"And it's very strange, but I think there is something very common - not only in Celtic music - but there is a factor or element in Celtic music that is similar in music that we find in Japan, the United States, Europe, and even China and other Asian countries"

Nobuo Uematsu’s reflection draws attention to the remarkable universality found within music across diverse cultures. By recognizing a shared factor or element embedded in Celtic music and identifying its presence in music from Japan, the United States, Europe, China, and other Asian regions, he spotlights a deep human connection that transcends borders. Uematsu suggests that certain qualities, whether they are musical scales, motifs, emotional tones, or rhythmic patterns, resonate across different societies regardless of their geographic or cultural distances.

Such a perspective invites a broader examination of world music and the common threads that tie folk traditions together. While surface characteristics, such as language, instrumentation, or tempo, may vary widely between a traditional Irish ballad and an East Asian folk song, there remains a central essence they may share: the ability to evoke emotion, tell stories, and provide a sense of communal identity. This universality could stem from the basic human experiences that music seeks to express, love, loss, joy, struggle, that are felt universally, regardless of cultural context.

Uematsu’s observation also challenges listeners to move beyond stereotypical boundaries that define music by nation or region. Instead of viewing genres as isolated or purely local phenomena, he encourages an appreciation for the underlying connections that bind them. For a composer so deeply inspired by both Western and Eastern musical traditions, this insight likely reflects not just his analytical understanding as a musician, but also his emotional intuition as a listener.

By identifying a commonality that lies beneath stylistic differences, Uematsu affirms the power of music to unite people. It becomes a language of its own, one that speaks across continents and eras, providing comfort and recognition through familiar patterns and emotions. In recognizing these shared elements, listeners gain a richer appreciation for how traditions inform and enrich each other, proving that music is perhaps one of humanity’s most profound collective expressions.