FINAL BLOG: Ólafur Arnalds - Ljósið (Official Music Video)

Final:



Firstly, I appreciate this song further after finishing the class because of its lack of words. Because there are no lyrics to dictate what I am supposed to feel, I am free to completely interpret the song as I encounter the reactive emotion. I am not busy applying personal meaning to words I did not write or feel on my own. I am not forced to find meaning in someone else’s experience or interpretation. I feel more deeply and clearly what the song is supposed to mean. My study of Schopenhauer’s musical theory has prompted me to think in this direction with his appreciation for the most direct form of the Will. 



Secondly, I appreciate the Dionysian qualities I feel when I listen to it. It is passionate, emotional, and divine. When I hear it, I can easily get lost in another world made possible by experiencing this song. However, it also has a slow, measured, calculated repetition that I enjoy when I listen to it, which keeps my mind from getting carried away by the ecstasy of the song and never leaving the house! This side of my mental dialogue was clearly inspired by Nietzsche. Although I doubt either philosopher would agree with my taste or interpretation, they do nonetheless inspire me to use their challenging theories to dive deeper into reflecting on the way I experience music.



Original:



This song reminds me that "the best art simply answers the question, 'What is life?'" (Lecture, 26/January) There is a sweet melancholy to it, a combination that always reminds me of the beautiful irony of life. There is sorrow and hope, light and darkness that complement each other and express what words cannot.