Noli Me Tangere

finito, vol. II

Back when I was taking an International Finance class at the North Avenue Trade School, I was in a study group that undertook a massive research project on the correllation of international currency exchange rates. During one delerious last-minute all-nighter, someone decided to test whether the prof actually read the reports or not through the use of colorful financial language, replacing,

"...as illustrated in fig. 3, the value of the peso increased five-fold in the early 1980s,"

with

"...as illustrated in fig. 3, Mexico experienced a kick-ass increase in the early 1980s."

We never heard a word about it from the prof. I can't say the same for Dr. Orr, however. And to my surprise, he actually has a sense of humor:

In other news, I'm finished with all my projects for this semester. Here's the intro for my Fieldwork project for you to ponder.

"Why do we sing? This is a short question with a long answer. For all of mankind’s diversity and progress, music occupies a strangely universal place in the human experience. It remains a mostly irrational expression that serves no concrete purpose for the survival of the species. In essence, music is nothing more than controlled sound, which is nothing more than vibration. To re-phrase this question, why do we vibrate?

According to string theory, the entire universe may actually be vibrating. Sub-atomic particles—electrons, quarks and the like—have long been thought to exist as irreducible points of matter. But proponents of string theory suggest that these particles are not points but rather oscillating, dancing filaments. If true, this would mean that the universe is made of energy, and more importantly, the substance of the entire universe is vibrating. This carries fascinating implications for the musicologist.

In the Genesis account of creation, which is accepted by Jews, Muslims, and Christians, the universe begins with a word—a particular vibration—from God. Hindus have a similar idea that the world was created when a goddess began to dance and play. In four of the world’s five major belief systems, creation and vibration are fundamentally linked.

While psychologists and sociologists may offer explanations for the continued existence of music in our world, perhaps astrophysicists and theologians have more to add to the discussion. Across the span of human history, music consistently appears tied to the religion of that culture. In the western tradition alone, the sheer volume of sacred music is staggering, and for hundreds of years, the only music that survived is that which was produced and preserved by the church. This interconnectedness is not a purely Judeo-Christian phenomenon; all the major faiths employ some form of chant, even in Islam, where “music” is forbidden.

Music, especially the sacred variety, is evidence of man’s quest for transcendence, an attempt to reflect realms of glory that are lost in spoken word or silence. One might say that sacred music is the sound of souls reaching for God..."

Posted by aokie at August 4, 2005 10:26 AM | TrackBack