The human singing voice once carried significance seldom recognised in twentieth century Europe, where it's largely considered entertainment.
The mystic natures of sound and breath underlie the earliest forms of song and music. Ancient links between song, dance, religious ritual and magic occur worldwide. These persist in Christianity, in which the traditions of classical singing are rooted.
In Europe as late as the seventeenth century, art was still seen primarily as an act of worship. Music was made for the glory of God; heaven was a state in which the souls of the blest continuously worshipped the deity in song.
These links with death and immortality have consistently associated the singing voice with supernatural power. In particular song is frequently seen as forming links between the living and their dead ancestors.
