A recent article in Scientific American, "Exploring the Musical Brain," recently proposed that music came into this world long before the human race ever existed and, rather than being the inventors of music, we are latecomers to the musical scene. Scientists have studied "songs" of humpback whales and birds and have discovered amazing similarities between their music and that of human invention, such as use of themes and scales both chromatic and pentatonic, repeating refrains that rhyme, rhythmic variations, combinations of notes and pitch relationships. Whales who strayed into unfamiliar waters quickly learned to sing the new whales' song.
The researchers studied effects of music on the human brain and learned that
it is the ancient part of the brain, the limbic system (known to control our
emotions), that responds to music and that music can even evoke physical
changes and moods. Different kinds of music are received by the human brain in
predictable ways: quick tempos in major keys produce a happy response, slow
tempos in minor keys lead to sadness. Consonant melodies are associated with
pleasure; dissonant sounds are linked to unpleasant emotions. Of course, there
are exceptions: Were You There? is about as sorrowful and anguished a song as
you'll hear, and it's all in a major key. Now The Green Blade Rises is in the
minor mode but has a dancing, happy effect. My favorite kind of song contains
both major and minor elements, such as the tune Kingsfold (#51 in The New
Century Hymnal), which can be sung to other texts, such as this from The
Hymnal 1982, which says in part:
When Jesus into Zion rode, the children sang around;
For joy they plucked the palms and strowed their garments on the ground.
Hosanna our glad voices raise, hosanna to our King!
Should we forget our Saviour's praise,
the stones themselves would sing.
Lenten music is characteristically in minor keys, expressive of the somber and penitent tone of the Lenten season. This year, we are still observing Lent during the first half of April, and most of our hymns and anthems will be sung in minor keys. As we edge closer to Easter, on Palm Sunday we will sing of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem in the victory march Ride On! Ride On in Majesty (#215 The New Century Hymnal), of course in a major key. Come Easter Sunday you will hear music mostly in the major keys, upbeat and joyful, triumphant and rejoicing. But listen for the artful blending of minor and major in 0 Sons and Daughters, Let Us Sing (#244 The New Century Hymnal). I would urge you to think about the emotional impact this month's hymns has on you and whether singing in a minor or major key makes any difference to you. If you're not sure what the difference is between major and minor, for major think "do-mi-sol," and for minor think "la-do-mi."
The scientific treatise about music produced by animals did not specify whether whales and birds sing in minor or major keys. Perhaps that is the next step of research. But what they have discovered to date only details what has been known for centuries: music has a remarkable and profound power on humankind. No human culture has ever existed without it, and people making music predates agriculture and perhaps even language.
From the wind whistling through the trees, to humpback whales communicating
through song, to Christians celebrating Easter by singing four-part-harmony
hymns in a major key, all living things are united through some kind of music.
Scientists speculate that there is a "universal music awaiting discovery."
Jesus is the Word, the Logos. Jesus is our sadness and sorrowing but also our
hope and our joy, our Song in the night and also our Song by day, our minor
and major celebration. The world, our music and Christianity would not be
complete without the struggle between minor and major. Come and sing our full
Easter of the heart!
Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle, right has triumphed over wrong;
Now the cross stands as the token of the struggle, fierce and long;
Christ the victim now is victor, sing the noble triumph song.