'Into the Unknown Rode the Warrior.'
That’s what a Bansuri master told me when I requested a low G, not sure if I would be able to play it. I was grateful for his comment, having newly embarked on what would become an epic musical odyssey in search the answer to my question: 'Why does it sometimes feel like the flute is playing me?' My quest led me to traverse the realms of music, maths, physics, biology, psychology, cosmology, mythology, history, philosophy and culture, into the realm of sound.
1. Acoustics: Harmony in the Web of Life
The science of acoustics, extending its reach across music, medicine, architecture, industrial production, and even warfare, underscores the pivotal role of sound in human society. Animals, too, rely on sound for survival, with songbirds and frogs using it in mating rituals and territorial markings. Hearing is one of the most crucial means of survival in the animal world and speech is one of the most distinctive characteristics of human development and culture. Our connection to sound, deeply rooted in the essence of life, becomes a unifying force across species.
2. The Enigma of Musical Power
Legends abound of artists making pacts with the devil for extraordinary musical prowess, and historical censorship of the saxophone raises questions about the perceived power of music. More even perhaps than visual forms such as art medium, Hilma af Klint, and art healer, Albrecht Dürer.
3. Shakuhachi: A Spiritual Tool
The shakuhachi, initially associated with Zen Buddhist monks, becomes a focal point of spiritual enlightenment. In medieval Japan, the Fuke sect of Zen monks used the shakuhachi as a tool for enlightenment. Explore the history, spiritual significance, and the testing of true mastery through difficult honkyoku pieces.
4. The Inner Voice: A Symphony Within
In a moment of exquisite harmony during my Grade 6 Flute exam, heavily pregnant, the incessant inner voice fell silent. The phenomenon of the inner voice, a constant observer and commentator within, reveals itself as a profound element shaping our musical experiences.
Stairway to Heaven
'There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold ...'
There are many surprising examples of sweet flute sections and beautiful melodies in heavy Rock music. The recorder duet in Stairway to Heaven is a particularly beautiful one.
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