Music and Its Expression in Politics and Life

Music has been a part of our lives for centuries, dating all the way back to ancient history. The Greeks and the Christians used music as a means of soul crafting. In fact, the power of music is endless; it has a way of reaching out and speaking to us; it speaks volumes. With or without lyrics, music is capable of touching our emotions: happiness, sadness, bitterness, calmness etc. However, with such great power come disadvantages. Music and politics do not always mesh well together. According to some political views, music violates the morality of the state and people. Music is also used to relate one human with another and convey political messages through lyrics and tune. The ancient’s belief that music has an impact on the soul and health of the polis is fairly correct.

Music is an object of political concern because it has the power to stir up emotion in people and influence how they act. Political concern is directed towards groups like the Pussy Riot, works of Richard Wagner, and in performances by the Israelis at the PROM. The performance at the cathedral that the Pussy Riot group performed was not well received by the government and the commoners: “Punk has never really existed in Russia, neither has performance art- nobody understands it” (26:35). According to the carriers of the cross at the cathedral in Russia, the girls have a plan “to destroy both church and state” (29:17-29:36). The groups goal was to use rock music and bright colored masks and costumes to convey a message of equality and freedom. However, the government was indifferent to the message they were trying to convey. They were more concerned with their musical performance that they believed was conveyed inappropriately, was offensive and was morally...

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... many nations, and gained support by many including Madonna. For those reasons, music still has a huge impact on both soul and polis.

In conclusion, music is regarded as a phenomenon in development. It has and always will be a means of expression and connection to the world around us. As the arts grow and expand their barriers, we will always see music and politics mesh and at times collide. In countries like Russia, music will at times be regarded as offensive and a threat to church and state. However, music will always be used to express and convey a message through lyric and tune. Therefore, it is safe to say that the ancients, like Plato and Aristotle, had it correct. Like much of today’s music, it shapes and develops us into who we are, and like the Pussy Riot group, the 26- year-old Egyptian singer, and Wagner’s pieces, it affects the health of the polis.