Hammer - symbols of death - Philipp Dangas

General information on sound symbols  [ 2/4 ]

Symbolic meanings are usually not directly understandable. They require experience in dealing with the oral or written tradition. They were also bound by the regulations of the time.

One can speak of a symbol if the meaning is not "open". That is, if without mediation is not generally recognizable.

Musical signs such as calls, signals and the like do not represent symbols if they are „open“. It must not be possible to interpret them as such in the first hearing.

Sound symbolism in the context of „symphonic world music“

The use of symbols means the possibility of conveying memorable auditory imagery. Symbols such as recurring motifs, rhythms, chords or timbres. They can stand for a specific but not directly recognizable purpose.

Parallel to the expansion of the sound space, it is possible to reach a higher level of the musician's life. As a result, our music distances itself from peculiarities and similar formulas. It acquires a higher level and thus the claim to be serious music.

General information about the death symbol hammer in the context of sound symbolism

The use of the hammer as a sound symbol of death does not always represent the final loss of life. The hammer can symbolically represent the idea of a new life after death sound. But also farewell to the dead and to death.

In addition, the hammer can characterize the sound symbolic representation of the departure of the "old" world music. And sound symbolically announce the seminal „symphonic world music“.

Hammer death symbol example

In the following example, a score excerpt from Gustav Mahler's „6. symphony“. The suspicion arises that the hammer appears as a sound symbol of death. Because the different levels of dynamics, the hammer blows and the central idea underline that. In this example we will edit the hammer blow of bar 336.