Using a folk idiom in art music is a problematic practice for composers because folk and Art music traditions stem from fundamentally different origins. Art music is part of a literate tradition with recognized authorship, as opposed to the folk tradition, which is part of a communal tradition disseminated anonymously by means of oral communication. Thus, art music composers aspiring to leave a legacy often refrain from utilizing folk idioms in their music for several reasons; to compose cultured music, to create pure and authentic works that are associated with single composer, and to legitimize their philosophies above national and fugal divisions. The binary between folk and art music began much before the Baroque era, yet the use of folk was a significant feature of the Nationalist movement in art music during the 19th century. Composers such as Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka (1804-1857), Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884), and Edvard Greig (1843-1907) used folk influences in their compositions in fundamentally new ways; as part of the communal tradition of their heritage, as an organic spring of inspiration, as well as in an effort to create a national style in tribute to their respective homelands. Consequently, musical nationalism had a dramatic effect on the 19th century art music landscape and the conception of folk as an authentic musical idiom.
Folk music, as defined by the International Folk Music Council, is the
“product of a musical tradition that has been evolved through the process of oral transmission. The factors that shape the transition are: (I) continuity which links the present with the past; (ii) variation which springs from the creative impulse of the individual or the group; and (iii) selection by the community...
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... music is more than just themes,” states Satsov, “In order to be national, to express the soul and spirit of a nation, music must partake of the very roots of the life of a people.” Folk music is essentially cultural property, whereas art music is intellectual property of a single person. When a composer removes national folk from the natural discourse in a culture in an attempt to isolate that flavor in a timeless work of genius, he fails to capture the true spirit of such a dynamic, communal idiom. Ultimately, such attempts are not “creative”, but “photographic.”
Works Cited
Gelbart, Matthew. The Invention of "Folk Music" and "Art Music". Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
The New Russian School: V. V. Stasov. Izbrannïye sochineniya. Moscow: Iskusstvo, 1952. Trans R. T.
Bjarne Kortsen (ed.). Grieg the Writer I. Bergen: B. Kortsen, 1972
Schwartz, Boris. Music and Musical Life in Soviet Russia, 1917-1981. 2nd edition. Indiana University Press, 1983.
Antonin Dvorak was one of the leading composers of the late Romantic period and one of many composers that utilized portions of music from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds in his compositions. The idea of Music Nationalism can be found in many of his works, especially in his Symphony no. 9 in E minor “from the New World”, which incorporates ideas from the American culture.
Willoughby, David. "Chapter 11." The World of Music. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. 249-53. Print.
Kamien, Roger. "Part VI: The Romantic Period." Music: An Appreciation. 10th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2008. 257-350. Print.
Classical music is known as light and smooth, also it is heavily emphasized on homophonic melodies, meaning that there is a single melody that every instrument plays. Thus, the significant turning point of classical music in humanity’s social and cultural development is that this type of music first heard became very popular in the 18th century. Classical music created energy, rhythm, and harmonic symphony and from these people advanced more and more and made these elements much better. This turning point not just improved classical music, but other music that evolved from classical music. Also, Classical music is known as one of the first music ever in the nation. When people listen to classical music they can identify the soft rhythm and how peaceful it sounds. According to the article Music Genres as Historical Artifacts, “Classical music in general is an important part of the cultural capital that gains access to scarce economic, educational and occupational resources” (Vlegels). It can be shown that just a certain type of music can give so many elements defining music and educational resources as well; which make it a significant turning point in the cultural or social development. People love music that soothes their heart and mind, and that could get their mind off of all the negativity around
Miller, Terry, and Andrew Shahriari. World Music: A Global Journey. New York, London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2006.
Pop. Traditional. Classical. These are all genres of music. These all serve a purpose. These are all important. Pop music has been used to help inform and motivate the general public during movements like environmental protection and gay rights. Traditional music has helped to guide us by telling us stories of the past from the church to the fields. Classical music has been played for royalty and help dancers spin a story. Some can be considered art while others can’t, but it often differs because the definition of art is in constant motion. The definition of art is a subject philosopher’s debate because it can be defined strictly or loosely. For the purpose of this essay, let art be defined as anything that can be touched or heard, and it causes a mental and physical reaction. Classical music is truly an art form because it invokes a mental and physical reaction from both the audience and the performers, and it has contrast to make it more dynamic.
Peasant music must neither be confused with popular art music, which is the music of town (also could be named as flourishing popular town art music or light popular style). Popular art music is the wide category for all the artistic product of the current generations of industrialized culture following the fashion of the day with the tremendous influences of Western European music and any surrounding styles. Obviously, Gypsy ...
Kasimir Malevich, a Russian painter and designer, was born near Kiev on February 26, 1878 (Guggeheimcollection.org) and was “one of six children from Russified Poles” (Articons.co.uk). While living in Ukraine, he became absorbed into art during his teens, “largely teaching himself” the basics (Articons.co.uk). After saving his money “from his job as a railroad clerk” (Articons.co.uk), Malevich enrolled in the Moscow Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture in 1903 and began to study art more seriously. Later he trained at Kiev School of Art and Moscow Academy of Fine Arts and “produced portraits, landscapes, and genre scenes” in his early stages of his career (Artstudio.com).
Heritage of Music: Volume II The Romantic Era (Heritage of Music). New York: Oxford UP, USA, 1992. Print.
“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...
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.
The ‘folk’ genre has roots all the way back to the 19th century. Put simply, ‘folk’ is “ballads and songs which are composed and transmitted orally, without ever being written down at all.” (http://www.balladtree.com/folk101/002a_origins.htm) Though what we perceive as ‘folk’ today is stylistically very different to what ‘folk’ was during the 19th century. At its core, it still holds the same values and ideas, lamenting the simpler times. In the coming speech, we will discuss the genre of ‘folk’, it’s origins, the changes it underwent in the 20th century and the factors that influenced each development and also the characteristics of the genre, including singing styles, rhythm and instrumentation.
“The parallels between musical and linguistic boundaries are obvious” as stated in author Peter M...