Have you ever thought about how difficult it is to talk about
sounds? Unlike other things perceived by the senses of taste, smell, touch, or
vision, sounds are perceived differently. The notion of spatial palpability does
not drive the auditory senses, yet we are able to identify the source and
distance of sounds from us. We cannot perceive colors, shapes, textures,
tastes, temperatures, or smells because the auditory object is different. In
these situations, the thing becomes perceptible through the other senses. On
the other hand, the perception of sound phenomena happens spontaneously for
those with the sense of hearing. Sounds can be easily perceived, though
sometimes it might be difficult to identify them. They reach to the ears all the time, and all the time we deceive
ourselves about them. However, for those with no sense of hearing,
unfortunately things might not be like that. For hearing music, all you have to
do is turn on the radio and tune in to your favorite station. But there are
those who enjoy going to the concerts. Some people also take pleasure in going
to concert halls to listen to a recital. And there are further music expressions. For those who appreciate it or for those who make listening to
music a habit, things simply happen. The sound events just need to occur for us
to notice them. However, when it comes to reporting on the sound phenomenon,
things seem to get more complicated. Talking about the sound phenomenon for
someone is not the same thing as showing the sound phenomenon itself. It seems
obvious to say it, but we do it all the time! Resorting to the language and
articulating the terminology is an attempt to depurate the sound phenomenon to
make it intelligible. However, words are not music notes, though they
can be fitted into a melody. At least two aspects concerning the words flowing
through the orality: Sonority and intelligibility. This is an ambiguity, and I
have the impression that a good part of the difficulties concerning the
temptation to elaborate a report on sound phenomena come from there.
* *
*
Talking about sound phenomena
might pose a challenge. This is one of the sources in which rests part of the
difficulty: Depurating the sound phenomenon and reporting it. Indeed, what is
music? How can it be defined? Can sounds be classified and differentiated from
each other? In this sense, what is a music note and a noise? And what about a
melody? These are some questions for which the music theory offers its
answers. Though sounds and noises are propagated through space, these phenomena
are not perceived as the other phenomena that are shown in the space. For
example, we perceive a diversity of sounds when we listen to a symphony. There
are many different instruments in an orchestra. And here we have one ambiguity.
The musical instruments express their respective sound phenomena during the
symphony course. We perceive the sound phenomena and their subtleties. Sounds
differ from one another. And for one disposable to listen to music, there is no
need to know what is the name of the musical instrument and what is its role
in the orchestra! Sound phenomena come to the ears directly and spontaneously.
They simply happen. An interesting challenge: Listen to a symphony and try to
identify some sound elements. Indeed, what is the criteria to differentiate, and
then to define, one sound from another? In this sense, would not identifying a
sound be the same as identifying the musical instrument itself? Then, would the
sonority and musical instrument be closely linked? Could both elements,
sonority and musical instrument, be merged in a single term? However, if we
have one single term merging both elements, there would be a certain level of
abstraction involved, and, in this sense, there would also be a certain
distance between sonority and musical instrument. However, sonority and musical
instrument are two different things. Perceive how we resort to the language to
articulate all these notions to try to make the thing intelligible in face of
all these difficulties! Questions for which the music theory offers its
answers. And I have the impression that a possible report about a symphonic
piece, although sonority has certain relations with musical instrument, is
not the symphony itself, obviously. Given that a report might not be able to
accomplish such complexity.
Sometimes I think we are condemned
to live touching the most immediate surface of the things.
About the
painting:
John Singer Sargent
Rehearsal of
the Pasdeloup Orchestra at the Cirque d'Hiver
c. 1879
Oil on canvas
The Art
Institute of Chicago
Brazilian Portuguese Translations, Brazilian Portuguese Translator #brazilianportuguesetranslations #brazilianportuguesetranslator
