I like the way that Hernandez describes how authenticity is different in relation to world music than it is to world beat. We learn that within the realm of world music, one would base the degree of a work’s authenticity on the prevalence of the traditional elements. The use of customary patterns and instruments contributes to how the piece is viewed. However, when evaluating a piece in the world beat spectrum, it is not necessarily how similar it is to an established work but how much effort is made to embody the original culture. For example, while the instrumentation may be different, a musical work would be considered authentic if the lyrics and/or costumes reflected the struggles or customs that those who came before had experienced.
I associate the world beat view of authenticity to the “invention of tradition.” Instead of striving to flawlessly recreate music from past generations, those in the world beat arena are creating new music that embodies the same elements that have been stressed for generations. While the culture is not mirrored, it is in no way lost. Instead, it is “updated” and “reinvented” so as to be more appealing to younger generations.
It is my sense that in the world today, there is much more of the world beat view than the world music view. I am curious as to whether the ability to record and preserve music has had an effect on this shift. Now that we can record music with such ease, is there less of a need to recreate music exactly as it was when it was written?
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Miller Questions 2004
How do you stand on the issue of progress in the Sacred Harp community? Do you think that changes should be made to incorporate advancements in the musical world or do you think that keeping the traditional tunes alive is most important?
It seems that the Sacred Harp community takes pride in welcoming newcomers. When I attended singings at Brown, I was very well-received and wasn’t seen as a beginner who someone had to teach. Have you found that this is true of all groups? Are traditionalists and progressives both welcoming or is one group more open than the other?
Discussion Question
You mention that many singers will add their own harmonies to songs that they know well. Is this disrespectful to the composer? Parts are written so that everyone knows what to play and so that a particular sound is produced. Don’t these added parts contradict this notion?
It seems that the Sacred Harp community takes pride in welcoming newcomers. When I attended singings at Brown, I was very well-received and wasn’t seen as a beginner who someone had to teach. Have you found that this is true of all groups? Are traditionalists and progressives both welcoming or is one group more open than the other?
Discussion Question
You mention that many singers will add their own harmonies to songs that they know well. Is this disrespectful to the composer? Parts are written so that everyone knows what to play and so that a particular sound is produced. Don’t these added parts contradict this notion?
Campbell Critical Review
In “Old Can Be Used Instead of New,” Campbell tells the story of the evolution of Sacred Harp singing. We learn that after the Civil War, there were essentially two different camps. One was the progressive camp that had adopted a seven-note system that was a lot like gospel. Many new tunes had been added to these books since the days of The Sacred Harp and new harmonies and melodies that had previously appeared in gospel were showing up as well. These progressives felt that in order to keep Sacred Harp singing alive, changes had to be made. The opposing group was the traditionalists. These people stuck with the traditional four-note system and kept using The Sacred Harp as their tune book. They felt that the inclusions of new tunes and new techniques took away from Sacred Harp singing and just made the art less authentic.
Eventually, Joseph James was able to merge both camps. He converted some of the newer gospel tunes into four-note notation. He recognized that the drastic changes to the songbooks were not well-received but that at the same time, something had to be done to modernize Sacred Harp singing.
Discussion Question
Have there been any recent attempts to modernize Sacred Harp music? If so, how have these movements fared?
Eventually, Joseph James was able to merge both camps. He converted some of the newer gospel tunes into four-note notation. He recognized that the drastic changes to the songbooks were not well-received but that at the same time, something had to be done to modernize Sacred Harp singing.
Discussion Question
Have there been any recent attempts to modernize Sacred Harp music? If so, how have these movements fared?
Neustadt Critical Review
In this article, Robert Neustadt compares two Cuban albums. “The Buena Vista Social Club,” produced by Ry Cooder and “Tremendo,” by Charanga Habenera were both released in 1996. “The Buena Vista Social Club” became the most internationally successful album to ever come out of Cuba while “Tremendo” was the best-selling album in Cuba. Each album represents a completely different style.
“The Buena Vista Social Club” can be seen as representing classical Cuban music. The style on the album is based on the son music that was popular in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Those artists who are featured on the album are all older men and women who are portrayed as having overcome many hardships to attain their success. These “seasoned veterans” are perceived much like the American jazz greats. Their lyrics reference the topics of lost love and the “good old days.”
The members of Charanga Habenera are exactly the opposite. Their style is based around timba music which combines African beats with hip-hop and rap. Charanga Habenera is made up of younger members who claim to depict the new identity of Cuba. Their lyrics criticize the political and social scenes in Cuba. In 1997, Charanga Habenera’s music was banned from Cuban radio for six months after they made sexual gestures and spoke about marijuana use at a televised concert.
In the end, Neustadt explains the effect that “The Buena Vista Social Club” had on Cuban music. Today, in order for Cuban music to make it to an international stage, it has to be reflective of the styles used in “The Buena Vista Social Club.” Thus, we see many new Cuban bands resorting to son music as opposed to new and more innovative styles.
Discussion Question
What would it take for a new style of Cuban music to gain international popularity? Is there a way to popularize timba to the same extent as son?
“The Buena Vista Social Club” can be seen as representing classical Cuban music. The style on the album is based on the son music that was popular in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Those artists who are featured on the album are all older men and women who are portrayed as having overcome many hardships to attain their success. These “seasoned veterans” are perceived much like the American jazz greats. Their lyrics reference the topics of lost love and the “good old days.”
The members of Charanga Habenera are exactly the opposite. Their style is based around timba music which combines African beats with hip-hop and rap. Charanga Habenera is made up of younger members who claim to depict the new identity of Cuba. Their lyrics criticize the political and social scenes in Cuba. In 1997, Charanga Habenera’s music was banned from Cuban radio for six months after they made sexual gestures and spoke about marijuana use at a televised concert.
In the end, Neustadt explains the effect that “The Buena Vista Social Club” had on Cuban music. Today, in order for Cuban music to make it to an international stage, it has to be reflective of the styles used in “The Buena Vista Social Club.” Thus, we see many new Cuban bands resorting to son music as opposed to new and more innovative styles.
Discussion Question
What would it take for a new style of Cuban music to gain international popularity? Is there a way to popularize timba to the same extent as son?
Titon Critical Review
In this piece, Titon compares the written ethnographies to those that have been videoed. He points out that the ethnomusicologist is asked to perform a very difficult task in making the strange familiar yet keeping it strange. The readers will not understand the words and language that the people of a foreign culture would use to describe themselves and thus, the author is forced to translate these terms into a language that the readers will understand. In doing so, the authenticity is lost as these people are no longer understood in their own terms.
Titon suggests that a video can help to preserve this authenticity. With video documentation, the audience can observe these foreign people in their own culture. Although they may not understand what is being said, they can hear the language, observe the people and gain a better perspective of what the culture is actually like. In other words, video representation is more accurate than written representation.
Titon goes on to explain how he and his colleagues went about the filming and editing of Powerhouse of God. He talks about how ideas are thrown out because they have already been utilized, about how to give the viewer the sense that what they are seeing is real and not being acted out. He makes sure that the reader understands that producing a video ethnography is not as easy as simply filming a foreign culture for an extended period of time.
Discussion Question
While the presence of a narrator is necessary in the filming of an ethnography, at what point does narration take away from the authenticity of a film by distracting the viewer from the culture being studied?
Titon suggests that a video can help to preserve this authenticity. With video documentation, the audience can observe these foreign people in their own culture. Although they may not understand what is being said, they can hear the language, observe the people and gain a better perspective of what the culture is actually like. In other words, video representation is more accurate than written representation.
Titon goes on to explain how he and his colleagues went about the filming and editing of Powerhouse of God. He talks about how ideas are thrown out because they have already been utilized, about how to give the viewer the sense that what they are seeing is real and not being acted out. He makes sure that the reader understands that producing a video ethnography is not as easy as simply filming a foreign culture for an extended period of time.
Discussion Question
While the presence of a narrator is necessary in the filming of an ethnography, at what point does narration take away from the authenticity of a film by distracting the viewer from the culture being studied?
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Feld Critical Review
Feld’s piece addresses the issue of ownership in the musical world today. As technology has advanced, it has become easier and easier for musicians to access music from all over the world. Thus, musical cultures that were once completely isolated have started to merge and the world-beat scene has come into existence. As artists with different backgrounds begin to collaborate, the issue of ownership becomes complicated. How can Paul Simon claim to be the owner of Graceland when the vast majority of the music comes from South African musicians? He does contribute his own compositional techniques and ideas and does most of the vocal work but even so, the music is not his. Feld says,
All of the performance styles, grooves, beats, sounds, and genres are South African in identity, whatever other influences they synthesize and incorporate. The contribution of Simon’s lyrics is clearly important and clearly acknowledged, but the distinct, formative influence of these appropriated musical forms on the quality and particularity of the record is downplayed, both conceptually, in the presentation, and physically, in the audio mix.
Feld does not suggest that the South African bands are more entitled than Simon. He simply raises the question of whether any single party can claim to “own” these songs. Feld goes on to cite other examples of artists who sample the works of others and make enormous profits while those who are sampled are left out for the most part.
Discussion Question
How could Paul Simon have gone about writing the liner notes of Graceland in a more respectful and accurate way that reflected the contributions of the bands that he worked with?
All of the performance styles, grooves, beats, sounds, and genres are South African in identity, whatever other influences they synthesize and incorporate. The contribution of Simon’s lyrics is clearly important and clearly acknowledged, but the distinct, formative influence of these appropriated musical forms on the quality and particularity of the record is downplayed, both conceptually, in the presentation, and physically, in the audio mix.
Feld does not suggest that the South African bands are more entitled than Simon. He simply raises the question of whether any single party can claim to “own” these songs. Feld goes on to cite other examples of artists who sample the works of others and make enormous profits while those who are sampled are left out for the most part.
Discussion Question
How could Paul Simon have gone about writing the liner notes of Graceland in a more respectful and accurate way that reflected the contributions of the bands that he worked with?
Hamm Critical Review
Hamm is very critical of Paul Simon’s Graceland. He gives several examples of South African musicians that have “made it” and consequently ventured further and further away from South Africa and its culture. With the opportunity to gain money and fame, these artists spend most of their time abroad and rarely, if ever, return to their homeland. Hamm thinks that these artists who gain popularity have a duty to stay true to their roots and committed to their people. Thus, he finds fault in the lack of political lyrics that are present on Graceland. Ladysmith Black Mambazo is cited as an example of such a group. Hamm describes them as having benefited from the South African government and being “willing to remain abroad as long as it is financially advantageous.” They have no attachment to the black liberation movement and there music is of no help to the South African people.
Discussion Question
How can an artist determine when he or she has made enough of a name for him or herself and that it is time to return home to give back to his or her community?
Discussion Question
How can an artist determine when he or she has made enough of a name for him or herself and that it is time to return home to give back to his or her community?
Meintjes Critical Review
I took particular interest in the passage in which Meintjes discusses nationalism in South Africa. She offers three quotations, one from a local resident, another from an African music critic and the last from an African journalist, each labeling Simon as an intruder. All three embody some sort of protective tendency towards South African music and feel that Simon is invading their culture and exploiting it. Meintjes goes on to explain that those in South Africa recognize that his access to an international audience and virtually unlimited resources makes him a powerful force in the music world and that he is in a position to potentially exploit South African music during and after the making of Graceland. No one in South Africa can make the same claims and thus, South African musicians and non-musicians covet his standing. Meintjes makes it clear that they recognize that some compromises on their part or inevitable in order to gain it [access to an international audience and unlimited resources]. If this is the case, wouldn’t they see Simon’s presence in South Africa as one of these compromises? I understand why he might be seen as an intruder but I would have expected Simon to have been welcomed as the man who would bring popularity and popularity to South African music.
Discussion Question
Do these three people who feel that Simon was an intruder feel as if they were exploited by the making and selling of Graceland? If so, how and how could Simon have gone about things differently so they wouldn’t have felt taken advantage of?
Discussion Question
Do these three people who feel that Simon was an intruder feel as if they were exploited by the making and selling of Graceland? If so, how and how could Simon have gone about things differently so they wouldn’t have felt taken advantage of?
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Presentation Questions
Question for Jake
As a Jew, I’ve spent most of my time in Shul and not in Church. I’ve always enjoyed how the cantor leads the congregation in song. I am under the impression that in Church, the choir performs for those present. Do you feel as if the choir focused mainly on the performance aspect of the music or was there more emphasis placed on the spiritual and religious messages communicated through song?
Question for Ivan
You mentioned in your first set of fieldnotes that Paul had a very non-confrontation approach to dealing with the orchestra during rehearsal. Do you find this effective? Does the orchestra as a whole take on a lackadaisical attitude because of his lack of assertion?
Question for Bryan
I played in a saxophone quartet in high school that didn’t last very long. We played mostly classical music but, as saxophone isn’t really a traditionally classical instrument, we felt somewhat out of place. Do you think the saxtet could expand its repertoire to include more jazz or contemporary music? Do you think that it would be more popular with the public?
Question for Trevor P
It seems to me like Mana’s incorporation into the performing Taiko drummers wasn’t typical. I’m curious about how the group decides when someone is ready to perform. Is there a certain rite of passage in the Taiko world or is it different for each individual group?
Question for Andy
I was struck by the fact that the music that the Klezmer band played was not written down. Do you think this was because it was inconvenient to transcribe the music or because it is easier to learn by ear? With my limited knowledge of Klezmer, I figure that it might be more efficient to learn this music by ear because of how the notes are swung.
Question for Trevor T
In your interview, Jordan Cannady mentions that “the kids all seem to like it, it doesn’t seem to matter whether it's rock and roll, or Old MacDonald, or hillbilly music or country western they all seem to like all of it as long as its done well.” Do you think Jordan would be as adventurous with his song selection if he didn’t have the zoo to help bring in an audience? I can imagine it is nice to have another attraction other than one’s performance to help attract a crowd.
Question for Sang Bin
I’m curious about the way that the men and women are dispersed within this group. Is there are reason that the janggu is played by all females and the book by almost all males or did this just happen by chance?
Question for Ernesto
Do you know how the members of the band who are not of Mexican descent were drawn to the music? Was it simply curiosity or had they been exposed to it before? Also, do they bring different valuable perspectives to the group as a result?
Question for Joe
Without a high standard for musicianship, did you find that the members of AWKapella still had respect for the music that they were performing? If so, how did they communicate this?
Question for Julie
It seems that Nadine is very aware of how emotion and feeling are both communicated through song. Does she encourage those in the choir to take artistic liberties in their singing or does she promote singing the prayers exactly as they are written?
As a Jew, I’ve spent most of my time in Shul and not in Church. I’ve always enjoyed how the cantor leads the congregation in song. I am under the impression that in Church, the choir performs for those present. Do you feel as if the choir focused mainly on the performance aspect of the music or was there more emphasis placed on the spiritual and religious messages communicated through song?
Question for Ivan
You mentioned in your first set of fieldnotes that Paul had a very non-confrontation approach to dealing with the orchestra during rehearsal. Do you find this effective? Does the orchestra as a whole take on a lackadaisical attitude because of his lack of assertion?
Question for Bryan
I played in a saxophone quartet in high school that didn’t last very long. We played mostly classical music but, as saxophone isn’t really a traditionally classical instrument, we felt somewhat out of place. Do you think the saxtet could expand its repertoire to include more jazz or contemporary music? Do you think that it would be more popular with the public?
Question for Trevor P
It seems to me like Mana’s incorporation into the performing Taiko drummers wasn’t typical. I’m curious about how the group decides when someone is ready to perform. Is there a certain rite of passage in the Taiko world or is it different for each individual group?
Question for Andy
I was struck by the fact that the music that the Klezmer band played was not written down. Do you think this was because it was inconvenient to transcribe the music or because it is easier to learn by ear? With my limited knowledge of Klezmer, I figure that it might be more efficient to learn this music by ear because of how the notes are swung.
Question for Trevor T
In your interview, Jordan Cannady mentions that “the kids all seem to like it, it doesn’t seem to matter whether it's rock and roll, or Old MacDonald, or hillbilly music or country western they all seem to like all of it as long as its done well.” Do you think Jordan would be as adventurous with his song selection if he didn’t have the zoo to help bring in an audience? I can imagine it is nice to have another attraction other than one’s performance to help attract a crowd.
Question for Sang Bin
I’m curious about the way that the men and women are dispersed within this group. Is there are reason that the janggu is played by all females and the book by almost all males or did this just happen by chance?
Question for Ernesto
Do you know how the members of the band who are not of Mexican descent were drawn to the music? Was it simply curiosity or had they been exposed to it before? Also, do they bring different valuable perspectives to the group as a result?
Question for Joe
Without a high standard for musicianship, did you find that the members of AWKapella still had respect for the music that they were performing? If so, how did they communicate this?
Question for Julie
It seems that Nadine is very aware of how emotion and feeling are both communicated through song. Does she encourage those in the choir to take artistic liberties in their singing or does she promote singing the prayers exactly as they are written?
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Response to Hope's Response
Hope, it’s interesting that you brought up my statement that ethnomusicology is a sacred field because it deals with the studying of music from other cultures. After rereading my response to your question, I realized that I left that statement hanging at the beginning of the paragraph and never went on to explain what it meant so I’ll take this opportunity to do so.
I consider all forms of art to be sacred. I believe that any form of self-expression, whether it be a painting, a musical composition or a piece of creative writing, reflects the spiritual side of its creator. In this respect, there is an authentic quality to it and thus, it is worthy of respect, whether or not the audience enjoys it.
As ethnomusicology deals directly with music, I believe that those involved in the field must recognize that every work that they hear comes from a certain composer and is therefore representative of someone’s creativity. In addition, because this music if often from foreign cultures, an ethnomusicologist must be aware that there is most likely some sort of significance to the piece being studied that he or she cannot understand. It is very difficult to fully grasp the importance of art in to another people simply because we cannot fully identify with the culture. For example, an outsider attending a Major League Baseball game would most likely not understand the singing of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and would see it as a simple and unimportant tune.
I think you hit the nail on the head with the three reasons that virtual fieldwork was not held in such a high regard when it first became possible. However, as technology has progressed, I agree that it is impossible to successfully argue that virtual fieldwork is not relevant and that anyone who chooses to take this position is either ignorant or is unable to accept change in the field of ethnomusicology.
I consider all forms of art to be sacred. I believe that any form of self-expression, whether it be a painting, a musical composition or a piece of creative writing, reflects the spiritual side of its creator. In this respect, there is an authentic quality to it and thus, it is worthy of respect, whether or not the audience enjoys it.
As ethnomusicology deals directly with music, I believe that those involved in the field must recognize that every work that they hear comes from a certain composer and is therefore representative of someone’s creativity. In addition, because this music if often from foreign cultures, an ethnomusicologist must be aware that there is most likely some sort of significance to the piece being studied that he or she cannot understand. It is very difficult to fully grasp the importance of art in to another people simply because we cannot fully identify with the culture. For example, an outsider attending a Major League Baseball game would most likely not understand the singing of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and would see it as a simple and unimportant tune.
I think you hit the nail on the head with the three reasons that virtual fieldwork was not held in such a high regard when it first became possible. However, as technology has progressed, I agree that it is impossible to successfully argue that virtual fieldwork is not relevant and that anyone who chooses to take this position is either ignorant or is unable to accept change in the field of ethnomusicology.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Critical Review: Back
I was particularly taken with the passage about Eric Burdi. This piece leads the reader through a brief history of Burdi, explaining how he was one of the two founders of Resistance Records and was very influential in the circulation of Resistance, the company’s magazine. In addition, we learn that he was the lead singer in one of America’s leading Nazi bands. I was very surprised to find out that Burdi grew up in an upper-middle-class home. Before reading this article, I was under the impression that skinheads almost unanimously came from struggling households where they were forced to turn elsewhere for purpose and direction. It was hard for me to grasp what would push a child from a family without racist tendencies toward such a violent group.
When music was cited as an instrumental factor in the recruitment of educated people to the skinheads, I finally understood. With the Internet making the transfer of information so easy, people all over the country and all over the world were able to listen to this music at the click of a button. What once required face-to-face contact with a skinhead could now be accomplished without even knowing the person’s name. Music and technology clearly changed the focus of the skinheads’ recruitment and most likely that of many other groups.
Discussion Question: Can music be used more productively to recruit people into various organizations today? For example, could the army compose some sort of song that would stick in people’s heads and attract more to joining the armed forces?
When music was cited as an instrumental factor in the recruitment of educated people to the skinheads, I finally understood. With the Internet making the transfer of information so easy, people all over the country and all over the world were able to listen to this music at the click of a button. What once required face-to-face contact with a skinhead could now be accomplished without even knowing the person’s name. Music and technology clearly changed the focus of the skinheads’ recruitment and most likely that of many other groups.
Discussion Question: Can music be used more productively to recruit people into various organizations today? For example, could the army compose some sort of song that would stick in people’s heads and attract more to joining the armed forces?
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Challenge Question Comment on Response
It seems that we both have a similar problem with the definition of ethnomusicology offered by dictionary.com. I think of the definition as having two parts, the first suggesting that ethnomusicology only refers to “folk and primitive” music and the latter highlighting the importance in studying the role that this music plays in the lives of the people and cultures involved. In my mind, the problem with this definition is in the way that the first section confines the field of ethnomusicology.
Drew has done a very good job in describing how this definition reinforces certain generalizations that are simply unfair to make. Ethnomusicology encompasses so much music that it is impossible to categorize all of it as either belonging to a “primitive” or “folk” group. For example, as technology has evolved, new communities have been created that exist only through the Internet. There is no native region to these communities so the music cannot be folk music and it is being created today so it is certainly not primitive. This first part of the definition is clearly outdated and needs to be revised.
At the same time, I think that the second half of the definition is quite accurate and necessary. It is easy to become absorbed in simply studying the music of another culture and to forget about the culture itself. A true ethnomusicologist spends time with the musicians and the people of the community to see what sort of role the music plays in their lives. For example, it is helpful to know whether a particular piece of music is used in a religious ceremony or whether it is played at a celebration.
One cannot gain an accurate image of the field of ethnomusicology from the definition provided on dictionary.com. Part of it is helpful but the other piece is quite misleading. With a little revision, I believe this definition could be much more accurate.
Drew has done a very good job in describing how this definition reinforces certain generalizations that are simply unfair to make. Ethnomusicology encompasses so much music that it is impossible to categorize all of it as either belonging to a “primitive” or “folk” group. For example, as technology has evolved, new communities have been created that exist only through the Internet. There is no native region to these communities so the music cannot be folk music and it is being created today so it is certainly not primitive. This first part of the definition is clearly outdated and needs to be revised.
At the same time, I think that the second half of the definition is quite accurate and necessary. It is easy to become absorbed in simply studying the music of another culture and to forget about the culture itself. A true ethnomusicologist spends time with the musicians and the people of the community to see what sort of role the music plays in their lives. For example, it is helpful to know whether a particular piece of music is used in a religious ceremony or whether it is played at a celebration.
One cannot gain an accurate image of the field of ethnomusicology from the definition provided on dictionary.com. Part of it is helpful but the other piece is quite misleading. With a little revision, I believe this definition could be much more accurate.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Challenge Question
Ethnomusicology has been revolutionized by the emergence of the “virtual field.” Information that once required days of travel, months of living away from home and the struggles of learning new languages and meeting new people to obtain was suddenly put at the fingertips of anyone with a computer. While some were eager to jump into this new technological world, others hung tightly to the past and were critical of those who strayed from it.
As ethnomusicology is a field that deals with the learning of music from other cultures, there is something sacred about it. The classic approach to fieldwork involved relocating so as to become apart of the culture that was being studied. A researcher would live amongst his or her subjects, hoping to become as embedded into their culture as was possible and consequently, arrive at the most accurate conception of what music meant to them and how it affected daily life. While there is much to gain from this method, there are many hardships that are encountered along the way. Lysloff speaks of the difficulties that “travel, physical hardships and loneliness” [1] posed while he was studying in Java. Obviously, the contrast of this to gathering information from the Internet is like night and day. Living away from home in the midst of a foreign people is the extreme opposite of sitting at home in front of a computer and reading about that same people. Those familiar with the first saw the latter as the lazy way out and as simply cutting corners.
At the time that the Internet first came into existence, it was not a part of everyday society. It was impossible to hold this “virtual fieldwork” in the same regard as “actual fieldwork.” There was not nearly as much information available as there is today and it was impossible to come by an accurate perception of a foreign culture via the computer. For this reason, in addition to the fact that living amongst a people had become such an accepted part of ethnomusicological research, many people within the world of ethnomusicology didn’t consider the “virtual field” to be a suitable place for fieldwork.
As the Internet has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon, this viewpoint needs to be reconsidered. Steve Feld knew that the media was going to have a monumental impact on the world of ethnomusicology. In 1976, he wrote, “I hope to demonstrate that there are innovative and exciting potentials for film in ethnomusicological work, but that reaching these potentials requires attaining a kind of conceptual clarity that does not, at the moment, totally prevail.” [2] I believe that today, this conceptual clarity does exist. Cooley references Miller when he says “the Internet, for example, is a socially embedded phenomenon; the virtuality of the Internet is not separated from reality.” [3] As it is impossible to imagine life without the Internet today, the “virtual field” that it creates cannot help but be acknowledged as legitimate. There is so much information that can be accessed on the computer, including some that most likely could not be obtained while living in another land, that it is now possible to arrive at accurate conclusions about a foreign people. As the Internet has grown, ethnomusicologists have grown to appreciate all it has to offer.
There has been much debate as to the role that the “virtual field” should be allowed to play in the world of ethnomusicology. At first, it was hard to imagine legitimate research based on the Internet and as a result, this work was not considered by many to be respectable fieldwork. However, as this “virtual field” has become a vital part of everyday life, I believe this viewpoint must be reconsidered. Not only has the Internet been able to provide accurate and vital information to people all over the world, but it has also created new cultures, with new musical interests that are now being studied by ethnomusicologists.
[1] Barz, Gregory, Cooley, Timothy. Shadows in the Field 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press, New York, 2008, pp. 91.
[2] Feld, Steven. “Ethnomusicology and Visual Communication.” Ethnomusicology, Vol. 20, No. 2 (May, 1976), pp. 293-325
[3] Barz, Gregory, Cooley, Timothy. Shadows in the Field 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press, New York, 2008, pp. 91.
As ethnomusicology is a field that deals with the learning of music from other cultures, there is something sacred about it. The classic approach to fieldwork involved relocating so as to become apart of the culture that was being studied. A researcher would live amongst his or her subjects, hoping to become as embedded into their culture as was possible and consequently, arrive at the most accurate conception of what music meant to them and how it affected daily life. While there is much to gain from this method, there are many hardships that are encountered along the way. Lysloff speaks of the difficulties that “travel, physical hardships and loneliness” [1] posed while he was studying in Java. Obviously, the contrast of this to gathering information from the Internet is like night and day. Living away from home in the midst of a foreign people is the extreme opposite of sitting at home in front of a computer and reading about that same people. Those familiar with the first saw the latter as the lazy way out and as simply cutting corners.
At the time that the Internet first came into existence, it was not a part of everyday society. It was impossible to hold this “virtual fieldwork” in the same regard as “actual fieldwork.” There was not nearly as much information available as there is today and it was impossible to come by an accurate perception of a foreign culture via the computer. For this reason, in addition to the fact that living amongst a people had become such an accepted part of ethnomusicological research, many people within the world of ethnomusicology didn’t consider the “virtual field” to be a suitable place for fieldwork.
As the Internet has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon, this viewpoint needs to be reconsidered. Steve Feld knew that the media was going to have a monumental impact on the world of ethnomusicology. In 1976, he wrote, “I hope to demonstrate that there are innovative and exciting potentials for film in ethnomusicological work, but that reaching these potentials requires attaining a kind of conceptual clarity that does not, at the moment, totally prevail.” [2] I believe that today, this conceptual clarity does exist. Cooley references Miller when he says “the Internet, for example, is a socially embedded phenomenon; the virtuality of the Internet is not separated from reality.” [3] As it is impossible to imagine life without the Internet today, the “virtual field” that it creates cannot help but be acknowledged as legitimate. There is so much information that can be accessed on the computer, including some that most likely could not be obtained while living in another land, that it is now possible to arrive at accurate conclusions about a foreign people. As the Internet has grown, ethnomusicologists have grown to appreciate all it has to offer.
There has been much debate as to the role that the “virtual field” should be allowed to play in the world of ethnomusicology. At first, it was hard to imagine legitimate research based on the Internet and as a result, this work was not considered by many to be respectable fieldwork. However, as this “virtual field” has become a vital part of everyday life, I believe this viewpoint must be reconsidered. Not only has the Internet been able to provide accurate and vital information to people all over the world, but it has also created new cultures, with new musical interests that are now being studied by ethnomusicologists.
[1] Barz, Gregory, Cooley, Timothy. Shadows in the Field 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press, New York, 2008, pp. 91.
[2] Feld, Steven. “Ethnomusicology and Visual Communication.” Ethnomusicology, Vol. 20, No. 2 (May, 1976), pp. 293-325
[3] Barz, Gregory, Cooley, Timothy. Shadows in the Field 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press, New York, 2008, pp. 91.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Critical Review 8: Miller
Questions for Kiri -
1) Does sacred-harp singing still use the same solfege system that starts with Fa? If so, why is it different than that taught in music theory today? If not, when and why was it changed?
2) How can one distinguish a sacred-harp singer from the North from a sacred-harp singer from the South? Is it the words that are used or the accent or something unique to sacred-harp singing?
Discussion Question -
Why is sacred-harp singing so inviting? Is there a way to make other musical groups as welcoming to newcomers as sacred-harp singing?
1) Does sacred-harp singing still use the same solfege system that starts with Fa? If so, why is it different than that taught in music theory today? If not, when and why was it changed?
2) How can one distinguish a sacred-harp singer from the North from a sacred-harp singer from the South? Is it the words that are used or the accent or something unique to sacred-harp singing?
Discussion Question -
Why is sacred-harp singing so inviting? Is there a way to make other musical groups as welcoming to newcomers as sacred-harp singing?
Challenge Questions
1. How will technology influence the notion of “fieldwork” in the world of ethnomusicology? Will more ethnomusicologists choose to employ the techniques of “armchair ethnomusicology” or will travelling to do one’s fieldwork be as common as it was before the Internet age?
2. Dictionary.com defines ethnomusicology as “the study of folk and primitive music and of their relationship to the peoples and cultures to which they belong.” Should this definition be revised to include modern? What would be a better way to define “ethnomusicology?”
2. Dictionary.com defines ethnomusicology as “the study of folk and primitive music and of their relationship to the peoples and cultures to which they belong.” Should this definition be revised to include modern? What would be a better way to define “ethnomusicology?”
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Critical Review 7: Shelemay
In this piece, Shelemay argues that the lines between musical communities are becoming more and more difficult to define. With communication becoming easier and easier, there is not a discernible area or specific people that can be associated with a particular type of music. She sites the music of the Halabi Jews as an example. The art of the pizmonim, or of setting sacred texts to popular melodies is practiced by those from Brooklyn to Buenos Aires. Clearly, this group is represented in more than one specific area in the world. With communities branching out like the aforementioned, Shelemay argues that the idea that "western music" still exists in a class by itself is now untrue. She says, "the categories of 'Western-music' and 'non-Western music' have disintegrated, if indeed these rubrics ever had the integrity with which they were invested by scholars." Ultimately, it seems that a new title is needed to apply to that which was once "western music."
My question is how this definition can be altered. A great deal of musical scholars take pride in their knowledge of "western music" and often times, one's prowess in this world is determined by such knowledge. With a definition that encompasses more music, will the musically elite be motivated to learn this newly included music or will they simply still consider classical music to be in a league all its own?
My question is how this definition can be altered. A great deal of musical scholars take pride in their knowledge of "western music" and often times, one's prowess in this world is determined by such knowledge. With a definition that encompasses more music, will the musically elite be motivated to learn this newly included music or will they simply still consider classical music to be in a league all its own?
Monday, October 20, 2008
Interview Transcription
Interview with Kevin Patton
Leader of Electroacoustic Improv Ensemble
Sam and Drew: What is your background in music? What instruments do you play? What music do you listen to? What groups are you involved in?
Kevin Patton: I have two masters degrees, one in Jazz studies, and the other in composition and I am working on my PhD here at Brown. For years I worked as a freelance guitarist, performing almost nightly and in recording studios in Houston, Texas. I have performed all over the world.
SD: What inspired you to pursue a career in music? How did you find yourself in the field of electronic music?
KP: I had always been interested in expression and art. I find that the ability to shape what most people would noise into a powerful aesthetic experience is the ultimate challenge. It reminds me that there is a simplicity and beauty in the human ability to communicate, and nothing reveals that better then using unfamiliar materials.
SD: Related to the improv ensemble, what do you hope to accomplish this semester?
KP: I hope to establish a cross instrumental approach to personal music practice, based in improvisation but applicable to all kinds of performance and music creation. There is a mental space akin to ‘being in the zone’ that I want the performers to be able to access. It is my belief that music can be made with a rock and a stick—it is the human participant that creates the sympathetic bonds to the audience. Stripping the familiar away from the students in this course, allows us to focus on that core principle. After this is established, applying this approach to any musical performance will make it more effective.
SD: What is the next step for the members of this group? Is there another level that they are striving to get to?
KP: This group has already progressed very quickly. I hope to begin to move into smaller groups and really make each student have to rely on their own inspiration.
SD: What type of audience does this type of music target?
KP: Anyone interested in an uncommon musical experience.
SD: How will this genre of music progress and become more popular?
KP: This is a difficult question. I am not sure this music could ever become popular, per se. As new instruments are developed and new musicians are able to translate their personal experience into sound, this approach to making music will continue. But this approach and the sounding result, are (in my estimation) clearly outside popular music forms. This music resists commodification; it is long, sounds strange, avoids clearly referential sounds, is not particularly danceable, and may not be pleasurable to a great many people. I think this music will remain on the periphery of the popular music, but an important practice that will find its way into many modes of music production. I believe that the listening and performance skills that are developed in this approach are the fundamental skills for a 21st century music practice.
To the last point, I see this 21th century approach to be defined by the tools that are available to musicians today. Specific technical proficiency on an instrument or the development of traditional compositional expertise is not a prerequisite to the creation of effective music. With today’s computer based tools, musicians can simply use a mouse (or other interface) and trial and error, until a satisfactory result is obtained. This is why my approach to the development of musical proficiency—based in improvisation—is about learning how to listen for and generate a compelling human performance. By limiting the materials to non-referential, abstract sound, I am attempting to achieve a reduced listening approach. It is my belief that this pedagogical approach will create a stronger, more flexible notion of musicianship that will be able to adapt to the needs of contemporary musicians.
Leader of Electroacoustic Improv Ensemble
Sam and Drew: What is your background in music? What instruments do you play? What music do you listen to? What groups are you involved in?
Kevin Patton: I have two masters degrees, one in Jazz studies, and the other in composition and I am working on my PhD here at Brown. For years I worked as a freelance guitarist, performing almost nightly and in recording studios in Houston, Texas. I have performed all over the world.
SD: What inspired you to pursue a career in music? How did you find yourself in the field of electronic music?
KP: I had always been interested in expression and art. I find that the ability to shape what most people would noise into a powerful aesthetic experience is the ultimate challenge. It reminds me that there is a simplicity and beauty in the human ability to communicate, and nothing reveals that better then using unfamiliar materials.
SD: Related to the improv ensemble, what do you hope to accomplish this semester?
KP: I hope to establish a cross instrumental approach to personal music practice, based in improvisation but applicable to all kinds of performance and music creation. There is a mental space akin to ‘being in the zone’ that I want the performers to be able to access. It is my belief that music can be made with a rock and a stick—it is the human participant that creates the sympathetic bonds to the audience. Stripping the familiar away from the students in this course, allows us to focus on that core principle. After this is established, applying this approach to any musical performance will make it more effective.
SD: What is the next step for the members of this group? Is there another level that they are striving to get to?
KP: This group has already progressed very quickly. I hope to begin to move into smaller groups and really make each student have to rely on their own inspiration.
SD: What type of audience does this type of music target?
KP: Anyone interested in an uncommon musical experience.
SD: How will this genre of music progress and become more popular?
KP: This is a difficult question. I am not sure this music could ever become popular, per se. As new instruments are developed and new musicians are able to translate their personal experience into sound, this approach to making music will continue. But this approach and the sounding result, are (in my estimation) clearly outside popular music forms. This music resists commodification; it is long, sounds strange, avoids clearly referential sounds, is not particularly danceable, and may not be pleasurable to a great many people. I think this music will remain on the periphery of the popular music, but an important practice that will find its way into many modes of music production. I believe that the listening and performance skills that are developed in this approach are the fundamental skills for a 21st century music practice.
To the last point, I see this 21th century approach to be defined by the tools that are available to musicians today. Specific technical proficiency on an instrument or the development of traditional compositional expertise is not a prerequisite to the creation of effective music. With today’s computer based tools, musicians can simply use a mouse (or other interface) and trial and error, until a satisfactory result is obtained. This is why my approach to the development of musical proficiency—based in improvisation—is about learning how to listen for and generate a compelling human performance. By limiting the materials to non-referential, abstract sound, I am attempting to achieve a reduced listening approach. It is my belief that this pedagogical approach will create a stronger, more flexible notion of musicianship that will be able to adapt to the needs of contemporary musicians.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Critical Review 6: Nettl
I found Nettl’s opinion about how the composer of a given piece affects its notoriety to be very interesting. Clearly, he believes that one’s opinion of a particular work is largely based on who wrote it. As a scholar, one is respected for the ability to recognize the artistic mind behind a certain piece simply by listening. Nettl says,
The most important feature of a piece is the identity of the composer, and recognizing the composer of what one hears or sees on the page is the surest way of proving membership in musical society.
I believe that notions such as the aforementioned are the reasons why western art music is often left out of the realms that ethnomusicologists study. No one wants to challenge the pedestal on which the great composers stand because they do not have any sort of standing to back of their criticism.
I wonder whether at any point in the future, there will be a composer whose brilliance is acknowledged during his or her lifetime. When this comes to pass, he or she will be able to open a world where these iconic composers may be flawed.
The most important feature of a piece is the identity of the composer, and recognizing the composer of what one hears or sees on the page is the surest way of proving membership in musical society.
I believe that notions such as the aforementioned are the reasons why western art music is often left out of the realms that ethnomusicologists study. No one wants to challenge the pedestal on which the great composers stand because they do not have any sort of standing to back of their criticism.
I wonder whether at any point in the future, there will be a composer whose brilliance is acknowledged during his or her lifetime. When this comes to pass, he or she will be able to open a world where these iconic composers may be flawed.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Waterman Critical Review
I believe that this article is a perfect example of the elitism that is often present in the field of ethnomusicology. Waterman’s first three sentences set the tone that the rest of the piece follows.
There are two reasons why African musical elements have influences the musical styles of the Americas. In the first place, American Negro groups have remained relatively homogeneous with regard to culture patterns and remarkably so with respect to in-group solidarity. This has almost guaranteed the retention of any values not in conflict with the prevailing Euro-American culture pattern.
Right away, Waterman makes it clear that he considers African music and culture to be less civilized than that of Europe and America. He groups all African cultures together by referring to them as “homogeneous” and that the only values that prevailed were those that didn’t overlap with those of Europe of America.
Also, I found it interesting that later on in his piece, Waterman uses harmony and rhythm to separate African music from European music. This relates directly to Hanlsick’s ideas about the hierarchy of musical concepts. He places harmony as the most civilized and cultured part of music theory while rhythm is the lowest.
I tried to find out a little bit more about Richard Waterman and wasn’t able to find much. I am curious as to whether he ever visited Africa. I think of this piece as being written from an etic perspective in that it’s hard for me to believe that someone who had experienced African culture first hand would say such critical things.
There are two reasons why African musical elements have influences the musical styles of the Americas. In the first place, American Negro groups have remained relatively homogeneous with regard to culture patterns and remarkably so with respect to in-group solidarity. This has almost guaranteed the retention of any values not in conflict with the prevailing Euro-American culture pattern.
Right away, Waterman makes it clear that he considers African music and culture to be less civilized than that of Europe and America. He groups all African cultures together by referring to them as “homogeneous” and that the only values that prevailed were those that didn’t overlap with those of Europe of America.
Also, I found it interesting that later on in his piece, Waterman uses harmony and rhythm to separate African music from European music. This relates directly to Hanlsick’s ideas about the hierarchy of musical concepts. He places harmony as the most civilized and cultured part of music theory while rhythm is the lowest.
I tried to find out a little bit more about Richard Waterman and wasn’t able to find much. I am curious as to whether he ever visited Africa. I think of this piece as being written from an etic perspective in that it’s hard for me to believe that someone who had experienced African culture first hand would say such critical things.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Barz Critical Review
I found Barz’s section on the importance of fieldnotes to be very interesting. He talks about the role of fieldnotes as a bridge between one’s research and the ethnography that serves as the culmination of a project. He says,
In my own experience I have found that fieldnotes are integral to both the processes of field research and ethnography – they function as an intermediary point that links the processes of ethnography back to the processes of field research. With fieldnotes acting as such a fluid and malleable intermediary point, boundaries between experience and interpretation become less distinct, allowing ethnography to become more directly linked to experience, and field research to become an integral part of interpretation. (p. 210)
I was surprised that this description reflected exactly the purpose that my fieldntoes served. While sitting in on the electroacoustic improv ensemble, I wrote down many scattered questions and isolated thoughts that came to my mind. While writing up the presentation of these notes, I discovered a path that incorporated just about all of what I had written and pointed me in a direction that I will most likely use as the focus of my ethnography.
Barz clearly believes that one’s fieldnotes are the second step in the creation of an ethnography being preceded by fieldwork and succeeded by the final ethnographic paper. Personally, I feel that fieldnotes should be included in the research category. I think that the creation of fieldnotes is vital in determining the path that one’s research will take. I am curious as to what everyone else thinks about this. Is the creation of fieldnotes really its own step or is it a part of the research?
In my own experience I have found that fieldnotes are integral to both the processes of field research and ethnography – they function as an intermediary point that links the processes of ethnography back to the processes of field research. With fieldnotes acting as such a fluid and malleable intermediary point, boundaries between experience and interpretation become less distinct, allowing ethnography to become more directly linked to experience, and field research to become an integral part of interpretation. (p. 210)
I was surprised that this description reflected exactly the purpose that my fieldntoes served. While sitting in on the electroacoustic improv ensemble, I wrote down many scattered questions and isolated thoughts that came to my mind. While writing up the presentation of these notes, I discovered a path that incorporated just about all of what I had written and pointed me in a direction that I will most likely use as the focus of my ethnography.
Barz clearly believes that one’s fieldnotes are the second step in the creation of an ethnography being preceded by fieldwork and succeeded by the final ethnographic paper. Personally, I feel that fieldnotes should be included in the research category. I think that the creation of fieldnotes is vital in determining the path that one’s research will take. I am curious as to what everyone else thinks about this. Is the creation of fieldnotes really its own step or is it a part of the research?
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Field Notes (part 1)
I walked into the first class on Wednesday night and knew that I was about to enter a world completely foreign to me. On one side was a kid with a 12-string guitar and a bow that he was using to play it. Next to him was someone with a digital turntable and beside him was a guy plucking the strings inside a mini-grand piano. Needless to say, I was a little intimidated.
After everyone was set up, Kevin Patton, the graduate student in charge of the electroacoustic improv ensemble, began a discussion about form. With a background in classical music, I was expecting there to be a strict outline of modulations and cadences but then again, I was in a completely different world. The first form that we discussed was called "addition." One person would start with a simple rhythmic pattern, often times using only one note and the rest would follow, one at a time, until each person was playing his own part that was based on the original phrase. The ensemble then demonstrated this form, with the bassist starting off and then controlling the volume and tempo for the entirety of the exercise.
The next form that was reviewed was imitation. When this term was brought up, I didn't feel like a fish out of water anymore. Much like a theme and variation or a sequence, this musical method revolved around one central theme. As before, one person began the exercise with a simple line. After it had been repeated several times, the rest of the ensemble joined in as a rhythm section. Without any sort of verbal communication, the person playing the theme would fade out into the rhythm section and someone else would step up and imitate the melody. This original line rotated through every band member until it was back to the creator. As if on cue, everyone faded out together.
Finally, to close out the session we did an exercise in counting rhythms. This surprised me as I hadn’t picked up on any blatant counted rhythms and I decided to participate. I thought that during both exercises, the musical lines that had been used were completely out of time and didn’t fall into any sort of meter. Nonetheless, we began to experiment with counting 5/8 meter. First stressing the first and fourth beats being that each measure was divided into a group of three and then a group of two. Then we reversed the groups so the two came first and the three last. Finally, we each were responsible for accenting a different beat. We used different syllables for each pulse and the result was interesting. Instead of sounding like an exercise in rhythm, we sounded as if we were creating a new piece of music.
By the end of the session, I felt much more in tune with what was going on. Instead of listening for harmonic chords and transposed melodies, I was learning to recognize more subdued sounds. The breathing through the saxophone, the soft scraping of the scissors on the bass strings, the bow on the guitar and the plucking of the piano strings took on a meaning other than just a mistake. Knowing full well that these methods were all practiced and performed forced me to open up to another type of music.
After everyone was set up, Kevin Patton, the graduate student in charge of the electroacoustic improv ensemble, began a discussion about form. With a background in classical music, I was expecting there to be a strict outline of modulations and cadences but then again, I was in a completely different world. The first form that we discussed was called "addition." One person would start with a simple rhythmic pattern, often times using only one note and the rest would follow, one at a time, until each person was playing his own part that was based on the original phrase. The ensemble then demonstrated this form, with the bassist starting off and then controlling the volume and tempo for the entirety of the exercise.
The next form that was reviewed was imitation. When this term was brought up, I didn't feel like a fish out of water anymore. Much like a theme and variation or a sequence, this musical method revolved around one central theme. As before, one person began the exercise with a simple line. After it had been repeated several times, the rest of the ensemble joined in as a rhythm section. Without any sort of verbal communication, the person playing the theme would fade out into the rhythm section and someone else would step up and imitate the melody. This original line rotated through every band member until it was back to the creator. As if on cue, everyone faded out together.
Finally, to close out the session we did an exercise in counting rhythms. This surprised me as I hadn’t picked up on any blatant counted rhythms and I decided to participate. I thought that during both exercises, the musical lines that had been used were completely out of time and didn’t fall into any sort of meter. Nonetheless, we began to experiment with counting 5/8 meter. First stressing the first and fourth beats being that each measure was divided into a group of three and then a group of two. Then we reversed the groups so the two came first and the three last. Finally, we each were responsible for accenting a different beat. We used different syllables for each pulse and the result was interesting. Instead of sounding like an exercise in rhythm, we sounded as if we were creating a new piece of music.
By the end of the session, I felt much more in tune with what was going on. Instead of listening for harmonic chords and transposed melodies, I was learning to recognize more subdued sounds. The breathing through the saxophone, the soft scraping of the scissors on the bass strings, the bow on the guitar and the plucking of the piano strings took on a meaning other than just a mistake. Knowing full well that these methods were all practiced and performed forced me to open up to another type of music.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Titon Critical Review
Throughout his chapter, Titon emphasizes the importance of immersing one's self in a musical environment. He says "a phenomenological epistemology for ethnomusicology arises from our experiences of music and fieldwork, knowing people making music." He puts a lot of effort into describing the difference between simply hearing or playing music and being surrounded by music and becoming a part of it. Obviously, he supports the notion of getting out in the field and being able to communicate an experiental persepctive as opposed to simply relaying information such as transcriptions and analyses.
Titon goes on to discuss how technology can be helpful in relaying these first-hand experiences to an audience. He suggests that a video with a sound can be used to put the audience in the shoes of the fieldworker and open them up to the conclusions that have been made while in the field. "A phenomenological approach to filmmaking attempts to involve the the viewer by evoking and reflecting on the experiences and relationships that obtain in a musical community."
In my mind, technology is starting to have a new and different effect on ethnomusicology. As contact over far distances has become so much easier, new communities are being formed. Instead of forming a community based solely around location, more and more special-interest groups are being formed. It is much easier to meet and establish a relationship with a man in India who shares a common love for second-wave ska than it was thirty years ago. As a result, there might not be an area that an ethnomusicologist can travel to with the intention of working in the field. Instead, he or she would integrate him or herself into the internet community.
Discussion Question: As these special-interest internet communities continue to grow, will one be able to get the same sense of pleasure and meaning out of working in a virtual field as he or she would by working amongst a group of people? Can one gain the same experience and understanding of this music as from music heard in person?
Titon goes on to discuss how technology can be helpful in relaying these first-hand experiences to an audience. He suggests that a video with a sound can be used to put the audience in the shoes of the fieldworker and open them up to the conclusions that have been made while in the field. "A phenomenological approach to filmmaking attempts to involve the the viewer by evoking and reflecting on the experiences and relationships that obtain in a musical community."
In my mind, technology is starting to have a new and different effect on ethnomusicology. As contact over far distances has become so much easier, new communities are being formed. Instead of forming a community based solely around location, more and more special-interest groups are being formed. It is much easier to meet and establish a relationship with a man in India who shares a common love for second-wave ska than it was thirty years ago. As a result, there might not be an area that an ethnomusicologist can travel to with the intention of working in the field. Instead, he or she would integrate him or herself into the internet community.
Discussion Question: As these special-interest internet communities continue to grow, will one be able to get the same sense of pleasure and meaning out of working in a virtual field as he or she would by working amongst a group of people? Can one gain the same experience and understanding of this music as from music heard in person?
Monday, September 22, 2008
SEM History
By browsing the issues of Ethnomusicology in the 1950’s, one can formulate a pretty accurate idea of how the Society for Ethnomusicology evolved. The progression of articles shows how the society started off small and simple and, as time went on and the number of subscribers increased, it grew to address specific issues and incorporate a more worldly focus.
The first issue of Ethnomusicology, published in December of 1953, is short and sweet and takes the form of a newsletter as opposed to a magazine. In its short ten pages, we find a formal introduction to the Society for Ethnomusicology explaining how and why it was formed. Willard Rhodes, the founder of the society, writes,
It must be emphasized that the present effort is the prerogative of no individual or group of individuals rather, the project is conceived as the joint effort of all those interested in seeing contact reestablished among ethnomusicologists.
This objective is clearly reflected in the contents of the publication. We find short updates on what various members of the ethnomusicology community are studying and also a section where those involved in the society and in the magazine can ask for assistance in their research. The aim of establishing a way for the world of ethnomusicologists to communicate is obvious.
The publications continue in this formal and informative manner until the September 1956 issue when the first reviews appear. Also in the issue, the first research-based article appears on African American music in the southern US. By May of 1957, these articles outnumber those formal informative pieces and by the end of the 1950’s, the fifty-page issues contain an eclectic collection of articles from the “African Hemiola Style” to a piece on the cassette tape as the new medium of music storage.
By this point, I think that the publishers are not as anxious as they might have been when the first issue was released. With the knowledge that the American Society for Comparative Musicology disintegrated only a couple years before the Society for Ethnomusicology was founded, there was definitely a pressure to make sure that their society didn’t meet the same fate. The overly formal tone that was present to establish a professional reputation has been dropped and there are articles present that might even appeal to those outside the specific realm of ethnomusicology.
Over the next forty years, Ethnomusicology continued to evolve. We’ve seen the length of the magazine increase from ten pages to almost two hundred. Issues that used to be composed of mainly bibliographies and introductions have given way to those dominated by reviews on music, art and video. Even as an outsider to the field of ethnomusicology, I was able to understand and find interest in most of the articles in the more recent publications. One can see that Ethnomusicology has grown to embody the Society for Ethnomusicology in that it is “multidisciplinary in concept and worldwide in scope.”
*quotes are from the SEM's website*
The first issue of Ethnomusicology, published in December of 1953, is short and sweet and takes the form of a newsletter as opposed to a magazine. In its short ten pages, we find a formal introduction to the Society for Ethnomusicology explaining how and why it was formed. Willard Rhodes, the founder of the society, writes,
It must be emphasized that the present effort is the prerogative of no individual or group of individuals rather, the project is conceived as the joint effort of all those interested in seeing contact reestablished among ethnomusicologists.
This objective is clearly reflected in the contents of the publication. We find short updates on what various members of the ethnomusicology community are studying and also a section where those involved in the society and in the magazine can ask for assistance in their research. The aim of establishing a way for the world of ethnomusicologists to communicate is obvious.
The publications continue in this formal and informative manner until the September 1956 issue when the first reviews appear. Also in the issue, the first research-based article appears on African American music in the southern US. By May of 1957, these articles outnumber those formal informative pieces and by the end of the 1950’s, the fifty-page issues contain an eclectic collection of articles from the “African Hemiola Style” to a piece on the cassette tape as the new medium of music storage.
By this point, I think that the publishers are not as anxious as they might have been when the first issue was released. With the knowledge that the American Society for Comparative Musicology disintegrated only a couple years before the Society for Ethnomusicology was founded, there was definitely a pressure to make sure that their society didn’t meet the same fate. The overly formal tone that was present to establish a professional reputation has been dropped and there are articles present that might even appeal to those outside the specific realm of ethnomusicology.
Over the next forty years, Ethnomusicology continued to evolve. We’ve seen the length of the magazine increase from ten pages to almost two hundred. Issues that used to be composed of mainly bibliographies and introductions have given way to those dominated by reviews on music, art and video. Even as an outsider to the field of ethnomusicology, I was able to understand and find interest in most of the articles in the more recent publications. One can see that Ethnomusicology has grown to embody the Society for Ethnomusicology in that it is “multidisciplinary in concept and worldwide in scope.”
*quotes are from the SEM's website*
Clifford Critical Review
In the middle of his piece, Clifford addresses how a written account of a certain performance cannot connect the reader with the performers involved. He says,
A textualized ritual or event is no longer closely linked to the production of that event by specific actors. Instead these texts become evidences of an englobing context, a "cultural" reality. Moreover, as specific authors and actors are severed from their productions, a generalized "author" must be invented to account for the world or context within which the texts are fictionally. (page 39)
Obviously, one takes away a different experience from attending an actual performance than reading someone’s account of it after it has taken place. The reader does not have any sort of relationship with the performers and instead, connects with the author of the piece that he or she is reading.
In Professor Subotnik’s Writing in Music Seminar, we discussed the popular ways of textualizing music. In many instances, writers use metaphors to try to convey an image or impression that they have gotten from a musical performance. This may be a viable strategy for a contemporary work but one runs into trouble as the time between the actual performance and the readings of their work increases. As time passes, metaphors come and go. It is unlikely that one of us would read a review of a performance given 100 years ago and identify with the descriptive language and comparative metaphors that the author used.
DISCUSSION QUESTION
Is there a better way to textualize music than to use metaphors and comparative language? Also, as technology expands, will this problem disappear as we will have video recordings of virtually all musical performances from here on out?
A textualized ritual or event is no longer closely linked to the production of that event by specific actors. Instead these texts become evidences of an englobing context, a "cultural" reality. Moreover, as specific authors and actors are severed from their productions, a generalized "author" must be invented to account for the world or context within which the texts are fictionally. (page 39)
Obviously, one takes away a different experience from attending an actual performance than reading someone’s account of it after it has taken place. The reader does not have any sort of relationship with the performers and instead, connects with the author of the piece that he or she is reading.
In Professor Subotnik’s Writing in Music Seminar, we discussed the popular ways of textualizing music. In many instances, writers use metaphors to try to convey an image or impression that they have gotten from a musical performance. This may be a viable strategy for a contemporary work but one runs into trouble as the time between the actual performance and the readings of their work increases. As time passes, metaphors come and go. It is unlikely that one of us would read a review of a performance given 100 years ago and identify with the descriptive language and comparative metaphors that the author used.
DISCUSSION QUESTION
Is there a better way to textualize music than to use metaphors and comparative language? Also, as technology expands, will this problem disappear as we will have video recordings of virtually all musical performances from here on out?
Fieldwork Topic
For our presentation, Drew and I will be researching the Electroacoustic Improv Ensemble here at Brown. This group is overseen by Professor Joseph Rovan and is described as follows:
An ensemble devoted to free improvisation with new media. Experimental approaches to sound and focused listening techniques are explored with acoustic instruments, live electronics, real-time video, together with networked improvisation, and more.
Drew and I plan to attend several of the weekly rehearsals and also to interview Professor Rovan as well as a few group members. As of right now, we are not sure of the exact performance dates but we will definitely make sure to be in attendance. In regards to the transcription, I don’t think that one is able to use classical notation to represent electronic music so we will have to find another way to record what we hear.
A few questions that we plan to look into are as follows:
- How does the musicality of electronic music relate to that of performance instruments?
- Is there any relation between electroacoustic improv to jazz improv?
- Is there a particular culture that dominates the ensemble and if so, why?
- Do the musicians have backgrounds in other instruments or are they specifically electronic musicians?
Personally, I am very excited to compare this improvisation to that in jazz. I have never been too receptive to electronic music and I hope that this work will open my eyes to the musicality involved in working with computers and music.
An ensemble devoted to free improvisation with new media. Experimental approaches to sound and focused listening techniques are explored with acoustic instruments, live electronics, real-time video, together with networked improvisation, and more.
Drew and I plan to attend several of the weekly rehearsals and also to interview Professor Rovan as well as a few group members. As of right now, we are not sure of the exact performance dates but we will definitely make sure to be in attendance. In regards to the transcription, I don’t think that one is able to use classical notation to represent electronic music so we will have to find another way to record what we hear.
A few questions that we plan to look into are as follows:
- How does the musicality of electronic music relate to that of performance instruments?
- Is there any relation between electroacoustic improv to jazz improv?
- Is there a particular culture that dominates the ensemble and if so, why?
- Do the musicians have backgrounds in other instruments or are they specifically electronic musicians?
Personally, I am very excited to compare this improvisation to that in jazz. I have never been too receptive to electronic music and I hope that this work will open my eyes to the musicality involved in working with computers and music.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Critical Review of Shelemay
I took particular interest in the Shelemay's passage about the similarities between secular melodies. She describes how she was asked by a leader of the Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn to write a letter from a professional standpoint that would console those rabbis who were concerned that many of the melodies that were used in the pizmonim were borrowed from other secular tunes. Instead of refuting this claim and offering arguments that the melodies were original, Shelemay explains that the adoption of melodies from other peoples and using them in the creation one's own cultural music is natural. She says,
Music is always part of the surrounding cultural milieu and I know of no tradition that is "pure" and does not borrow a variety of things with which it is in contact. The very nature of musical expression is that it is transmitted from person to person across geographic, social, and cultural boundaries.
Most cultures that are still seen today have borrowed something, whether it be a recipe, a prayer or in this case, a melody, from a people that existed before them. It is almost impossible for a culture to evolve void of any influence from an already existent people. For this reason, Shelemay said, the Syrian Jews did not have to worry about the legitimacy of their pizmonim.
DISCUSSION QUESTION
In Tuesday's class, we began to discuss what constituted a tradition. The question of how long something had to be in practice before it could be considered traditional was raised and the answer of 3 generations was discussed. I am curious as to unique a given practice must be for a people to claim it as their own. I agree with Shelemay that if it is only the melody that is borrowed, a piece of music with different words can be considered a new work. However, is this the limit? Can lyrics be borrowed as well? At what point does it become plagiarizing and not borrowing?
Thursday, September 11, 2008
24 Hour Music Log
Okay so here goes my first blog post ever. Below is a list of all the music that I heard in the 24-hour period between 9 PM on September 5 and 9 PM September 6. I wasn't sure about the best way to format this being that there is no way to post charts so bear with me.
9:00 PM --> American Pie by Don Mclean (dorm room from roomate's speakers)
9:15 - 9:45 --> Now's the Time by Charlie Parker (dorm room from my tenor sax)
10:00 - 10:45 --> Ever True to Brown by James Andrews DeWolf, I Touch Myself by The Divinyls, Stacy's Mom by Fountains of Wayne, Don't Stop Believin' by Journey, Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations, Ever True to Brown by James Andrews DeWolf (all played in Wristan Quad by the Brown Band)
11:00 PM - 12:30 AM --> Fijate Bien by Juanes, Fuego by Pitbull, Go Girl by Pitbull, In the Ayer by Flo Rida, Mr. Carter by Lil Wayne, Got Money by Lil Wayne, My Life by Lil Wayne, The Anthem by Pitbull, All for One from High School Musical II, Our House by Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Demons by Guster, Nada Valgo Sin Tu Amor by Juanes, La Camisa Negra by Juanes, Prendiendo Fuego by Alan, Nadie Te Tira by Ozomatli, La Noche by Juanes, Heard the World by OAR, Lavios Compartidos by Mana (all played in my dorm room from my roomate's speakers)
12:30 - 2:00 --> Hero by Nas, No Matter What DJ by T.I., Viva la White Girl by Gym Class Heroes, Put on by Young Jeezy, Stand Up Guy by T.I., My LIfe by The Game, Swagger Like Us by T.I., Whatever You Like by T.I., Trap Star by Young Jeezy, Boss Life by Snoop Dogg, I Luv It by Young Jeezy, What It Is by Nas, Peace Sign by Gym Class Heroes, Ain't Sayin' Nothing by Fat Joe, Giant by Slum Village, Fried Chicken by Nas, Miscommunication by Timbaland, What Up by T.I., Cookie Jar by Gym Class Heroes (all played in the Phi Psi Lounge through their DJ speakers)
2:15 - 2:45 --> Chopin's Prelude in e minor played by Martha Argerich (Sears kitchen through my computer)
2:55 --> My Love by Me (i sing to myself in the Sear's bathroom)
zzzzzzzz SLEEP zzzzzzzz
11:45 --> Sportscenter Theme Music (in my dorm room from the TV)
11:50 --> Sportcenter Top 10 Montage Music (in my dorm room from the TV)
12:20 PM - 12:30 --> Numb by Jay-Z and Linkin Park, Bullet by Citizen Cope (in Alex Baker's Car from the stereo)
1:40 --> somebody's ringtone hip-hop/rap ringtone (at the tennis courts from a phone)
5:30 --> some european techno club mix (in Alex Baker's Car from the stereo)
6:15 - 8:15 --> Beethoven's Fifth Symphony conducted by Leonard Bernstein, Chopin's Prelude in e minor performed by Martha Argerich, Schubert Waltzes performed by Paolo Bordoni (all in my dorm room from my computer)
So that's what I heard in 24 hours. I don't know if that's a lot or not so much but it is definitely cool to see how much of my day is spent listening to music, whether consciously or subconsciously.
9:00 PM --> American Pie by Don Mclean (dorm room from roomate's speakers)
9:15 - 9:45 --> Now's the Time by Charlie Parker (dorm room from my tenor sax)
10:00 - 10:45 --> Ever True to Brown by James Andrews DeWolf, I Touch Myself by The Divinyls, Stacy's Mom by Fountains of Wayne, Don't Stop Believin' by Journey, Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations, Ever True to Brown by James Andrews DeWolf (all played in Wristan Quad by the Brown Band)
11:00 PM - 12:30 AM --> Fijate Bien by Juanes, Fuego by Pitbull, Go Girl by Pitbull, In the Ayer by Flo Rida, Mr. Carter by Lil Wayne, Got Money by Lil Wayne, My Life by Lil Wayne, The Anthem by Pitbull, All for One from High School Musical II, Our House by Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Demons by Guster, Nada Valgo Sin Tu Amor by Juanes, La Camisa Negra by Juanes, Prendiendo Fuego by Alan, Nadie Te Tira by Ozomatli, La Noche by Juanes, Heard the World by OAR, Lavios Compartidos by Mana (all played in my dorm room from my roomate's speakers)
12:30 - 2:00 --> Hero by Nas, No Matter What DJ by T.I., Viva la White Girl by Gym Class Heroes, Put on by Young Jeezy, Stand Up Guy by T.I., My LIfe by The Game, Swagger Like Us by T.I., Whatever You Like by T.I., Trap Star by Young Jeezy, Boss Life by Snoop Dogg, I Luv It by Young Jeezy, What It Is by Nas, Peace Sign by Gym Class Heroes, Ain't Sayin' Nothing by Fat Joe, Giant by Slum Village, Fried Chicken by Nas, Miscommunication by Timbaland, What Up by T.I., Cookie Jar by Gym Class Heroes (all played in the Phi Psi Lounge through their DJ speakers)
2:15 - 2:45 --> Chopin's Prelude in e minor played by Martha Argerich (Sears kitchen through my computer)
2:55 --> My Love by Me (i sing to myself in the Sear's bathroom)
zzzzzzzz SLEEP zzzzzzzz
11:45 --> Sportscenter Theme Music (in my dorm room from the TV)
11:50 --> Sportcenter Top 10 Montage Music (in my dorm room from the TV)
12:20 PM - 12:30 --> Numb by Jay-Z and Linkin Park, Bullet by Citizen Cope (in Alex Baker's Car from the stereo)
1:40 --> somebody's ringtone hip-hop/rap ringtone (at the tennis courts from a phone)
5:30 --> some european techno club mix (in Alex Baker's Car from the stereo)
6:15 - 8:15 --> Beethoven's Fifth Symphony conducted by Leonard Bernstein, Chopin's Prelude in e minor performed by Martha Argerich, Schubert Waltzes performed by Paolo Bordoni (all in my dorm room from my computer)
So that's what I heard in 24 hours. I don't know if that's a lot or not so much but it is definitely cool to see how much of my day is spent listening to music, whether consciously or subconsciously.
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