|
|
Notes on THE EARTHSONG MUSIC by Michael Morris. The EARTHSONG MUSIC seeks to promote a return to our original state of harmony, harmony with ourselves, with the Earth and with all other Earth-beings. It draws on a range of disciplines and perspectives - psychological, sociological, musical, ecological, acoustic, therapeutic and philosophical, with the purpose of creating a new musical form which will bring about a real change in participants and listeners. The EARTHSONG MUSIC originated in the idea of creating a musical note which would simulate the "music" of the Earth's daily rotation, creating this EARTHNOTE through translating the frequency of the Earth's axial rotation into the range of normal human hearing, It is an ancient belief that Planet Earth and the other planets of the solar system make music as they rotate in space. The Pythagoreans of ancient Greece called this music the "Music of the Spheres". Medieval texts depicted the Earth as a lute-like instrument. Later, Shakespeare wrote in one of his plays:
Contemporary Japanese geophysicists have found that the Earth "rings" or oscillates like a bell in space, vibrating at a very low frequency and low level of power. It is suggested that this may be caused by the atmosphere's variations in pressure "playing" the Earth like a gong. The most startling evidence comes from the Russian astronaut Yuri Gargarin whose wife reports that when in space he could hear the Earth vibrating in space like a giant loudspeaker. He experienced this on two occasions and is said to have been deeply affected. He compared the sound to that of chanting in a Greek Orthodox Cathedral. The American philosopher and writer, David Thoreau speaks in his famous book "Walden" of going to his beanfield and listening to the sound of the crickets, beneath whose chirping he was "aware of the general earthsong.". One way to create an EarthNote is to translate the rotational frequency into music, since all music is basically mathematical. Concert A, for example, has a vibrational frequency of 440 cycles per second. The Earth rotates on its axis one full cycle every 23 hours-56minutes-4 seconds, that is 1 cycle every 86,120 seconds, or 1/86,120 cycle per second. This is an inaudible frequency, so low that it must be raised 22 octaves before it can be heard as 48.7 cycles per second (cps) or the musical note of "G" at the lowest end of the piano keyboard. This has been termed
"the Archetypal EarthNote" by the German musician and
author of "NADA BRAHMAN" and "THE THIRD EAR",
Joachim-Ernst Berendt. This must be a very important musical
note for all Earth-beings. In our age of ecological crisis and
growing awareness of the necessity for urgent action, this EarthNote
could become the "Foundation Tone" for our ecological
age. (A large number of scientists, ecologists and philosophers
have proposed that this 21st century be declared "The Century
of Restoring the Earth" .) The term "Foundation Tone"
is taken from ancient China where each dynasty had its own special
musical note which was perceived as assuring social stability
and harmony throughout the empire. In contrast, research by The
World Soundscape Project in Canada discovered that the dominant
musical note of our age, the one most easily remembered by the
majority of individuals, is the one which corresponds to the
frequency of the electric current. Such a musical note could
hardly be expected to be the foundation note for harmony, peace
and stability! The EarthSong Music has proven to be highly fruitful as it evolved during the last decade, generating "The EarthSong Project", which covers a wide variety of activities - music production and recording, educational seminars and workshops, a Celtic Wondertale for a musical animation, and interactive Internet-Web multi-media which combine an ancient wisdom and state-of-the-art contemporary technology. Experience and experimentation with various professionals - including therapists, psychologists, teachers and students - has shown that this music is ideal for relaxation, inspiration, therapy and meditation. Most importantly, the EarthSong Music is a "Transformational Music" which works at a deep level of heart, soul and mind. It is a music which, more than pages of words, can bring us back to our Earthly roots, increasing our ecological awareness and responsibility to and for the Earth. In general, we have forgotten these origins and have brought our beautiful blue and white Home Planet to the verge of destruction through pollution, war, famine and ecological destruction. We need to remember the Earth, the Sea, the Land, Nature, the Sky. We need to recover our natural Earth Wisdom. In this regard, the EarthSong Music is "Wisdom Music". "The Earth and myself are of one mind." Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce Michael Morris
|
Home |Shop | Archives | Environment | Links | Email
