Music that can unite Humanity

[Saul]

If there was one single work that could be performed while the entire world is listening, which one would have the power to unite the entire people of the world, into a better understanding of each other, with the hope of living in harmony and peace?

[Scarpia]

If there was one single work that could be performed while the entire world is listening, which one would have the power to unite the entire people of the world, into a better understanding of each other, with the hope of living in harmony and peace?

No.

[Saul]

The Power of Music, dont you believe it?

[Scarpia]

It's been tried.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAgh86j5alI

[Saul]

Well this certainly would never unite anyone... ...

http://www.youtube.com/v/kVFdAJRVm94&feature=related

[greg]

If there was one single work that could be performed while the entire world is listening, which one would have the power to unite the entire people of the world, into a better understanding of each other, with the hope of living in harmony and peace?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfBVYhyXU8o

We all understand suffering, after all.
And besides, any cheesy piece of music written for a purpose like that would make me run away and turn this on just to get it out of my head.

[Saul]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfBVYhyXU8o

We all understand suffering, after all.
And besides, any cheesy piece of music written for a purpose like that would make me run away and turn this on just to get it out of my head.

This is just too much! Such avant Garde!

[some guy]

Hahahaha, Saul.

Of course there's no one piece that can do what you propose. Just look at how you've reacted to the suggestions on your own thread.

The reality is that people are different from each other, and really, it's better that way. One piece. That everyone would like? Humanity would have to really seriously decline for that to ever happen.

I think Penderecki's Threnody's a pretty sweet piece, but if everyone liked it, that'd be a little bit creepy, no?

[greg]

This is just too much! Such avant Garde!

I had a feeling you've never witnessed the majesty of the Threnody. 

Of course there's no one piece that can do what you propose. Just look at how you've reacted to the suggestions on your own thread.

If everyone liked it, I think I'd say I didn't like it even if I did just because I wouldn't want to be like everyone else...

[karlhenning]

If there was one single work that could be performed while the entire world is listening, which one would have the power to unite the entire people of the world, into a better understanding of each other, with the hope of living in harmony and peace?

Lunar Glare.

Maybe ; )

[starrynight]

All music springs from the same impulses anyway, no 'special' piece of music is needed to 'unite' anyone.  It's just others who use music to pretend it represents some flag, assumed ethnicity,  ideology or whatever.

[karlhenning]

All music springs from the same impulses anyway . . . .

Does it?  Must be one of the memos that I missed.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

There isn't one, and that's good. There are some elements of humanity I wouldn't particularly wish to be united with.

[Chaszz]

Mick Jagger, when asked about the failure of the "love and peace" of the 1960s to change anything substantial in the world, said something to the effect of "Well, it was really rather naive to think that some pieces of music could change the world, wasn't it?"   

[karlhenning]

Mick Jagger, when asked about the failure of the "love and peace" of the 1960s to change anything substantial in the world, said something to the effect of "Well, it was really rather naive to think that some pieces of music could change the world, wasn't it?"   

What the world needs now is "Oh, No" by Frank Zappa.

[Todd]

If there was one single work that could be performed while the entire world is listening, which one would have the power to unite the entire people of the world, into a better understanding of each other, with the hope of living in harmony and peace?

I'm thinking Peace Sells by Megadeth.

[not edward]

How about some late Zimmermann (Bernd Alois, that is). That way we can all feel terminally despondent about the horror of the world and our inability to do anything to improve it.

Then the whole human race can unite in one glorious mass suicide.

[False_Dmitry]

I doubt there is one piece of music, or even a genre of music, that could do this - and probably it's a good thing that there isn't

But the idea that people could step aside from their obsessions with acquiring stuff, and enjoy music as music...  that most ephemeral of the arts that slips away once heard...  and realise that there is much more that unites us all as people, than separates us?   

Gawd, you can tell I grew up in the 1960s, can't you?

[jochanaan]

Interesting question, and responses!  But I tend to think that, much as I love music, it would take more than music to bring world peace.  Still, if someone had the idea of using music as part of a peacemaking process, it would have to be a piece that, first, the non-musicians would like, and second, the musicians could tolerate while it was doing its duty--a very, VERY tall order!   A "world piece for world peace"!

[jhar26]

Mick Jagger, when asked about the failure of the "love and peace" of the 1960s to change anything substantial in the world, said something to the effect of "Well, it was really rather naive to think that some pieces of music could change the world, wasn't it?"

Well, the Stones didn't really stand for love and peace anyway. But 1960's rock changed the world to some degree. At the very least it mobilized people - or contributed to mobilizing people around issues like the Vietnam war and race relations and for a short time created a sense of community. Unfortunately women's rights were much less part of the agenda in the at the time even more macho world of rock'n'roll where everyone with a guitar thought that his dick was the centre of the universe. It had also a huge influence on fashion and popularized drug use and boinking a la cart. It would be a mistake to overrate the influence of 60's rock on the western world, but it would be equally wrong to argue that it had no influence whatsoever because it did - both positive and negative in equal measure.