Philosophies on Music

"Musicians and music lovers intuit that there is a dimension of the music they cultivate which expresses this order (dynamic rather than static) of the universe. Grasping this would give a clue as to what they are striving to achieve in perfecting their musical skills.“

Music is a form of communication. Of all the arts, music is the most abstract in its communication. This aspect of music is both a strength and a weakness. The music can be so abstract as to not communicate at all with the audience. Thinking about what you are intending with your music can be useful.

• What is music to you?
• What do you want to communicate with your music?
• How do you intend to do that?

"The finest matter is spirit, and the grosser spirit is matter. Music, being the finest of the arts, helps the soul to rise above differences. It unites souls, because even words are not necessary. Music is beyond words.“

"The desire of the people of all classes and ages has always been and still is that music, no matter whether it is technical or non-technical, theoretical or non-theoretical, should touch the soul deeply.“

"If it does not do so, the technical, theoretical, and scientific side of it does not appeal to them. Therefor it has often been very difficult even for the great masters of music who have developed the technique and science of music, and who are masters of rhythm and tone, to please the audience.“

"Debussy was looking all his life for something new to introduce into modern music. Scriabin once said Something is missing in our music; it has become so mechanical. The whole process of composition nowadays is mechanical. How can we introduce a spirit into it?‘

"Will someone else try to do what Scriabin wanted?...When there is a need, if there is a real desire for its fulfillment, that fulfillment must come.- We become easily contented with what we have. If the world feels a greater need for a better kind of music, then it will come.“

There is a beautiful legend from the East:
"God made a statue of clay in His own image and asked the soul to enter into it. But the soul refused to be imprisoned, for its nature is to fly about freely and not to be limited and bound in any sort of capacity. The soul did not wish in the least to enter this prison. Then God asked the angels to play their music, and as the angels played the soul was moved to ectasy, and through that ectasy, in order to make the music more clear to itself, it entered this body.“

The Persian Poet Hafiz said: "People say that the soul, on hearing thst song, entered the body; but in reality the soul is itself a song!“

The Music of Life“ by Hazrat Inayat Khan 
Omega Publication
Rd.1 Box 1030E
New Lebanon, N.Y. 12125, U.S.A.

I recommmend that you obtain a copy for yourself