| It's a safe bet that, since the arrival of cognitive | | | | of much of our modern rhythm and blues. |
| human beings on this earth, music has, in some | | | | Nowadays factories all over the world use 'piped' |
| form had a significant effect on their lives. The | | | | music to soothe the workers; if you're doing a |
| first sounds, other than speech, were probably | | | | humdrum task music can make the time go |
| produced by hitting something; wood, stone or | | | | faster.When we think about it music is not just a |
| hide; and ancient peoples must have appreciated | | | | pleasant pastime that is either passively listened |
| the sounds of the world around them; of water, | | | | to or actively produced. It has a much deeper, |
| weather and animals; and were the sounds of a | | | | more fundamental purpose. Our reactions to |
| rippling stream or a gushing waterfall music to | | | | outside events can be completely altered by |
| their ears? And when they stood at the seashore | | | | music. It can make us happy, sad, frightened, |
| did the crashing waves and the suck of the tides | | | | elated, thoughtful . . . the list of emotions it |
| move them in some way?There is something | | | | engenders are as long as their number. And |
| deep within our psyche, which reacts and | | | | words are not necessary to create this ambience; |
| 'remembers' music. It is more than probable that | | | | for instance, how would silent movies have |
| sounds relating to music and rhythm came long | | | | worked without the music? Those Keystone Cops |
| before sounds relating to communication and | | | | without the frenetic piano plinkity plonk; the doe |
| speech. Today, this theory can be tested by | | | | eyed heroines without the sobbing strings; the |
| noting a baby's reaction to a lullaby as compared | | | | huge sweeping epics without full orchestral back |
| to speech. If you're lucky, humming can soothe | | | | up? They just wouldn't have worked. Nowadays, |
| the most fractious child and even send them to | | | | with the proliferation of world music, we listen to |
| sleep! Music, in the form of rhythm was used by | | | | and enjoy music in many different languages, |
| many peoples as a way of sending messages to | | | | without necessarily understanding a word the |
| out of sight recipients; consider the jungle drums | | | | singers say; much as opera was once listened to |
| of Africa or the Alpine horn, the Aboriginal | | | | as the fashionable 'world' music of its day; just |
| didgeridoo or the use of bells as a warning of | | | | another example of the emotive power of |
| attack.The days of learning our lessons by rote | | | | music.So, it's fair to say that music has an innate |
| have, mostly, disappeared. This is because it has, | | | | basis in our evolutionary makeup. We have |
| rightly, been recognised that we don't necessarily | | | | probably used it since homo sapiens first walked |
| absorb the content of what we repeat over and | | | | the earth. Other animals do use sounds in their |
| over again. But, as an aid to memory, music still | | | | day to day living (frogs croak, dogs howl, sheep |
| has its uses. Songs we have learnt in childhood | | | | bleat etc.) but, with the possible exception of |
| can be recalled far later in life than mere words. | | | | birds, we are the only species to enjoy making |
| Music is a well known and much used therapy in | | | | melody out of sound. We've utilised every viable |
| illnesses that involve memory loss; Stroke, | | | | tool, from the human voice to electronic tones, to |
| Alzheimers etc; and not only as a recall aid but | | | | create ever more varied compositions. Wouldn't it |
| also as a re-learning tool. Speech therapists use | | | | be intriguing to discover how soon into our |
| music extensively when trying to teach stroke | | | | evolution the power and beauty of the human |
| victims how to speak again. The rhythm and | | | | voice was appreciated? As the centuries have |
| melody of a familiar tune will often 'trigger' a | | | | passed musicians have been, rightly, feted for |
| positive response, when no amount of visual | | | | their skill to move us with song, melody and |
| stimuli has an effect.And then there is the | | | | rhythm. Once musicians were revered as priests, |
| cohesive quality of music; from the singing of a | | | | interpreting the sounds of the gods. Nowadays |
| country's National Anthem to a football crowds | | | | we are more pragmatic; but we still need that |
| chant; from carol singers to brass bands. Musical | | | | harmony in our lives; even if it's only our mobile |
| participation has been used in every walk of life. | | | | phone ringtone!Jackie Gee is a professional |
| The chain gangs of America's Deep South would | | | | freelance writer with many varied works published |
| use music to get through the day and establish a | | | | on and offline. She is currently sponsoring the |
| rhythm to mundane physical labour. Sailors would | | | | Music Imports Direct site. If you like the content |
| pull a hawser or 'sheet' in unison while singing a | | | | of this article then you may like to know that (at |
| familiar 'hornpipe' or reel; The wonderful gospel | | | | the time of writing) Jackie is currently accepting |
| sounds that poured from the wooden churches of | | | | article jobs for consideration. Her rates are by no |
| the Southern states black population were a | | | | means the cheapest but you get top quality |
| potent community tool to promote and celebrate | | | | article content. |
| their culture; a lucky offshoot was the inspiration | | | | |