László Sári: On Beneficial and Harmful Music

Some thoughts aboutbeneficial and harmful music from ancient Chinese scribes: “Oh, I strike the sounding stone, I strike the sounding stone, and a hundred kinds of animals gather and dance, and true harmony reigns among officers.” In ancient China, music was not only a form of sacred expression, art or entertainment: it also served as a tool of governance. Of course, it was necessary to cultivate it at a high level and very effectively, no matter what purpose it served. It is for precisely this reason that music could have both beneficial and harmful or disturbing effects on people. The writings on music theory of ancient Chinese philosophers detail their experiences as music listeners and their expectations regarding truly good, or beneficial, musical works with scholarly precision, yet in captivating poetic language. It is an uplifting spiritual experience to recite these texts, each of them testifying to the extraordinary power of music. These classical literary passages tell of the vital role of music and the concept of ​​man’s celestial origin. These passages will be interpreted by the Orientalist László Sári, as he explains the thinking behind the texts and places them within the context of ancient Chinese culture as a whole. Adding a special musical contribution to the experience this evening will be Krisztián Kiss.

This program is held in Hungarian.