Everyday lives are affected by a strange multiplicity of influences. Always one has to centre on day-to-day responsibilities and usually one treats media messages with a degree of disbelief. But the impact of world tragedies cannot be ignored because repeated media images do not let the shock leave our consciousness.
New York and Afghanistan human disasters have hit all of us hard. Nearly three months after September 11th, when the visual shock of planes flying into buildings to create chaos is still fresh, the implications of that violation of a strong world power begin to resonate in economic and social ways throughout the world. Then the complex cultural tapestry of Afghanistan has had its fabric torn apart again by extremist behaviours and violent conflict. Neighbouring Pakistan and Russia are connected directly to this, and the after effects go out in ever widening circles to all other countries. There is confusion in received media communications, and confusion creeps not only into our projections for the future, but also into our peace of mind at the present.
The aid to such areas is primarily and necessarily physical for a start, then support agencies go in. I am wondering whether or not some music therapy base will, as has happened in Bosnia, feel that there is a place for this type of human support through music in other human tragedy centres. Is this something a world body should be looking at?
In New Zealand, far, far away from the concentrated populations of the world, we are reacting to these newest violations of civilised behaviour I believe in predictable fashion. The latest at-home reports on youth violence in our cities, incidents of environmental stupidity in rural and urban settings, and the general malaise in economic indicators create a climate of quiet despair. Then, if one has a sense of history, there is realisation that crises and wars are not new, that human beings have always been fallible and that proportionately many more human beings are great thinkers, creators, supporters and leaders. There is always hope for the future.
Another phenomenon has hit New Zealand, the preview publicity for "Lord of the Rings" a huge film project actually made in this country with New Zealander Peter Jackson as its director. The original "Fellowship of the Ring" material in Tolkien's book is peppered with song lyrics. As you read the book you sort of sing these passages, improvising a melody to catch the rhythmic pulse and somewhat lyrical-rustic quality of those words. What will the film contain? The next few weeks will reveal that. The songs contain magic in the story; they affect behaviours, influence events, support frightened hobbits and deflect the antagonists to Frodo and his friends as they journey along life's way. I don't know enough about J.H.R.Tolkien to assume that he had a passion for music. Certainly he writes as if he knows about the powerful effect of music.
Massey University last weekend bestowed an honorary doctorate of literature on Peter Jackson, and partner Fran Walsh (also a gifted filmmaker). Instead of the traditional speech of acceptance Peter Jackson showed us 20 to 30 minutes of "Lord of the Rings" with a difference! We saw the bloopers, the hilarious misadventures and verbal mistakes that hit the floor in the cutting room. It was brilliantly contrived with Shaun Bean coming of his horse in the flurry of cloak and tree, the Hobbits standing up in a low-ceilinged room forgetting about the impact of heads on the roof, and many, many other high-paced incidents. Peter Jackson's apologetic appearance held it together from time to time with a woeful explanation as to why the snow machine, with its product falling densely around him, could not be turned off. Quite a liet motif!
My point in including a unique piece of university history in this column is that I was struck by the blend of sensory influence in that Lord of the Rings spoof. Visually it was dramatic even when it was domestic, the sound hit your senses, and the laughter on screen and in the audience was like a health tonic.
Should we consciously be recognising more that there is a multi-sensory gestalt that influences strongly people in the parts of the world where Western media has such influence?
Many of us work collaboratively with therapists or specialists, in drama, visual art, and dance. We often include movement and some visual components on our therapy programmes. Certainly we should never take the central focus of music therapy intervention away from music. We have a range of genres, we are much more aware of world musics, so we are extending our horizons in our own speciality. Is that enough in this complex, technically sophisticated, multi-media world of ours? I feel that this is an important matter for music therapists to consider.
I would be interested in your thoughts on the matter.
Croxson, Morva (2001). Influenced by Multi-sensory Gestalts. Voices Resources. Retrieved January 09, 2015, from http://testvoices.uib.no/community/?q=fortnightly-columns/2001-influenced-multi-sensory-gestalts
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