Emotions play an important role in our music application. It is the emotion in music which makes it attractive and habit forming for the listeners. The emotions in music are also known to heal its listeners from their various mental problems and deficiencies for centuries. Right from the day of Plato, music is known for its healing role, though only of late – from the World War aftermaths, music has turned into an exclusive discipline called ‘music therapy’.
When we talk of emotion, we all know that music may sound joyful, sad, or angry depending on its contents and tempo. For the purpose of this article, we would analyze the sadness in a musical structure. Let us take piano music to understand this aspect of music which emits sadness.
Secret of Sadness found in Music:
The Western World for a very long time thought it is the intervals that decide the impact of music. We have three forms: major chords, minor chords and also diminished chords which affect our emotional experience. For instance, sadness is reflected in minor chords of the piano. They are usually termed as the “melancholic cousins of the major chords”. The minor chords are long known for their tonal impact. They sound quite sad even as you practice these chords in your piano on guitar! They sound introverted and mellow as compared to major chords. The Great composers of the Western world have therefore, made use of their emotional impact and produced innumerable masterpieces which are the sweetest songs that tell of saddest thoughts. Further, it is the minor third intervals in the minor chords that sound more introverted and mellow.
Theoretically, every major chord is built out of a major third and a small third. The minor chords are built the other way around. They are formed by a minor third and a major third on top of it. So, you basically switch the order of the major chords to create the required sobriety! For instance, C major is constituted by C, E and G, whereas C Minor is formed by, C, Eb and G so as to add a tinge of melancholy!
Apart from this, we also have in the Western system, what we call as ‘diminished chord’ which also enhances such a mood-changing impact. For instance, let us again take the example of C major. When we intentionally diminish both the middle note of the chord (E in C major) and the open note the chord (G in C major) in half a tone, we form a diminished chord. The result of this effort by pianists is that they are able to create the unstable chord, containing lots of tension which can easily affect the listener’s mind. Thus, C diminished chord is formed by C-Eb and Gb, that is too small thirds (Eb and Gb) close to each other, producing intense feelings.
Now what is the impact of sad songs? Firstly, they provoke intense feelings, triggering memory, making the listener nostalgic. It should be remembered that sad songs do not create just sadness, but sadness with a certain beauty that can be savored or relished by its listeners! This helps listeners to make pleasant simulations of thought feelings, which remain inexpressible. Following the law called “similia”, which stands for the concept, like cures like, it is the sad tinge in music that works as a cure for those who are saddened by events and relationships. a feeling of consolation as someone is undergoing the same sense of isolation and tension is guaranteed by such musical forms. They also help in unburdening the unwanted emotional baggage in the listener’s personality. Though there are millions of songs which can be grouped as ‘sad songs’, one of the recent ones I admired was Rahat Fateh Ali’s ‘saaiyaan mere’. Minor scales are also thus known for their impact in Indian music. However Indian classical music places less emphasis on the use of minor chords and instead it is the right combination of tones (or semi-tones) that can infuse melancholy to a particular raga. Raga Like asavari and subhapanthuvarali are the burning examples of ragas that express melancholy. Ragas like Charukesi, Hindolam (Malkauns), Jagan Mohini, Kapi, Kharaharapriya, Madhuvanti, Marga Hindolam, Mayamalavagowla, Nadanamakriya, Purvikalyani, Revati, Ritigowla, Shivranjani etc. have been successfully tested by the volunteers of Nada Center for Music Therapy, a pioneering organisation devoted to popularization music therapy in India on the survivors of major calamities in India such as tsunami and cloudbursts in recent years.
Joy in Music
We all know that the physical state of joy reflects thrill or faster heartbeats. A lot of exuberance is an extrovert characteristic in the happy man’s personality. All these are reflected and music which gives joy to us. Fast paced, peppy music or those which mimics sequels or shouts with joyful lyrics and played or sung in higher volumes are the typical music that reflect joyful moods and create the same and its listeners among the contemporary artistes, one can find joyful beats and rhythms in in Calvin Harris (feat- Ne- Yo- Let’s go number for instance). In Carnatic Ragas, we have bhupalam and bowli which depict moods of the morning – fresh and joyful to enter into a new wakening! Brindavana Saranga depicts the moods of midday-laced with joy, peace, devotion and majesty – a recipe for being happy and healthy! Chandrakauns, Desh Gauri Manohari, Hamsa Nandi, Kanada, Kadanakudoohalam, Nagaswarali, are the other beautiful Indian ragas, which are capable of infusing joy and peace to its listeners.
Angry Tunes and Songs
Anger in music is reflected through the “diminished” chords which we had mentioned earlier. By diminishing the stable notes and making them unstable and tense, the musician is able to create a certain sense of instability in the minds of the listeners as well. The same “similia” principle works here too. The people who are prone to anger are attached to such tunes, which like joyful ones are also fast-paced. They are however more ‘growling’ than ‘singing’! They depict distorted voices and shrill screaming which produce fear and hatred in listeners. percussion of this kind of music also produce a feeling of venting pent up anger. The odd sounds of this music as in many a metal genre of music do produce such impact which help many of the listeners – especially the younger ones – overcome the lurking anger and frustrations, caused by high expectations in life and from people around. Modern lyrics such as “Break you” by Lamb of Gods in heavy metal format and versus such as ‘You taught me to hate, I’ll teach you fear’ etc. feed the medicine of anger to those who are already angry. This helps them pleasantly overcome their anger and disgust. Coming to the Carnatic Ragas, Abheri, Atana, Bhairav and a host of other Ragas, which reflect anger or disgust or ridicule can be used for healing similar feelings in patients. While doing so, it is advisable to incorporate fast or irregular tempo which reflects the physical aspect of anger. Nada Centre for Music Therapy, a pioneering organisation devoted to music therapy in India since 2004, has done intense research experiments on Ragas such as Chakravakam, Devagamdhari, Panthuvarali, Punnagavarali and Shanmukhapriya to study their beneficial impact on the anger-prone people.
Edited by Geeta Shreedar, Nov. 27, 2021