02 May, 2012

Music have no ends no beginning

it is a sound behind the sound, continuous in harmony..

The picture below is A.R.Rahman, India's most blessed and talented music composer and an Oscar winner.

Bit's Beethoven! Why is his musical melodies the best and considered the most difficult yet heavenly composition even after decades have passed?
I saw the movie 'Copying Beethoven' few days back. A movie based on Beethoven's life and a phase of Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven).

Beethoven says,
"God whispers in most men's ears but He shouts in mine."

He also says,
"there are vibration in my ears, those vibrations are the breaths of God speaking to man's soul. Music is the language of God. We musicians are as close to God as man can be. We hear words, we read scripts, we give birth to the children of God. We see his prayers, that what musicians are for. And if we aren't musicians than we are nothing."

Hence, I truly believe that the music and musicians are truly God Gifted and they compose prayers in music to be heard.

Later in his conversation about music he continues saying in other scene,
"Music movement does not end, it flows...
We have to stop thinking in terms of beginning and ending.. this is not the bridges that iron man makes, this is a living thing, like clouds taking shape or tides lifting.
Music does not works, it grows..
As the first moment becomes the second as each idea dies and new one born.
You are obsessed with the structure with choosing the correct form
You need to listen to the voice speaking inside of you, I didn't listen to it until I got deaf.
Silence is the key, when the silence develops then your soul can see."

As he said that in the movie, it actually reminded me of something wonderful, something to which I could easily relate to. The word 'OM or Aum', is a sacred or mystical syllable of Hindu origin but is of importance to other Dharmic traditions as well, namely Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. The Sanskrit name for the syllable is, from a root nu "to shout, sound", verbal pra-nu- being attested as "to make a humming or droning sound" Om is said to be the primordial sound that was present at the creation of the universe. It is said to be the original sound that contains all other sounds, all words, all languages and all mantras.
In Purānic Hinduism, Om is the mystic name for the Hindu Trimurti, and represents the union of the three gods, viz. a for Brahma, u for Vishnu and m for Mahadev which is another name of Shiva. The three sounds also symbolize the three Vedas (Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda).

...the word 'Silence' itself can be understood only in referenceto 'sound'..!
In the book Om Chanting and Meditation Amit Ray states:
"Om is not just a sound or vibration. It is not just a symbol. It is the entire cosmos, whatever we can see, touch, hear and feel. Moreover, it is all that is within our perception and all that is beyond our perception. It is the core of our very existence. If you think of Om only as a sound, a technique or a symbol of the Divine, you will miss it altogether. Om is the mysterious cosmic energy that is the substratum of all the things and all the beings of the entire universe. It is an eternal song of the Divine. It is continuously resounding in silence on the background of everything that exists." ref.wik
In fact, the word "silence" itself can be understood only in reference to "sound."
One really needs to listen the sound behind the silence. And, in making the sound of AUM, we can hear this sound most clearly in the instant when there is a last humming vibrations of the "M" ...mmm.. slowly fade away. This is the exact moment and instant when the sound and silence are inseparable, simultaneously mingling yet irresistibly clearly stating the continuity of never ending experience, as it is, infinite.

Over time, Beethoven's hearing loss became profound that there is a well-attested story that, at the end of the premiere of his Ninth Symphony on which the movie is based, he actually had to be turned around to see the tumultuous applause of the audience; hearing nothing, he wept.

Have you ever wondered how Beethoven in the heights of his career was slowly missing a sense of hearing! How difficult it would have been for him? Though he was not completely deaf yet he could listen very less, that he almost avoided any kind of conversation with people.

Just as he said I thought being a bit deaf helped him a lot, it brought him nearer to God. I'm so sure that God dictated the composure in his ears, something so pious that nobody could hear with normal hearing senses. This was the power he has gifted with and sure he knew it well since he kept working, conducting and performing to create history. He was composing something only he could create with mix of vibrations of strings, the fine piece of peace.

Imagined a life without any one of the sense.
It is difficult to work like that and life seems more or less lifeless. Perhaps, this is life after all. Somewhere it's shade and other side it's light, sometimes you get punished, at times it simply praises you at core. Though fullest yet something is always missing. And the urge of that unknown missing we often compose our dreams of music. To be able to create a music that sounds good to your ears, that calms down the soul to serenity under the limited conditions is an achievement and a will-power.

Yes! Everyone one of us have a similar battle to fight at, to prove the best in us we still are holding. Yet, creating a synergy and composing the key notes in the most of the tough time is what you can make the best of the blessing God have gifted you with.

Beethoven's hearing loss did not prevent his composing music and playing at concerts. Use your senses to bring the best of you in the crises.


  • Below is the song of movie, Roja and music composed is by A.R.Rahman. One of his most finest tune. The song features the place 'Kashmir' and the music absolutely makes a justice to feeling and emotions that rise looking at the beauty and serenity of the place. Luckily this have English Subtitle too.  LINK: https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bp1pGcQtJ3M



No wonder this is one of the reason why this blog is called Humming Today*
humming : To emit a continuous low droning sound like that of the speech sound (m) when prolonged. To produce a tune without opening the lips or forming words. You, thought it was on the humming bird which is the only bird that flies backward :) between do you know Humming Bird is the smallest extant bird species and can rotate each of its wings in a circle!
There can be plenty of thing to argue about. However, I request you to Read The underlines! of this post!! Thank you for being consistent persistently patient.


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