Jill Mattson – In the Greek epoch, tetra chords, groups of four notes, were used like our scales. These tonal sets characterized personalities. The Greek scales were even named after people to reflect their characteristics. The Greek musical system enabled spiritual energy to descend into matter to a greater extent. It cemented individual personalities – after years of personalities resembling the tribe or group.

Control of music shifted to the Catholic Church during the Dark Ages. Gregorian chants were a single tone sung during prescribed times for mass. An “amen” was added on the end of Gregorian chants and church liturgy, creating the concept of a beginning and ending in a song.

Earlier writing suggests the sound of the first and third note of a scale sounded together, so harmonious today, was shrill and hard to listen to. As the Middle Ages progressed the third became a staple of harmony. Chords using the 1-3-5 notes of the scale flourished.

In a more recent example, the jazz-sound introduced a chord with the seventh note of the scale added, and was considered to be outrageous, scandalous and “the music of the devil.” Today, jazz is not considered sinful, or even racy, but is relegated to soothing elevator music. This suggests that populations get used to new sounds, and in essence harmonize with them. Esoteric writing explain that such harmonization transitions people’s consciousness and experiences.

Turn of the century esoteric writing insists that the Renaissance music pulled the population out of the Dark Ages by introducing the perfection of chords, harmonies and mathematical patterns. The early ornamental classical music inspired the excessively decorated architecture and dress of the time. One mystic writer revealed a concern about cold-hearted people hiding behind elaborate decoration. Hence, Beethoven was “over lit” to create music that enabled the masses to feel compassion. According to the writing, charities in Europe were recorded only after people heard the music of Beethoven.

During the Renaissance people choose music for the first time – as musicians made a living from public performances. Songs changed in key to accommodate singers’ vocal ranges. As a result today’s Equal Temperament tuning system was created to allow easy transition between musical keys. Some liken this scale to “aural caffeine,” saying it influenced the Western Hemisphere to spur industrialization and modernization. In contrast, the Eastern Hemisphere played the older scales with soothing sounds and developed meditation practices. Now popular music is becoming worldwide, lessening cultural differences.

SF Source Jill’s Wings of Light Nov 2018