Music Is a Unique Expression of the Human Condition

Music is a unique expression of the human condition Music is an extremely important part of human life and has been part of human life for thousands of years. Music can be linked with many different art forms such as art and language; these too are distinct expressions of humans. This particular expression has survived and outlived ancient languages and could possibly be older than any form of language we know. It also serves the same purpose as language, to convey meaning. Music is a way of bringing people together, and is used as a social ritual. In human life music is part of culture and it is also important historically. Music also contributes to the economy, as it is a means of making money as well as part of human leisure. It can be argued that humans are the only beings on the planet that make music. However, animals also create forms of music in order to communicate. Animals such as birds have long been described as having songs, along with whales which use a sort of music to communicate with others of their kind that are miles away. Both humans and animals use music as a method of social activity and communication. Jaap Kunst once suggested that humans imitated the songs and calls of birds, perhaps this is how music began. Music is used as a form of communication in television and film, as it is used to convey emotions to enable the audience to feel emotions such as fear or passion. It could be considered that music is genetically part of human beings as we instinctively react to music. Humans can recognise that minor keys imply a sombre tone while major keys imply happiness. It has been suggested that natural sounds made by animals are part of a universal music that provides an intuitive musical concept to both animals and humans. Only humans use music in a financially gaining way, most animals use calls and songs as a way to communicate or find a mate, whereas humans do not rely on music in this way. Musical materials include modes and scales;

Bibliography: Blacking John, 1973, How Musical is Man? Seattle and London, University of Washington Press. Blacking John, 1995, Music, Culture and Experience, Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology. Kunst Jaap, 1974, Ethnomusicology: a study of its nature, its problems, methods and representative personalities to which is added a bibliography, M Mapes Jen, Do Animals Have an Innate Sense of Music?, 2001 <http://news.nationalgeographic.co.uk/news/2001/01/0105biomusic.html> -------------------------------------------- [ 3 ]. Jen Mapes, Do Animals Have an Innate Sense of Music?, 2001 [ 4 ]