Music and culture are inseparable from each other, and they are essential to our existence. Music is indispensable in our everyday life and celebrations. The language of music is understood by both city dwellers and nomadic peoples on the steppes, by the elderly and infants alike. The connection between music and culture is so deeply rooted that our existence cannot be comprehended without it.
In this article, you’ll learn why music is indispensable and why our culture is a condition of our existence.
Music and culture are closely related. Music shapes culture and civilization. It is an indispensable element of civilization and an integral part of every human culture.
Music and culture, therefore, cannot be separated from each other; they are conditions for one another.
Culture enables our survival by connecting us, as no single individual could thrive alone.
Music creates strong bonds between people, thereby ensuring the preservation of culture.
Singing around the fire and making music together have been settings for social connections for thousands of years, and they still play an important role today.
You probably have a ‘campfire’ memory too, when you sang happily while someone played the guitar. This could have been at a freshman camp, a school trip, a festival, or just on an ordinary evening with friends. Such memories are etched forever and recalling them fills you with a pleasant feeling. Music has an emotional impact on us and creates a bridge between the most diverse people.
By connecting people, music aids the preservation of culture and, consequently, humanity.
Music and culture are in harmony with each other, forming a vital part of our celebrations and everyday lives, from the womb until our death.
Music is one of humanity’s most ancient and universal means of expression.
Music has been a part of human culture since the beginning of time, existing even in prehistoric times, predating the advent of literacy. Therefore, the earliest, primitive forms of music are only speculative. It is believed that everything began with the human voice.
The oldest known musical instrument is a bone flute found in Germany. Known as the Hohle Fels Flute, this intact instrument is approximately 35,000 years old, dating back to the Stone Age.
The next era is the time of ancient music, the beginning of which is unknown, but it encompasses the period after the emergence of writing and reading. This includes the earliest known civilizations such as Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), and India.
Evidence of the use of musical instruments comes from one of the oldest civilizations, the Egyptians. Drawings found in tombs reveal that Egyptians played flutes, clarinet-like instruments, lutes, and harps. These instruments date back approximately 4,100 to 4,500 years (from the period 2575-2134 BC). However, we have no information on what kind of music was played on these instruments.
From the period of ancient civilizations, fragments of melodies have survived, inscribed with the cuneiform writing system on clay tablets.
These songs are the oldest music that has come down to us.
A total of 40 song descriptions were discovered in what is now Syria. Among them, only one has been preserved almost entirely. The description includes the melody, the lyrics, and also hints at the tuning of the instrument.
This song is known as the Hurrian hymn to Nikkal.
The world’s oldest surviving song is 3,400 years old and was likely composed for a two-stringed instrument, the lyre.
The first melodies reach us even before we are born. As fetuses, we perceive the sounds of the outside world, and even then, we are sung to and spoken to.
As infants, lullabies are sung to us, and young children learn nursery rhymes.
For example, the Ringató music education program offers joyful music sessions for the smallest children and their parents. The program’s creator, Hungarian Ilona Gróh, studied under the world-famous music educator Katalin Forrai, a student of Zoltán Kodály.
Music is a central element of our social events. Weddings, funerals, birthdays, or any folk and national celebrations and events are unimaginable without music.
Moreover, music has been an important part of religious rituals since ancient times and continues to be today.
Egyptian zar ceremonies were accompanied by drumming, aiming to expel evil jinn (genies), or the fire dances of the Baining people of Papua New Guinea, which are about the purification of the soul and crossing from life to death.
Musical experiences, such as concerts and music festivals, play a defining role in every stage of our lives. At these events, we can experience personal connections, as many people dance and sing in peace and bliss.
Regardless of religion, skin color, age, gender, or financial status, people experience the joy of connecting with each other in an emotionally heightened state.
Music and culture connect through our emotions, as the positive feelings elicited by music create bonds between people, thereby ensuring the preservation of culture.
Music profoundly affects our souls and emotions, influencing our mood and thus having a favorable impact on our daily lives.
We cry, laugh, mourn, fall in love, feel nostalgia, calm down, fall asleep, or even entertain ourselves to music. Some cook or clean to music, and music can greatly enhance the atmosphere of a parade as well.
Music serves as an emotional crutch in daily life:
The impact of music on the human body and soul has also been scientifically proven.
Researchers have shown that there is a part of our brain that processes music. Studies reveal that during playing or listening to music, almost every part of our brain is active simultaneously. Thus, playing music and listening to music alter the functioning of our brains.
Additionally, it has been found that songs with lyrics release neurochemicals in the brain, which make us feel connected to other people. Recent studies also suggest that singing along with music releases endorphins (the happiness hormone)..
Music releases oxytocin (the bonding hormone) in the brain, generally improving our well-being.
Research has also demonstrated that listening to music increases the production of immunoglobulin A antibodies, which play a crucial role in the functioning of our immune system. Moreover, the levels of melatonin (the sleep hormone), adrenaline, and noradrenaline (hormones responsible for brain reward) also rise under the influence of music.
There is also evidence that recognizing the mood of music is independent of human culture.
In one study, participants listened to 14-second excerpts of music from smaller ethnic groups and had to guess the purpose of the song (e.g., lullaby, love song). Surprisingly, in most cases, they guessed correctly, even though they were hearing music from an unfamiliar culture.
Music has been playing during celebrations for thousands of years and still does today, whether for a family celebration (wedding, birthday, engagement), a festivity (national holidays), a sporting event, a festival, or any event.
From rhythm-based dances around the fire to erotic Latin dances up to modern free dances, music is always the foundation of movement.
Healing through music is an ancient method that is still used today, and modern science has validated its effectiveness.
Music therapy, for example, has many proven healing effects, including stress reduction, relaxation, and sleep improvement.
Music aids relaxation, motivates, and can be used for self-expression. Through music, we can recall forgotten memories, reach into our subconscious, and thus form a closer connection with ourselves.
In a 2011 study, students who listened to joyful music identified significantly more faces as happy, while they rated more of the same photos as sad if sad music was played. This is likely due to their emotional state being influenced by the music.
Therefore, music strongly affects our emotions, mood, and overall well-being.
This can also be beneficial for someone living in an unfamiliar culture, as music may decrease feelings of isolation and anxiety.
Music features in all world religions and in the religious, ritualistic ceremonies of indigenous peoples.
In Christian worship, church organs resonate, while gospel music serves as an expression of communal faith.
Native American Indians trace their music back to straight deities and spirits.
One of Buddha’s key teachings stresses the need for beautiful music to soften people’s hearts, thereby creating a pure land.
Traditional ceremonial music of African tribes is to transport participants into an altered state of consciousness.
The handpan is one of the youngest instruments (invented in 2001), made of metal and resembling a lens or UFO. It is played with a percussive technique using fingers and hands. Its sound is unmistakable, captivating, magical, and extraordinarily rich, ranging from sharp and metallic to soft and mellow.
Once someone hears a handpan, they are unlikely to forget it.
The handpan is an easily learnable, intuitive instrument, which makes it easy to play catchy melodies on it.
Being an idiophonic instrument, its sound is produced by the vibrations of the body of the instrument. This vibrating, resonating sound can fill large spaces and carries well in open spaces, sounding beautiful.
This is why it quickly gained popularity among musicians and then in enthusiastic audiences.
The soul-soothing melodies from playing the handpan affect our emotions, while the vibrations from the strikes have a physical impact on our bodies.
It can be performed solo at concerts, during jam sessions, or alongside other instruments.
Beyond the enjoyment of music, it holds additional significance, as it can be used for therapeutic and healing purposes.
The handpan has genuine healing properties, which makes it suitable for the following purposes:
There is scientific explanation behind the handpan’s healing and soul-soothing effects.
The secret lies in the music’s frequency an’s healing and soul-soothing effects. The secret lies in the music’s frequency (wavelength) and the tuning of the instrument, known as the 1:2:3 tuning. If the fundamental frequency is 1, then the octave frequency is twice that, and the perfect fifth is 1.5 times that.
This unique tuning makes every note of the handpan super-consonant, rendering it one of the world’s most harmonious instruments.
With consistent practice of about 15 minutes a day, you can quickly learn to play in a way that is enjoyable both for yourself and others.
To start, inspire yourself by listening to some catchy handpan music:
Here are a few events and performers who have significantly influenced the destinies of masses, peoples, and countries:
The Beatles – they transformed the method of music creation, impacting the relationship between music and culture. Through their music, youth culture was born.
Eminem – he had a profound effect on the people of Michigan by highlighting social issues in his songs and breaking barriers for white people in the world of hip-hop.
Miriam Makeba – the South African singer was one of the first black women to gain global fame, introducing African music to Western audiences. Her songs criticising apartheid made her a symbol.
Life Aid held in 1985 to support famine relief in Ethiopia, this superconcert was watched by 1.5 billion people live, becoming one of the largest collective events in human history. It raised an estimated 1.5 billion pounds.
Music is a source of daily joy that often simply makes life more enjoyable and better. Shared musical experiences connect us, improving our social relationships and thereby making our lives happier.
