Universal Appeal Of Music

Instrumental music, be it stringed instruments like violin, veena, sitar, guitar or percussion instruments like piano, drums, tabla, mridangam, jambe and wind instruments like flute and nature’s music in the chirping of the birds, crackling of fire, gushing of streams and waterfalls have a universal appeal across the world. This is because they don’t cater to any language or religion. The melody, rhythm, harmony, and dynamics of instrumental or nature’s music appeal to all people — musically inclined or non-musical.

From my experience as an engineering student, hearing to melodious instrumental music during my studies helped me clear my mind to understand complex topics. I am giving this example as I felt that instrumental music without vocals does not distract a person from what the person is doing but allows them to continue their work by clearing their thoughts and de-stressing them.

Further, I have heard melodious instrumental music in public places like metro stations and airport in Bangalore and other cities which gives a sense of peace and make people tension free. I think this shows that instrumental music is universal in nature.

Many great musicians world-wide have also been learners of other subjects like science, mathematics and medicine and also visa versa great scientists, mathematicians, doctors across the world are great musicians or connoisseurs of music.

This shows the universal nature of music. My view is instrumental music is more universal as it has only a musical language and not a language like English, Spanish, Hindi, etc and can be enjoyed across people of various countries without having to learn a particular language of the place.

The vast range of all instrumental music includes classical, folk, pop, jazz and various other forms. This adds to the universal appeal of these instruments.

Don’t you think it would be good if instrumental music which brings out happiness would be good to be played more in public places and places where a lot of crowd gathers. It might bring out a positive behaviour of the crowd without any mishaps happening like stampedes, quarrels, etc? Simple technology like radio or more recent ones like Alexa can be used to broadcast instrumental music to the crowd.

Also, don’t you think allowing children to make their own musical instruments from nature like stones, twigs, leaves, water, bamboo or play any type of instrument make them more tuned to nature and make them better human beings able to handle stress and failures? Here again various technologies like audio and video streaming music can be used to help children become attuned to music or learn musical instruments and thereby have better social behaviour.

It would be great to hear your views.