THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Music is part of life. We always hear to different types of music as we go about our daily activities. What is music? Well, everyone has his or her own definition of music which might differ from others.
For me, my definition of music is sound that is pleasing to the ears. Pleasing does not only refer to pretty or beautiful sounds. It can also be noisy, loud, raucous or anything but pleasing. Any sounds that is pleasing to someone is music to the ear.
Music can also be the sound that you want to hear as music, which includes any sound that is pleasing to the ear. The sound of storm, rain, the roar of waterfall or chirping of birds can be music to one’s ears.
Now, let us be silent for a moment. Listen! We can hear different sounds around us. Well, these sounds can be music if we want them to be.
For me, music is an art. Just like other work of arts. Music can have universal appeal and be remembered for hundreds of years. As a great piece of art, music encourages repeated listening, performance and study. Let’s take the late Tan Sri P.Ramlee’s music as an example. He composed the song ‘Getaran Jiwa’ and ‘Dendang Perantau’ in the 60s and 70s, but it is still played in this new millennium. Modern musicians are eager to play the old music well, and also compose better music which can compete with the old music.
One can explore the subtleties of expressions and depth of meaning in music. Furthermore, music form all cultures. It is a reflection of the society in which it is created. For example, the alternative and contemporary music. Alternative music is mostly preferred by teenagers because it suits their rebellious nature. The way they think and dressed are also influenced by the music. Music helps to shape the character and future of that society. However, as people grow older they would choose a slower and more pleasing music which suits their moods.
Music is also a mean of expressing oneself. It is an expressive language where it can communicate and express feelings and images as well as generates aesthetic responses. Music can generate such feelings of joy. Sorrow, pain, love, merriment, sadness and others. If the music is slow, sad and melancholic, it represents pain, sadness or sorrow. If we are happy we usually listen to a lively and happy music.
Music can stimulate bodily movements such as foot tapping, yelling or shouting, crying or head banging. Awe always react differently to different types of music. It can be sentimental and romantic, or simple yet beautiful. We are able to recall sad or special memories and pleasant association when we listen to music. Yet, it can be harsh and complex, noisy and also reflecting certain aspects of our modern and technological society.
Music serves many functions. It affects our moods and feelings by entertaining, enriching and relaxing us. It also helps people to escape momentarily from the real world. Music can move the mind, body and soul in a wide variety of ways. It stimulates responses from boredom to excitement, or love to hate. In certain ways, it has the ability to change people’s feelings and attitudes.
Music is changing as the society it serves is also changing, because people’s needs and tastes change. People in the 60s might enjoy listening to rock n’ roll, but today’s generation prefer hi hop and rock music. Music also changes because of the new or refined instruments and new ways of creating music. In this modern world, musician can use computers to compose new music which produces new sounds. Lastly, artists innate need to grow, to advance in knowledge and understanding, and to stretch the possibilities in performance skills also caused change in music.
Music varies through out the world. It comes in a lot of different styles and has different effects on an individual. Due to the variety of music in the world, we can choose our style of music and live with it though others might not accept it.
Music is part of our life and it colours our life in many different way. People who live without music is like living in the world of emptiness. They cannot enjoy the different sounds which create and formed beautiful music. There will be no excitement, no colours and no feelings in life. Therefore, let’s enjoy music as long as we live for we shall always remember there is no life without music. Let us fill our lives with the beauty of music.
