Beyond Words – 1

Here are some quotes on the relationship between music and words:

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.”
― Victor Hugo (1802-1885), in “William Shakespeare,” (essay; 1864)

“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.”
 ― Aldous Huxley, “The Rest is Silence,” in “Music at Night” (essay collection, 1931)

“Where words leave off, music begins.”
 ― Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) [attributed; I could find no source listed for this quote, so possibly it is not actually Heine’s. However, Heine had dozens of his songs set to music by great composers such as Schumann, Schubert, Mendelssohn, and others, so it seems likely that he would feel this way. It also happens to be very similar to the next quote.]

“Where words fail, music speaks.”
 ― Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), in “What The Moon Saw” (from “What The Moon Saw: And Other Tales”). For what it's worth, the actual quote is: “Where words fail, sounds can often speak,” so music is not mentioned. However, this quote is taken from a passage that references a variety of sounds, such as “the wind (that) blew stormy and cold,” the crack of a whip, and galloping horses, as well as a “death-hymn,” and “glad notes of joy.” 

What are your thoughts on any of these quotes?

• Does music express things that cannot be put into words? If so, try to explain your answer, using – yup – words!
• Does music inhabit a realm that can go beyond, or is at least on a different plane, than words?
• If you feel that music “speaks,” or inhabits a realm beyond words, might this apply to other sounds as well? Consider, in particular, sounds in nature such as a bird singing, a donkey braying or cattle lowing, the wind buffeting your house in a winter storm, a babbling brook, a waterfall, rain hitting a tin roof, etc.; do these “speak?” 
• Can you think of any other sounds that “speak,” or communicate something that is difficult or impossible to express in words? If so, how to they do this?
• Music often triggers emotions; to what degree is this due to something in the music that has a communicative function, versus the emotional state you happen to be in when you hear the music?
• Some people use the term, "musical language;" is music a language? How?

I will chime in with my thoughts on this in my next post.