Inspiration from Nature
- thecantabilecollective
- Aug 25, 2020
- 2 min read
By: Ella Yu
On a road trip, I observed the tiny drops of rainwater sliding down the window while enjoying the splashing sounds they made. I do not enjoy them all the time; some days I cry harder with my sorrows as the sky is doing the same, while others I inhale the coolness rain brings in the air. Sounds affect our emotions just as music does, and they are the first-ever harmony made by earth. These unique yet ubiquitous sounds nature produces inspire us to appreciate as listeners and create as composers. In short, our music was born in nature.
Philosophers from long ago have discovered that the connection with nature and its music has relentlessly maintained its grasp on the human spirit. Nature is almost the most popular subject that artists depict in their songs—just count how many times “sky”, “mountain“, and so many other natural phenomena appear across songs of all genres! Why do music and nature together have such a huge influence on our lives? Over the years, we have discovered the wonderful interconnection they share. According to the French composer Claude Debussy, “There is nothing more musical than a sunset. He who feels what he sees will find no more beautiful example of development in all that book which, alas, musicians read but too little—the book of Nature.” Nature provides a haven for us to listen to our hearts, imagine beyond the sky, and narrate our thoughts. Specifically, our natural world brings a state of calmness that aids our thinking and music producing process. It is proved that as children and adults today spend less time outdoors, they miss the opportunity for musical spontaneity and contemplation. Why does nature never disappear in our music and why is it a necessity?
Not only do we gain musical inspiration from nature, but we also keep an account of our relationship with it through music. As time passes and society progresses, people of different periods share distinct cultures and perspectives, and they see the natural world differently. Music then becomes a historical lens that we can look through, telling our experiences with changes in climates, seasons, and places. For example, Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, a timeless work that portrays the composer’s emotions through the seasons, illustrates images and sensations that resonate with countless listeners. Its popularity portrays how music can put our connection with nature into a language and celebrate our affection towards it. You can simply close your eyes and sketch the perfect scenery you wish to see in your head; it may be different from Vivaldi’s, but through this, you both are communicating with nature! Music allows us to establish a bond with nature, and nature is constantly responding.
Music is a gift and an inspiration from nature. From creating music on the hands of nature to strengthening our bond with nature, they together add colors to our lives and always leave us in reflection. We should appreciate and enjoy the benefits this magical connection brings us.
Sources:
“Composers on Nature.”
All Classical Portland, www.allclassical.org/composers-on-nature/.
“Music and Nature: A Natural Combination.” Nature Explore Program, 12 Sept. 2016, natureexplore.org/music-and-nature-a-natural-combination/.
Stewart, Katrina. “The Essentialism of Music in Human Life and Its Roots in Nature,”
“Music and Nature: A Natural Combination.” Nature Explore Program, 12 Sept. 2016, natureexplore.org/music-and-nature-a-natural-combination/.
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