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Music and Mankind-Introduction to Music Therapy

Miyoko MIYAZAKI

　  In the thousands of years of human history, music has always shouldered the fields of art, hobbies, and entertainment. When we trace its origins, it would not be incorrect to say that it came about with the birth of humankind. According to one theory, the oldest musical instrument that was discovered to date is a piece of a flute from around 32,000 B.C., which came from Khakassia in southern Siberia. In addition, one of the early stone age instruments from 20,000 years ago is a bone flute made from the leg bone of a reindeer, discovered from the caves of La Madeleine in Dordogne, France. It is imagined that humans were creating music before they were utilizing these kinds of musical instruments. There are various theories for its origins.
     The theory that language is the origin (of music) was put forth by Rousseau and Spencer. In conversations, accents and the length and speed of sounds is emphasized when emotions run high, and it is a theory that melodies were born from these kinds of linguistic modulations. Darwin presented love as the basis of his own evolution theory. The cries emitted by animals, and in particular birds, are efforts of courtship towards the opposite sex. From the fact that it was mastered with the goal of the thriving of the species, Darwin explains that human beings also came to sing in the same manner.
     In addition to than this, there is a theory that explains the rhythm is the origin. When bodily movements are repeated, the movements become regular, and from that regulation, labor is facilitated and becomes enjoyable. This is the theory that explains that this is rhythm, and that it became to origin of music, and it is known as the labor theory of origin. That is to say, when a large group of people have to work together to face a task, there is a need for signals such as chanting, and this led to music. Like the body's pulse and the beating of the heart, the fact that living activity itself carves out a rhythm is significantly related to the origin of rhythmic music. In addition, there is a theory that magic is at the origin of music. The beginnings of human culture and art have a close relationship with primitive religions, and it is a theory that explains that music may have fulfilled a magical role.
     Thus, there are many academic theories, but neither is decisive. With regard to the question of whether it was "melody or rhythm that came first" or "the voice or instruments that came first", these have yet to be resolved. However, when we think of the utility of music, it can be said that each theory has aspects that are worth considering. There is no doubt that music was born because it was necessary to human life.
　 The ancient Greek philosophers had acknowledged that music had an effect on the human spirit. Among these, Plato is said to be the first person who presented a theory about basic themes (human education) such as virtue, goodness, love (Eros), beauty, and how those can better guide humanity. In his work, The Republic, he states the following: "Aren't these the reasons, Glaucon, that education in music and poetry is most important? First, because rhythm and harmony permeate the inner part of soul more than anything else, affection it most strongly and bringing it grace, so that if someone is properly educated in music and poetry, it make him graceful, but if not, then the opposite.^"1)
　Plato has named "Music" and "Physical Education" as the two most important elements in education. He thought that music was most effective for the education of the spirit, while physical education was effective for strengthening the body that hosts the spirit into a strong and healthy one. People who maintain the balance between spirit and body can be rightly called those who have acquired true harmonia (harmony).  Appropriate music appeals to human emotions and brings stability to the spirit, and we can understand that this was thought to lead to people's health and happiness.
  Aristotle, who studied in Plato's school, states as follows in his work, "Politics". It is lengthy, but I will cite it as a whole. "The customary branches of education are in number four; the are- reading and writing, gymnastic exercises, and music, to which is sometimes added drawing. Of these, reading and writing and drawing are regarded as useful for the purposes of life in a variety of ways, and gymnastic exercises are thought to infuse courage. Concerning music a doubt may be raised- in our own day most men cultivate it for the sake of pleasure, but originally it was included in education, because nature herself, as has been often said, requires that we should be able, not only to work well, but use leisure well; for as I must repeat once again, the first principle of all action is leisure......The first question is whether music is or is not to be a part of education. Of the three things mentioned in our discussion, which does it produce- educations or amusement or intellectual enjoyment?-for it may be reckoned under all three and seems to share in the nature of all of them......But music is pursued, not only as an alleviation of past toil, but also as providing recreation......In addition to this common pleasure, felt and shared in by all(for the pleasure given by music is natural, and therefore adapted to all ages and characters), may it not have also some influence over the character and the soul? It must have such an influence if characters are affected by it........Since then music is pleasure, and excellence consists in rejoicing and loving and hating rightly, there is clearly nothing which we are so much concerned to acquire and to cultivate as the power of forming right judgments, and of taking delight in good dispositions and noble action."²⁾
　According to Aristotle, music is able to express (simulate) a variety of emotions or state of the soul, such as gentleness, anger, happiness, courage or temperance, and for this, when listening to music that expresses feeling, he says that the listener experiences the same feelings. This is also thought to have commonality with the "Iso-principle" that I.M. Altshuler built as the basic principle of music therapy, that is, to use music that matches the client's feeling or spiritual tempo, which is very interesting. The academic theory on the ethical qualities or effects of music was called the "ethos theory". According to this, music is largely divided into two types. One is a music that elevates the spirit and has an effect of guiding towards serenity, and is linked to the worship of Apollo. The other is a music that has the power to excite the spirit, and is connected to the worship of Dionysia.  One can understand that the music was accepted as having contrasting opposite functions. Even today, when evaluating the performance of a musician, there are sayings that it was an Apollonian performance or a Dionysiac interpretation.
　It may not be an exaggeration to say that Christianity has influenced every western tradition, including not only music, but other forms of art as well.All forms of art have made their way to the present after either being protected or persecuted by the Church to some degree. The music that we know today would not have developed without the foundation that was closely tied to the Church.
Christianity was officially approved in Rome in 313AD, during the reign of Constantine. The mass and the divine office were the most significant parts of the divine services and ceremonies in the Roman church. The mass and the divine office themselves were ceremonies performed in the church, not music, however music played an important role during the church ceremonies.
Martin Luther, a key figure in the 16th century religious revolution in Germany, placed importance on hymns sung by the congregation. While hymns were to be sung only by trained singers in the Catholic churches, Luther believed that common people should sing the hymns in the Protestant church. Luther translated hymns into German, hoping to unite the people’s hearts by giving praise to God through singing hymns. In his book, “Music Praise”, he displayed his admiration for music and described its power. “In this world, it is hard to cherish the sorrows, to encourage the disappointed, and to soften the feelings of jealousy and resentment. There is nothing more powerful than music to overcome these troubles.” Moreover, “Music is averse to Satan, who tempts people towards vice and evil habits, and therefore, Satan can be driven away by the power of music.” The belief that the highs and lows of human emotions could be regulated through music may be seen as Luther’s unique viewpoint. The inspiration of music was essential to Luther’s religious revolution.
　A popular musician in the 18th century, Johann Sebastian Bach, served and composed music for influential persons in the Churches and Court. It is said that the agreement he signed upon accepting a position at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig included the sentence, “When composing church music…. attempt to encourage the people to feel worshipfulness…. ” This shows that one of the missions of the church musicians was to encourage the people to feel a spirit of worshipful to God. From this example, it seems that people believed in the power of music to enhance their faith.
　In modern western philosophy, Kant described music in his book, “Anthropology”, as the following, “As for vital sense, music, which is a regular play of aural sensations, not only moves it in a way that is indescribably vivacious and varied, but also strengthens it; so music is , as it were, a language of mere sensation(without concepts). Its sounds are tones, which are to hearing what colors are to sight- A way of communication feelings at a distance to all those present anywhere within a certain space, and a social pleasure that is not diminished by the fact that many people participate in it." "Even music can fulfill this function, provided we do not listen to it as connoisseurs; it can put a poet or a philosopher into a frame of mind such that he ca snatch and even master thoughts relevant to his business or his fancy, which he would not have caught so luckily had he sat down alone in his room." "Music and the plastic arts(painting, sculpture, architecture and horticulture) lay outer intuition-music with respect to hearing, the others with respect to sight.”³⁾
　It is interesting that it seems as though Kant’s consideration of music as a language corresponds to the idea that music is considered to be a method of communication in music therapy. According to Kant, listening to music has a positive influence on your work and thoughts. Influence from music on groups of people is much stronger than those from any other forms of art. Adolf Hitler is one example of someone who took advantage of the music’s power in order to win the hearts and minds of his people. This is one example of how music can be used immorally. During his speeches, he attempted to stage images with a psychological effect on the audience. Beginning with the pronouncement of the Third Reich, Hitler always played Wagner’s “Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg” before his speech to uplift and incite the minds of the people for unity. That is to say, music was used as a tool for political purpose. Thomas Mann talked about the relationship between music and the political immaturity in Germany. “I wouldn't say the Germans gave the Occident its most lovely or socially binding music, rather they gave it its deepest, most meaningful music, and it (the Occident) has been profuse in its thanks and praise. At the same time it recognized and continues to recognize today more than ever that this musicality of the soul has a heavy price to pay in other spheres; in the political sphere, in the sphere of social interaction. " "The Germans are a nation personified by the romantic counterrevolution against philosophical intellectualism and rationalism of the enlightenment - a revolt by music against literature, by mysticism against clarity.”⁴⁾ What drove the artistic, music-loving German people to Nazism? Why did they commit such inhumane behavior? Loving music also means that one can fall prey to its charm. It should not be forgotten that music has a mysterious allure. The following is another example of how music was used to motivate and unify the minds of the people. From the 13th century to the start of the 19th century, Finland was under Sweden’s rule, and later Russia’s up to the Revolution of 1917. Amidst growing nationalism due to the rediscovery of “Kalevara”, ethnic epics, and patriotic movements, Jean Sibelus, a Finnish composer, wrote “Finlandia” in the hopes of promoting Finland’s independence. This symphonic poem was banned by the Russian authorities, as it had the effect of boosting patriotism which led to national independence. In spite of the ban, “Finlandia” spread widely and became a symbol of the independence movement. It shows that the influence of music over a group’s mentality was so great that political pressure had to be imposed. At the same time, it also shows how music has the power to encourage and unify people.
　Music is tied to, and has a great influence on human and ethnical nature. Therefore, when music is misused as it was by Hitler, it will lead to great dangers. This applies to not only Germans, but to every human being. Music can play a great role in human education as long as we use it with great understanding that music has also sinful and dangerous aspects. Furthermore, music is anticipated to show positive results with various kinds of diseases in music therapy

reference

1)Plato: Complete Works, edited by John M. Cooper, Hackkett Publishing Company, Inc. Indianapolis/Cambridge,1997
2)Aristotle: The Politics and The Constitution of Athene, Edited by Stephen Everson, Revised Student Edition, Cambridge University Press, 1996
3)Kant,Immanuel: Anthropology from a pragmatic point of view. Translated, with an Introduction and Notes, by Mary J. Gregor Martinus Nijhoff-The Hague, Netherlands, 1974
4)Mannn,Thomas:"Deutschland und die Deutschen" in "Sorge um Deutschland. Sechs Essays". 1957

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