Music of China & Indonesia

2277 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Music is a universal language

China and Indonesia are located in the Southeast Asia. They both are big countries, consisting of many cultures with musical traditions. China This is the body of vocal and instrumental music composed and played by the Chinese people. For several thousand years Chinese culture was dominated by the teachings of the philosopher Confucius, who conceived of music in the highest sense as a means of calming the passions and of dispelling unrest and lust, rather than as a form of amusement. The ancient Chinese belief that music is meant not to amuse but to purify one's thoughts finds particular expression in the cult of the qin, a long zither possessing a repertory calling for great subtlety and refinement in performance and still popular among a small circle of scholar-musicians. A famous Qin scholar once said, "Though the qin player's body be in a gallery or in a hall, his mind should dwell with the forests and streams." (Kovskaya Maya, 2000) Also, traditionally the Chinese have believed that sound influences the harmony of the universe. Significantly, one of the most important duties of the first emperor of each new dynasty was to search out and establish that dynasty's true standard of pitch. A result of this philosophical orientation was that until quite recently the Chinese theoretically opposed music performed solely for entertainment; accordingly, musical entertainers were relegated to an extremely low social status. (Kuo Kaiser, 2002) Melody and tone color are prominent expressive features of Chinese music, and great emphasis is given to the proper articulation and inflection of each musical tone. Most Chinese music is based on the five-tone, or pentatonic, scale, but the seven-tone, or heptatonic, scale, is also used, often as... ... middle of paper ... ...lled by the drum layer, and paraphrased through different types of melodic variations by the elaborating layers and the vocal-tone layer. The elaborating layers are two, one suitable for a rigorous and rhythmic loud-playing style and one for a more subtle and refined soft-playing style. Conclusion Both the big countries, China and Indonesia, have rich musical heritage. They play different complex musical instruments. The soft kind of music is common between both the countries. References China Seeks Managers' Advice.; By: KOVSKAYA, MAYA., Billboard, 11/18/2000, Vol. 112 Issue 47, p10, 1/3p Music.; By: I.C.., Mother Jones, Sep/Oct98, Vol. 23 Issue 5, p84, 2p, 1c; When pink turns to blue.; By: Doskoch, Peter., Psychology Today, Mar/Apr97, Vol. 30 Issue 2, p12 Woodstock East' Has Music and Lots of Mud.; By: Kuo, Kaiser., Time, 9/2/2002, Vol. 160 Issue 10, p8

Show More
Related

  • Pre-1600 Styles in European Art Music

    905 Words  | 2 Pages

    1. Music is a strictly local expression, rich in variety since each culture expresses affective differences through art, 2. Music is a poetic process--complex, vague, and irrational--based upon borrowed traditional musical materials (melodies, rhythms, forms, etc.), 3. Music is for a religious, elitist-class performer who can understand and appreciate its mysterious nature and power, 4. Music is played softly in intimate gatherings, 5. Music making is the activity of Everyman, exacting the talents of variously trained amateurs who, with industry and practice, decorate their recreation and leisure in moments of social intercourse.

    Read More

  • The History of Music

    1756 Words  | 4 Pages

    Music has been around since the dawn of time, ever since man first inhabited this planet we have learned to communicate in ways other then conventional speaking. Different Cultures all have there own specific way of communicating through music. Music is basically broken into two specific groups Eastern Music and Western Music. Eastern music is mainly derived from the orient and India. While, Western music first emerged from Europe. Western music has developed in many ways since the middle ages through its form, sound, and message.

    Read More

  • Music in Tibet

    4239 Words  | 9 Pages

    Music is a part of everyday life for almost everyone in the world. Music provides us with enjoyment and relaxation, and can be used in many ways by many different people. Some may use it to calm down after a long, hard day, while others use it for religious purposes or still others in and attempt to try and forget something that hasn’t been favorable to them. The possibilities are endless, for music is one language that can be transmitted to all people of the world, no matter their nationality, and it can be understood by everyone. Tibet is no different than any other place in the world, as it has music that serves the purpose of the people who live there. While most music in Tibet is religious, secular music still exists and is still a part of life there. Tibetan music has played an important role in shaping who the Tibetan people have become today by giving themselves different ways to express who they are, through the use of differing instruments and styles of music, and has allowed other people from around the world the opportunity to look at Tibetan culture through their music.

    Read More

  • How Musical Is Man By John Blacking

    636 Words  | 2 Pages

    “How Musical is Man?” was published in 1974. This book was written by John Blacking, a musician turned social anthropologist. His goal in writing this ethnography, and several other papers during this same time period, was to compare the experience of music-making that takes place within different cultures and societies throughout the world. In this book, he discusses and describes the musicology of the Venda people in South Africa. Though he does go to Africa to research and learn about the Venda people and their music, he specifically states that his book is “not a scholarly study of human musicality” (ix), but rather it is a summary (written from his point of view), which is both expressive and entertaining, of several different issues and ideas that he has seemingly been contemplating for some time.

    Read More

  • Music as a Tool of Protest and Social Change

    1915 Words  | 4 Pages

    "Music is a common experience and a large part of societies. In fact, anthropologists note that all human communities at all times and in all places, have engaged in musical behaviours. Music as a mode of human activity is a cultural phenomenon constituting a fundamental social entity as humans create music and create their relationship to music. As cultural phenomeno...

    Read More

  • Music and Cultural Identity

    1236 Words  | 3 Pages

    Music plays a huge role in the structure of a society. It can have both negative and positive influence on cultures and communities. First, musical sounds and instruments can be a dividing factor between the people within the same culture. These opposing social and economic identities within these cultures can lead unnecessary animosity between the members. However, music can also be one of the forces that unite members of a culture and provide a sense pride for everyone. This makes it easier for people to display their identification to that culture.

    Read More

  • Confucius and Confucianism

    850 Words  | 2 Pages

    China is a country with a vast cultural and historical background. It is a country with four billon people with extreme cultural diversity, which is nourished by different philosophies of its own. These philosophies are the beginning ideas of Chinese morality and spiritual belief, which were enriched by different intellectual heroes like Confucius.

    Read More

  • Canadian Music Culture

    781 Words  | 2 Pages

    Music is an important part of identity, as it evolves with the people it represents. It creates an identity which is not only heard and seen, but also felt. This is why music has always been an integral part of culture. It is also an important tool in myth building because of its power to effect individuals personally and uniquely, while being created for all. It recreates memories and evokes emotions without words. In this way music is international, it is the language which everyone speaks, because it is the language of emotion. It can be understood by all, and so a group’s musical culture is significant in creating and displaying their identity.

    Read More

  • The Influence of Rap and Hip-Hop on Music and Pop Culture

    566 Words  | 2 Pages

    many cultures view as an important part in their way of life. Music ranges from strictly

    Read More

  • Comparison of African, Indonesian, and Indian Music

    669 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the semester, various styles of music and the aspects of culture associated with these styles have been analyzed. Musical elements such as dynamics, texture, form, timbre, melody, instruments, etc., have been used to thoroughly explore each kind of music from different areas of the world, with an emphasis in music from Africa, India and Indonesia. These aspects of music go far beyond just music itself. Culture also plays a huge role in music and the accompanying musical elements. Each country and culture has a different style and distinctiveness that add to what makes the music of that certain culture unique. Music in Africa may differ dramatically from music in Indonesia or India not only due to those certain elements but also due to how it is interpreted by people and what it represents for those people. In addition to this, what one may consider music in one culture may not be music to another. These differences have been made apparent in the several demonstrations that we have been exposed to in class.

    Read More

  • Degradation of Women in Caribbean Music

    1764 Words  | 4 Pages

    “The parallels between musical and linguistic boundaries are obvious” as stated in author Peter M...

    Read More

  • The Musical Periods Of The Medieval And Renaissance Period

    708 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout this semester we have discussed an array of musical periods ranging from the Middle Ages and Renaissance to more recent modern times. As music progressed through time certain concepts such as melody, harmony, and texture changed along with the introduction of different instruments. In the early phases of music it was more directed toward religious ceremonies, but as time went on it became integrated into everyday life. Even though musical dynamics seem to change as the years go on, it has never failed to create some form of emotional response such as laughter or sadness.

    Read More

  • Chinese Music

    642 Words  | 2 Pages

    The History of Chinese Music The history and development of Chinese music through different time periods from when it began.

    Read More

  • The Effects of Globalization on Music

    1786 Words  | 4 Pages

    The influence that music has throughout the world is immeasurable. Music evokes many feelings, surfaces old memories, and creates new ones all while satisfying a sense of human emotion. With the ability to help identify a culture, as well as educate countries about other cultures, music also provides for a sense of knowledge. Music can be a tool for many things: relaxation, stimulation and communication. But at the same time it can also be a tool for resistance: against parents, against police against power. Within the reign of imported culture, cross cultivation and the creation of the so-called global village lies the need to expand horizons to engulf more than just what you see everyday. It is important to note that the role of music in today’s world is a key tool in the process of globalization. However, this does not necessarily provide us with any reasons that would make us believe that music has a homogenizing affect on the world.

    Read More

  • The Peking Opera

    859 Words  | 2 Pages

    Chinese Opera is one of the “three oldest dramatic art forms in the world” (travelchinaguide), along with “Greece tragic-comedy and Indian Sanskrit” (travelchinaguide). From Chinese Opera comes many forms of opera, over 300 types (travelchinaguide), but the most well know would be the Peking Opera. The Peking Opera is known by many names, like “Eastern Opera” (ebeijing), and “jingqiang” (Xu), but the most common name in the Western world is the “Beijing Opera” (Wertz).

    Read More

More about Music of China & Indonesia

Open Document