The Mysticism of Sound

["James Pokorny" <j.pokorny@worldnet.att.net>]

Great recommendation, Jamie!  "The Mysticism of Sound" by Hazrat Inayat 
Khan
is one of the best books I've ever read on music, musical perception, etc.
I consider it a "must-read" for every musician, no matter what style of
music or level of playing.  I'll admit that a lot of the content may 
provoke
reactions ranging from "Too woo-woo!" to "This is so blatantly obvious why
even mention it?"  But I've passed this book along to beginners and masters
alike in various musical fields (Jazz, Rock, Avant-Garde, Western 
classical,
Indian classical, etc.) and I know that everyone got something out of it.
Hazrat Inayat Khan was a famous Sufi ("mystical" branch of Islam) from 
India
who lived in the late nineteenth/early twentieth century and was known for
bringing Sufism to the West.  He was an accomplished poet, translator,
author and musician (but not to be confused with his contemporary of the
same name, Ustad Inayat Khan -- the great sitar player).  This book had 
been
recommended to me and it took about 5 years to find a copy, but was well
worth the wait.  I'm glad to see that it's widely available again.

Another book along the same lines that I'd recommend to the group is
"Through Music to the Self" by Peter Michael Hamel.  My copy was published
in 1979 by Shambala Publications in Boulder, Colorado.  I don't know 
whether
this is still in print, but it's worth looking up.  It deals mostly with 
the
"intuitive" side of music making, touching on various points in musical
history from a variety of musical traditions.  There are also some good
discussions of modern experimental music, minimalism, etc.  It too can get 
a
bit murky on the "mystical" side, but it's definitely worth a read.

James

>    There is a good book entitled The Mysticism of Sound and Music by
>the sufi teacher/musician Hazrat Inayat Khan. I suggest it to those who
>are into deeper levels of awareness, creations, vibrations, and
>spirituality. Some of the chapter titiles:
>Esoteric Music
>The Music of the Spheres
>The Mystery of color and sound
>The Divinity of Indian Music
>The manifestation of Sound on the Physical sphere
>The effect of sound on the physical body
>The influence of music on the character of man
>Healing Power/Spiritual attainment by music
>The Magnetism of Beings and Objects
>The value of repetition and Reflection
>and much much more......
>Aphorisms, prayers and chants, sounds, poetry, and lectures w/ phrases to
be
>repeated......
>    It's put out by Shambhala Dragon Editions.....
>
>Other cool books I've read lately on music are: The nature of 
>Improvisation
>by Derek Bailey, and Theatre of Mixed Means by Richard Kostelanetz (an old
>1968 1st print from my school [MTSU} library) which has insightful
>interviews with LaMonte Young and John Cage as well as others involved 
>with
>visual and music mixed media arts.
>I've heard of a book by AMM's E. Prevost called No Sound Is Innocent which
>is evidently a vital read on field recording and manipulating found sound.
>By the way, if you don't know already, the newest Wire mag has a "fun"
>interview with K. Stockhausen.  Knowledge is Power.
>Oh yeah....I'm patiently waiting to pay off the EDP I have on lay away and
>then I can get started looping!!! Peace Out.   -from Jamie Mash
>
>