MUSIC, THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
“Music is the universal language” has become a standard phrase, almost a cliché. A more fitting description may be, “Music is the universal energy or vibration.” No matter what phrase we use, music can unite, crossing boundaries, cultures and countries. The same music can be recognized and enjoyed no matter what language someone speaks. We may not love the same style, but music is the one passion we all seem to share.
Often musicians unite people worldwide with a musical concert to benefit a charitable cause or victims of a catastrophe. Even if the language isn’t understood, people share emotions, feelings, memories, joy or sadness. As the music reverberates through our bodies, the shared feelings allow us to know that we are not alone but are connected.
You can get a feeling for another culture or nation by listening to or participating in its music. Imagine the eerie sound of a wooden flute during a healing ceremony or drums during a dance performance in Africa. You might feel like you’re actually there! Music can connect us across continents. Like water, air and fire, music has no religion and is an international language.
We sometimes listen to, or make music with lyrics from a language other than our own—even if we don’t speak that language. When the music is powerful and beautiful, it doesn’t matter. Opera is often sung in Italian. Chanting may be in Hebrew or in languages spoken in India.
We all seem to be aligned on a higher consciousness level with certain rhythms and melodies, even when they are based upon different scales and modes. Sound and vibration affect us, and certain music brings up similar emotions in everyone, no matter what language we speak.