A text by the virtuoso of traditional clarinet, Apostolis Vangelakis, for Alatro’s short documentary “Thoughts on Music.”
“Music is a gift—the only art believed to have been bestowed upon humanity by the gods. A gift that inspires. And precisely because it is a divine art, it is meant for all people, regardless of education, age, or social status. It is, therefore, deeply social, connecting the musician with the audience and, as we said, everyone with the divine.
Musical performance is a ritual.
In my opinion, it always has a therapeutic effect, tied to a balance that every society and its culture need. It can create harmony between the elite and the ordinary, the educated and the unlettered, the refined and the primitive, the soul and the body.
Music, divine and universal, embraces and includes everything. And this therapeutic power is what draws us out of the Cave—the Cave of each individual and the Cave of the social group they belong to. It seeks to break the chains and rigid walls, inviting us to surpass our own limits. To unite us and give us the ability to look upward.
And if all this seems magical, equally magical are its technical aspects and their effects. The concept of rhythm, vibrations, intensity, scales—all of these, on their own, exert an influence in a mysterious way.
The tangible and the intangible—these are tools that can either uplift or lower a person. It all depends on the balance of needs and virtues.
And here lies the difficult role of the musician, who leads this ritual. The knowledge of technique, the repertoire, the musician’s connection with inspiration, or even deeper secrets of this mystical art—these are merely tools. Tools that form only the tip of the iceberg.
What truly sustains this entire structure is the depth of Wisdom.
Music embraces everyone. Those I like and those I do not. Those familiar to me and those I fear.
Can I do the same?
Its nature is to unite. Can I, as the connecting link, bring people together?
They have the need to admire me. Do I, too, need to be admired?
Why?
And when they do not admire me—do I disappear?
And when they do—do I become arrogant, or do I remain humble?
A healing of the soul.”
