The Language of Music

The language of music is something that we can all understand and participate in as either active listeners or creators. Language and music share many commonalities, as highlighted by Gary Marcus. As Marcus stated, music is a "peacock's tail" in that while it may not be for sexual selection, it is a foundation upon which relationships can be formed. This is true of not only humans, but is also exemplified by the mating calls of birds or other species that use the language of music to communicate and attract their mates, which is the evolutionary reason language evolved in the first place. While music may be subject to the same pressures as language, music has the additional requirement of culture. Marcus's presentation made me truly realize how both language and music are forms of communication that have become key components of our society and have evolved with time. 

Music is something that has been integrated into our daily lives. We are constantly exposed to music created by both nature and human beings. Having participated in choir and played instruments myself, I have come to appreciate the dedication and effort required to become a proficient musician. Nevertheless, whether it be the rhythm, notes, or harmonies, music has the ability to evoke emotion and truly speak to us. It is exploited by the media and entertainment industry, but also serves as a source of enjoyment and relaxation. As Marcus points out, music cannot be created by computer programs that use statistics to put together notes in a formulaic pattern. Thus, music is truly a form of expression, like language, that requires the human mind to have meaning, but is distinct from language in that it is also a learned skill. 

When analyzing music as a language, we can see how music reflects the time period in which it was created. As true of both language and music, as times change, the words that are used as well as the tempos and melodies also evolve. Not only are new words created, but new sounds are also possible, as seen with an increase of autotuning. Despite this evolutionary inertia, the power and universality of language, whether in the form of words or music retains it's power to speak to us. Music from the pre-historic era, to the Rennaissance, all the way to the 50's and even today has grown in the instruments available and the complexities involved in it's creation; yet Shakespeare's works are still regarded as classics with themes that hold true today, similar to the ways in which music from decades ago, created in a different economy and time period can still be understood.