Dana Reynolds - Van der Leeuw

Van der Leeuw says that music for the sake of music is a fairly modern invention. Rhythm, melody and harmony are music’s constituents, rhythm being the most primitive, harmony the most advanced. He says that primitive man was highly aware that music conveys feelings and thoughts more powerfully, more fully, and more exactly than the word. Because of this, it quickly became inextricably intertwined with religion. It has great power to bind people together and to a common cause. It also has great power for catharsis, and is a force than can be understood with no regard for language barriers.