enchanting music ....

What's in music?
How does it soothe a depressed/troubled person? How does it help to improve or maintain a person's health (mental, emotional and physical) (ref. Music Therapy)? sometimes at least momentarily?

I do not know anything about music. I only know that it is something which can be heard. I dont know what is Carnatic music or Rock music or something else. Maestro Ilaiyaraaja says "In songs, music is just to give a breathing time for the singers". In response to the question "How do you make music?", he answered "That's the exact question I am trying to find an answer for. Probably, when I come to know the answer I might not be able to make music at all". There is something more in that statement than that looks obvious. There is some divinity in music, it tranquilizes every person listening to it.

Sometimes even a song played at a distinct place catches my ear and I am lost in it, I start humming even if I cant recollect the lyrics properly. I usually listen to songs which carry an in-depth meaning in their lyrics. Though it so happens that whenever a new album or new movie songs release I do listen to them for first 3-4 days and if lyrics aren't good I don't add them to my favourite list and forget them. Consider the case of music like Beetheoven symphony or bombay theme song by A.R.Rahman or music from instruments playing just basic raagas. There are no lyrics in them even then I feel like listening to them often. So, lyrics apart, there is something in the music. This was the first point I realized recently. You can sometimes feel the aggression or sometimes apathy, or ecstasy (remember the feel (because of the music) when you saw the protagonist in "The Shawshank Redemption", in the end, when he looks up to the skies and spreads his arms!!). So, music has more effect than just pleasing the ears. Its an art. It fantasizes me.

I will stop here my first post of this blog, dedicated to music and study of musical instruments. I will try to look at it from a person who gets entertained by it and also try to learn deeper things (essence) of it.

Hopefully I will be able to consume at least a drop of an ocean.