr original material upon which the 'Initiate' books wcre based wits n o t Scott's, neverof' thc books theless he revealed later in life, when the anor~yn~ily had been seen through, that he too had 1)1.(.11 . ;I tliscil>lc . of the d and initiate; indeed, that he was also ;i prtatag oks hc third books. And, he said, after thc events d ,111)od. still continued to receive contacts f rom Mas ' 1 1 Did it, then, all happen just as Scott sala tnat 11 C I I r~ Ultimately, each of us must decide for oursrlvrs OII r l r ; l t point. I t does seem impossible to believe that Scorr woultl Il;tvt. 1,rc.n deliberately untruthful : throughout h s life, his nlwc )l111 r si11crri t Y ;incl needle-sharp sanity were plainly evident. It is 1 , I I t l ~ cclllr'.;l ion o f whether or not he was ever misled that W C I I I I I S I .II lllis ~ioitlt suspend judgement either way. O n the one hancl, ir is 1 1 i ~1111knc,wli for individuals who have received some contact fro111 later get carried away or misled by others into hrlit contacts are continuing when they are not. Yet on I there is no doubt but that at least some of Cyril Scott's I~c.licl'swrrr founded on solid g o u n d . (And I do not say that they a11 wrrc I I ,t~ . ) For example, several of the disguised characters portrayed willli~i. stand retrealed, and all recounted by Scor I the 'Initiate' boc~- k now s concerning then1 has prcwed genluine. 'David Anrias', for onc. ;ln astrologer and 'I+hcosophist in the books, was Brian Ross, who ;IC 1,n. . one time workea ror nnnle Desanr in India during her time as President of the Theosophical Socicty. But to return to Scott's cxperiences themselves. The initiate, 0---Jing to Scott's account, w;ts as impressive an individual as onc could imagine. Even as Vo1t;iire described Saint Germain, thc 'wondc:rman of Europe'. thc i ~ ~ i t i a tofe Scott's books also seemed to be 'a man who never dics, ;111rl who knows everything'. Though he rare ly demonstrated them, l ~ i hspiritual powers by which he could himself are said to have been influen ce the material worlrl ;trcj~~nci quite SI perh human. But the most important ;1\l)cbctof' the Initiate books frnm 111c point of view of our present 1i11c. of investigation is that in rhr St;t~r-.~ this individual - called Justin Moreward Haig, or "JMH", i t 1 t l ~ r books - was conductink; regular meetings of his chelas, rn;tllv OI whom were prominent 1seople in their various lines nf work, ,rrtr/ who included among their ranks, nzusicians, poets, nr/ir/r ,rtt(l r~lrrtrr.~, . The point being that most among mankind are \in:ll~lrI ~ II I I I W ~ I I ~ [ I ~ : to accept the reality and existence of thr R r o ~ l ~ r r l ~ r ~ ;l1t 1 1r1 ~: l~ .r t . 111 any case not infrequently incapable of rihstr~.l~in~: t l ~ r . M , I , % Ir-v.;' I3lll.r I

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teachings in the form that they are given out. Therefore, besides the giving forth of their pure and undiluted words, the Masters have often taken the course of training disciples to stGP-down their message and vibration. In the broadest sense, this is literally a stage in the stepping-down of the frequencies of the Word. The disciples then promulgate through their line of service the principles of ethics, morality and spirituality, as well as any more specific concepts which the times might demand for the betterment of the race. But they d o so without usually ever revealing the Source of their initial inspiration. In this way, many chelas of the Brotherhood have worked throughout history - in the arts, the sciences, and also as politicians and as the great, moral leaders of men. Many a famous and important episode of history - such as the American Revolution, which WC discussed earlier, to name but one - has an entirely different and unrevealed story behind it if the truth were but known: the story of the causes behind thr cffccts; the story of the Adrpts of the Great Whitc Brotherhood and thosc historical figures who were, unbeknownst to thc world, tlir~irchrlas. This has a most important bearing upon our sttldy o i t l ~ csccrzt power of music. For the story of the prcat music ol' ;111cicnttin1c.s. and also that of the Western classical tradition - oi w h : ~;~~ c ~ u ; ~inspired lly it and of where much of it really camc fro111- r~ onr ~ ~ ~ l i goes z l $ ~ completely rtnsuspected by all but the few. And yet, a hint of this story of tlic :11!1- t,:111 Pt'~.I~;ip~ be gathered from the life and writings of Cyril Scat t Following his encounter with esntcrir,isn~,S r c ~ ~was r never the same person again. Oriental philosophy. " I ' l ~ c + r 1 1 > 1 1and ~ the practice ~; in life. of yoga and meditation became his a b t a l ~ i l ~interest Immediately, from this moment on, s~~ct,c*c.cling compositions entered into the realms of mysticism and Orirn1:tlism. From his pen there now came musical works such the tl inclu-style Jungle B o o k the darkly magical Sphinx, Lotus-land, the Cl~i?rrse Songs, and many more. His third volume of verse, The Voil.c* of the A n ~ i e n t , " ~ displayed a radical change in subject matter ancl cmotional effect, as did succeeding volumes. Scott's raison d'e"tre as an artist in any medium was now absolutely goal-oriented towards the highest purpose and aim in life - the spiritual path. Where would Scott have taken his stand in relation to the subjects we have discussed in this book, about the use and misuse of the power of music? With regard to the artistic directions of the fellow-composers of his generation, Scott made his position quite clear. In a hard-hitting but well-argued criticism of the avant-garde,

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I'l~~lrlropl!~ of Modernism in its (:nni~rcttni, r i ~ l Ir, I I I I I I \ I ( . . I Iuivcrsally, they agree with the beliefs of the a n c i r n ~ .(~111,. , ; I I ~11 New Age writer, Corinne Heline, who was born into t11v I ' I . ~ , I I I ~ I I ( . I I I I )uke family of America's Old South, wrote c o n s i d c r : ~ l ~O IlI~ I llrwbject. She considered there to be t w o distinct strtams 111 1 1 1 ~I ~ I I I \ ; ~ . OS the world. Each releases a different tonal force into ~ l r cp l : r r ~ c , ~ . Consonances bring forth the constructive force and srsr-ll{:ll~rn man's higher nature; dissonances bring forth the destrrlc~ivtI O S ~ T ;tnd strengthen man's desire nature. Jazz and modern p o p u l : ~n111aic ~ she believed to be responsible for many of society's present ills : '~:ITI and juvenile delinquency are twins. Where one flourishes thc o ~ l ~ r r will appear.'13 O n the optimistic side, besides extolling thr arcis1 ic. merits of Western and Eastern classical music, and writing COII. siderably of their beneficial effects, Corinne Heline was also supremely confident that in the near future we are to witness tlicbirth of a more advanced and evcn more sublime form of tonal art a New Age music, the effccrs of which will radically transform all of civilization. After the tradition of Plato and Aristotle, Corinne Heline believed that music and man's dcgree of spirituality and other character traits are indissolubly linked; that in fact styles of music and man's degree of spiritu;rlity : stand apart only to our lirn~tedpcrcc.ption. In their essence they are inseparably united, ,end In higher realms of being it i.: recognized that musical ~ ~ ~ ~ t l c ~ \ t . r and n d i nspiritual g realization are identical.' Such writings seem definitely to foreshadow an imminent rn,I,ot resurgence of the Pythagorean dnd other ancient stylm of I I111lkIII!: on the subjects of sound and tonal art Yet for this rctllrli t o 111,lrrll principles to be truly powerful and effective in in arl lrll~,11 i ~1 ,1 l t r . l ~ that it will need to combine not only a rrrltr!:rr~rt. ,,I Ictr~nc.~ wisdom, but also something entirely new and r r v ~ ~ l1tl ~~1l1 . 1 r ySII(11 .I

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In this mission of messengership, Mark and Elizabeth Prophet have given forth in their lectures and books, through the Summit Lighthouse, a great wealth of teachings on a variety of New Age subjects. And among this system of thought and its practical application we find much of relevance to our study of the power of sound. In The Science of Rhythm for the Mastery of the Sacred Energies of Life,Iz2 a lecture released in recorded form. Elizabeth Clare Prophet relates which of the seven rays and seven chakras are particularly associated with which class of musical instrument and which style of music. The lecture, which constitutes the Summit Lighthouse's fundamental relensc 0 1 1 the subject of music, encompasses a great deal of new inforrna tion; but at least a little of it we can best summarize in the form of ;I Itahlc, as shown in Table S. Among the many other aspects o f r l ~ csc~~cr~cc. of the Word which interest to us the Summit Lighthouse has releasccl i h O I I ~ *of' in this book. This is thc practicc of I I Y ~ I III ~I ~ ' science of the spoken Word itself - which so clo.rt,iy re.wml~lrs\/kr cirrtfiul and conscious use made of the spo4erz W o r d t b rrrtricrt/\. ~ W e have revicwcd in c.:trlicr cl~,~l>lcr:; Ilow the Chinese used gigantic musical ensemhlcs ollr of' t 1)c.lic.l' I II;II they radiated forth an uplifting spirirual energy t h r o u g l ~ c 1111. , ~ ~jrl;~r~ct; ~ how the Hindus have for millennia given mantras :~ntl~ ) I I . I ~ , I I I + 1'1 ) I . I ~ sustainment C of civilization and the physical equilil>riu~~~ I i l I I I V l)l;~net ; how highly developed was the Egyptian priesthe)otl's sopllisticated system of invocation (as well as their training in how t11(. sl>irituallyadvanced individual should use speech in everyday lil'c.). I. :;

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CODA

THE SECRET POWER OF MUSIC

self-evolution. Could it indeed be that the exclusively silent path is in some ways an unbalanced onc, given the dire needs of our age for effective changcs t o take place swiftly on the world scene? Certainly it was believed of old that whereas meditation and prayer raise mankind's consciousness to G o d , only the scientific use of the throat chakra, applied with concentration and determination, can fully invoke the energies of G o d down into the world of form in which w e live. And in a remarkably similar vein t o this concept of antiquity, thousands of people today also believe the spoken W o r d to be capable of creating and sustaining a most potent a n d planet-wide revolution into higher consciousness. The most usual form in which the Summit Lighthouse makes use of the power of sound is in the giving of what are called dynamic decrccs. Dynamic decrees are specific worded formulas for the sublimating and perfecting of personal and planetary conditions. I n the standard exposition of the subject. The .'icience of the Spoken Word, penned by M a r k L. and E1iz;theth Clnrt ~ r o ~ l l c ;w. e read: Various yogic systems of mc.dit:ition offer m cthods Wrhereby the mind of man can bc stillcd ;ind ;I ,qrr:~tcr 3Ittunemer i t with the ... Divine be achieved. Sotnr of' III(QW mrthods 1nccome haphazard c l , ) rccluirc an advanced when applied by Wrsttrn rn;in. I ~ I Itllcy . mental and spiritual disciplinc o r 1 t l ~ r13;1r'1 of 111cone employing them. Decrees, on the other h;tntl, ; u r rc.l:rrivc.ly simple to master once the basic principles are i i n d r r s t ~ ~ r ~; ~t ln: t lthey are far more efficacious. It must be understood that decrccs !:ivc.ri without feeling and without thought will not produce the l'1111 I>rrirction which they are intended to bring about; for man nrusr havc in his consciousness the correct patterns of thought ; i r l t l feeling which act as rcceptacles for thc energies he invokes from I he Godhead. Decrees which are sct forth according to the science of thc spoken W o r d begin with a preamble. Thcsr preambles direct the attention and the energies of thc decrecr to his o w n I AM Presence (the inner G o d Self) and to his Holy Christ Self (the Christ-identity), as well as t o those cosmic beings w h o havc madc mighty progress in God's kingdom. These preambles are invocative of the highest G o o d - that is to say, they invoke the goodness of G o d by an appeal, made in thc name of G o d and his Christ, to the hierarchies of heaven to anchor their energies and their love in order to amplify to levels of almost limitles comprehension the action of the decree as it is

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