The Classical music period grew out of the Baroque period and immediately established a new form called  homophony, consisting of an obvious melody over a subordinate harmony using chords. The result was a cleaner style that favored clearer divisions between parts, brighter contrasts and colors, and simplicity rather than complexity. Since the melody was the primary element the need for soloists and virtuosos on their instruments became paramount. The symphony was born. The courts were the domain of the instrumental while the new comic operas were appeasing the masses. Variety and contrast within a piece became more pronounced than before. Variety of keys, melodies, rhythms and dynamics along with frequent changes of mood and timbre were more commonplace in the Classical period . Melodies tended to be shorter than those of Baroque music. The orchestra increased in size and the piano replaced the harpsichord.

Haydn still reined at the beginning of the Classical period. But Mozart, a peer, soon, building upon the standards established by Haydn, began to out pace the former with innovation, composition, style and virtuosity. His personal connection to the spiritual realms allowed prolific creation of entire symphonies in his head. His music is a standard for music therapy and so much of it can be prescribed by the sound healer to affect the life of his clients. War and inflation soon contracted the classical orchestras and gave rise to increased chamber music in the form of string quartets and small ensemble groupings. Strings have a tendency to vibrationally impact the heart and higher chakras and thus, have useful impact as a sound alchemist tool.

Late Classical music began a return to the Baroque complexities, a revisit of the elements that brought forth a synthesis that was championed by Beethoven, among others. Beethoven's works closely paralleled his personal life experience and thus are vibrationally applicable in a healing sense. Piano works are personal and induce reflection and the release of unprocessed emotion. His symphonies are powerful and useful in kindling heroism in the midst of struggle.

Finally, the Romantic period gave rise to music that explored freedom in form and design and portrayed a more intense personal expression of emotion in which fantasy, imagination and a quest for adventure played an important part. It placed emphasis on lyrical, songlike melodies; adventurous modulation; richer harmonies with striking use of discords. The music  explored denser, weightier textures with bold dramatic contrasts, exploring a wider range of pitch, dynamics and tone-colors. It expanded the orchestra, sometimes to gigantic proportions. The invention of the valve system lead to development of the brass section whose weight and power often dominated the texture. In other words it was powerful and dramatic. Thus the music is effective in motivating, empowering, initiating, expressing strong emotion, showing nationalism, revealing devotion to a cause, speaking one’s truth, stating purpose, embracing a vision, and setting intentions and goals.

Composers like Schubert, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Debussy, Strauss, Vaughn Williams, John Phillip Sousa, and Brahms gave us a stream of waltzes, overtures, piano gems, and marches to stir the soul and ignite the passions. It is magnificent music to use for beginnings or for cleansings or for ritualistic endings.

For this extended period of Western European music it is important to remember the transitions and evolutions it embraced. As the western life is about change and doing and figuring out and improving, it is, in many ways, a parallel sound track to the cultural and societal changes partaken over 1500 + years. Thus, the music is useful to support the personal changes in a client in profound ways. In addition to specific tones and techniques, the sound alchemist can expand the healing via selected use of music from any of these periods.

Africa
The rhythms that came out of Africa were beyond primal, they reflected the formation of the cosmos, filled with wild abandon, punctuated with staccato gyrations, fluid as the young river, united in power with the earth. The beat was as solid as the light from the sun and demanded that the listener surrender without question to an incessant reminder of oneness with all beings: the animal, the plant, and the mineral. Lost in the dance the energetic memories of the day were swallowed up and spit out...cast adrift on the vibrational tide of the all that is. Born anew each day, the spirit in the man went forth to drink in the delicious array of this dimension. You can feel the value of African music and rhythm to the sound alchemist. It frees the

LEARNING BLOCKS     Sound and Vibration  l  Voice  l   Chakras  l  Energy  l  Singing   l  Sound Healing Tools  l  Color   l  Senses     
Music Therapy  l  Resources l  Sound Healing Sessions  l  Applications