Scandinavia is a vast region with many musical traditions and practices. Although Scandinavian music has very traditional roots, a large amount of modern music has also come out of this region; much of which was influenced by traditional music and practices of the Scandinavian people. Firstly, It’s important to note that Scandinavia is comprised of a variety of countries: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. Although these countries are in different geographical locations, they are similar in their cultures. Many of the countries in the Scandinavian region hold onto at least some of their traditional practices, and they often share common factors such as instrumentation, dancing, and vocal styles with other Scandinavian countries. Over time, most if not all of these countries have developed their traditional practices into modern ones and some have even become well known to other ethnic groups outside of Scandinavia.
A common tradition found in most early Scandinavian music was the practice of circle dancing. This appears to have started in Nordic countries where the dancing was commonly accompanied by sung ballads. The only area that seems to have kept these dancing traditions in full is the Faroe Islands region. The reason for this is that although the Faroe Islands have their roots in Nordic culture, they were isolated from many cultural movements and revivals that happened throughout Scandinavia (such as the roots revival), explaining why they kept a god portion of the traditional culture that was introduced there. Although they did keep a lot of their traditional culture, there is also a good amount of contemporary music in the Faroe Islands. Faroese music is mostly vocal and sometimes accompanied by the fiddle; t...
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...curate representation of Sami/Danish culture, the above is just speculation based on released information and the leaked soundtrack. Though it will be interesting to see how the public receives the movie and whether or not there is any factual material within the movie itself.
Scandinavian music has a good deal of rich traditional history, and much of this has made its way into modern Scandinavian culture. It is a region that has managed to keep tradition alive while still making room for new forms of expression. This is a region that has always sparked the attention of the public, and with the modern day influences such as Bjork, Roxette, ABBA, and movies like “Frozen” it will only become more relevant. As the public eye becomes more aware of Scandinavian culture as a whole, the traditions and practices of that were set in place previously will begin to take note.
Although folk music played a big role in most of these artists’ performances, folk links back to the blues, and is similar...
Latinoamericanitas, 1976. Print. Vélez, Germám. Phone Interview. February 10th, 2011. Waterman, Richard Alan. Folk music of Puerto Rico . Washington: Library of Congress,
"Norse Mythology: The Valkyries: The Chooser of the Slain." Norse Mythology. Accessed May 29, 2014. http://www.viking-mythology.com/valkyries.php.
Their music is affected by their Afro-Norwegian veins. All from pop to reggae, West African dance to hip hop, and rock to soul, with some urban influence, to create an engaging sound.
Miller, Terry, and Andrew Shahriari. World Music: A Global Journey. New York, London: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2006.
Western Music has developed in many ways since the middle ages through its form, sound, and message. Throughout these different periods in western music one thing has remained constant, the true essence of music, a way to communicate with someone on a much more divine level than be by rudimentary conversation. Though Ludwig Van Beethoven and Paul McCartney may seem completely opposite they have one in common through their music they changed the world’s perception of its self
In the short story “The Danish Way of Life”, author Jamie Gullen, who is a native of New York City spent several months in Copenhagen. She went expecting Copenhagen to be similar culturally to the United States only to find she had a lot to learn about herself and about this new country. In another short story called “Where Are You From?” the author Patricia Park, also a native of New York City, but the daughter of Korean immigrants, also traveled to another country, Korea. She went expecting to find Korea to be the way her parents had described it. The “motherland” as she explained, was a family myth. Although both of these authors grew up in the same city, of the same country, they had two different experiences when
Music’s role on society has changed drastically through the course of its history as it has become ever so increasingly expansive. Many of the previous musical movements were only for the wealthy as entertainment
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.
If you ask the average young adult what comes to mind when they hear the term “music” they are likely to respond with a fresh singer, band, or genre of “pop” music. Often times society places their opinion of classical music and popular music on completely different wavelengths of importance in the world. The modern perception of classical vs. popular music has led to a heavily decreasing audience for classical groups and performances, a desire for repetitive and simple melodies, and a negative stigma against classical music’s importance.
"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...
Vikings were a Norse-speaking, seafaring people who lived from the 8th to 11th centuries, mainly in Scandinavia. They were expert sailors who, starting in late 700s, looted and burned civilizations along rivers and coasts of Europe and Asia. They traded, sailed and explored across the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, opening trade routes that connected Europe to the Mediterranean lands. During this time, some of the population settled in the kingdoms that they were exploring; namely England, Ireland, northern France and Russia. One of the main influences that the surrounding cultures had on them was through religion. As the Vikings came in contact with Christianity through their raids, it began to form a unique fusion of Christian influence, while still holding on to many aspects of their pagan lifestyle. Not many primary sources remain from pre-Christian Viking society as much of their culture was destroyed during the Christianization process. The extremely strong oral tradition and the artifacts that remain are what the knowledge of the culture is based on. The pagan culture interests me, as I can still examine influences of it on my Scandinavian family today.
Some may say music is just music; a song is just a song. However, music plays an enormous role in our psychology, because a single song has the ability to bring about many kinds of thoughts and emotions in the listener. Music is subtly one of the main factors in which people identify with certain groups and establish their belonging in society. It shapes people’s perspectives on how the world functions and the roles they play within it. Music can function the same way in a culture; it can reflect many of the culture’s values and ideologies. Music can have many effects on culture and the people’s idea of who they think they are within that culture. Music can serve in a way that promotes cultural identity and pride, yet it could also play a role in the separation of social and economical identities in within cultures.
During the course of this semester, the several musical styles that have been discussed and analyzed have displayed various similarities and differences. These differences in certain musical elements have accounted for the distinctiveness and uniqueness of each style of music. The culture behind these countries’ music adds even more to their individualism. Cultural aspects such as religion play a huge role in the music of each country as well. Styles of music in Africa might be more upbeat than certain styles in India, for example. Some cultures use music in religion, while others may not. Aspects such as dance are important factors in all three types of music. Despite the differences and similarities, however, without music, these cultures would perhaps not be as fascinating and unique as they are now.
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.