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Generally it is maintained that there are two distinct styles
of music. Let us term these, for convenience's sake, as 'Western
music,' music which originates from Western society, and 'Non-Western,'
music which is derived from all other cultures, particularly
those of the East and Africa. Western music is usually recognizable
as 'goal oriented music.' This means to say, music that is narrative
in structure, consisting of a series of progressive 'events,'
so to speak. The listener feels the progression of the music,
and it evokes a sense of movement within him. It feels like the
music has a destination, and it takes the listener on its journey.
Non-Western music is characterized by a prolongation of a single
note, or a select group of sounds which continues in a set pattern
throughout the entire melody. This type of music arouses a more
contemplative state, evoking within the listener a sense of timelessness
and inner space.
Appropriately, these moods of music reflect the essential
theology of these two civilizations. In the West, the predominate
belief is that creation began at a period of time, as time is
linear, culminating in a future: creation, revelation and finally
redemption. Reflecting this reality, the music the West produces
follows this pattern. It begins, reaches a high point and climaxes.
By contrast, in the East, where time is viewed to be cyclical,
with no 'beginning,' 'middle' or 'end,' its music, too, is cyclical
and repetitive.
The Kabbalah and Jewish mystical teachings, on some level,
meld these two together. Yes, creation began at some point in
time, and time itself was created; nonetheless, creation is continuous,
moment to moment anew. Nothing is merely in the past, or hoped
for purely the future. Everything is within the eternal present.
As such, the music that the Jewish mystics produced, especially
the songs of Chassidim known as niggunim, are reflective
of both these musical spectrums. There are some niggunim
that are structured and progressive. These tunes are to the Western
ear 'sophisticated' tunes, consisting of a beginning, a body
and a climax. There are other niggunim that are containments
of a repetition of single, individual sounds with little or no
words. And some contain the two.
Wherein Neitzsche suggested that the 'fire magic of music'
is to be found in its anti-rationality, and what he sought in
music was its 'ecstatic irrationality,' the Jewish mystic looks
to unveil within music its transcendence. Perhaps not the transcendence
within the music itself, as some would argue that music is nothing
more than "sonorous air" or, as Leibniz had it, "unconscious
arithmetic"; rather the reaction to the music, the transcendence
reached as one reacts to the music.
A wordless tune--as is much of Jewish mystical song, particularly
Chassidic--is the way two individuals can communicate on a soulular
transcendent level. Any breakdown in the verbal communicated
mode can be repaired by creating a conduit that transcends words.
When a person feels alienated from his Source, or for that manner,
from his fellow man, a wordless tune which exists on a realm
that defies distinctions, separations, and disharmony, is the
most fitting remedy, causing a unity of souls.
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