READINGS
Chapter 1 Reading “Listening to Music”
Adam Jahanghiri
250925321
Dr. Kari Veblen
University of Western Ontario
This chapter covers many important materials that evolve around music. Characteristics of sound such as intensity, pitch, duration and quality are seen around the world through multicultural music. Sound is made up of intervals, scales, pitch, range, intensity, rhythm and melodic ornamentation. In my opinion knowing the basic fundamentals of music is crucial to successful musicianship. I appreciate how Kay Shelemay introduces rhythm and meter through Listening Guide 15 where there is a clear four-beat rhythmic pattern being outlined, and in Listening Guide 16 which introduces syncopation that happens when the rhythmic subdivision suddenly changes. Kay also introduces musical texture and form in this chapter. I appreciated the illustrations for the five musical textures because they gave me an excellent idea of what to expect when listening to a Monophonic “single sound” piece compared to a Polyphonic “multi sound” piece. Form usually defines as the shape of music being played and heard. In my opinion I completely agree with that. Music is made up of many forms including strophic form where all verses of text are under one melody or sonata rondo form which has an exposition, development and recap all at once. Instruments have a big impact on form between various musical traditions which allows multiple styles of sound and music to be heard and enjoyed around different religious groups. Musical creativity allows listeners to understand different sounds, ways of performance, improvisation and composition. I like how Kay says “The distinctive sounds, textures, and forms of a particular music tradition arise several interconnected processes of human creativity” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 59). This is very true. Each culture has their very own rhythmic pattern that they follow along with particular instruments that they are able to have. Not every third world country has the freedom to choose what brass instrument they want to learn because the instrument is not available for the population, or it is not part of their cultural background to play such instruments. Overall chapter 1 covers everything a musician needs to know in order to understand different cultural songs and pieces through illustrations, definitions, and amazing listening guides. We now have the vocabulary skills to express how we feel about certain international music around the world.
QUESTIONS
1. As a future music educator, is it important to include improvisation activities in my classroom? What are the pros and cons?
2. Why do you listen to music?
3. What do you think of instruments being identified for males and females? Is this fair?
4. Should the human voice be included in the Sachs-Hornbostel classification system?
5. Which is more important when learning new music, rhythm or melody?
Chapter 2 Reading “Setting: The Study of Local Musics”
Adam Jahanghiri
250925321
Dr. Kari Veblen
University of Western Ontario
Learning about certain cultures and their music identities was clearly seen throughout this chapter. Kay sets the stage by allowing the reader to understand certain soundscapes amongst completely diverse areas of the world including Accra (Ghana), Mumbai (India), and Boston (U.S.A.) The thing that caught my eye in the beginning of this chapter was the music in Ghanaian Christian life. I appreciate the fact that Accra has an Evangelical Presbyterian Bethel Church that holds not one but two full services every Sunday morning. The service includes music performed in Western harmony that is being backed up by the country’s traditional drumming instrumentation which includes the Atumpan, a “talking drum from Denkyira State in Southwestern Ghana.” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 76), and the Atoke which is a miniature metal idiophone. I love how the Atumpan drum has the ability to perform both historical drum language and westernized hymns at the same time. This allows the listeners in Ghana to understand other styles of music alongside their own religious instrumentation and melodies. Music in Ghana is presented in many important events including birthdays, and “traditional indigenous healing practices” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 77) Moving on to Mumbai, the cultural background is quite diverse because it not only includes people of Indian descent but other Middle Eastern cultures as well. Blending between certain musical cultures amongst the twenty million that live in Mumbai shows diversity while avoiding culturalism throughout the city. I feel like the film industry in India is the largest musical source. What I found interesting was that in 1912 “Indian-produced silent films accompanied by live music” set Mumbai to become a whole new industry. With the increase in technology this allowed singers and songwriters to add ornamentation and rhythmic patterns that are pleasing to the public’s ear. Mum-Bhai (Rap Song) is a perfect example of the change in Indian music from the early 1900’s to now. It includes many vocal articulations and multilingual text, presenting pictures. America and its states all have certain cultural backgrounds that are seen through particular neighborhoods. I appreciate Boston so much more, now that I know the wide spread of musical events that happen in that city. Being a musician here in London, it is hard to find certain neighborhoods that have venues for musical events. What shocked me in this part of the reading were the large Dominican, Jamaican and Haitian populations in Boston. I would have never guessed Caribbean music to be widely spread amongst the public through parks, restaurants and cultural centers. In my opinion we need to see more of what Boston is doing here in our own city. Even though London is small, there are many multicultural events that are not advertised as much as they should be. We have clubs here in London like the Polish, German and Greek clubs, but they are slowly losing funds due to lack of people. The reason for this is because no one knows when something exiting is happening in one of the clubs. As a future music educator I will express the importance of being cultural and tell my students to attend these clubs, because it will open their mind to new diverse musical textures and religions. To conclude, I like how Kay says “studying all the music of a given locality can present a formidable challenge, although the discovery process can provide a wonderful introduction to the place in which you live.” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 122). We as future music educators can change what we do in the classroom by including different types of ethnic musical concepts alongside our Western style soundscapes.
QUESTIONS
1. What is a proper setting for world music?
2. In a large city is the musical soundscape identical or are there many other multicultural soundscapes? How do you know?
3. What impact does sharing performance spaces have in a religious population?
4. How can we capture the importance in urban musical life?
Chapter 3 Reading “Significance: Music’s meaning in Everyday Life”
Adam Jahanghiri
250925321
Dr. Kari Veblen
University of Western Ontario
Music’s quality of being worthy of attention helps shape the sounds, setting and religious backgrounds through different types of musical performances. It portrays quality interactions that are shared amongst social and cultural settings. As Kay states, music “…is a specific idea linked to a specific musical sound. Music has the capacity to convey meaningful content…” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 126) Certain melodies have particular effects on an individual’s body and that was clear with the first case study that takes place in South India. The raga nilambari is known as the lullaby raga because it is played during rituals in a temple where a god or goddess is bathed, awakened or put to sleep. In contrast music can also make your heart pound, and completely takeover your body with particular rhythmic changes, instrumentation and the setting of which the piece is being played. What really caught my attention in this chapter was that music is not only something that you play for entertainment and fun. “Life is marked by musical occasions.” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 135) Kay allowed me to realize that there are a lot of social and cultural aspects being placed side by side with music. A great example of this is la quinceanera, which is a traditional Latino celebration of a young girl becoming a woman. Music’s meaning in this case is situated within the setting that it is being performed which is traditionally in a house or a ball room. High paced dances like Salsa rise from the particular Latino soundscape that shows happiness amongst the individuals that are traditionally involved. The significance of music can change drastically, but still keep similar melodic structure. For example the Mariachi band. The band’s significance comes in play whenever there is an occasion of some sort, but who says these occasions are full of joy, which is what this band brings. The mariachi performers play at special occasions that are lively and fun like the quinceanera, but are also used in funerals to play over the dead. The reason this is not inappropriate is because some Latino individuals want their funeral day to be as happy as the day they were brought into the world as a newborn child, which the band can bring with their type of environment. One instrumental sound source that has continued on into this day is the bagpipe. It has left a clear legacy throughout the Middle East and Europe, and is heard in Celtic dances as well as in important occasions such as Remembrance Day. Irish and Scottish clubs are now using such instrumentation to bring back the feeling of what it is like back home which is truly amazing. The thing that caught my attention in this case study was the uilleann pipes. These so called “elbow” pipes were used in the title music of the classic film Titanic. I have always wondered what soft instrument was playing in the background during the more-intimate scenes in the movie and now I know that it is the Irish bagpipe. The traditional history of bagpipes is very rich which allows it to be used in different settings. Another important bagpipe is the Scottish Highland bagpipe which is heard and seen in a variety of presentations one in particular, marches. In Listening Guide 36 Scotland the Brave demonstrates the airtight bag made out of animal skin along with ornamentations that would give the listener a taste of Scottish music. I love how the drones remain steady throughout the whole piece allowing the melody to harmonize above it, while following the particular rhythmic structure. Soundscapes of Indian, Mexican, Irish and Scottish music “lends significance from its presence as lived experience.” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 157) Music has an effect on every one of us during our daily lives whether we notice it or not.
QUESTIONS
1. Do you think that one day music’s meaning can change over time in a particular culture? For example Mexican people celebrating the quinceanera through technological music rather than live instrumentation.
2. What is the significance of the Irish bagpipe compared to the Scottish bagpipe?
3. This reading talks about how music can express meaning through mimicked sounds, ideas, and communication within individual cultures. Do you agree with the reading or do you have your own way of conveying music?
4. How does music affect you in your daily life? Does music relax you, does music motivate you, etc……..?
Chapter 4 Reading: “Music and Migration”
Adam Jahanghiri
250925321
Dr. Kari Veblen
University of Western Ontario
During this reading I felt like my family and I could relate a lot with what the text had to say about migration and music. Voluntary migration affected both my parents who left their countries for a better life. My father and his brother immigrated here to Canada from Iran because of the political instability in the Middle East and the opportunities they heard were present in Ontario. After settling into their new place of origin it never once crossed their minds of completely forgetting their culture and how they were raised. If anything the musical background that they were introduced to as kids was found here in Canada through Middle Eastern weddings and special invitational ceremonies. Many immigrants bring their cultures with them which allows a variety of different musical experiences to ones ears. My mother arrived to Canada from Poland. It was hard to find a well payed teaching job in Europe at that time, so she decided to continue her studies here at Western, which led her to become one of the best high school teachers I know. Her musical soundscape is different than my fathers’ in terms of when and where the music is being performed. Due to how multicultural Canada is, there are many immigrant communities. Her music migrated in specific polish clubs where the culture is exactly the same as it would be back in her home city, Gdansk. These clubs provide food from the country of origin, along with music and dances that introduce a culture shock to people that are not polish here in London Ontario. Music that is part of migration in particular groups always has meaning behind sound. What I mean by this is that not all music is happy. The significances that music has on ones’ culture affect how individuals are supposed to feel when listening to a particular tune for example African American slave songs. Here the slaves sung how they felt about the brutal truth of white supremacy that was happening at that time. This is seen in Listening Guide 42a Nobody Knows performed by Huddie Ledetter during the African American migration. “The condition of travel and displacement consistently elicits powerful emotions about home, personal attachment, and distance.” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 199) Music is portable which allows it to follow you wherever you go. The “condition of travel and displacement” in music is very important to many immigrant groups because it allows them to still feel as if they are in their country of origin. The textbook pointed out on page 198 that “music re-creates the sounds and texts close to those of traditional music…arousing memories from the past.” This is very true due to the fact that every time my mother goes to the Polish club on Ann St. or when my family is invited to a Middle Eastern wedding and the ball room is blasting Kurdish music, both my parents feel like they are back home. In my opinion when you are surrounded by people of your background and a certain musical soundscape, it is hard not to feel like you are part of the culture. Musical transmission allows people to rebuild their cultures through global networks of which they have joined. When an individual migrates I think that it is very important that they continue their musical communication and allow it to be shared amongst welcoming communities.
QUESTIONS:
- Canada has a very large group of immigration clubs, but not many are well known across the provinces. Why do you think that is so? How can we change this?
- Migration has impacted many individuals across the world. How would you go about saying that music brings comfort to those immigrant communities?
- Do you agree that music is portable? Should the musical culture stay in the place of origin, or should it be distributed amongst foreign communities to individuals that want to learn and be part of a new culture?
Chapter 5 Reading: “Music and Memory”
Adam Jahanghiri
250925321
Dr. Kari Veblen
University of Western Ontario
After reading and analyzing this chapter, I can relate a lot to how Shelemay talks about music and memory. Song texts and particular melodies are important when it comes to remembering certain types of music that you might have heard through people or in special events like weddings or birthday parties. “Music….through the physical act of performance, can bring our past into the present” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 203) Certain Iranian dance songs like Wa Hatin Pesmarge Me that I introduced to the class is a perfect example of this. When I heard this music for the first time in my cousin’s wedding, it stuck with me. The dancing that was happening in contrast with the song gave me the motivation to learn the pattern and master it, and when the opportunity came to share my families’ musical culture to the class, I presented something that I remembered and learned from the past, into the present. I listen to a variety of different genres of music because each genre produces a different reaction. I have many playlists on my phone, each one with specific songs that have meaning behind them. One example is my electronic/dance playlist. Each song gives me encouragement, a desire to push myself, which is why I only listen to this playlist when I am at the gym. When I heard a song from my playlist on the radio one day, it reminded me of the gym. I find it crazy how certain musical soundscapes can affect your memory wherever you are. Just like the Mexican corrido (ballad) conveys memories of distinct places, people and events, the music I listen to does the exact same thing. Whenever I hear Happy Birthday it brings back memories of when I was a kid and all my friends were singing that song for me during my special celebration. There were many times when I have encountered musical pieces and styles in movies and television shows, just like the jazz funeral being used in the media through the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die. The term contrafactum was another thing that caught my attention in this reading. Using a preexisting melody so that the new text is remembered more effortlessly is a smart way of allowing listeners to understand the similarity between the text and its’ musical background. Another thing that I can relate to in this reading is the Sebet. The Sebet is not only seen through Arabic countries in the Middle East, but it is actually part of the culture for those people that live around that area. I have been a part of a Sebet a few times now and have loved it every time. Being, singing and dancing around close friends and family is always an amazing feeling especially when the food that you are about to indulge in is very decorative and delicious. Combining text to a melody is very important when establishing a long-lasting memory that can be easily remembered. Feelings that arise when listening to special songs and pieces embed certain memories that cannot be forgotten. I do believe that “music is used to commemorate events and memorialize individuals” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 235), because it is another form of indirect communication through particular soundscapes, that introduce personal cognitive emotions.
QUESTIONS:
- The interaction between music and memory is very important. Sometimes as Western music students, we have to memorize music because simply because it is needed for our jury. What are your thoughts about that?
- How would you go about incorporating performances that are linked to a specific piece, so that the memory aspect for the listener is easy to learn and know?
- Music is rich in emotional impact. Was there a time in your life where you heard a piece and suddenly got really emotional because it reminded you of something that happened in the past?
Chapter 6 Reading: “Music, Mobility, and the Global Marketplace”
Adam Jahanghiri
250925321
Dr. Kari Veblen
University of Western Ontario
I found this chapter very interesting because it opened up my eyes about music, and how it moves through particular global pathways. The mobility factor in this chapter is really relatable to me as a current music student. “Musicians from one tradition now borrow from other musics and combine music traditions in new ways.” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 240) I completely agree with Shelemay here, because I have seen this happen through live performances. In high-school my music class got to go on these massive trips for a few days, one in New York and the other in Chicago. I got to experience a variety of musical traditions not just through live shows but also in museums and actual Broadway productions. In New York I had the pleasure of seeing The Lion King in Broadway Theatre. It was an amazing play that had both local and imported musical talent. Some of the background dancers and musicians were from their original countries and having them mix in with our twenty first century musical theatre acts made my experience of the play unforgettable. The other thing that caught my attention was the “Hawaiian Sound” case study. Due to the increase of technology certain sounds played in particular countries are now being heard all around the world, whether that be through advertisements, movies or even the radio. I have fallen into the trap of assuming where certain sounds come from due to their stereotypical instrumentation. Whenever I hear the ukulele it brings me back to when I was in Cuba, because it is a relaxing instrument that is very common in tropical destinations. This mindset that I got when hearing the stringed instrument shows that the mobility aspect has clearly grown in our musical soundscapes and we as individuals are starting to hear other traditional works outside our homeland. “Music exists as a form of expression that gives voice to human emotions and aspirations…” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 258) As a music player, anytime I am performing a certain piece, there is a particular feeling that arises through me as I am playing my instrument. Music truly does express human sensations, which is why it does not only affect one individual’s emotions but can have effect on many people’s emotions. This is when music is seen in marketplaces such as airports which I found interesting. Music does not have to be listened to or played to get a certain message out to the public. Instead musical terms like Jazz or Song, which are airplane companies, can convey that the flights in these airplanes are smooth and relaxing. Having ownership in certain musical sounds can be very difficult due to copyright. I remember when we were talking about Indigenous peoples and their musical soundscapes. There were certain songs that we couldn’t partake in, due to not having permission. Unfortunately global musical soundscapes can be problematic when assumptions are being made between individuals who think they are doing nothing wrong. In my opinion if you are planning to use someone else’s traditional musical soundscape, then you must get permission to do so, because there are many historical backgrounds that go into certain soundscapes which may or may not be appropriate for the public to use or listen to. On the other hand The Silk Road Project displayed perfect connection through sound and its significance in my opinion. As a strings player I have grown fond of Yo-Yo Ma not because of how technically brilliant he is on the cello, but the pieces he performs. He intertwines the classical Bach with something from the Middle East expressing a soundscape through musical transmission and mobility. Watching his performances with The Silk Road Ensemble on YouTube introduced me to a lot of diverse instrumentation which I have never seen before, along with musical clashes that you would never typically hear be played together. I love how he is presenting this not just in on-stage performances, but also through popular universities such as Harvard, because it is important for students, especially in the music program to advance their learning in the arts, and widen their thinking when it comes to specific cultures and traditions through musical soundscapes. Overall musical mobility is seen throughout the twenty-first-century, bringing moments of elation to ones’ musical mind. Soundscapes are very mobile which allows them to set certain traditional places in our heads when listening to a particular piece of music from another culture. In my belief this proves that music does not just stay in one place, but can be spread through new settings.
QUESTIONS:
- What do you think about the interaction between two completely opposite soundscapes being placed together which is seen through Yo-Yo Ma’s The Silk Road Project?
- Do you agree that “music gives voice to human emotions”? If yes, why? If no, why not? Was there ever a time in your life where you were emotionally drained and turned to music for contentment?
- If you could, how would you incorporate another cultures’ work inside your classroom without degrading the specific historical tradition behind the particular soundscape?
Chapter 7 Reading: “Music and Dance”
Adam Jahanghiri
250925321
Dr. Kari Veblen
University of Western Ontario
Dance has evolved through time in many cultural soundscapes. I think music and dance are strong partners of each other and should be seen more as one unit rather than two separate things. The reason I think this way, is because one compliments the other, whether that be music accompanying rhythmic organization in steps, or dance carrying out a specific rhythm that the music needs to follow in order for it to make any sense to the listener and viewer. I can relate a lot to this chapter due to my cultural music background. I have been to many Middle Eastern weddings, and have seen “evidence of intercultural contact and exchange.” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 278) The traditional line dance in my father’s cultural background ends up being more of a circular dance due to the vast amount of people at these celebrations. Everyone wants to participate in the dances and be part of the Middle Eastern culture. Seeing some Indians and Polish people like my mother in the wedding dancing and interacting with the new soundscape in front of them, proves that music and dance can be shared across different cultures. Hearing and feeling dance is very essential. I agree with Shelemay when she says that the importance of dance is to move rhythmically. Finding the basic rhythm in a piece of music can be hard as we have experienced through my Middle Eastern line dance in class, but once you understand the meter and pulse with the specific instrumentation, then it gets much easier to do and master. I know a lot of people that listen to music due to rhythmic sections that make their body move. In fact lots of the music I listen to on Spotify are mainly dance songs, because they make me move, allowing me to feel like I’m having a good time dancing which in turn takes my mind off of the stressful things in life that sometimes occur when you are an undergraduate university student. Interpreting performance of sexuality and gender is another significant read in this chapter. In my opinion group dances like my father’s Middle Eastern line dance produces a more comfortable environment compared to my mother’s musical dance background seen in the Mazurka which is a fast Polish folk dance in triple meter, consisting of a man and a woman. Music and dance are huge factors when it comes down to gender. Both cultural dances are started by the hearing of rhythmic patterns in their respected soundscapes, which is expressed between both males and females. The only time when it would be gender specific would be for serious cases which are seen in my father’s culture where the line dance is only done by the male Peshmerga fighters in Iran who have regained land that ISIS had captured. The Bhangra case study reminded me a lot of my high school days, during my school’s yearly multicultural assemblies. It consisted of students from India dancing the Jhummar where your arms are raised and one leg is lifted. Their culture’s musical soundscape consisted of the dhol rhythm and was sung in Punjabi, allowing the listener to get the full experience of Indian culture through music and dance performance. I appreciated that my colleagues brought in traditional clothing from India because it made the performance feel as if it was being done in India, which had an amazing effect on the me and the rest of the audience. This chapter explains that“…music is rarely played or experienced without some sort of movement…” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 314) I remember when I used to watch So You Think You Can Dance, and every dancer had to get into character even if it did not match their personality. The practice sessions were done by understanding the culture behind the type of dance they had to perform. The one practice session I remember quite clearly was the Tango dance. The couple had to say their steps while dancing them in the correct directions. Multitasking is very important with this style of dance, and I remember that the dancers just managed to fully understand how to properly do the Tango the day before their performance. When it was time to perform they did amazing and wowed the judges, hence why I still remember the struggle and resiliency that they had to go through to this day. Music and dance constructs rhythms and soundscapes that “become part of our bodily memories” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 314) which is why having them used through beautiful cultural levels brings contentment into current music educator’s lives around the world.
QUESTIONS:
- Do you believe that it is wrong for mastering another culture’s dance steps if you are from a completely opposite religion?
- In your opinion do you think that dance transforms a basic rhythm or do you think that music transforms a basic rhythm?
- What do you think of music and dance becoming one combined unit? Should they be two separate things in the world of music education? What is the difference between dance and music in your opinion?
Chapter 8 Reading: “Music and Ritual”
Adam Jahanghiri
250925321
Dr. Kari Veblen
University of Western Ontario
I found this chapter very interesting because I could relate quite a bit to it. I have had experience with my father’s Middle Eastern rituals as well as my mother’s European polish rituals. They are widely different, but the one thing that they have in common is music. I agree with Shelemay when she says that “it is scarcely possible to imagine religious rituals without music.” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 317) In my father’s religion there are particular instruments that are used in the Mosque. Only in special ceremonies like the start and end of Eid, which is a Muslim festival to break the fast that was happening during Ramadan for all Muslims, will you hear some singing by the men and women. In my mother’s Polish religious ceremonies there is the mixture of music with sung hymns in the Catholic Church. Having experienced both cultures I can truly say that music does affect a person’s feeling in their religious function. I define ritual as a spiritual ceremony that consists of actions performed in an orderly fashion. Music has a huge impact in any type of ritual. Seen in all three case studies throughout the chapter, instrumentation, voice and presentation were all important aspects used to express each particular solemn ceremony. The way that rituals are now being portrayed in our society is vastly different then how they were centuries ago. There are many religious people that are beginning to compose and perform their own songs in front of their communities because they believe that their way will draw more attention. The church that I attend has Sunday mass twice, one in the morning and one in the evening. The morning mass is more of a structured ritual that consists of sung hymns with the typical organ soundscape that backs up the choir, from the hymn book that is available for individuals to grab in the aisles. Evening masses are very different and a bit more fun. They consist of sung hymns but as well as dance. People sing off of two white board slides that are in the front of the church which have the lyrics of the hymns. There is also a band of five musicians that perform the sung rituals. This band allows us as the listeners to sway side to side while clapping the main rhythmic beat bringing joy amongst our church community. It was something that the church added because they wanted to see more young adults in the parish. Changes in rituals and musical content can sometimes push others away from their religious community, which is why in my opinion it is very important to keep the structured music and ritual of your religion, while adding in something new at a different time for another group of people. The one thing that caught my attention was that in the Ethiopian communities, dance was seen as part of everyone’s religious pleasure and bringing everyone together. I am a strong believer in dance and I think that it should be incorporated more in rituals. Overall music and ritual are two very important words seen through many multicultural soundscapes. Rituals achieve goals, while music expresses interest in one’s ear, through performance.
QUESTIONS:
- In your own words explain what a ritual is and how you can compare it with your religious background.
- Have you ever been a part of a particular religion where there was no music incorporated in it? If so how did you feel? If not would you try and approach such a ritual? Why or why not?
- Do you agree that music plays a vital role in certain religious rituals?
- “Chant may sound simple, but its musical surface can mask extraordinary depths…” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 318) In your own words describe how chant can be so complex in certain cultures. Why is chant so important in ritual soundscapes?
Chapter 9 Reading: “Music and Politics”
Adam Jahanghiri
250925321
Dr. Kari Veblen
University of Western Ontario
Music has represented many historical events in the past through its instrumentation and various musical soundscapes. Each political conflict has their unique musical soundtrack which represents the most ancient and consequential sources of determining how power is distributed among certain individuals over wealth and poverty, life and death, obedience and independence.
The first thing that I can relate to in this chapter is the Honoring Warriors in Song: The War Dance in the Shoshone Powwow case study. Very similar to how the Native American soldiers celebrate their heroic warriors through music and dance, is my father’s cultural background which does quite the same thing. When my father was sixteen years of age it was by law in the Middle East for him to join the army. In Iran they were more known as mountain fighters “gorillas” who would protect as much of their land as they could from the Turkish fighters across the border. Whenever they succeeded or had no soldier’s lives taken from their group, they would come home and be greeted by women doing the traditional singing, allowing them, the brave fighters to partake in the conventional Kurdish dance which I demonstrated in class during the beginning of this semester. The recognition of being successful through such a hard political time was something that brought a tiny bit of hope to those individuals that wanted this political conflict to come to an end.
Throughout my primary and high school years of school, Remembrance Day was a huge occasion. Both schools that I attended would bring every student and teacher to either the auditorium or gymnasium to remember the members of their armed forces who died in the line of duty during the First World War, a horrible political time. The thing that always moved me was the bagpipe player playing tunes like Flowers of the Forest which is an ancient Scottish folk tune remembering the fall of James IV at the battle of Flodden. The Last Post with the trumpet playing in the melody while everyone is participating in the moment of silence remembering the lost lives of those who fought for our freedom, is another musical soundscape that touches me to the heart. This particular soundscape puts me in a mood like no other where I feel sad and appreciative of what those soldiers had to go through and how we should appreciate everyday as if it was our last. This is also the reason why whenever I hear a bagpipe being performed it brings me back to when I was sitting on that gym floor feeling anguished and sad about the lost lives. In my opinion that particular musical soundscape really connects me to that historical political time, so I truly believe that music plays a huge role in politics, because it allows us to remember important historical events that should never be forgotten.
“A song can incorporate many layers of meaning, partly because music can convey what cannot be spoken or what might not be heard in everyday speech.” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 352) A song that I sang every day in grade school, that I still do right before a live hockey game, and what every Canadian sings or performs on July 1st is “O Canada”. This song is my national anthem, and is something that portrays many layers of meaning behind each lyric which cannot be spoken and is most definitely not heard in everyday speech. The historical background of how this anthem came about was through certain politicians’ proposed bills that established Canada as an independent nation. Music helped with expressing the political change in North America to its citizens and now plays a key role in “O Canada”. The introduction of the anthem literally just starts with instrumentation and no lyrics. This allows people to get ready, acknowledge the importance of what is about to happen and then sing. Similar to the South African song Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (“Lord, Bless Africa) the internal repetition in the rhythm and melody of “O Canada” allows it to be easily memorized by everyone including little children throughout Canadian schools.
The one thing that caught me by surprise in this reading was the meaning of “Reggae” through the lead singer of the Maytals, Frederick “Toots” Hibbert where he states that “…When you say reggae you mean regular, majority. And when you say reggae it means poverty, suffering…everything in the ghetto” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 360) In my mind I thought reggae was music that brought comfort to the listener and was something that was used to avoid political problems that were happening in the world. Three examples of reggae that I am familiar with are Bob Marley’s singles Could You Be Loved, One Love, and No Woman No Cry. These reggae songs are completely the opposite of what Hibbert says about how reggae was coined, because they are all about good life, love, happiness and everything bad turning out to be alright, which is why I found this part of the text to be quite controversial.
Many of the soundscapes that we have come across in previous chapters, all talked about the significance of individual and community existence. Music and politics introduces many intercultural influences that have symbolized the struggle of finding equality between individuals. Remembering important political issues that need to be presented now, so that they are never abandoned, introduces musical soundscapes that allows the listener to feel a certain way. In my opinion music delivers massive messages to those in political power in an indirect way through many cultures. It allows everyone to express feelings that they have for their country and sometimes brings up changes that these communities want to see done in their current government. Political conflicts have some type pf musical sonority and the reason for this is because music grants a type of openness that cannot be replicated through speech.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. The text talks about Powwows being celebrations, social gatherings and friendly dance competitions, which are sacred traditions that must be done by someone of that background. How might you behave if you were put in that situation of participating in an event of a tradition with which you are unfamiliar? What would you do?
2. “Music can portray what cannot be spoken” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 352) Have you had any personal experiences where you encountered someone or experienced a group of individuals trying to send out a particular message in an indirect way through a musical soundscape?
3. National anthems around the world all have political backgrounds and stories behind each lyric. Do you feel like music plays an important role in national anthems? If yes, how does music identify the importance of a national anthem and its country that it represents?
4. In the beginning of this chapter the text talks about how music is crucial in helping us understand political power of the past and present through public and hidden musical transcripts. Has there been a time where you felt like political issues completely ignore certain musical soundscapes? If so when? Has there been time where you saw a clear connection between politics and music? If so when and how did that make you feel?
Chapter 10 Reading: “Music and Identity”
Adam Jahanghiri
250925321
Dr. Kari Veblen
University of Western Ontario
Music introduces a variety of different identities. Everyone has their own specific personality trait which can be brought out through certain musical soundscapes. Music has had a massive impact in our history and still has a huge effect on everyone to this day whether we know it or not.
Green Book is an amazing movie which I saw where it expresses racism, and identity through music. This movie was very moving, but it also sent out important messages to the viewers including myself of what was happening back in the deep American South during the 1960s. Leading star actors Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen play roles that were seen to be completely opposite to the traditional 1960s racism lifestyle. Mahershala played the role of a wealthy African-American classical pianist, and Viggo was a poor white Italian father trying to make some money for his family. The one scene that I can relate to this reading was when Viggo being the driver for the African-American’s classical piano tour started to play some 1960s jazz music on the radio. Realizing the discomfort from the African-American, he asked him if he knew any of the following musicians like Armstrong, Freddie Hubbard, and Art Blakey assuming that he must know them due to the color of the artists. To his surprise the classical musician didn’t know any of the following artists, and what he said next was quite eye opening. He stated that the assumption of him being “black” does not mean that he knows “black music”. Connecting certain jazz artists by their racial color to their music is quite inappropriate but back then it was sort of the norm. This clearly shows how particular identities can be connected to music through not only assumptions but the place of where it is happening. I recommend watching this movie if you have the chance.
Music affects individuals in many ways. Experiencing joy to sound, to remembering certain autobiographical events, to interacting through movement, soundscapes are seen in humans constantly. As an undergraduate music student I have experienced listening to most of my peers’ music, because I am interested to hear what they enjoy listening to. This allows me to understand what type of person they are which in turn helps me understand their personality a bit more. It is crazy how music can in some ways identify a person. This is not always true because my playlists on Spotify range through many genres going from classical to pop to jazz to dance, but like most people, associating certain soundscapes to an individual by their taste in music can be quite telling.
Throughout my life I have shared many cultural aspects of my family through music, allowing my identity to be known and clear amongst my friends and teachers. Doing the “war dance” in class during the beginning of the semester allowed everyone to know how important Middle Eastern culture is to me, and how much I respect it. When I was a child in Grade 8, we had Multicultural Day, which was where my mother made delicious Polish pierogis for me to share to the class. This allowed my friends and teachers to understand my European Polish culture as well and the importance behind this traditional dish. I am from a very multicultural family whom have gone through so much so that I can live a free and healthy life, which in turn allows me to study what I love; music in this amazing country Canada.
The one thing that caught my attention while I was reading this chapter was The Multiple Meanings of Karaoke case study. I never knew that it was a Japanese word meaning “empty orchestra”. As a strings player who plays in orchestras, it was very hard for me to understand how Karaoke can have orchestra as part of its definition. Yes, it is defined as an empty orchestra, but using that word means that it involves many different types of instrumentation, which to me is not what Karaoke is all about. “Karaoke….a microphone and playback equipment that amplifies the amateur singer’s live performance of the main vocal part” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 395) is what I believe is Karaoke. Singing lyrics that are shown on a screen brings out personal identities through an individual’s choice of song and the way they sing that particular soundscape. In my opinion Karaoke’s allow people to express feelings and emotions that are hidden from the world during the day, but in turn are brought out during the night. Overall the term is a performance that connects music and identity with great success.
I have experienced many different cultures and identities through musical soundscapes by travelling to amazing countries and islands. One place that I have travelled to twice with my family was Cuba. In Cuba we enjoyed shows every night. These organizations of similar individual interests were all connected through music. What made each night so special were the different shows these Cuban dancers and instrumentalists would put on for the audience. One night it would be Elvis Presley night, the other night would be Michael Jackson night and the following show would be a Disney themed performance. “Music constructs our sense of identity through the direct experiences it offers of the body, time, sociability, experiences which enable us to place ourselves in imaginable cultural narratives.” (Kristine Chukwuma) I found this online by Kristine and the reason I am connecting this with music and identity is due to the fact that it is very true. Music represents experiences for everyone whether they are good or bad, and changes the way one may think of a particular soundscape. For example during the Elvis show I felt like the main Cuban performer’s identity connected perfectly with how Elvis used to present himself on stage back in the day. I was surprised every night by how these performers could change identities with the presence of well-known musical soundscapes familiar in our Westernized culture. This allowed us the audience to feel as if we were witnessing these shows in real life actually watching Michael or Elvis on stage. In my opinion identifying connections between individual cultures and music is the same as connecting particular individual identities to their specific soundscapes.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.
As we have read in this chapter, music has a huge impact through the showing of particular identities. Think about the identities that define your cultural background. How does music play a significant role in that specific identity?
2.
In the beginning of this chapter Shelemay talks about Muzak which is “the customized, recorded music used as background in public spaces, designed to remain below the threshold of focused attention…” (Shelemay, 2015, p. 385) How do you feel about music being so familiarized that in turn makes us look like we are taking it for granted? For example elevator music being played, but we don’t actually appreciate the soundscape that is being presented to us. Should there even be this thing called “background” music?
3.
Shelemay goes through various definitions of Karaoke and the connection it has with particular Asian identities. What were your thoughts on Karaoke before this reading compared to after this reading? Did you know that it was a Japanese word meaning “empty orchestra”? How would you define an empty orchestra?
4.
Recognizing one’s identity can be tough, but with the help of musical soundscapes from an individual’s specific cultural background, makes the guessing game a lot easier. If you were in a classroom of 30 students, what musical assignment or activity would you use to allow every student to express their cultural identity?