Truth be told, we can't really know for sure--after all, it was millions of years ago. However, anthropologists and archaeologists and a bunch of other fancy -ologists who know far more about these things than I do have some pretty good hunches. According to most of them, music--specifically, percussion--was used for hunting and communication withing tribes or bands of hunters and gatherers. Over time, music also began to be used to tell tales of daring hunts and successful escapades. Instead of simply grunting, Urg the Caveman could beat out a snappy rhythm as he told his tale of defeating a mighty rabbit.
While this is a rather inane example of years of research and study (and to all you researchers reading this whom I just offended: please don't hurt me), it does point out the most important function of music: to communicate. The sole reason for the creation and survival of music for millions of years is this: music conveys human ideas, emotions, and thoughts in a way that simple words cannot. You can speak of vast grief and sorrow until your voice fades to a whisper and those listening are reduced to tears; you can scream to the heavens in anger and unleash bitter chains of wrathful words; you can shout in jubilation and laugh with uninhibited glee. Yet I guarantee that simple words could not convey those emotions quite the same as a simple, haunting melody, or a forceful, imposing motif, or an exuberant, dancing ditty. As the French author Victor Hugo reflected, "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent." Without music, life would be a true depravity. Music is intended to convey powerful emotions that cannot simply be expressed through words. Without it, we as humans would be rather miserable wretches indeed. Scary, no?
Until next time,
ParallelFifths
P.S. Don't worry; I'll make sure my next post is a little less of a sleeper.
One I giggled at the rabbit comment
ReplyDeleteand I enjoyed this history lesson, thank you
Why thanks!
ReplyDeleteNow, Mr. ParallelFifths, I take it by your alias that you are at least somewhat educated in the matter of music theory; however, I am forced to assume that you are indeed ignorant of the magnitude of your chosen profile and the atrocities that are committed in the name of such egregious errors as parallel fifths, fourths, and octaves. You see, my dear blog buddy, giving honor to such an abomination is quite similarly giving honor to wretched things like the Holocaust and Squirt, which only Harry Potter could drink. It is of common knowledge that every time someone even dares write such wretched discordance, Bach kills a kitten. There's even a Facebook group devoted to educating ones such as yourself that this occurs. However, one would be gravely mistaken to blame Bach for his actions, because parallel fifths are simply so filthy and rank that he has no choice. Even God is o.k. with it. I suggest you pull out of a losing battle and join the side of seconds, thirds, sixths, and sevenths. God, Bach, and the kittens of the world will thank you.
ReplyDeleteI like thirds. They are far more intriguing than fifths =D? but without fifths, we could never have power chords, and power chords are way-o fun, I'll have you know! Especially in Drop D! Drop D is musical cruise control for cooooool...;D
ReplyDeletePower chords are the antithesis of jazz; therefore less superior. Good day.
ReplyDeleteDearest SaxyMan, I think you are misunderstanding my intents. I am not lauding parallel fifths (although they are in fact gaining in popularity once more). I am simply giving tribute to a musical progression which dominated the musical world for hundreds of years. Until the 1300s, parallel fifths were the most commonly used intervals in music, specifically chants, which were the base for all music originating afterward. Yes, parallel fifths should be avoided, as they are in fact egregious errors; yet does that mean we should ignore them altogether? Must we cast out all mention of this fundamental interval and never speak its name? In effect (to use your two examples), we are saying the Holocaust never happened and not even stocking Squirt at local stores, even though we all know that it is Harry Potter's favorite drink. I don't know about you, sir, but I do not want Harry Potter mad at me. I think I shall keep my reference, thank you. =D
ReplyDeleteOh, and by the way, Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor is laden with parallel fifths galore, so he wrote music to give him an excuse to kill several kittens. Deliberately slaughtering an entire village's populations of kittens? For shame, Bach.
I believe your guitar over there plays an A minor scale...I just thought I'd let you know how much it makes me happy.
ReplyDeleteGah I know! I was very excited when I discovered it was in a minor scale...although I think it may be C minor...? I don't really know...I will probably check tonight because I'm odd like that.
ReplyDeleteooh...I still say A minor. I even whipped out a guitar just to check. I don't think it's C minor though...unless if you mean the relative minor of C major =D? in which case, that would just be A minor...heh heh...
ReplyDeleteAh...I just checked...you are correct. My apologies, sir, my ear is not very well trained.
ReplyDelete