SOUL SICKNESS AND LOSS #4

 

Music, Musicians and Soul Loss

Music, until approximately a hundred years ago, was always meant to be spiritual, by the Greeks, indigenous peoples and various religions. However, there have always been demonic cults who welcomed dark, occult spirit forces through discordant sound. 

The Greeks exploited music for good and understood that just as musical discord could distort the spirit, musical concord could enable it.  

When we sin, we are without music or harmony. Rather control the modes of music in a city than its laws.

Many spoke of music as enabling humans to return to the Divine regions, a place once lost to them. The right music especially; kirtans, bhajans, Chassidic melodies can sooth the souls. Musical instruments used consciously can do the same especially sounds from Tibetan or crystal bowls, the didgeridoo, the mbira, the harp, jaws harp, the harmonica etc.

The Greeks and others felt that sound should follow a certain "objective moral order." 

This is the reason classical music had and has such appeal. The great classical composers followed this idea and were supported by the church. 

Pre-modernistic music kept these principles up until the last century when skilled musical advocates arose that attempted to defile the sacredness by introducing discord and musical narcissism. 

 

“I am conscious of having removed all traces of a past esthetic. I am cured of the delusion that the artist’s aim is to create beauty.” Schoenberg 

“Once the past has been gotten out of the way, one need think only of oneself.” Boulez

“Purposeful purposelessness,” to have absolutely no organization.” Cage

 

Other iconoclasts arose that supported this idea with the likes of Heavy Metal Music and similar genres. Foul words in their lyrics aggravated their toxic effects. This music was said to be able to wake up the dead and call up the Devil. Many musicians in these genres aligned themselves with Satan for impact or in truth. 

 

"The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day that you were created.” Ezekiel

Lucifer who became Satan, fell from heaven together with the other "fallen angels" Prior to that he was the chief musician in heaven and God's most beautiful angel. The Devil's Triad was said to exist in a particular musical tone. This "Trill" was said to enable one to become possessed by Satan which in turn opened the door to the Black Arts. For centuries, it was called the Devil's interval or the tritone because it is made of three whole steps. One can also hear the tritone in terrifying movie soundtracks, the sounds of Halloween, such as creaky floorboards and howling winds. It was designed to be chilling, unsettling, and threatening.

The tritone was also used by some famous composers but sparingly and for effect only.

Robert Johnson, previously a mediocre guitarist, was said to have met the Devil on the road at midnight. The Devil promised that he would make him one of the most famous guitarists of all time if he relinquished his soul to him. He indeed became that famous.

Many rock musicians seemed to become possessed on stage like Jimi Hendriks and some aligned themselves with the Devil implicitly or explicitly.

Tartini was visited by the Devil in a dream who dazzled  him by playing a piece of music which he knew would have been impossible for him to replicate. The dream inspired him to compose but he also said;

 

“… The music which I at this time composed is indeed the best that I ever wrote, and and I still call it the “Devil’s Trill”, but the difference between it and that which so moved me, is so great that I would have destroyed my instrument and have said farewell to music forever if it had been possible for me to live without the enjoyment it affords me.” Tartini

 

There were many others who flirted with dark forces including; Giuseppe, John Lennon, Bon Jovi , Snoop Dogg, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Jagger, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and especially Heavy Metals; Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer, Warriors from the Gates of Hell and Black Sabbath.

Sex, drugs, alcohol, addiction and even dark spirit possession seemed to be the order of the day with some.

David Bowie affirmed that there has never been anything innocent or pure about rock and roll. From its inception it had two great themes: licentiousness, rebellion and seeking power through the dark arts.  Although rock and roll and similar genres can be melodious and gratifying, David Bowie was concerned that the wrong music could welcome dark forces. 

Hendrix became an international rock superstar. He abused even the worst drugs, alcohol and women. He destroyed his guitars and amplifiers during concerts and set his guitar on fire. This would send the young concert-goers into a frenzy. It was said that his band had to be stoned to play properly. He was using music to 'take people on trips.' Not the light and right trip' but a dark trip. Many of the sounds, invoked were demonic and could affect the mind of the listener. 

Many of Hendrik’s friends died under strange circumstances after his death. Hendrik's himself died at a young age as have many musicians and others who turned to the dark side. There are not only karmic but also physical consequences to sensate indulgence, power and possession.

Christian rock has been an attempt to counter this genre.