Music Critique Music is a type of art that is appreciated by many individuals around the world. It appears in different cultures, time frames, and ethnic groups. There are also two different, yet similar pieces of music. There is cultivated music and vernacular music. Cultivated music can be seen as music that is more traditional, whereas vernacular music is music that is portrayed to be ordinary. Although these two types of music differ from one another in many ways, they both share several similarities. Both types of music can express strong emotions from the audience by listening to the lyrics and rhythm within the music. Cultivated music and vernacular music also share a similarity by the composers’ expression and love for the emotion …show more content…
In both Yuja Wang and Hillsong United’s performance, these two different pieces of music create an emotion among the listener and have them become attentive to every single detail being played. Hillsong United’s performance is a vernacular style of music and has more of a religious based atmosphere compared to Yuja Wang’s cultivated style of music. The live performance by Hillsong United brings an uplifting feeling by knowing and seeing the incredible energy by the audience in the building. It was so inspiring to see the love and joy of others sharing the glory of our mighty God. I have never heard this band before, so listening to their songs made me want to listen to them even more. The atmosphere of Yuja Wang’s is a little different in some way. Compared to Hillsong United, this piece seemed more relaxed and elegant with a sensitive interpretation. I was also inspired to this performance by the interpretation of the music. I loved listening to the different texture and rhythms that she expressed while playing the piano. One could notice the beautiful dynamics that she performed for the audience. Both of these composers, Hillsong United and Yuja Wang, contain quality performances, …show more content…
For example, 20’05” expresses a sweet, romantic feeling moving along with the rhythm. Her performance really makes one sit and think. I love the changing of the tempos and the break between the violins and piano. At 26’09” I felt that she used her energy to move her fingers along the keys to keep the harmony flowing with even a repetition being played. Another part that came to my attention was 11’36”. I think this was by far my favorite. I loved all of the instruments being played together, it was a beautiful melody that one could tell was definitely part of classical music, especially with the soloist and orchestra. In Hillsong United, the opening of the performance at 1’07”, one could recognize that this genre is a contemporary style of Christian and rock music. The instrumentation contains vocals, guitars, a piano and drums. I love that they use all of these different instruments to create unique, spiritual songs. Hillsong’s music symbolizes the praise for our almighty God. Their mood is powerful and uplifting to any individual that listens to them. In the song “Search My Heart” at 15’45” it reaches out to us and gives us the joy to share his love with others around us and lets us know that we are nothing without Him. The rhythm is carried throughout the entire song in 35’40” and brings a timbre into place between the guitar and drums. The guitar is played at a soft pace, while the drums
1. Music is a strictly local expression, rich in variety since each culture expresses affective differences through art, 2. Music is a poetic process--complex, vague, and irrational--based upon borrowed traditional musical materials (melodies, rhythms, forms, etc.), 3. Music is for a religious, elitist-class performer who can understand and appreciate its mysterious nature and power, 4. Music is played softly in intimate gatherings, 5. Music making is the activity of Everyman, exacting the talents of variously trained amateurs who, with industry and practice, decorate their recreation and leisure in moments of social intercourse.
Music is an art and a wonderful gift to human race. It soothes, stimulates and makes us feel happy. It affects our moods in many different ways from lullaby to war cry for changes in the society. Music is actually distinct to different people. Above all, it has a transformational importance that is captured in its art and nature. Music draws our emotions and it has an impact of bridging different cultures across the continents. Slave songs were very vital channels through which all kind of information was conveyed both positive and negative.
There is one universal language: the language of music. Music has a special quality and ability to bridge both social and cultural divides. A proposed theory by Dr. Gray, Founder and Director of National Musical Arts’ BioMusic Program; describes music has been around longer than human-beings have. Music is the one thing human beings from various backgrounds can relate to. Every living creature would agree. Music is heard everywhere not just among humans, but in nature as well, through the twitting of birds, winds blowing, the soft sound of raindrops against a windowpane, the ocean waves moving back and forth and the hum of the ocean rushing in a sea shell. There is no escaping it; music lives in and surrounds us steadily. While there are countless songs which confer social or cultural consciousness, this paper will analyze and address the dynamics of M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes”, video. Stylistically, the paper will examine the artist point of view, the unique use of lyrical analysis and sound description in relation to its historical, social, political and/or cultural context. This essay will also trace the lyrical analysis and sound description of song and discuss how the elements (visually, sonically, and lyrically) interplay with the theme of immigration and/or violence.
“How Musical is Man?” was published in 1974. This book was written by John Blacking, a musician turned social anthropologist. His goal in writing this ethnography, and several other papers during this same time period, was to compare the experience of music-making that takes place within different cultures and societies throughout the world. In this book, he discusses and describes the musicology of the Venda people in South Africa. Though he does go to Africa to research and learn about the Venda people and their music, he specifically states that his book is “not a scholarly study of human musicality” (ix), but rather it is a summary (written from his point of view), which is both expressive and entertaining, of several different issues and ideas that he has seemingly been contemplating for some time.
"Music is a common experience and a large part of societies. In fact, anthropologists note that all human communities at all times and in all places, have engaged in musical behaviours. Music as a mode of human activity is a cultural phenomenon constituting a fundamental social entity as humans create music and create their relationship to music. As cultural phenomeno...
As discussed above music based within the Celtic imagination fundamentally has both ornamentation as well as the presence of a drone. It is a music that has little rhythmic variety and focuses more on the product of the music or art rather than the artist, which contrasts greatly with Aristocratic Bourgeois European music. ABE music, contemporarily known as classical, is music that is typically directed to audiences who have more spare time and resources which would make them able to attend and afford these shows. Since ABE music is defined as “notated music”, written music that involves both a beginning and conclusion, alike to plays and other written arts. Throughout the 17th century to around 20th, as noted in class, the opinions regarding music began to shift, which ultimately changed the way we as people listen to music in the present time. The opinions that were being held by Europeans around this time was that music had the ability to be self-expressive and tell a story. Music became understood as a language, making music an expression of the artists thoughts, feelings, and desires. Therefore, telling a story of human emotion that progressed and changed throughout the piece. With this
Some may say music is just music; a song is just a song. However, music plays an enormous role in our psychology, because a single song has the ability to bring about many kinds of thoughts and emotions in the listener. Music is subtly one of the main factors in which people identify with certain groups and establish their belonging in society. It shapes people’s perspectives on how the world functions and the roles they play within it. Music can function the same way in a culture; it can reflect many of the culture’s values and ideologies. Music can have many effects on culture and the people’s idea of who they think they are within that culture. Music can serve in a way that promotes cultural identity and pride, yet it could also play a role in the separation of social and economical identities in within cultures.
Throughout the semester, various styles of music and the aspects of culture associated with these styles have been analyzed. Musical elements such as dynamics, texture, form, timbre, melody, instruments, etc., have been used to thoroughly explore each kind of music from different areas of the world, with an emphasis in music from Africa, India and Indonesia. These aspects of music go far beyond just music itself. Culture also plays a huge role in music and the accompanying musical elements. Each country and culture has a different style and distinctiveness that add to what makes the music of that certain culture unique. Music in Africa may differ dramatically from music in Indonesia or India not only due to those certain elements but also due to how it is interpreted by people and what it represents for those people. In addition to this, what one may consider music in one culture may not be music to another. These differences have been made apparent in the several demonstrations that we have been exposed to in class.
Music: the art of organized noise. The blend of pitch and rhythm combined in different mediums and enjoyed by our ears. A very interpretive art, music isn’t very clearly constricted or defined by one definition. With so many varieties of music, it’s difficult to say what aspect is really the most important. Some people think music’s history and the appreciation of music are the most important aspects to take into consideration. Some think complex in rhythms and melodies make the best music. Some people devote their whole lives to studying one genre of music in order to fully understand how that genre works. While all of these aspects of music are important, none of them can truly be compared with each other on a fair playing field. Music of different genres, eras, and geographic backgrounds were written for different purposes, different people, and different settings. Still, there is still one overarching theme that applies to all forms of music new or old: the way the composer presents his or her creation. The performance and presentation of a work of music is like the icing on the top of a cake. The cake may be the best you’ve ever tasted, but if the icing on the outside doesn’t look appealing or doesn’t taste good, chances are you’ll take a different piece of cake with better looking frosting next time. The performance of music is what appeals most to people. With live performance, an artist must “sell” his or her creation. They must put smile on their face and convey to the audience that this is their music and through the music explain why it’s awesome. They must persevere through whatever the stage, the audience, and their surroundings give them and put on a good show. In today’s popular music though, this aspect of showma...
Music is also an art and doesn’t have a fix meaning. It is special and has different meaning to different people. For example, musicians think that music is something very important to them and it is like their life. They will spend most of their time playing music. Some youngsters think music as a part of their hobbies. They enjoy listening to music when they are free.
“Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb; Mary had a little lamb, whose fleece was white as snow.” For centuries “Mary had a little lamb” has become one of the most universally recognized nursery rhythms since being published in 1830. Centuries later it is still one of the most popular songs of the world. Merriam Dictionary defines music as “the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity.” With that in mind, music is found everywhere. Whether it’s in the Great Wall of China to the jungles in Africa, music is found everywhere. The main purpose of this paper is to show that music is in fact a universal language by comparing music with other official languages, showing how music influences emotions and how music literacy and emotions helps people understand music as a language. In order to fully execute my purpose of proving that music is a universal language, I will be focusing on using personal experiences, researching articles and specific musical examples from class.
Music comes in many forms. Whether if it is rock, pop, instrumental, indie, country, jazz, or another genre, everyone has a favorite. Music can be used to express oneself and bring enjoyment to life. Music can be live or recorded. Live and recorded music have many differences and similarities that can be noticed and loved depending on the listener. Live music can be expensive, but the experience is full of entertainment and emotion. Recorded music can be cheap, but vocals and sounds are edited in a studio. Despite these and many more differences, both types of music have similarities. Recorded and live music both bring enjoyment to listeners, connections among similar tastes, and can be found at parties, sporting events, and special occasions. Recorded and live music are unique in their own ways, but also similar in the way that they make a person feel.
The power that music has throughout the world is infinite. Many songs have the capability to help identify a culture, as well as educate countries about other cultures. Music has a way of inducing feelings, awakening old memories, and producing new ones. It can be used for entertainment, communication, and inspiration. However, at times music is used as a tool for resistance, and change: resistance against power, oppression, and government. Within our everyday lives, and in the lives of others lies the need to
Music, a form of art, made up of unique and special sounds containing elements of pitch and rhythm can powerfully soothe one’s soul. Firstly, there are different types of music, and each has its own features. These sounds and features are what I admire in music because to me it creates a new form of communication to one’s consciousness. It stimulates our mind and gives it a sense of harmony and peace through the hardships that life poses for us. As a kid, I would always listen to music from any genre, deciding which genre would complement me the most as I grew older. In middle school, I remember going on the computer and finding a website/program where I could make my own beats. From that day on, I spent countless of hours each day making sure the tune sounded proper and pleasurable for my ears. At first, it wasn’t good, but eventua...
Each song has it’s own unique story to tell through it’s lyrics. In a single song or multiple songs, things like heartbreak, death, romance, or even friendship can be expressed. For example, a song like “No Good in Goodbye” by the Script talks about the heartbreaking end in a relationship through its lyrics. It starts out with a semi upbeat and fast-paced instrumental with a yearning tone to it’s sound. After the introduction, consisting of just the instrumental, the music begins to slow down and the drums come to a halt and you begin to hear the singer sing along with the sound of a piano playing in the background. This song opens up strongly by singing about the losses that happen when a breakup occurs and all the regret and