Aurality and Orality

    In Women, The Recited Qur'an and Islamic Music in America Rasmussen discusses the differences between conventional Indonesian music and Qur'an recitation. The author explains that reciting the Qur'an is not considered to be music and these distinctions give it a more divine sound, and bring the listener and reciter closer to God. In her book Rasmussen provides two terms that are used to describe different ways of interacting with sound and states that the Qur'an is an active manifestation of these terms in everyday life. There is, "Aurality" which implies that the listener is not only listening but "taking it to heart" she explains that it is a multisensory and kinesthetic way of experiencing the sound. Which I thought was really interesting because we all have probably gotten goosebumps before when listening to a song we like, or have been able to describe a song in a way that doesn't relate to sound, which could be called multisensory and kinesthetic. "Orality" the author explains "refers to the purposeful activation of the text into a measured, timbered, melodic performance that is learned practiced and executed in time and space."(Rasmussen 78) The term is not simply about the sound itself or the process or production of reciting the text, but all of the above and more. "Orality" is meant to encompass the ritual and all of the factors that are involved in the creation, and experience of it, it involves multiple senses as well as feelings stimulated by the senses. It makes me really wish we had a more, or were more aware of colorful vocabulary like this, to describe more of these sorts of shared multifaceted experiences, because I am sure it would bring us all closer through our common feelings, and strengthen our ability of expression. I just really liked this section of the book.