The Power of Music to Uncover Memories and Emotions From the Past

Music has an almost magical ability to manipulate emotions, moods and mental states, to stimulate ideas and, sometimes, to trigger memories of past events and past emotions. The melody, rhythm and tempo of music can create a state of excitement and ecstasy or one of calmness, peace and relaxation; music can produce tears of sadness or smiles of joy.

Music is often used to alter the state of consciousness and create a trance in the listeners, especially in group settings. For example, music created in drum circles, meditation groups and religious rituals can create a sense of cohesion and a particular psychological state or mood in the members of the group, which is either planned or accidental. The emotions that are evoked may be intense. Concerts may also evoke strong emotions, which may sometimes be overwhelming.

Music is so powerful that it’s often used as a type of therapy to help many different problems, including movement difficulties, certain medical conditions and mood disorders. Music can transport us into a more pleasant or a more exciting world within our minds, and the improved mood may extend into our real world.

People may be able to predict the effect of music on their minds from their prior experience, but sometimes, as in the poem below, the effect is sudden, strong and unpredictable. For me, this is part of the fascination of music - to reveal the unexpected. Memories of events that have long been forgotten can suddenly appear in our conscious mind when we are listening to music, and emotions experienced during past events can return. The memories and emotions may not always be pleasant or welcome, however, especially if they’re associated with events that we want to forget or that we’ve deliberately suppressed.

Sometimes a memory is so painful that if it’s unmasked it might harm our present life, and it’s probably best to keep it hidden from our consciousness. In other cases it might be better if the unpleasant memory is allowed to emerge and the situation that created it is dealt with. The character depicted in the poem is living with “half a soul” because he will not allow himself to remember a major event in his past which needs to be examined. He has become an expert in suppressing the memory if it tries to emerge. The event - whatever it was - is too painful to remember, especially since the character doesn’t know how to resolve the situation that created the memory. In a way, he is psychologically incomplete because of his refusal to deal with an important part of his life.

A cold sun hangs over a frozen field. Scattered trees at the edge of the field obscure the view of a nearby village. Occasionally, sounds from the village penetrate the silence.

A traveler appears and moves across the field, bypassing the village.

When he heard the music of a distant choir

he stopped, puzzled and perturbed,

and curled up painfully against the frozen grass,

trying to protect himself.

The music swelled

and ripples hit his covered head,

disturbing long forgotten memories

and sparking into life

weak, dependent flames of ecstasy.

In daring curiosity

he tried to touch the sound,

but felt no answering response.

Instead the voices ebbed

and then the music stopped.

Relieved, he stood upright

and surveyed the icy scene

with satisfaction and then surprise.

Was that guilt in memory?

Had it surfaced from the past?

He wondered briefly, then forgot

and continued traveling on his way.