Timeless, timed, forever music?

I don't know what I would introduce to my life, if music didn't exist. To me music is essencial. Music absorbs my senses; sets the rhythm to my body, life and thoughts, as if it keeps me going, alert and present.
The feeling of a roar tingling down my spine makes it physical.

It is hard to explain how music compliments your heartbeats. How it throws a blow at you, and strikes you right to the the core of your body, soul and mind.
And then I experience the times when I curle up inside with dislike, or I cringe in fright. But hey, those are emotions too, right? It can still be great music, just not my taste then and there... or ever.

It's so hard to explain how music compliments my heartbeat, how it strikes me right to the core of my body, mind and soul.

You can always tell, can't you, who sings and performs music and lyrics which are significant and important to them.
When what you hear is that genuine, you recognize a part of who you are in that music.

Then you have those who perform and/or sing music which follows the predictable recipe. The designed music, made for alternative purposes... like making money.

Impact from my surroundings and my situation at any given time, creates a jumble of chaotic impressions which rumble and disturbs me, it's a "thing" I have. When I feel challenged, music allows me to gather myself and sort my mind out. It gives me the calm I need to focus on how to stay present.

I often struggle to ease my mind, and use a lot of energy to stay sound. Music helps to settle my mind. Regardless of genre, music boost my energy. That's probably why I think of myself as a liker of all kinds of music, but most often what I listen to is chosen by my mood.

It's almost funny, when you think of it, how music can adjust, direct or enhance your mood. I think music affects all of us, some more than others, though, but still.

It's common knowledge, too. It's not something I make up. If you google Shopping music, you get a vast number of hits. Even soundtracks especially designed for malls. One site like that states:

"The shopping experience should be a pleasant one. Our talented DJs have designed this background music playlist to entertain your diverse range of clients while they visit your store or eat at your restaurant." 

We like to be entertained, and my guess is that we stay longer and buy more when there's music played. In addition music makes us associate to a lifestyle, a mood or a memory which triggers and push our feelgood buttons. The movie industry is really clever at this.

Music serves as a motivator when I need to be inspired to do chores, work , exercise or just relax when I am worn out and tired.

Cleaning the house without dancing with the mop would be an gigantic hurdle. In fact, I am not sure I would clean the house as often and as well if I could not turn up the volume and be accompanied with driving rhythms.

And then we have remembrance; Those tiny pieces of glimpses from life; good, bad, happy or sad, whether it deals with feelings or thoughts, events or people from the past, which is often triggered by what I hear or experience through music. I really enjoy hearing something that is entertaining, but it is even more fun to hear something I haven't listened to in a while and remember the people I was with, or that were in my life, at the time I last heard that particular song.

The way we express music has from the beginning of time, been determined by the instruments, the technology and present talent available.

Or, talent is a bit off... some time along your lifespan a talent stops being a talent and becomes great, skilled... or even genious. To be declared a talent your whole life can't be very inspirational. I think I would have been pretty disappointed if I never really were considered good at what I really knew, and performed, well.

Funny thing about the difference between a talent, a great talent and to be good, great or bad, is just that: To be great you have been determined to have full-fledged your potential... but keeps up the curiosity, the exploring and the willingness to try out what comes next.
A talent is, by the very nature of the expression, aspiring yet not complete in finding your sound..

For some reason there is an expression called "timeless music". I don't know why, to me that is a strange expression because it points towards the future, rather to the past. Timeless is like referring to the unknown, because only time will tell if it can stand the standards we don't know yet. Musical timelessness happens when two factors are involved: originality (or innovation) and a personality that's very hard to replicate, but it is worth a try.

Even though the notes are the same; have been for hundreds of years, you can still recognize the time the notes were put together to a melody.
Mozart was the rock star of his time, and today listening to his music gives us a sensation right here and now, while we accept it was created way back then.

Even when Ekseption made their versions in the 70s, it's still music we identify as music from second half of 1700s. It was probably controversial back then, but to us it is what it is.
A modern setting doesn't change it. Same thing with Dan Mumm: music composed in the past, performed today.
Some like it, others think it's disrespectful. And that's all fine.

We are supposed to have our very own perseption, and opinion, on music.

Art is always a product of its time. It will always hold aspects sprung from impacts given at the time of creation.
Music will too.

I guess what I am trying to say is that music, like any other artform is put together at a set time, but will forever give the listeners a tune to their spirit.

So how is the music you embrace doing today? Timeless or timed? Will you bother listening to it next month?
I have always thought about music as forevermore.I don't like the expression timeless music, to me music is timed... but also forever.


Do take time to read this as well:

For Black MarchingBands, It’s About Rhythm,Precision and Flair

By David Gonzalez

Where Does It Hurt?

This past week we have heard about and seen the news from Ankara and Beirut about terrible terror attacks, so many people died, and it has been devestating to see and read the news, and then find the responsible part's careless claim of responsibility for the attacks. 

Last night, in the middle of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey", the news came there had been shootings and explosions just outside the entrance to the football stadium, where France played a friedly soccer match against Germany. 

We became aware of the terror attacks, because my husband drove me crazy clicking back and forth from the movie to the soccer match, and suddenly the game was paused, and we were told. Otherwise we would have been happily unaware of the tragedy for a few more hours.

Not long after more news ticked in: Paris was attacked by terrorists, numerous casualties. Then we learned about several attacks. And a sad and horrific scenery was described:



Attack sites:

La Belle Equipe, 92 rue de Charonne, 11th district - at least 19 dead in gun attacks

Le Carillon bar and Le Petit Cambodge restaurant at rue Alibert, 10th district - at least 12 dead in gun attacks

La Casa Nostra restaurant, 92 rue de la Fontaine au Roi, 11th district - at least 5 dead in gun attacks

Stade de France, St Denis, just north of Paris - explosions heard outside venue, three attackers dead

Bataclan concert venue, 50 Boulevard Voltaire, 11th district - stormed by four gunmen, at least 80 dead

What we know

Images of aftermath of shootings

Eyewitness accounts from the scene

'I saw people on the ground and blood'

#Paris: Power, horror, and lies

The 1,500-seat Bataclan concert hall suffered the worst of Friday night's attacks. Gunmen opened fire on a sell-out gig by US rock group Eagles of Death Metal, killing 89 people.

I don't often speak up, protest, demonstrate or in any other way make my voice or vote count. I consider myself a peaceful person. I carry out my right and duty to vote. Not just to cast a vote, but also to support our democracy.

An important part of our democracy is freedom of speech, which I embrace and cherish with my entire being, but which I also see is a huge problem. It is a question of "I absolutely disagree with what you are saying, and how you say it, and the reason why you say it, but I strongly defend your right to say it". Freedom of speech rely on the, at best, questionable logic in people. Their abily and willingness to double check and find the truth. The habit of misunderstanding people correctly and not take everything said as a personal insult.

Freedom of speech gives room to everybody who likes to take advantage of any event to advocate their own cause. Like Mary Hughes Thompson who shortly after the first news tweeted: "I haven't accused Israel of involvement. Still, Bibi is upset about the European settlement boycot. So who knows?"

Frank Bruni wrote about similar cases: The Exploitation of Paris.

It feels like such a violation when they belittle the tragedy, and promote their own cause. They feed on the rage and hatred already raised by evil. It brings about nothing but disheartened frustration.

Nonetheless, I am impressed by people who speak up and bother to argue, discuss, dispute and otherwise make their point of view come across and be heard. Regardless their conviction. Of course I would prefere everybody shared my values and moral, but such is not the world.

There are many people who seem to have strong opinions on causes they feel are unjust. Often I admire the involvement, but fail to see the logic or the knowledge which is put to ground for their point of view. We use whatever means we feel possible for us to make our tool, and to do that, we turn to what is most convenient to us. Only thing is: internet, however common property it is, has a way of going viral.

It has become more of a fashionable thing to do to announce support this way, but I don't think they understand how they continuously stir up strong emotions. Emotions which are not only misplaced, but which also by the blink of an eye turn into hateful attacks. Attacks because people feel stamped on, belittled or tried enticed. More often hostile replies are stated when those who read and react run out of good points yet still feel the urge to have a say.

I was determined not to express my opinion on this week's terror attacks. I was determined to stay coward and let others flog each other with harsh and hurtful words. I managed to keep my thoughts to myself for maybe as long as a couple of days.

I strongly believe that words have a meaning; that they lead to thoughts and actions. The last few weeks have proven my belief truthful. I have the utmost respect for those who write well enough and talk well enough to be confident in presenting their point of view in respectful manners.

It doesn't feel like there is such a thing as justice. Maybe we are incapable of making the world fair. Maybe there is too much evil. Still I have trust in a future coloured with the shiny colour of kindness.
Maybe what is left is to tell the story of those innocent who suffer, and hope true empathy will be awakened.
I am ashamed to admit my feelings are stronger the closer to home tragedy strikes. For that I am sorry. It's not that suffering is less important far away, it is my capasity to take it all in which fails me.

As I write I see the identity of the victims in Paris begin to emerge. I am saddened by the thought of them, their family and the haunting thoughts. The "what ifs" which will be part of their mourning process. I hope they will find it in them to forgive. Hatred eats you up inside, and kills what's in you to love, and it kills the love you have in you to give.

There is hope, though. On social medias now people change their profile pictures into images covered in red, white and blue, to show support and condolances.

Long time ago, I wrote a blog posting I called “How To Speak Up”. I chose to write about a clip I found on youtube, which really and profoundly disturbed me. I still believe most of us have common grounds in values. And I believe we have it in us to be brave and yet not try to be bigger by putting others down.

I live such a comfortable life it is hard to imagine what it is like to live a life permeated with danger and total comprehensive fear. I am not so sure that I would be brave enough to do what I constantly claim I would do: never to let threats and random violence put any restrictions on my everyday life and lifestyle, simply because that would mean the wrong side won.

It's raining outside. Usually I love the rain, but tonight it feels like tears from the sky. It feels like the entire world is cried upon, an immersive hurt has struck.

“later that night
i held an atlas in my lap
ran my fingers across the whole world
and whispered
where does it hurt?
it answered
everywhere
everywhere
everywhere.”

― Warsan Shire