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The Power of Music Music is the expression of emotion through the medium of sound. From the very first moment a human heard a songbird and endeavored to recreate that beauty, or beat on a hollow log and found the rhythm compelling, music has become the most powerful freedom given by God. Music, in itself, is a characteristic common and unique to all cultures throughout the world. Every culture in history includes music as an important part of everyday life. Music, as a part of culture, will most often have more roles to play than a source of auditory pleasure. According to anthropologist, Raymond Firth, "They have work to do, to serve as funeral dirges, as accompaniments to dancing, or to serenade a lover."(p171) However, the music's form, style, texture, and system of harmony, is a s varied as the personalities found on any given New York City subway train. From simple folk songs, to religious chants; from Carnegie Hall, to the Red Light District in New Orleans; the range and diversity of human music is almost incomprehensible. It has been said that the best way to learn about a people, about its culture, is to observe and listen to it's art and music. Music is the most powerful of all the arts because it stimulates, manipulates and dissipates our moods through the emotions. Music, in our culture, functions in many ways; it can make work more enjoyable, create a fraternity among men, encourage a spirit of worship, and be an expression of emotion. Music can make hard work seem easier, or rather, make it tolerable. In the days of slavery in the united states, the birth of the blues, singing while working in the fields was a good way to make the day go by. "Singing about your sadness unburdens your soul."(King and Ri... ... middle of paper ... ...nd; "music exalts life, enhances life, and gives it meaning...it is both personal and beyond the personal...it remains a fixed point of reference in an unpredictable world. Music is a source of reconciliation, exhilaration, and hope that never fails" (p 188). WORKS CITED Firth, Raymond. Elements of Social Organization. London: Watts.1961. p171. King and Ritz. "Blues All Around Me". Essence magazine. Nov. 96. Vol.27. Issue 7. p110-201. Menuhin, Yehudi. Theme and Variations. New York. Stein & Day. 1972. p9 O' Shaughnessy, Arthur William Edgar. "We Are the Melody Makers" The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations; Oxford University Press. 1979. Storr, Anthony. Music and the Mind. New York. The Free Press. 1992. p188 Wilson, Edward O. Sociobiology. Cambridge, Mass. Harvard University Press. 1975. p564.
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.
Music is an art and a wonderful gift to human race. It soothes, stimulates and makes us feel happy. It affects our moods in many different ways from lullaby to war cry for changes in the society. Music is actually distinct to different people. Above all, it has a transformational importance that is captured in its art and nature. Music draws our emotions and it has an impact of bridging different cultures across the continents. Slave songs were very vital channels through which all kind of information was conveyed both positive and negative.
Music plays a role in everyone’s life. Whether people actively search out and explore different musical avenues or are simply subjected to it through their day- to-day lives. The Oxford Dictionary defines music as ‘Vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion’.
"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...
Many take music for granted and just perceive it as a form of entertainment for centuries, but it is utilized for much more than just entertainment. From therapy to politics, it has been deemed useful for various reasons.
Music can take on many meaning and there are many forms of music that come in different languages through out the world. So is it reasonable to conclude that music does affect a person mood and personality through out his or her life. Despite the fact the music play such an important role in a person life, there are still people that do not care about the art the cultural behind different type of music that we experience in everyday life. In his podcasts, “Why Do Listeners Enjoy Music that Makes them Weep?” professor David Huron talk about how his research of psychology help him related to the study of humanities which could be connect to the understanding of systematic musicology in a human mind. With this idea we as listeners can engage it with the different way that people can interact with music in their life and understand more about what cause the mood and emotion that a person feel when they experience music.
Music has been around since the very beginning of time. The human body flows in a rhythmic syncopation. Music is used to change one’s mood and to inspire those who open their minds. It has the potential to cure diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. Humans, of every culture and society, function with a type of rhythmic music. As humans, we are hard wired to respond to music (Mannes). The human brain responds to music in such a way that the brain becomes more open to new rhythms, ideas, and values. Music has the power to take over the human body. This makes it easier to overcome conflict and change the ideals of somebody while using music (The Power of Music).
Music is one of the most powerful and influential language which to many people in
There has yet to be a culture discovered which lacks music. Making music is seen historically to be as fundamental as the characteristically human activities as drawing and painting. Many even go so far as to compare music to language and claim that music functions as a "universal language." But it is rarely the same music, however, that all peoples respond to. What is it that we are responding to when we listen to music? Strictly speaking, music is not a language, (1) because it has neither outside referents nor easily detectable meaning. Ludwig Wittgenstein explains that although we understand music in a similar way as we understand language, music is not a language because we still cannot communicate through music as we can through language. (2) More recently, Susanne Langer argues that although we understand music as symbol, because we are so caught up in seeing symbolic form function like language we tend to want to make music into a language. But, Langer argues, music is not a kind of language (3) because the significance of music lies not in w...
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.
Music is one of the only forms of art that has the ability to create a modern tribe like feeling among a group of otherwise individual. Because music has the ability to affect ones emotion, it can be used to bring people together, or vice versa. We have observed throughout history in ecstatic chants and dances for spiritual purposes; and now we see soldiers use cadence and work songs to make tedious tasks more bearable and to prepare for battle. A more general application would be the use of lullabies to soothe us to sleep, or love songs courtship. We use music to connect to one and other in ways we otherwise could not. Music has been used as a crucial interlinking device scenes preliterate society, and it 's still exceptionally valuable for that purpose
“Next to the word of God , the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.” Martin Luther King Jr. Just like religion which controlled the thoughts of humans for many years music seems to also have that impact. Music is the one form of art that connects everyone in the world. Although we may all be dancing to a different beat and singing a different harmony, it is all music. It has a way of communicating the unsaid and unifying nations. Music is heard in every aspect of our lives: at church, in social outings, outside, on television, etc. Music can extrapolate emotion without words allowing people to feel someone’s pain just by the strings or keys they play. Therefore, we must look at how music has evolved throughout history,its importance in society and the science behind its impact. As a
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.
Music is an essential part of life because of the expression it allows people to have, its entertainment, and its therapeutic ways for the world.
Throughout history music has proven to provide a vital part of society. Every day people are exposed to music. In some cases this music may cause people to form emotions and opinions (Koelsch). Music can be the life of an artist or a motivational tool that helps a person or culture get through the day. Regardless of the political or social scene in the future, music just like other forms of art will continue to evoke society just as it has changed it.