Messianic Music

Since the messianic era is supposed to be a peak human experience (relative to its past), I wonder whether the music of that era will be especially engaging, especially spiritually wholesome? What will be the feeling, mood, and resonance of that music? Will it instantly trance people off into prophetic states? Will it transform people, bringing them into greater spiritual alignment with their higher selves and with each other?

I even dare to wonder whether through biological innovations we will be able to hear new kinds of sounds, ones which are currently outside of our hearing range; thereby, improving what we can musically hear and be moved by. I would not be surprised if during that period, listening to a song from yesteryear will feel uncomfortably bereft of finer sounds (and possibly even filled with never anticipated dissonance). It may be akin to listening to a primitive language with an underdeveloped vocabulary.

Maybe, that’s why Judaism teaches that the tenth Biblical song is waiting for the Messiah to compose, as language and music are not yet ready for such a song. Both need to be heard and understood in a much richer way before such a song can emerge. Perhaps, we’re deaf to certain sounds which need to be present and our vocabulary is not yet sufficiently varied to describe much of what needs to be described.

This quite possibly relates to why the Hebrew month of “Av”, which is about “hearing”, figures prominently in both the themes of exile and redemption.  

It’s not a great leap to imagine that biological innovations may extend the ranges of our other senses as well; ensuring that the messianic era remains a totally natural phenomenon (per Maimonides)  and yet, a seemingly miraculous one as well. Perhaps, our physical senses will be able to pick up what was once regarded as spiritual vibes. For example, if our range of taste and smell were to expand, perhaps we will be able to taste the difference between produce grown in standard soil and produce grown in holy soil.

Such changes carry so much possibility...