Music is a universal language. Songs can make a person feel happy, sad, uplifted, serious, or even angry. Yet the most stirring music can have no words at all. Jayd Deroché discusses how some pieces are simply melodies and rhythms with no lyrics, and this music can speak volumes without saying a word.
We are not strictly discussing classical music. World music composed entirely of instruments or modern electronic masterpieces by innovators like Daft Punk falls into the zero-lyrics category. No matter the genre or era, wordless tracks can, perhaps, convey even more emotion because they let the mind wander. It is a bit of a mystery, wondering what these artists are trying to say.
Jayd Deroché says guessing the story is another level of human connection in music. Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, arguably one of the most intense and emotional compositions in history, is a tale of passion and heartbreak. It is nearly impossible to listen to this masterpiece without asking, “Who was she”? Holst’s The Planets brings the stories of the Roman gods to life as the music whisks us through the solar system, ideally suited for each body the different movements are written for.
Native American music is profoundly tribal and otherworldly, with its primal drumbeats accompanied by chanting. Traditional Celtic music is full of flutes and can be danced to or enjoyed for its hauntingly beautiful sound. Techno-industrial tracks can vary from hard-hitting electronic punk to the crashing, grinding intensity Nine Inch Nails is famous for. The excellently written music does not need words to convey the artist’s meaning. At this point, Jayd Deroché feels that music becomes part of the human condition.
This is also why music is deemed a universal language; it communicates on a level that goes beyond borders. We can all understand what music is saying to us if we simply stop and take a moment to listen.
