The Intricacies of Musical Expression

Piano, when played correctly and softly, has the ability to capture a sort of musically driven suspense. This is only one emotion in its range and capacity of the sounds generated. The keys are struck in a timing that is consistent with the flow of the song. Simultaneously, only the notes and scales that compliment each other are played. The beauty lies in the synchronicity of the pattern of vibrations lining up along various pitches as it resonates. Suspense trickles around the room as the vibrations of the sound dissipate, decrescendo, and we await the next notes in succession to the phrase. When we are familiar with the song this suspense is devastatingly satisfying.

I speak of piano because it is those tones that have inspired such a conclusion, however the possibility to draw intricate emotions from the listener is a capacity that all music, and thus musicians, have the ability to produce. Music has such a pull on our being because of the immense range of emotions it is able to extract from us. Lyrics allow for a contextual perception, an explanation of sorts on the elaborate feelings the vibrations themselves draw from within us.

Music allows us to feel things we normally would not allow ourselves to feel at times. We attribute these feelings to having been evoked by the vibrations of the sounds, but only if the mood that strikes is a contrast to what we are feeling prior to listening. We revel in these evoked feelings. They are bliss. Listening to a song is a highly individualized experience, yet when a group gets together and feels the same emotions being generated by the vibrations of the music around them—now that’s magic. We call this synchronicity. It is truly a beautiful thing.