Music. This word and its meaning is probably known by every human being. Actually, somebody may not know how to express or say the word, but they know the meaning. Music moves the people. We don‘t have to compose it ourselves, but we can feel it. Even if the song is in an unknown word language, we understand the language of notes, we can distinguish if it‘s sad or joyful. Music is an international language.

Nobody knows exactly when the first music was composed or developed. However, it must have naturally come out of a man in his beginnings. He needed to express somehow his feelings, because his words were not sufficient. Maybe it was just a rythm that he once heard and felt on a stormy night. Then he learned how to drum it on wood. He found out that different kinds of wood had different sounds – one was lower and the other was higher. He found out that if he was happy, he drummed faster, and when he was sad, the rythm was slower. He began to imagine the sounds, and out of his throat came a try to imitate it. He made a melody by himself. He showed this ‘‘invention‘‘ to his mate. She tried also to make a sound out of herself. They sang together. When they were sad, their singing was sad. When they were happy, their singing was joyful. When the rain came, their song expressed the mood while raining. When the sun came from behind the clouds, they expressed how they felt about the sun shining.

These people knew there was something very special in expressing their feelings by singing. They knew their music was often stronger than words. When they met with different people and could not understand their language, they made an appropriate sound, and the problem was solved. They found out that even if a different tribe had a different language, the sounds were quite similar. They communicated in this ‘‘musical‘‘ language.

My relationship with music is very important to me. I grew up with many kinds of music. I have sung probably since the day I was born. Playing the guitar became my passion recently, although I‘ve played it since I entered the elementary school. I listen to many different types of music and I appreciate all of them. Even classical and old music is very powerful, though it doesn‘t seem to be very preferred by people of my age. I even made or composed a few songs myself, both the music and the lyrics. I can say the best time for composing is in the evening or at night. However, it‘s much harder for me to make good lyrics than the music that expresses the way I feel.

Music is a way that can help us. Music can be the way to make the world more understandable and peaceful. I believe that music moves our lives and solves the problem of being a different nation. It‘s one of the things that binds us together as people.

Mária ÖLVECKÁ

Winner of the 9-th annual English Essay Competition

(Category Juniors, 1st Place)