Image c/o Jacques Fleury

Duane Vorhees announces his new book Fastival, available from Hog Press.

Fastival, the latest book of poems from Duane Vorhees, reads as anything but the poet’s final word and contains multitudes of playful exploration for the restless mind.

Covering a dizzying array of themes, this substantial tome delivers an intellectual and spiritual feast. He explores dichotomies — such as sex/love, profane/holy, and life/death — that are suitable for meditation by sinner and saint, as well as by day laborer and tenured professor alike.

Vorhees, in his poem “The Importance of Word Association,” proclaims anyone can write poetry but notes, “But only a true poem can feel the sun on your face as the snow commandos parachute in behind enemy lines. A real poem contains stone syllables standing against a rain-striped horizon.” — John Stephen Howard

Yucheng Tao thanks everyone who entered his poetry contest and announces that the prizes will be paid out in April.

Christopher Bernard announces his new book The Beauty of Matter (out from Bowker Press) and invites people to read and review it. Please email us at synchchaos@gmail.com if you’re interested.

A lyrical journey into nature, spirit, and the quiet mysteries of being aliveIn this contemporary poetry collection, Christopher Bernard invites readers into a world where ordinary moments reveal extraordinary depth. With the grace of lyrical verse and the clarity of philosophical insight, these poems move through landscapes of memory, nature, beauty, and our shared human search for meaning.This is poetry for readers who crave emotional richness, mindful presence, and poetic meditations that illuminate both the fragile and the eternal. Through imagery rooted in wild earth, myth, and the intimate spaces of everyday life, the poems contemplate existence, loss, renewal, and the astonishing beauty hidden within matter itself.

A Celebration of Life in Every Grain of Being

Here are poems where the natural world speaks, where silence becomes revelation, and where spirit and earth touch.

Bernard explores mortality not with despair, but with wonder, reminding us that every breath, every shadow, every passing moment is charged with significance. Readers will find nature inspired writing that moves between tenderness and awe, between solitude and belonging, revealing how deeply our lives are shaped by the world around us and the world within us.

For Lovers of Reflective and Soulful Poetry

Perfect for readers of lyrical verse collection and philosophical poetry, this book speaks to those who seek: poems about nature and life, existential poems, meditations on life, spiritual poetic reflections, poetry about mortality and rebirth, poems about memory and meaning.

If you believe poetry can open the heart and sharpen the senses, if you are drawn to poetic meditations that deepen presence and expand awareness, this collection belongs in your hands.

Discover a voice that honors the beauty of existence and the mystery of being human.

Now, for March’s second issue, which forms a polyphonic archive of the contemporary human condition, fragmented, globalized, anxious, but full of people searching for meaning, beauty, and connection. A chorus of voices from different countries, cultures, ages, and backgrounds, all speaking to how we can remain human in a complicated age.

First, we address war, violence, and illegitimate political power. These pieces do not merely document suffering; they interrogate the structures that produce it. They ask what it means to live under systems that distort truth, normalize destruction, and erode empathy. Yet even here, amid devastation, there is an undercurrent of resistance—a refusal to accept violence and injustice as inevitable.

Patricia Doyne lambasts the United States’ blowing up a girls’ school during the war in Iran. Stephen Jarrell Williams laments the coldness and human tragedy that leads to war. Ibrahim Honjo calls for peace by cursing those who wish for war. Bhagirath Choudhary’s poem, translated to French by Samar Al-Deek, also critiques war through the dramatization of violence against women and children. Poet Billy Bin celebrates women and laments war and human rights violations. Mykyta Ryzhykh’s work comments on human fragility and the internal and external destruction caused by vaulting ambition and greed for power. Farzaneh Dorri laments the war and the current government of Iran while recollecting the nation’s vast cultural heritage. Molly Joseph’s piece presents the tragedy of war through a clever piece that hides its profundity in a childlike style. Ri Hossain critiques war by showing the absurdity of having to kill strangers. Bill Tope’s short story presents a tragicomic farce that reveals itself as a lament for those lost to the recent Iranian war. Dessy Tsvetkova joins the chorus of those who call for peace as Hadaa Sendoo presents a child’s song for peace with nature and with themselves as well as in the world. Gulhayo Egamberganova creates a tale of a wise king with the welfare of his people in mind. Dianne Reeves Angel’s political poem describes how callous leadership can lead to internal, structural damage to our shared “house,” even when we don’t see outright collapse. Yuray Tolentino Hevia asserts his freedom of thought and personal dignity even in a wounded homeland. Imma Schiema presents the flag of peace as strong, but stiff, unnatural, and difficult to maintain. Peace takes maintenance and care.

Some contributors explore how systems of power, or our cultural vantage points and perceptions, shape how we think and view the world. Rich Murphy’s work explores how power and hierarchy can distort reality and get in the way of critical thinking. Dr. Jernail Singh Anand lampoons the hypocrisy of those who seek to bury their own misdeeds among those of celebrities. Stephen Schwei’s clever work meditates on how we assign meanings to things and aspects of the universe. Wan Yilong dramatizes the absurdity of a world full of technology but with no soul. Mark Young’s speaker assembles meaning from fractured cultural debris, his mind moving through fragments. Ag Davis’ poetry blurs the guidelines of semantics to generate meaning through pattern recognition rather than text. S.C. Flynn explores different ways we disconnect from the fully intense human experience to make it more manageable, whether through pills or screens.

Türkan Ergör’s piece breaks apart language and puts it back together, questioning whether reason can adequately explain human experience. Maja Milojkovic explores the tension between imagination and reality in her reflective poem on making a wish. Mark DuCharme’s poem explores thirst and desire that twists and morphs but is never quite satiated. J.J. Campbell’s poems read like cigarette smoke in a dim room, unfiltered, bitter, and honest. Patrick Sweeney’s work explores memory, shame, art, invention, nature, and tenderness as the Chinese elementary school students’ works, compiled by Su Yun, show a developing poetic consciousness as they address nature and dreams.

Dr. Jernail S. Anand considers how much we as humans project our own failings onto other creatures through our concept of natural law. Sevinch Rustamova explores human projection, lamenting the loss of a no longer idealized unfaithful love. James Tian reflects on how we choose to speak of our dead can say as much about us as the living as it does about the deceased. Nirasha D’Almeida speaks to memory, reflection, power, and class and ethnic tensions. In Emeniano Acain Somoza Jr.’s elegiac poem, time continues to move, even as the speaker remains within memory. Sheryl Bize-Boutte’s poem and short story excerpt highlight how connection can persist even when we reject it. Qo’narova Yulduz mourns and regrets the loss of her loved one and of her life to grief.

Some writers highlight resilience and personal growth, the journey to become who we are, all that we could become. Nazokat Jumaniyozova traces a character’s personal growth and development. Danijela Ćuk encourages people to believe in themselves and persevere through hard times. Zilola Qutlimurotva calls out the role of challenges in building strong character. Priyanka Neogi urges people who seek to achieve something in life to keep their priorities straight. Ruxshona Shahobiddinova shares how she learned to achieve for her own sake and not compare herself to others. Rashidova Shakhrizoda’s short story celebrates a brave kitten who becomes a hero of the forest. Muslimbek Abdurakhimov reminds us that anyone can act with integrity, regardless of nationality. Zilola Qutlimurotva points out reactions one may receive to developing self-respect. Juraeva Aziza Rakhmatovna urges people to persevere towards their goals even through obstacles. Gabriel T. Saah encourages us to stay humble, stay kind and make the most of our lives.

Others discuss education, youth, and the future. Rakhmonova Gulzoda Sodiq qizi discusses how to help depressed young students. Daminova Sevinch highlights the importance of childhood to personal development. Choriyeva Oynur discusses the importance of sleep in personal health and academic performance. Dildora Xo’jyozova remembers earning recognition and a laptop in an Uzbek academic competition and reflects on the importance of encouraging the world’s youth. Ibragimova Orzigul Sharobiddinova’s poem celebrates her university and its educational opportunities. Alimqulova Munisa Abdurayimovna discusses how students can best prepare themselves for international scholarship competition. Bekturdiyeva Nargizabonu and Xayitova Mehribon discuss positive and negative impacts of social media in young people’s lives.

Several contributors apply their intellects to the real world, science, mathematics, economics, and medicine. Oroqova Nargiza outlines roles for artificial intelligence in health care. Tadjiboyeva Marxaboxon Sherzodbek qizi discusses diagnosis and treatment of chronic heart failure. Inomova Kamola discusses diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Durdona Shafqatullayeva Olimqizi outlines the structure and function of the human skeleton. Dr. Jitender Singh dispels embarrassment and shame surrounding menstruation and promotes hygiene. Sardorjon Ahmadjon o’g’li Ergashev discusses various ways of analyzing and interpreting statistics. Mamatkulova Muklisa outlines opportunities and risks within the maturing microcredit industry. Tuychiyeva Odinaxon Ahmadjon qizi outlines ways to standardize the preparation of graphical documents in school drafting classes.

Who we are, in large part, comes from our family and cultural heritage. Yulduz Niyazova highlights the history and meaning of Uzbekistan’s Nawruz spring celebration. Jacques Fleury’s photographs capture the spirit and energy of Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Sardorjon Nabiyev remembers a tale of singing for neighbors at Ramadan that ended with his father’s tender love. Begijonova Marjonabonu shares a tender thought for her mother. Eshmatova Charos speaks of her gratitude to her caring mother and father. Turg’unov Alisher Yordamali o’g’li expresses his respect for his hardworking mother. Ahmadov Bekzodjon Obidjon ogli highlights the literary and cultural importance of Uzbek writer and philosopher Chol’pon. Damilova Sevinch Tuychi qizi highlights the cultural and dramatic contributions of historical Uzbek writer Abdulla Avloni. Halilova Ruxshona Abdufattohovna provides an overview of the scientific work of Abu Nasr al-Farabi, an Uzbek thinker who espoused rational inquiry and built upon Greek thought. Sottiyeva Gulshan celebrates the Uzbek constitution’s protections of liberty. Marvaridabonu Abdumalikov discusses Uzbekistan’s current environmental initiatives, including a vast program to plant tree seedlings and civic waste sorting and recycling efforts. Otamurodova Asal highlights the role of strong families in building a strong culture in Uzbekistan. Kholbekov Ozodbek Makhammatovich’s poem celebrates the sacred and worthy heritage of Uzbekistan’s national heroes and scholars.

Sitora Siroj qizi Usmonova looks at the use of emojis in text messages and social media as a case study of Uzbek linguistic evolution in real time. Jerome Berglund’s stream of consciousness poems illuminate how things hidden – people, truth, meaning – don’t disappear, but wait to be seen. Joey Whitton’s poems move across very different terrains, such as mysticism, memory, existential philosophy, and political satire, but they’re unified by a restless, searching voice. Alan Catlin builds a poetic cathedral of collapse, a symphonic logic of accumulation. Duane Vorhees contributes a symphony of voices that find a way to hang together.

Art, literature, and culture are integral parts of our heritage, and many people look into how we understand stories and art. Christopher Bernard discusses poignant themes of masculinity, love, aggression, and redemption in Beauty and the Beast and the somewhat awkward presentation in Opera Parallele’s live stage remix of the Jean Cocteau film. Maxmasharifova Shodiyabegim looks at the theme of fear in Abdulla Qahhor’s short story Dakshat as a way of critiquing governmental and social oppression. Abdugʻaniyeva Muhlisa Abdunabi qizi analyzes Jack London’s winter wilderness survival tale Love of Life in terms of literary motifs and themes of free will and individual struggle in harsh conditions. J.T. Whitehead reviews Margaret Randall’s Letters That Breathe Fire, an anthology of literary correspondence among the editors who submitted to the journal El Corno Emplumado (The Plumed Horn) in the 1960s. He views the work as a crucial cultural artifact documenting poetry’s becoming more democratic and international. Alexander Klujev outlines various ways to understand music: as a venue for spiritual contemplation, as an abstract study in sound, or as direct participation in the sounds and rhythms of nature. Dennis Vannatta reflects on a life shaped and punctuated by music. Virginia Aronson celebrates the complex work and life of Japanese visual artist Yayoi Kusama.

Art and culture can lead us to a lyrical, restorative place, where we consider love, nature, and the human spirit. Eva Lianou Petropoulou affirms the largeness and vastness of the human spirit, much larger than any attempt by society to contain it. JoyAnne O’Donnell takes joy in poetry on World Poetry Day. Eva also urges humans not to abandon empathy for and relationships with each other. Slava Božičevic celebrates poetry and encourages poets to write to bring love into the world. Prasanna Kumar’s poetry reflects how he needs love to make sense of existence. Abigail George’s work shows characters choosing love, kindness, and forgiveness, even when they are not strong enough to stop trauma and violence. Mahbub Alam contributes a piece on waiting, restraint, and the persistence of the inner light of love as Su Yun encourages a young child to grow and develop courage and embrace a world of love.

Genevieve Guevara presents a poetic manifesto about ending violence against women. Sherdonayeva Ozoda Mahmarajab qizi’s short story highlights the obstacles facing women leaving abusive relationships. Lan Xin also honors International Women’s Day, softly and gently urging women to value and take care of themselves. Mahmoud Said Kawash outlines the political and cultural history of International Women’s Day. Dr. Jitender Singh celebrates the virtues of many women he admires. Dr. Ahmed Al-Qaisi evokes the poetic beauty of a woman’s tender love. Tasneem Hossain discusses the historical and cultural meanings of flowers as gifts and urges people to consider flowers as an International Women’s Day gift for women.

Brian Barbeito revels in the mystical and thoughtful connection he has built with the land he regularly visits, how time alone in nature invites contemplation. Adham Boghdady celebrates the beauty of a forest lake through his contemplative persona poem. Soumen Roy rejoices with the hope of a fresh spring season. Ananya Guha’s incantatory poem claws out hope from the starkness of winter.

Sometimes a small sensation, image, or moment counts for everything. Mohira Mirzayeva celebrates the joys of silent reading from a physical book. Bonu Jurayeva reminds us of the sensory pleasures of physical books. Noah Berlatsky celebrates the wealth of love that he finds in his affectionate cat and dog. David Sapp contributes gentle, pensive moments of family and domesticity. Christina Chin’s haikus transport us to the sounds and feel of summer. Tammy Higgins’ photographs present life as surprising, highlighting disparate elements and unusual colors and perspectives. Jacques Fleury’s poem travels between the worlds of belonging and isolation, wealth and poverty, anchored by the recurring image of ships. Nuraini Usman’s photos capture moments of mystery: dim light, and a foot stepping into the unknown. In Sayani Mukherjee’s poem, rain, letters, memory, and love all blend together into one immersive experience. Graciela Noemi Villaverde welcomes the autumn to her Argentinian home with lush, atmospheric prose about transitions. Elaine Murray finds connection across millennia with humans and other creatures who have walked the same beach.

The final pieces return us to the act of creation itself. They ask what responsibility the artist bears in a world marked by injustice and fragmentation. If we can imagine, can we also rebuild? If we can name what is broken, can we help to mend it? These are not questions with easy answers, but they are questions that must be asked.

Christopher Bernard’s final installment of Senor Despair ends with an affirmation of a creator’s radical responsibility. Jose Luis Alderete’s work suggests the possibility of rebuilding society through intentional acts of human creativity. Tokhtaboyeva Nilufar Nomonjon qizi urges her fellow Uzbeks to move forward with courage to build up their newly independent country. Mesfakus Salahin speaks to the hope of global renewal through love and insight. Hanaan Abdelkader affirms her determination to find hope in a world full of injustice, yet leafy and sunlit.

What emerges from this collection is not resolution, but recognition. We hope that you recognize yourselves somewhere in the issue.

How can we make our city a better place to live?

Heavy traffic congestion, air pollution, and littering are some of the most serious problems of modern cities. Our city is no exception. So how can we help make the city a more pleasant place for its residents? What measures should we take to eliminate these problems?

First of all, it would be a good idea to encourage people to use public transport, especially when going to work, instead of their own cars. It would also be appropriate for people to walk to their workplaces, which are short distances, while adhering to a healthy lifestyle and adhering to the useful habits that we are promoting. As a result, the car accidents, traffic violations, and tragic incidents that lead to a person’s death that are happening before our eyes will become a rarity. According to experts’ data from the last year, 2188 people died and 8901 were injured in 9226 traffic accidents in Uzbekistan last year (an annual decrease of less than 1%). According to the WHO, the annual reduction in deaths per 100,000 people is quite significant – from 6.9 in 2021 to 5.7 in 2025 (-17%).

Secondly, one of the most serious obstacles of nature that puts the whole world in a problematic situation is air pollution. The level of deterioration of the ambient air (if we start from our own country) is shown differently in each region and city. Over the past 2 years, to solve this problem, it is Shavkat Mirziyoyev who has been implementing drastic and environmentally friendly measures. Under the chairmanship of our President, on March 29, 2024, it was planned to plant 125 million seedlings within the framework of the “Green Space” project. This project has also been confirmed and is currently showing its effectiveness.

Finally, maintaining environmental cleanliness and raising the population’s environmental awareness are interrelated and important factors in transforming the city into a healthy area. Experts say that improperly managed waste leads to soil, water and air pollution, increasing the risk of various diseases. For example, in areas where a waste sorting and recycling system has been established, the ecological situation has improved significantly. In addition, garbage accumulated in open areas causes the proliferation of harmful microorganisms and insects. Therefore, it is necessary to install sufficient garbage cans on the streets, develop a waste recycling system, and take measures against illegal dumping.

In conclusion, there are many ways to make our city a better place to live. Implementing these measures will clearly provide better conditions for everyone.

Today, everything is fast. We spend hours scrolling on TikTok or Instagram. We see thousands of pictures, but sometimes we feel empty. I’m 16, and I also love my phone. But lately, I found something better: Reading a book.

​Reading is not just about school or homework. It is like a “3D journey” without leaving your room. When you watch a movie, you see the director’s imagination. But when you read a book, you are the director. You imagine the faces, the colors, and the voices. Your brain becomes a private cinema.

​The best part? A book is a friend that never judges you. Sometimes you feel sad or lonely, and you don’t know why. Then, you read a sentence in a book that describes exactly how you feel. In that moment, you realize: “I am not alone.”

​Books don’t have ads or notifications. It’s just you and the story. It’s the best way to relax your mind from the noisy world.

​So, tonight, let’s try something different. Put your phone away for just 15 minutes. Smell the pages, feel the paper, and start a new adventure. Trust me, no smartphone can give you this feeling.

ABOUT THREE TYPES OF UNDERSTANDING MUSIC:

WEST, EAST, RUSSIA

Abstract

The article discusses three types of understanding music, taking into account its existence on two levels: cosmic and actual. It is noted that the first type of understanding is offered by the West, the second by the East, and the third by Russia.

It is argued that according to the Western interpretation music is, in the ultimate sense, is non-sounding (silence), according to the Eastern interpretation, it is the sound of nature and according to the Russian interpretation, it is prayer. 

In conclusion, it is stated that these three interpretations of music represent three possible paths to understanding its essence.

Keywords: music, understanding of music, West, East, Russia.

Preamble 

For a long time, music has been perceived by people on two levels: the intelligible – cosmic, and the real – actual. But what is music that exists on these two levels, and what is it? We believe that there are three approaches to understanding music. The first is offered by the West, the second by the East, and the third by Russia. Let’s explore them.

West 

In the West, in the perception of music, its cosmic level dominates over the real, actual, i.e. the cosmic predetermines the existence of the real musical sound. This understanding was formed in Ancient Greece, in the teachings of Pythagoras (6th century BC) about the sounding cosmos – the harmony of the spheres (Greek: ἁρμονία ἐν κόσμῳ).

According to Pythagoras, who passed this knowledge on to his Pythagorean students, the cosmos is a sound, and this sound is caused by the rapid movement of the planets. Each rapidly moving planet produces a specific sound. The relationship between these sounds (in terms of their pitch) is mathematically precise, corresponding to the distances between the planets that produce them. According to the Neoplatonic philosopher Iamblichus (3rd – 4th century) in his famous book “On the Life of Pythagoras” (“The Life of Pythagoras”), Pythagoras believed that the planets “emit a song… rich and full-sounding (due to their movement)… and this movement is composed of their different and diverse noises, speeds, sizes, and constellations, which are arranged in a certain… proportion” [12, p. 52].

Pythagoras believed that this pattern was the basis of music. According to Iamblichus, Pythagoras came to this conclusion after passing by a blacksmith’s shop. “As he was walking by, he heard the sound of iron being forged on an anvil, and the simultaneous strikes of the hammers produced a very harmonious sound. He discerned in them… consonances… Rejoicing (at his discovery. – A.K.), he ran into the forge and, by trial and error, discovered that the sound depended on the weight of the hammer, rather than on the force of the blow, the shape of the hammer, or the position of the iron being forged” [12, p. 78] (1).

Pythagoras’s idea of the dominance of cosmic music over real, actual music is further developed by Boethius (5th – 6th centuries). 

In his treatise “The Elements of Music”, Boethius establishes that cosmic music, which he refers to as mundane, predetermines the existence of real music, which he calls instrumentalis. Boethius writes, “the music called mundane is most evident in the phenomena observed in the sky itself, in the unity of the [four] elements, and in the diversity of the seasons. And how is it possible for such a fast-moving heaven to move silently?” [2, p. 11]. “The order in music is inseparable from this celestial rotation” [2, p. 13] (2).

Further, the idea under consideration was developed by Regino of Prüm (9th – 10th centuries). In his treatise “On the Study of Harmony”, Regino refers to cosmic and actual music as natural and artificial, respectively, and writes that natural music “is not produced by any musical instrument, any touch of the fingers, blow, or stroke, but (is inspired by. – A.K.) by divine command” [34, p. 190], while artificial music “is invented… by the human mind and… is performed through the use of instruments”. “The power of natural music cannot be known except through artificial music” [34, p. 193].

The idea of the influence of cosmic music on actual music continued to develop in the West in the 15th and 16th centuries. 

In the 15th century, this idea was developed by Adam of Fulda. In his work “On Music”, based on the ideas of Regino of Prüm, Adam notes that cosmic, or world, music belongs to the natural realm, while actual, or instrumental, music belongs to the artificial realm. He states, “there are two types of music: natural and artificial. Natural music is the sound of celestial bodies, arising from the movement of the spheres, where there is believed to be the most harmony. This kind of music is handled by mathematicians… artificial music is handled by musicians”. At the same time, as Adam believed, and this was his innovation, artificial music is divided into instrumental and vocal [34, p. 359].

In the 16th century, this topic was addressed by Josephfo Zarlino. In the first part of his work “The Establishment of Harmony”, he writes: “The extent to which music was glorified and revered as sacred is clearly evidenced by the writings of philosophers and especially Pythagoreans, since they believed that the world was created according to musical laws …”. The Pythagoreans established that “the movement of (celestial bodies. – A.K.) is the reason (why. – A.K.) our soul … awakens from songs and sounds, and they … have a life-giving effect on its properties” [1, p. 603].

The idea of the influence of cosmic music on real, actual music became more prominent in the West in the 17th century. Johann Kepler played a significant role in its development. 

In Kepler’s reflections on this topic in Book V of his treatise “Harmony of the World”, there is a crucial point. Kepler argues that the cosmos governs music, and he supports this claim by suggesting that planets have human-like voices. He states: “Saturn and Jupiter in the sky have, in some way, the properties that nature has given, and custom has attributed to the bass, and we find the properties of the tenor on Mars, the properties of the alto on Earth and Venus, and the same properties as the treble on Mercury, if not in the equality of intervals, then certainly in proportionality…” [35, p. 185] (3).

The peculiar evolution of Western scientists’ ideas about the primacy of cosmic music over actual music continued further. So, in the 19th century, it received a response from I. Ritter. 

I. Ritter, in one of the notes of the collection, entitled “Fragments from the legacy of a young physicist”, notes that the planets “are in very harmonious relations with each other”, and we can say that. that “whole rhythmic-periodic systems, ‘whole concerts’… are resolved… at a higher level (merging. – A.K.) into one – a higher – tone”. According to Ritter, this is observed in human-created music, where “each of our tones is a system of tones” [31, p. 337].

The topic under consideration continues to develop in the West in the 20th and 21st centuries. This development takes place in two directions. 

The first direction, which originates from philosophical judgments, can be found in the works of R. Steiner, A. von Lange, M. Talbot and others. Thus, in his book “The Essence of Music and the Experience of Tone in Man” (“Das Wesen des Musikalischen und das Tonerlebnis im Menschen”), R. Steiner expresses the idea that there are “ideal forces (whose constructive activity is the music of the spheres) that lie behind the material world”. They “operate in a way that is most fully embodied in music” [39, pp. 46-47] (4).

The second approach is based on the achievements of science. Its main representatives are J. Godwin and J. James. For example, J. Godwin writes that in our time, when “physicists have questioned the assumptions of their predecessors” (such as the interchangeability of mass and energy, time and space, and the influence of the subject on objective experimentation), “it is only natural that ‘speculative music’ should be revived” [8, p. 374]. And then there’s the “revelation”: Godwin argues that we need to understand “music as a cosmos” [8, p. 373].

So, according to the Western model, the harmony of the spheres predetermines the existence of our real, actual music. But what’s interesting is that the harmony of the spheres is not audible, it is speculative (or, more precisely, it is heard). This is how the later Pythagoreans described it: “We do not hear this sound… the reason for this is that this sound is present immediately upon birth, so that it is not distinguishable from the opposite [silence]. For the distinction between sound and silence is relative [and depends on their relationship] to each other. Thus, just as it seems to the coppersmiths, due to habit, that there is no difference [between silence and knocking when they work], so the same thing happens to [all] people [when perceiving the harmony of the spheres]” [23, pp. 357-358]. From this we can conclude that in the Western dimension, music is ultimately non-sounding, silent (let us recall the famous “summary” of the development of music in the West – 4’33” by John Cage) (5).

East

In the East, in the understanding of music, its actual, physical, level dominates over the cosmic. This position was established in all the states of the Ancient East and was embodied in the doctrine of sound. 

Most clearly, this doctrine manifested itself in Ancient India in the concept of two types of sounds: manifested – physical (Ahata Nada) and unmanifested – cosmic (Anahata Nada) [9; 10].

According to the ancient Indians, the physical sound (Ahata Nada) leads to the cosmic sound (Anahata Nada). This is confirmed by the interpretation of the sound (syllable) Om / Aum (Sanskrit: ॐ) (6). 

Om is a mysterious and sacred sound. When a person speaks Om, it merges with the sound of the universe [44, p. 77]. Om is constantly mentioned in the Upanishads, and its mysterious purpose is revealed in the Mandukya Upanishad. This sacred text says: 

“[Om] Aum! This sound is all of it. Here is its explanation: 

The past, the present, and the future are all the sound [Om] Aum. 

And the other things beyond the three times are also the sound [Om] Aum” [27, p. 201] (7).

The creative power of Om is especially evident when it is pronounced not only as a separate sound, but also as an element that connects ritual actions that occur over time (8). 

At a certain stage of historical development, the interpretation of a specific musical composition called raga (Sanskrit: राग) emerged as a vivid embodiment of the realization of the movement of music from its actual (physical) level to the cosmic level in India. It was believed that raga reaches a universal scale due to the sounds that form it, known as swaras (Sanskrit: स्वर). 

Given the importance of the swaras, it is not surprising that a large number of theoretical works have been devoted to their discussion in India. 

The most authoritative of these is the treatise “The Composition on the Music of Different Localities” (“Brihaddeshi”) by Matangi (7th century).

In this treatise, Matanga writes about swara as follows: 

“This word (swara) is derived from the root ‘rājr’ 

(meaning ‘to shine’) and the prefix ‘swa’ (meaning ‘self’). 

Thus, we refer to swara as something that shines on its own” [33, p. 120]. 

The scale of a raga consists of seven swaras: Sa (shadja [ṣaḍja]), Ri (rishabha), Ga (gadhara), Ma (madhyama) Pa (panchama), Dha (dhayvata) and Ni (nishada). The most important of these is the first: Sa (shadja) (9).

Fundamentally, in India, swara was not only the sound of a raga, but the sound in general. Here, for example, is what he writes in his treatise “The Nectar of Music” (“Sangitamakaranda”) Narada (8th century): 

“[It is known that] the peacock cries in the shadja swara, 

the chataka in the rishabha, 

the goat makes the gadhara swara, 

the curlew manhyama 

and the cuckoo at the time of flowering 

cuckoos in the swara panchama, 

the horse neighs in the dhayvata 

and the elephant trumpets in the swara nishada” [33, p. 107].

It is obvious that swara is the way to the cosmic sound: the sound of the world. This is confirmed by Indian scholars. Thus, the sage Bharata (1st century BC) in his treatise “The Composition on the Beauty of Music” (“Gitalankara”) notes: “[swaras] embrace the whole world” [33, p. 92]. In his work “Musical Grammar” (the original title of the work is unknown), Irayanar (4th century) writes: “In the space of the world and the worlds… there is (only) sound; it constructs the entire space of the universe…” [33, p. 101]. Finally, Sharnagadeva (13th century) states in his work “The Ocean of Music” (“Sangitaratnakara”): “The world is built on sound” [33, p. 118].

This interpretation of sound / swara has become stable and has survived to the present day [37; 41]. 

But what is this somewhat abstract concept of the sound world? Of course, it is the sound of nature. 

Thus, based on this explanation, we can say that in India, music is essentially the sound of nature (10). Since the Indian interpretation of music is the quintessence of the Eastern attitude to music in general, we can say that in the East, music is essentially the sound of nature [42; 43] (11).

Russia 

In Russia, in the interpretation of music, its levels: cosmic and actual merge. There is no dominant, they are one. And such an understanding is associated with angel-like singing. 

Angel-like singing is the singing in the Orthodox church of parishioners together with angels, who by their singing constantly glorify God (12). In Russia, such singing was formed by the 15th century. It was znamennoe chant (Church Slavonic: znamꙗ) (13). 

The most significant expression of angel-like singing is the Cherubic chant.

The Cherubic chant is a chant that is sung during the Liturgy. It serves as a preparation for the faithful to the Great Entrance.

In the Russian Church, this chant was established after the 15th century. Initially, it was a one-voice (monodic) chant characterized by a slow unfolding of extended melodic lines and a free, asymmetrical rhythm. 

Since the 16th century, the Cherubic chant has been performed in three voices (three lines). It was recorded in lines, hence the name “line chant”.

The three-voice Cherubic chant is comparable to the polyphony that occurs when Russian lyrical long songs are performed. The combination of three voices created unique harmonic combinations similar to those found in Russian folk polyphony. The Cherubic chants of the 15th and 16th centuries were usually unattributed.

In the 17th century, an important event took place: the znamennoe chant was replaced by the partes chant (Latin: partes). Partes is a Western polyphonic chant that was introduced to Russia through Poland. As a result of this introduction, the znamennoe chants of the Cherubim in Russia acquired Western major-minor harmonization. The Cherubim also gained authorship. In the 17th century, V.P. Titov was a well-known composer of the Cherubim. 

A special feature of the Cherubim Titovs was that the voices in them did not reunite or “befriend”, but rather represented, as N.P. Diletsky put it, “a struggle of voice with voice” [5, p. 66].

In the 18th century, when writing the Cherubic chants, they tried to bring the Western harmonization closer to the ancient chant. D.S. Bortnyansky achieved the greatest success in this regard. This was especially evident in his most famous Cherubic chant – Cherubic chant No 7. However, even in this chant, the Western style prevailed, proving that Bortnyansky was indeed “aligned with the Italian school of sacred music” [29]. 

It should be noted that as a result of the partes chant that was established in Russia in the 17th and 18th centuries, the Cherubim that were created for the church turned out to be concert compositions rather than works that should be performed during worship [4]. Angel-like singing disappeared from them (14).

The decisive change in the composition of the Cherubim belongs to M.I. Glinka. This change can be described as a “turn to the origins”. 

Glinka conceived the composition of the Cherubim (which is the only one in his oeuvre) in an effort to revive the original sacred music in the church. According to the composer’s own admission, “[he] wanted to test his abilities in sacred music; he wrote the Cherubim…” [7, p. 77] (15). 

In Cherubim, Glinka managed to recreate the image of liturgical singing as a language of communion with God. Angel-like singing “came to life” in it [22, p. 15]. 

Glinka’s Cherubic chant became the starting point for the composition of Cherubic chants by Russian composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including P.I. Tchaikovsky, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, S.V. Rakhmaninov, A.D. Kastalsky, A.T. Grechaninov, P.G. Chesnokov, V.S. Kalinnikov and many others (16).

Perhaps the most openly followed Glinka A.D. Kastalsky. His Cherubim (first of all the Cherubim of the znamennoe chant) Kastalsky, focusing on Glinka, sought to transform “into something musically sublime, strong in its expressiveness and close to the Russian heart” [14, p. 60]. 

Castalsky’s Cherubim became the true “Castalian Key” for Russian composers in the 20th and 21st centuries to write similar compositions: Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev), Archimandrite Nafanail (Bachkalo), Archimandrite Matthew, Fr. Sergius Trubachev, A.A. Tretyakov and others.

They found an exceptionally vivid manifestation in the Cherubim of Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev) (one of which was even written on the theme of J.S. Bach!). 

The achievement of the Metropolitan’s Cherubim was the expression of the unfathomable depths of the spirit. It is significant that, when commenting on the figurative structure of the Cherubim (its archetypal appearance), the composer cites a passage from the description of the mysterious vision of the prophet Ezekiel: 

“‘The Cherubim stood on the right side of the house… and a cloud filled the inner court… And the noise of the wings of the Cherubim was heard even in the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when He speaks. And the Cherubim had the appearance of hands under their wings. And I saw four wheels near the Cherubim, one wheel near each Cherubim, and the wheels looked like they were made of topaz stone. And all four looked similar, as if a wheel were inside a wheel. When they walked, they walked in four directions; they did not turn around during their march, but they went in the direction of their heads. And all their bodies, and their backs, and their arms, and their wings, and their wheels, were full of eyes…’ (Ezekiel 10:3, 5, 8-12)” [11, pp. 425-426] (17). 

Thus, Glinka’s Cherubic chant became the seed (“acorn”) of the development of Cherubim in Russia. It is important to emphasize that this development, in general, was expressed in the filling of Cherubim with angelic-like singing.

Indeed, the angelic-like singing in the Cherubim became more sublime and beautiful and finally reached its full power [24; 25] (18). This moment marked the birth of Russian music (19). 

But what is Russian music, which has absorbed the angelic-like singing? It is a prayer. With this in mind, we can confidently say that in Russia, music, in its true form, is a prayer (20). 

Conclusion 

So, there are three models of music: Western, Eastern, and Russian. This means that there are three ways to understand the fundamental principles of music (I think the reader can guess which way the author of this article prefers). These paths are different. Is it possible for them to intersect? I believe it is possible, because these are the three paths of One Human Being, a Resident of the Earth…

Literature

1. Aesthetics of the Renaissance. Anthology: In 2 vols. Vol. 2. Moscow, 1981.
2. Boetius A.M.S. Fundamentals of Music: Transl. from Latin. 2nd ed., revis. and expand. Moscow, 2019.
3. Danilov Yu.A. Johann Kepler and his “Harmony of the World”. In: Patterns of Symmetry: Collection of Materials: Transl. from English. M., 1980.
4. Denisova I.V. Are Concert and Prayer Compatible? Church Singing Culture of the 18th and 19th centuries. In: Church Word. Minsk, 2001. No 8 (http://sppsobor.by/word/all-issues/2985).
5. Diletsky N.P. The Idea of Musical Grammar. Moscow, 1979.
6. Gardner I.A. The Liturgical Singing of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 2 vols. Vol. 2. Moscow, 2004.
7. Glinka M.I. Notes. M., 1988.
8. Godwin J. The Revival of Speculative Music. In: The Musical Quarterly. 1982. Vоl. 68. No 3.
9. Guy L. Beck. Sonic Liturgy: Ritual and Music in Hindu Tradition. Columbia, 2012.
10. Guy L. Beck. Sonic Theology: Hinduism and Sacred Sound. Columbia, 1993 (Delhi, 1995).
11. Hilarion (Alfeev), Metr. Liturgy. Historical and Theological Commentary on the Liturgies of John Chrysostom and Basil the Great. Moscow, 2019.
12. Iamblichus. On the Life of Pythagoras: Transl. from the Greek. Moscow, 2002.
13. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), St. The Christian Shepherd and the Christian Artist. In: Theological Works. Moscow, 1996. No 32.
14. Kastalsky A.D. On My Musical Career and My Thoughts on Church Music. In: Russian Sacred Music in Documents and Materials. Vol. V. Moscow, 2006.
15. Khan H.I. The Mysticism of Sound [Collection]. Moscow, 1997.
16. Kivy P. Music Alone: Philosophical Reflections on Purely Musical Experience. Ithaca, 1990.
17. Klujev A.S. Russian Philosophers on Music. In: Bulletin of the Russian Christian Humanitarian Academy. 2022. Vol. 23. Issue 2.
18. Kutuzov B.P. Russian znamennoe chant. 2nd ed. Moscow, 2008.
19. Kuzmin V.I., Galusha N.A. Pythagoras’s Harmony of the Spheres. Unified Rhythms of Nature. Moscow, 2001.
20. Kuzmin V.I., Galusha N.A. Pythagoras’s Harmony of the Spheres. A Quantitative Reconstruction Option. In: System Research. Yearbook 2000. Moscow, 2002.
21. Lange A. von. Mensch, Musik und Kosmos. Anregungen zu einer goetheanistischen Tonlehre. Bd I. Freiburg i. Br., 1956.
22. Levando P.P. Glinka’s “Cherubic chant”. In: Russian Choral Culture. History. Traditions. Modern Problems: Collection of Scientific Papers. St. Petersburg, 1995.
23. Losev A.F. Ancient Musical Aesthetics. In: Losev A.F. Music as a Subject of Logic. Ancient Musical Aesthetics. Moscow, 2023.
24. Lossky N.V., Priest. An Essay on the Theology of Liturgical Music. An Orthodox Perspective: Translated from French. Moscow, 2021.
25. Lossky V.N. Theological Foundations of Church Singing. In: Martynov V.I. History of Divine Service Singing. Moscow, 1994. 
26. Lysenko V.G. The Om Slog in Indian Culture: From Oral Tradition to Writing. In: Proceedings of the Russian Anthropological School. Moscow, 2012. Vol. 10.
27. Mandukya Upanishad. In: Upanishads. In 3 books: Book 2: Transl. from Sanskrit. Moscow, 1992.
28. Medushevsky V.V. Spiritual Analysis of Music: In 2 parts. Moscow, 2016.
29. Metallov V.M., Priest. An Essay on the History of Orthodox Church Singing in Russia. 4th ed., revis. and expand. Moscow, 1915.
30. Morozova T.E. Raga in Hindustani Music. The Modern Period. M., 2003.
31. Musical aesthetics of 19th century Germany. Anthology: In 2 volumes. Vol. 1. Moscow, 1981.
32. Musical aesthetics of Russia of the 11th – 18th centuries. Moscow, 1973.
33. Musical aesthetics of the East. Moscow, 1967.
34. Musical aesthetics of the Western European Middle Ages and Renaissance. Moscow, 1966.
35. Musical aesthetics of Western Europe of the 17th – 18th centuries. Moscow, 1971.
36. Rachinsky S.A. Folk art and rural school. In: Russian sacred music in documents and materials. Vol. III. Moscow, 2002.
37. Rowell L. Music and Musical Thought in Early India. Chicago, 2015.
38. Sementsov V.S. Problems of interpretation of Brahmanic prose. Ritual Symbolism. Moscow, 1981.
39. Steiner R. Das Wesen des Musikalischen und das Tonerlebnis im Menschen. Dornach, 1975.
40. Syrkin A.Ya. Some Problems of the Study of the Upanishads. Moscow, 1971.
41. Te Nijenhuis E. Indian Music: History and Structure. Leiden, 1974.
42. Vasilchenko E.V. Musical Cultures of the World. The Culture of Sound in Traditional Eastern Civilizations. Moscow, 2001.
43. Vasilchenko E.V. Sound in the System of World Civilizations’ Culture. Moscow, 2013.
44. Werner K. A Popular Dictionary of Hinduism. Surrey, 1997.

(1) This idea of Pythagoras has been substantiated in modern scientific research [19; 20]. 

(2) Boethius speaks about the existence of another level of music – the human one, caused by the mixing of the “disembodied liveliness of the mind with the body”. He calls this level humana. However, the humana level is associated with the mundane level. This was also noted in the Pythagorean school [12, pp. 51-56]. 

(3) For more information on Kepler’s interpretation of the connection between cosmic music and real music, see, for example: [3]. 

(4) A. von Lange’s statement is also expressive in its own way: “The entire spiritual organism of man, in which the depth of musical experience rests unconsciously, is formed from the cosmos through the harmony of the spheres” [21, p. 364].

(5) The philosophical justification of this position can be found in the works of P. Kivi. In particular, Kivi argues in one of his works that music is “devoid of semantics” and is a “quasi-syntactic structure” with no fixed meaning. He suggests that it is the inaudible aspects of music, such as its title or program, which are often not transformed into sound, that give it its significance [16]. The work has received a large number of laudatory reviews (https://philpapers.org/rec/KIVMAP). 

(6) Om and Aum are one. The accents (matras) A, U, and M express the states of consciousness: A is awake, U is with sleep and dreams, and M is with deep sleep without dreams [26]. 

(7) See also: [40].

(8) “In every initial action… there is a ‘very first’ beginning; this beginning… is Om: this [sound] syllable begins (and ends) every chant, in fact, not only every chant, but also, apparently, every formula, hymn, etc… By means of a special pronunciation of this syllable, the ritual action was given the much-needed quality of ‘continuity’… Thus, all the pauses in the ritual could be filled with the syllable Om, and not only within the given rite, but also between one rite and the next, which could, in principle, take place at any time – in 2-3 hours, in 2 weeks, in a year…” That is, the sound of Om “was understood as something eternal” [38, p. 121]. 

(9) Its significance is emphasized by the fact that it is played by the tambura (a musical instrument used in the performance of a raga) throughout the entire raga. This significance is due to the fact that, according to the Indians, this sound is Om. In other words, Om is the core of raga. Here is how T.E. Morozova writes about this: “The sacred Om, as an inexhaustible source (akṣara), was a symbolic key element in the development of Indian… music. It became the prototype of the ‘ever-sounding’ fundamental… tone… the strongest ‘point of attraction’… the ‘sound epicenter’… in the rāgās” [30, p. 59]. 

(10) This statement is confirmed by H.I. Khan. “When we pay attention to [the sounds of] nature”, Khan notes, “we find that every thing on earth contributes (to these sounds. – A.K.). Trees joyfully wave their branches in rhythm with the wind; the sound of the sea, the murmur of the breeze, the whistling of the wind in the rocks, among the hills and mountains… a thunderclap… [And] insects have their concerts… and bird choirs sing their hymns of praise in unison.… Indian music is based on the principle of raga, which makes it similar to nature (because. – A.K.) ragas (are part of. – A.K.) nature songs (italics are mine. – A.K.)” [15, pp. 100, 102].

(11) As E.V. Vasilchenko notes, in the East “music itself is something secondary to sound” [43, p. 11]. 

(12) The first mentions of angel-like singing in Russia are found in Metropolitan Hilarion’s “The Word of Law and Grace” (11 century), in Kirill Turovsky’s “The Word” (12 century), later in Joseph Volotsky’s “Enlightener” of the 15th – 16th centuries and others. 

(13) The basis of Russian chanting is the Russian folk song. We can say that Russian chanting was born from the Russian folk song [18, p. 63].

(14) Believers were deeply affected by his loss. There are many testimonies to this. Here is one. In the “Report on a Trip to Smolensk to See Metropolitan Simeon for ‘Great Spiritual Affairs’” by Ignatius, Archimandrite of the Novospassky Monastery, and Karion Istomin, a printer, poet, and educator, it is stated: “And the bishop said: … ‘And which verses are added in the liturgy before the Cherubic Hymn, and after the kynonik, and they are sung for the sake of wasting time, because the verses are short, and after singing they stand idle, and people are bored standing without singing’” [32, p. 160]. 

(15) The composer’s desire to create works for the church was inspired by his conversations with St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov). The article “The Christian shepherd and the Christian-artist” [13] became a kind of monument to the communication between two great people.

(16) The liturgical music of these composers has been called the “New Direction of Russian Sacred Music”. The term was proposed by S.A. Rachinsky in his article “Folk Art and Rural School”, which dealt with the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom by P.I. Tchaikovsky (1878) [36, p. 357]. 

(17) Do these images of Ezekiel not evoke the mystery of the Russian spiritual poem “The Dove/Deep Book” (15th – 16th centuries)? 

(18) Not everyone was pleased with this. I.A. Gardner expressed his negative opinion about this trend [6, p. 495].

(19) Yes, Russian music was born in the church. And, most likely, in the works of composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who received the appropriate impetus from Mikhail Glinka. At the same time, it should be noted that since Glinka’s time, composers who wrote music for the church have incorporated the vibrations and breath of this music into their secular compositions. This was done by Glinka, Musorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov… Here, for example, is what V.V. Medushevsky writes about S.V. Rakhmaninov’s “Vocalise”: “In the tender lament of repentant love… The vocalise… (on. – A.K.) the melodies’ descents are answered by ascents, and in the coda, the broken lament is illuminated by a counterpoint that leads to the heavenly world, according to the promise (cf. Matthew 11:28)… Here… is the essential beginning of the music of the Orthodox civilization… The Heaven accompanies the soul, and the soul listens to the encouragement of the Heaven…” [28, pp. 352-353].(20) This is the understanding of music that Russian thinkers and philosophers, starting with Nil Sorsky to N.O. Lossky, I.I. Lapshin, E.N. Trubetskoy, P.A. Florensky and others, have expressed in their works. See the article: [17]. Translated by: Klujev A. Russian philosophers about music: 1) Proceedings of the International Science Conference “Science. Education. Practice” (May 5, 2023). Delhi, 2023, pp. 40-46; 2) [El.] Ethicsacademy.co.in. 2023. 24.07; 3) [El.] Homo Universalis. 2025. 25.04; 4) [El.] Sindh Courier. 2025. 27.04; 5) [El.] Polis Magazino. 2025. 14.05.

Tammy Higgins is 59 years old and was born in Northern New York, in the Adirondacks now she lives in Southern New Hampshire. She writes free verse poetry, short stories and does photography especially Landscapes, Street, Classic Autos, Wildlife, B & W AND Food Photography. She loves to relax with gaming online, teaching herself electric guitar, dining out, gaming online, hanging out in Garden Centers, Music and guitar stores, cooking in her Crockpot, listening to Heavy Metal music and going to shows, Ancient History and near the waters like Ocean, rivers, Ponds and Sci Fy Channel and has MS.

REASON 

Reasons occurs 

Sometimes 

To love 

To come 

To stay 

Sometimes 

To go 

Because 

To make these 

Must why 

is good for you

Perhaps 

Therefore occur reason.

Türkan Ergör, Sociologist, Philosopher, Writer, Poet, Art Photography Model. Türkan Ergör was born 19 March 1975 in the city of Çanakkale, Türkiye. She was selected International “Best Poet 2020”. She was selected International “Best Poet, Author/Writer 2021”. She was selected International “Best Poet, Writer/Author 2022”. She was awarded the FIRST PRIZE FOR THE OUTSTANDING AUTHOR IN 2022. She was awarded the 2023 “Zheng Nian Cup” “National Literary First Prize” by Beijing Awareness Literature Museum. She was awarded the “Certificate of Honor and Appreciation” and “Crimean Badge” by İSMAİL GASPRİNSKİY SCIENCE AND ART ACADEMY. She was awarded the “14k Gold Pen Award” by ESCRITORES SIN FRONTERAS ORGANIZACIÓN INTERNACIONAL.

Renewal and Kindness Celebration

Navruz is one of the most ancient holidays in human history. It symbolizes the arrival of spring, the awakening of nature, and the beginning of a new life. This holiday is celebrated every year on March 21, during the spring equinox. On this day, day and night become equal, and nature enters a period of renewal. The word “Navruz” comes from the Persian language and means “new day.”

According to historical sources, Navruz has a history of at least 3000 years. Its roots go back to the ancient Zoroastrian era. In the ancient book Avesta, there are also references to ceremonies connected with the arrival of spring and the awakening of nature. Initially, this holiday was celebrated as the beginning of the agricultural year, and people held various rituals wishing for a rich and fruitful harvest.

Today, Navruz is celebrated not only in Central Asia but also in many countries around the world. In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared March 21 as the “International Day of Navruz.” In addition, in 2009, Navruz was included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.

In Uzbekistan, Navruz is considered an important holiday reflecting national values and traditions. During these days, public festivals, national games, and concerts are organized, and traditional foods such as sumalak are prepared. Navruz unites people in the spirit of kindness, friendship, and solidarity.

Navruz is not only a spring holiday but also an ancient cultural tradition that expresses the ideas of peace, renewal, and goodness. For centuries, it has united different nations and continues to remain an important spiritual value for humanity today.