Episode 9

The story of Eurydice is a classic story and one of my personal favorite myths that, in its original context, touches on the human tendency to not believe what is not seen. I've seen and read many versions of this story, however I've not seen this one before. It always interests me to see someone else's interpretation of a story, and I must say I found this take quite enjoyable; I especially liked how they portrayed Orpheus' journey to the "Underworld".

Episode 8

I always wished that I was alive while Woodstock was happening, because I enjoy the music that was played, so I felt right at home listening to such artists as The Mamas and the Papas, and the one and only Jimmy Hendrix. One of my favorite songs that was played at Woodstock was the Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag by the group known as Country Joe and the Fish (above). It's a song about the war. Give a listen and pay attention to the lyrics.

Danse Macabre

Here's something I've been dying to share for the past month, but kept on saving it just for Halloween

Blog 11: Malian Music

Since we have been discussing the recent ban of music in Northern Mali, I thought I would look up more information on the issue because it seems very interesting. The Malian music is so wonderful due to it's many ethnic groups that it includes. Their music uses instruments that have been passed down to them. I also found out that they base the music on their past situations.
Since the government has taken over this area, it has forced many of the people who grew up in Mali and lived their whole lives there to leave. They do not want their freedom taken away so they felt this was their only choice, especially since their music was already taken away.

I think it is ridiculous that the government leaders think that the music is Satanic. It is sad because of how much the music was part of the Malians every day lives. I also found out that rap is a very big genre in the Malian culture. Rap was very special to the younger generations, so now they feel stuck too. When we listened to the rap song S.O.S. in class I thought the beat sounded excellent even though I could not understand the language.

One of the things I found most sad about the government banning the music is the fact that the artists are one of the people that are being affected the most. Music is their lives, it is what they do. Now they will most likely suffer, along with the rest of the community. The communities are used to elaborate festivals and gatherings, but now those events are not occuring because music was the foundation of it all. Since the music has been banned, it seems to me that Northern Mali is falling apart.

I think if the music is ever allowed to be produced and listened to again it will be interesting. I think it will be interesting in the sense that the artists will most likely show their emotions from the banning of music through their new music.

http://blogs.voanews.com/african-music-treasures/2012/08/30/malian-music-prevails-in-troubled-times-rap-music-and-festivals-rally-to-rebuild-the-nation/

Blog#10: Mali sends an S.O.S.

The song S.O.S. by Mali rapper Amkoullel featuring Mylmo displays the trails faces by the Mali people in face of the musical ban imposed by the current regime in Mali.  The current regime in Mali has declared holy war on music in the country banning all form of music other than the chanting of the Koran.  The song S.O.S. displays the cruelty and oppression that the regime is imposing.

The banning of music is wrong, there is no logical argument that one can make for it.  Music is a form of personal expression that creates joy and happiness for many people.  To force all forms of music expect for the chanting of holy book is narrow minded and ignorant.  Calling the Mali regime a regime really isn't the right word, since synonym of regime is Government.  Government implies that system is thought out and logical, the Mali regime is anything but that.  They are more like a bunch of power hungry fools with guns.

I pray for the people of Mali that the power hungry fools with guns oppression will end soon.  It is too bad that the power hungry fools with guns are so uneducated and forced their narrow minded views on others.  I cannot help but feel bad for the power hungry fools with guns, they must have had bad parents who were uneducated to.  May the days of the power hungry fools with guns come to go quickly for Mali.

Blog#9: Black Orpheus

I was very excited when I heard we were watching his movie.  I have seen small clips from it when watching other movies from the criterion collection on hulu.  I was not disappointed to say the least.  It was a very entertaining movie, which keeps me interested the whole time.

Even though there are no special effects and the movie is very slow compared to contemporary films it was still very entertaining and interested.  I loved the magical realism in it, the guitar legend in the movie made me question exactly how far back does the guitar go? Maybe the strings on the guitar were the same strings on the mythical Orpheus's lyre?  I also enjoyed the way that the movie wove the Orpheus myth into Brazilian culture.  The way that hey portrayed Orpheus's journey to hades with a voodoo ceremony was very unique and interesting.

I give Black Orpheus 5 stars!

Blog 10

For a few weeks we have been watching Black Orpheus in class. I have studied some Greek mythology but not a whole lot, so I know the basic stories. Greek mythology is something I'm very interested in, so I was excited about this film. I had never studied Orpheus and Eurydice before, but they kind of remind me of a Greek mythology version of Romeo and Juliet, which they probably are because Shakespeare is notorious for stealing plots. Anyway, I really like how this story is portrayed, as I'm sure it's not the usual, traditional way. I thinks it's interesting how they incorporated the mythology of Orpheus and Eurydice into the Brazilian culture, and its music. This made for a very unique story, and it's also very culturally distinct. While it probably closely matches the original Greek story, it's very distinctly Brazilian because of all the traditions they include in the story. This is a great example of an adaptable story, which for some is hard to accomplish. Some stories are stuck in a certain time or place, and they won't work anywhere else, but this story is not like that, and that's one of the things I like best about it. I really enjoy the music a lot which I know is the main reason we are watching it. It gives me a good sense of what music in Brazil is like, and how it's a very important aspect of cultural events and daily life. We didn't quite finish the film on Friday, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the ending of the film. This is something I would definitely want to watch again if I get the chance.

Blog 9

A few days ago in class we did a little experiment with emotion and music where we listened to different types of music, and recorded how they made us feel. I really liked this idea, and I found it very fun. I have never done this with music before, so it was new for me and really got me thinking about how music makes me feel, and how deeply it can affect me. Some of the stuff we listened to gave me a very distinct emotional feeling like power, sadness, or comfort. Other music honestly didn't make me feel anything, which I thought was interesting, so I just put down confused. This was true because I did feel confused about the fact I couldn't pinpoint any specific emotion. I can only remember doing this one song, but I don't remember which one. I also found myself writing down one emotion, then changing it or adding something different as I listened more. That also was interesting to me because I found one song could hold multiple emotions for me. This got me wondering what kind of emotions I get from the music I listen to daily, because really I had never thought about it, or realized it before. I can think of a few instances where a song made me feel something right from the first time hearing it, but I never really thought about it, or how or why it made me feel this way. When we did that in class, it really helped me see a new way to listen to music, and I sometimes find myself trying to figure out how things I listen to regularly, make me feel.

Blog 8 "The Black Orpheus"

Throughout this past week of class we watch a movie called "The Black Orpheus". The movie was very interesting to watch. After finishing the movie I enjoyed what I watched. I liked how they played music and danced throughout. I also liked the story line as well becasue it kept me intrigued in the film. I thought the music played throughout and the culture they lived in was very interesting as well. The carnival at the end of the movie was a mojar part of the movie and the characters roles. The carnival is very important in this society, and throughout the movie they are prepaing for it. For example they practice their dancing, rehearse their music, and create their costumes. Overall, the backround of this film was very interesting, and the story line was fun to watch.

Blog 7 Listneing exercise

Today in class we participated in a listening excercise. During this exercise we listened to several different peices of music and wrote down the emotions of the music. We also discussed imitaition theory,  arousal theory, and expression theory and how it was related to the peices of music we listend to. All the examples of music had there own unique style that I thought was very interesting. After listening to the music we discussed what we thought was going on throughout the songs. For example, if the song sounded peaceful, happy, sad, hopeful, exciting and more. I thought it was interesting to here what people had to say about the music and compare it to what I thought.

blog 10

The Black Orpheus
This week we have been watching The Black Orpheus. The movie was surprising good. Its a about a God whose talent is music. This movie shows how signifcant music can be to certain cultures. This movie also has a love story forming in the background for the god. The significance of the music in this movie is very obviously and is a major role in the movie. This just shows us that some cultures really do revolve around music and dance.

A Musical Response to Censorship

This video addressing the crisis facing musicians in Mali is currently banned on Malian TV.

Banning Music in Mali

A story from the Guardian on a newly instituted religious ban on music in northern Mali. Follow the link below for the original story. Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate are internationally renowned Malian musicians.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/23/mali-militants-declare-war-music

The Black Orpheus

The last two days we have been watching a movie called "The Black Orpheus" and I will say it has been very interesting. It is suppose to show you what it's like in Brazil around the time of their Carnival, which is an enormous celebration. It shows how music is a really big inspiration in their lives. I think the really funny part in the movie is when the two little kids ask Orfeu if it was true if "he can make the sun rise". He says he can and they get up early one morning to take him his guitar. As he starts playing/singing to Eurydice the kids see the sun start to come up and they get the biggest smiles on their face. Overall, the movie is really good and I can't wait to finish it on Friday.

Blog 10: Film (October 22-October 26)

The film (I cannot remember the title) we have been watching in class the last couple days is a very interesting one. I have enojyed it a lot because of all the music through it. The story line is an excellent one as well. I love all of the neat costumes the women are wearing for the Carnival they are having. The Carnival seems to be a very important event in their culture. Everyone is taking extreme measures to prepare for the Carnival. They are getting their costumes ready, practicing their dancing, and rehearsing their music. The music that Orfeu is playing is very calming and soothing. Euridice seems to feel very safe when Orfeu plays his guitar or even when he whistles. I also think the village that the film is taking place in helps build the culture and it's music. The village makes the music and culture seem very simple, yet very elegant at the same time. The village is very beautiful, and I think that it makes the music more enjoyable. I also found the little boy that was playing the tamborine to be very exciting. He put his whole body into playing the tamborine, and it sounded great when he played. I'm really glad we are watching this film because it shows me a whole new sense of culture and music. I cannot wait to continue the film on Friday.

Blog #10:  A Less Aggressive Approach
  I found Higgins idea of music as a means to empathize with others to be very interesting.  I never thought of music in this way.  I completely agree with what she is saying.  All people experience music even if it is not in the same way.  Music can help people to think about others thoughts and ideas in ways that are open, positive, and respectful.  All of these things add up to the ethicality that Higgins talks about so much in her writing.  Music helps us connect with others and share our experiences in non-threatening ways.  There is no competition when it comes to music because it is not something that is trying to be won.  It is something that is appreciated and respected.  People can keep an open mind and be more open to the emtions that people feel when they listen to music.  Even though music is different for everyone it is something that many most people have in common.  Music is an important way that people can express their feelings to one another in ways that are positive and ethically desirable.

Blog 9

http://amazingdiscoveries.org/S-deception-music_philosophers_culture_plato

I thought this was really interesting. It also ties in with chapter 5 in The Music of Our Lives.

Art and Communities

Philosopher Ben-Ami Scharfstein on art and community:

"As well as creating, we need to contemplate art in order to make our lives fuller and more focused. In its contemplation, we learn to demarcate ourselves more clearly and, at the same time, become both more individual and more social. This happens because the arts are like speech, itself an art, in that they help to join persons who regard one another as individuals into a kind of commnunity. Individuals who seriously contemplate the same art weaken the barriers of strangeness that might otherwise separate them from one another. The contemplation of art helps us respond to its impersonally personal messages by sensing the bond between its other real and possible viewers. Those who contemplate the same art at least begin to enter into the same aesthetic community and, beyond the community, a whole similar aesthetic world."

Blog #8: The Acoustics of a CD vs. a Live Performance

I went to my first concert on Thursday for the Q102 Bosom Ball. I mean that's at least as close to a concert atmosphere as I have ever experienced and it certainly is a mind blowing excursion. I generally always knew that the difference between the acoustics of musical clippings on youtube, my music library, or on CDs were generally hollow representations of what the true artistic vision of whatever artist I was listening too was. The performers at the Bosom Ball were all interesting and compelling to watch and the energy in the place made me feel alive if that's the right term for it. The music does sound more full and active as a whole. Plus the element of the crowd and watching the musicians get involved in their art was something that nobody catches in the sounds contrived in a studio. It brings in that element that Higgins talks about how the performer is just as important as the score maybe even more so. Either way live music is like pure adrenaline and if the performer's work is well known to the crowd it creates an even bigger impact on the listener. People are not just sitting at home listening to the radio mindlessly or using it as background noise listeners become a part of the experience and the musical atmosphere which fuels the performance in an odd, but glorious way.

Blog #8: Jimmy Hendrix

Watching Hendrix perform on the guitar was very interesting.  When he played the guitar it felt like he was dominating the guitar rather than trying to create harmony between the guitar and himself.  It could be seen physically, almost like a wrestling match.  Hendrix grappled with the guitar, wrestling it all around him.  Eventually Hendrix took the guitar the ground got on top of it then wrestled it into submission before setting it on fire.  During this whole performance Hendrix did not struggle one bit, and played the guitar flawlessly.

Many consider Jimmy Hendrix to be the greatest guitarist to ever live.  Hendrix was able to do things with the guitar that no one thought possible or even considered a possibility.  Hendrix’s mastery over the guitar was so advanced that it manifested itself physically within his performance .

#9

Today in Class we watched a youtude video called crossfire. It was very interesting to see how a talk show used to work. I liked how they just went back and forth stating their own opinon and not caring what the other person thought. It was also nice to see people being able to express how they felt and no one taking it offensively. Now a days when people are debating a topic the oposite party always takes it offensively.

Blog #9: Different Feelings with Music

  The activity we did in class on Wednesday was very interesting.  It was fun to listen to the different samples of music and then decide what they sounded like and felt like to each student.  For the most part everyone was in agreement about the messages in the music.  These samples were all very different, and I had heard none of them.  Even though everyone in the class agreed on what emotions were conveyed in the songs that doesn't mean everyone in the world would agree with them.  It is amazing how we think of music as a universal language or something that we can all relate to easily, but then everyone can have their own opinions about it and not be wrong.  It is nothing like math where there is only one correct answer.  Music can have many interpretations and is very open-minded.  There is a theory called the Imitation Theory which states that there is never any doubt about what music is trying to express.  I do not agree with this because there are so many different people.  The way they listen to music and how they think about it or experience it culturally can be very different and lead to different emotions felt.  I do believe that the composer had a specific emotion that he or she was going for, but the people that listen to the compositions might feel differently about it.  Music is very open-ended, and I think that is one of the many reasons it is so important in our lives.

Episode 7

The community in Latcho Drom seemed to be more united as a result of music. Also I found it very interesting how they were using some the instruments. I especially like the violin with a cord attached to the end to pull down the length of for a different sound i didn't know violins could make.

Blog 8

Last week and this week in class we watched two videos of two very different musical festivals. This first was a festival in the 60's that featured all the popular bands and solo artists from that time including The Who, Jimi Hendrix, The Mamas and the Papas and others. The second was a jazz festival taking place in the 50's. It amazed me how much music had changed, and how much people's ideas of what was good music changed in such a short time. The 50's was such an innocent time, and the 60's was the complete opposite. Artists in the 60's were looking to shock people and there certainly was a lot of shock in the video we watched. It was an interesting contrast to see in the two videos, and shows how quickly things can change. I enjoyed watching both a lot, and it was fun to see the differences in people and music. The idea of popular music is always changing, and the world of music is a fast paced world. I felt I had a better understanding and appreciation of  both kinds of music after seeing just how different they are from each other, but also in a way the same. They both reached people in different ways, and caused different reactions. In the end music always brought people together.

The performance or the score?

When I started reading Higgins book in class I found that she thought the actual performance of the music is more important that just saying the score of it is "music". I totally agree with her because of the fact that for it to be music I think the person has to play it or that the notes on the score have to be played. Without that why would we go to concerts? There would be nothing on the radio for us to listen to. Think about it we don't go to a concert and they put the score up of the music and people go crazy, or say "Man did you see Jimi Hendrix's score he just released! It is . Hell some people, like myself, can't even read music so we would have no idea how it is even suppose to sound. So I agree with Higgins that you for it to be considered music it has to be performed.

Emotions in Music

Today in class we listened to various music from Professor Langguth's library of music. Some of the music we listened to made me feel terror, happy, peaceful, annoyed and other feelings. When we listened to Kraft Work's "Autobahn" it was a humble tune then they said "Autobahn" in a robot voice and it made me cringe. I was like why would you do something like that to a nice tune. Honestly, it's like taking steel wool to try and clean the Mona Lisa. Yet, to them it sounded good and that's how they wanted it to be. I really enjoyed listening to this music and hopefully we can do this again and think about more modern music, or some music by Ray Charles, Frank Sintra, or one of my favorite's Chuck Berry.

Concert Videos

In my life I have only been to one actual concert and that was to see Tim McGraw last year down at Riverbend. However, it was so cool to be able to sit in class and watch some of the most famous people play. I was pretty pumped when we watched Jimi Hendrix play in concert! I just love the way he worked the guitar and the crowd. The things that he did back in the day were unbelievable and changed the way some people/bands play in concert. The faces on the people when Jimi lite his guitar on fire and then broke it was classic. That was his way of doing things back then though, he wanted to throw the crowd a curve ball. Plus he didn't just break it and leave it go, he broke it then through pieces into the crowd. Now how awesome would it be to be able to get a piece of his guitar!

Blog 9: Listening Exercise

In class today we did a listening exercise that I thought was very interesting. We listened to about 7 different pieces and recorded our emotions that we felt from the pieces. I found it very interesting how some pieces portray many different emotions than others. Some of the emotions I myself recorded from the music were terror, peace, happiness, excitement, sadness, mystery, confusion, gloomy, joyful, spunky, and hopeful. I thought this was even more interesting because it was very neat to see how different people felt different emotions than others on the same musical piece. It is crazy to me that one song can make each person feel so differently. The emotions people feel are inexact. I loved to hear the emotions that everyone felt because then I was able to see the musical piece in a different view other than my own. It is also exciting to feel the same emotions as others when you're listening to a piece because then you feel a sense of connection between yourself and the other person. I felt like since most of the pieces didn't have lyrics that I was able to focus more on the music and concentrate on it easier than if I was trying to listen to words.

Blog 8: Concert Video

After viewing the two videos of concerts during different time periods in U.S. history, it is obvious that our perspective on music has changed. In the first video, we were shown performances of "The Who" and Jimmy Hendrix and their style of music. Not only was their style of music from the 70's different, but their performances were different as well compared to performances and music from the early 60's. In the 60's, the video showed a well organized and a relatively peaceful performance. The video from the 70's showed a high energy performance that consisted of long drum and guitar solos and the destruction of instruments. It is evident that societies taste in music as a whole has changed between these time periods. If we were to compare these performances to performances of today's society, we will see a great difference as well. This can be one of the reasons it is difficult to define music.

Blog 6

Throughout class, we have been discussing what is music. To help better undertsnad music, I took a three quotes out of higgings book to help define music.

1. “Music,” as commonly used, may refer to sound, a piece of paper, an abstract formal concept, a collective behavior of society, or a single coordinated pattern of neurochemical impulses in the brain. It can be a product or a process. . . For now let “music” signify anything that is normally called “Music.”      --Lewis Rowell, Thinking about Music
2. "Music is a product of the behavior of human groups, wether formal or informal: it is humanly organzied sound." -- John Blacking, How Musical Is Man?
3. "Music . . . is sounds understood in response. -- Roger Scruton, "Analytic Philosophy and the Meaning of Music"
   

Blog #8 - Latcho Drom

From India to Spain, "Latcho Drom" shows that the Rom have survived much by keeping much of their culture and yet adapted what could be of use to them. Through their music and dancing, you witness the common thread that binds them all and yet change is there to see from the countries they passed through and lived in, as well as influence. Through song and dance, which includes some of the happiest and most vibrant heartfelt music and dancing, it conveys the persecutions and joys of these neglected people. You can see that they are still forced to travel because of centuries old beliefs from others. Still they live much as their ancestors did and this documentary gives you an interesting insight into their culture and daily living experiences. The overall theme can easily be inferred. No matter the circumstances, music, raises your spirits and can sustain you through the grind of daily life. This documentary was a great addition to our class study of cross-cultural music as introduced by our readings of Higgins. She would definitely approve of this documentary, showcasing how music is an intensely human experience.

Blog #7 - Higggins

Kathleen Higgins believes that music can inform our ethical experience. She defends the view that music has much to offer our ethical lives and reflection, expressing that music is a means of “exploring the wealth of our ethical world and can promote harmonious living.” She defends the connection between music and human character and behavior. Higgins affirms that "music’s capacity to engage our intellectual, emotional, and physical natures simultaneously, its suitability for promoting social cohesion, its reflection of practical and ideal modes of human social interaction, its ability to stimulate reflections regarding our basic values" are essential features of musical experience. 

This is in direct opposition to the current trend in musical aesthetics: the abstract analysis of music solely in terms of its form, also known as formalism. She affirms that the dominance of aesthetic formalism neglects the richness of aesthetic experience and explains how it has contributed to the abandonment of the idea that music has an ethical dimension. Higgins argues that when music is "defined as 'a musical score' and aesthetics becomes a technical enterprise," essential elements of the musical experience are screened out, contributing to a loss of proper aesthetic judgment. She specifically quotes in her book, “Philosophical adherence to a rigid definition of music in terms of musical works has led many philosophers to counterintuitive misunderstandings about the nature of music as a phenomenon in human experience.”

Blog #6 - Vox Arcana

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the Vox Arcana workshop, but I did attend the concert. I have actually never been to a jazz concert, much less an experimental jazz concert. I was not very sure what to expect. In class we had seen a video of the group in their studio, but I feel like their performance at Thomas More was different. The video that Professor Langguth showed us in class showcased Vox Arcana in their more traditional jazz performances. That type of performance I could relate to since it sounded like the more familiar jazz pieces that I had encountered throughout this class. The Vox Arcana concert was certainly a unique experience. I was eager to encounter a group who specialized in improvisations since I was not very familiar with how improvisation occurred in a concert. What I gained from this concert was an appreciation for the skill and creativity of the band members. I found it very interesting how they introduced unique sounds in their performance, such the cello solo, the exchange of percussion instruments from drums to xylophone, or the high notes produced by the clarinet. It led me to think of how their performance reminded me of John Cage’s idea of indeterminacy. There were elements of chance and randomness, but the performance overall had structure and order. There were definite themes in each musical piece that the improvisations adhered to. I gained an appreciation for how they could be unique and improvise but stay within the boundaries of their compositions. 

Blog #5 - Acousmatic Thesis

Andy Hamilton argues against Scruton’s acousmatic thesis that musical experience involves awareness of sounds that divorces them from their sources, and argues that “attending to sounds as part of the world in which they are produced is an aesthetically relevant aspect of musical experience.” Since Hamilton holds that many such features, in addition to sounds themselves, can figure in auditory experience, he argues that auditorily experiencing music involves non-acousmatic experiences. Hamilton thus holds that there is a sense in which we can hear the production of sounds through hearing alone. Sources therefore must enter the contents of auditory experience on this view of musical experience. 

Hamilton also holds that the experience of music is not purely auditory. First, there are aesthetically relevant features of music that we experience through senses other than hearing —including sounds. “We feel as well as hear sounds”, and we see as well as hear the virtuosity of a performance. Such extra-auditory experiences must be non-acousmatic. Moreover, Hamilton doubts whether even acousmatic experience must be purely auditory. According to him, “Listening to sounds in a way that abstracts entirely from their sources, and from other senses, may prove impossible. Even ‘purely’ auditory experiences of sounds might have non-acousmatic features.” 

Blog #4 - Why muzak is evil

As described in Hamilton’s book, “the term muzak was coined in 1922 by George Owen Squier, who launched a company to pipe music, advertising, and public service announcements into homes and businesses; the word is a fusion of ‘music’ and ‘Kodak.’” The concept of sound-design, originated from muzak. As Professor Langguth said in class, research companies now exist which devote themselves entirely to it. According to Hamilton, muzak is evil and manipulative. The primary purpose of muzak is to anaesthetize —to deprive of feeling — by putting customers in a relaxed mood in which they are more likely to consume. And other kinds of muzak aim to influence consumer choice more directly. Muzak compilations use, that is, mention music, and therefore have many of the auditory properties of music, but are engineered to make them bland and inconspicuous.

So while background music subordinates the aesthetic, muzak rejects it completely in favor of commercial or political aims. It has no aesthetic aim; it is not meant to be listened to, but rather to evoke a subliminal reaction. As Professor Langguth has said in class, it is comparable to odors or drugs. Muzak is an evil according to Hamilton because it degrades people’s aesthetic capacities — their ability to hear anything. It degrades their response to music. “Muzak, whether in elevators or restaurants or piped to telephone customers on hold, belongs under the heading of sound-design, and while sound-design can have an aesthetic purpose, it does not do so when it takes the form of muzak.”

Blog #8

Higgins view on music is different than any view i have heard before. Higgins believes the performance is very important on the overall experience. She says that hearing the music is the most important piece. She takes the credit away from the composer and more to the performer which is different than any other author. I found Higgins writing to be very in depth and a good read. she has some great insight to music and im excited to read more.

Blog #3 - 4"33'

4”3’ has been John Cage’s most famous and controversial composition. So, it is only fitting that we performed that piece for his 100^th birthday.  4”33’ is the epitome of John Cage’s definition of music as “any sound heard.” You may ask though, how can 4”33’ be considered music if it is essentially 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence? As John Cage said in the premier of 4”33’ at Woodstock, New York, “They missed the point. There’s no such thing as silence. What they thought was silence, because they didn’t know how to listen, was full of accidental sounds. You could hear the wind stirring outside during the first movement. During the second, raindrops began pattering the roof, and during the third the people themselves made all kinds of interesting sounds as they talked or walked out.” 4”33’ is a musical performance that includes all of the sounds of the environment. In the absence of instrumental sound, we encounter the ambient sounds that are typically ignored in daily life. Not only is it an opportunity to subject our senses to the environment, it is a chance to meditate. John Cage has explicitly expressed his belief that the purpose of music is “to quiet the mind thus making it susceptible to divine influences.”

In my personal experience of performing 4”3’ I was able to focus on both aspects mentioned above. I experienced the sounds of the environment such as the birds singing, the traffic nearby, and the shuffling of my classmates next to me. I particularly enjoyed the birds’ singing. This performance gave me the time to experience a tranquil moment, which in my busy life, I do not experience often. I almost forgot where I was; I began to think and meditate on things, unaware that I was among a large group of people and a person standing right in front of me with a recording device. After performing 4”3’’ I better understand now John Cage’s ideas and the importance of 4”33’. 

Blog 8: Kant

The last couple days of class, we have been discussing the theorist, Kant. In Kant's book, Critique of Judgement, there is something called the "Four Moments." Opening the book are these moments, which are also his aspects of the beautiful. "According to the Four Moments, the beautiful (1) is the object of "a liking or disliking devoid of all interest"; (2) "is what, without a concept, is liked universally"; (3) exhibits in its form what Kant describes as "purposiveness...without the presentation of a purpose"; and (4) "is what without a concept is cognized as the object of a necessary liking." Kant says that to be beautiful, the object has to be disinterested. Kant has a problem with this as music is sensuous. He classifies music as aesthetically impure and also places it torwards the bottom of his hierarchy of the arts.

Blog #2

John Cage expressed his belief that random chance can, does, and should play a role in the act of artistic creation. In his experience, that act is musical composition. Both the principle and the practice, he repeatedly suggested are manifestations of an essential force of creation, and a perspective on that force (Zen Buddhist philosophy). In other words, he believed that randomness and chaos are as actively functional in the universe and in the life of the human individual as order and structure and should therefore be accepted, if not embraced, as a fundamental aspect of existence.

John Cage had argued that the act of creating music has for too long been defined by principles of order and structure. The implication is that his work and approach are in fact an evolution, a movement forward in the expression of the universal and individual creative impulse. John Cage encouraged new ways of thinking and experiencing music in particular and existence in general.

The idea of meaning emerging from chance and randomness is what led to his theory of indeterminacy. Indeterminacy, in turn, contributes to his definition of music as any sound heard. 

Introduction

Hello everyone. My name is Maria Pascual. I am a junior biology/pre-med major. I have no previous experience in the philosophy of music, but I have played the piano for a few years, so at least I have a background in music. I believe that this class will be interesting, for I will like to analyze the different viewpoints of the definition of music. Isn't that one of the central questions of the philosophy of music? What is music? Is it a complex combination of melody, harmony, rhythm, timbre, and silence in a particular structure (Hanslick)? An event that can be either noise or silence (Cage)? A total social event (Higgins)? Something in which truth has set itself to work (Heidegger)?
In addition, why do we have music? Is music just a human phenomenon? What is the purpose of music? Is music the same throughout all cultures? Can music be a unifying act? Can music be aesthetically considered in an objective manner? Is one genre of music superior to others? Can the aesthetics and ethics of music be considered in combination? Has modern society lost a valuable appreciation of music?
By taking this course, I hope to gain answers to these questions. I would like to study the theories proposed by several philosophers and musicians on these topics. In addition, I look forward to the various music pieces that Professor Langguth will introduce to class. I am sure they will give me the opportunity to reevaluate some of my preconceived notions of music and consider new ideas, thereby broadening my horizons.

Blog #8: Different Views
  I found Higgins views of what music is very interesting, and I agree with her.  Many of the people we have talked about so far have been much more concerned with the form of the music.  They analyze it by its written form and believe that the performance is not important.  Higgins believes that hearing the music is the best way for people to listen and experience it.  If we are only concerned with the written aspect and structure of the music, I think it is hard for many people to appreciate it.  There are many people who cannot read music because they have had no musical lessons or background and the only way for them to appreciate and fully experience music is through the performance.  I took eight and a half years of piano, so I can appreciate the structure and form of music, but I appreciate the performance much more.  The performance allows us to feel the music and interpret its meaning for ourselves.  The form and structure are important aspects of musical compostitions, but I think it it easier for more people to relate to the musical performance than it is for them to relate to the form.  Higgins believes that the performance gives music its significance and is why so many people feel it is an important part of our daily lives.

Blog 7: Vox Arcana

Recently, the Chicago band, Vox Arcana, visited us at Thomas More. The music was like some that I have never heard. Although it was very interesting, I did not find it very appealing. It was just not something that I would normally listen to, and don't think that I ever could listen to it from my own free will. I did think it was neat how they played of of each other. The music was not a set piece of music, but could be changed throughout the song, making it easier for them if they hit a wrong note. Even though I did not enjoy the music, I am glad that I got the opportunity to experience this band. They seemed to enjoy what they were doing and that's really all that counts.

Blog 6

In class, we are now beginning to read The Music Of Our Lives by Kathleen Higgins. The first chapter is over the definition of music. Music is a variety of things to people. Not everyone has the same definition or view on what, exactly, music is. Different cultures all around the world see music in different ways as well. Some cultures see it as medicine, in the hopes of curing their sick, others see it as something to relax with and enjoy. The question of whether animal/non-human sounds being music also comes up. Some refer to birds "singing", which would indicate that they think of it as music. I believe that birds singing is considered music. It is calming and enjoyable. On the other hand, donkeys hee hawing or dogs barking is not music. Therefore, some non-human sounds can be considered music.

Blog 7: Vox Arcana

I was only able to attend the concert, as I have class in the afternoons, but it was definitely an interesting experience. The experimental jazz world is fairly foreign to me, and even then I have only heard what's been played in class and the few things my creative writing teacher in high school played us. Vox Arcana was weirder than any of that. Part of me did not know how to reconcile some of their music with the music I am used to, and part of me liked a lot of it. I wish I could have appreciated it as a whole, but those high notes at some points just pierced through my head. Aside from that, I liked the concert. It was unexpected and fascinating. I am interested in hearing more from the genre.

Blog 7

Last week we watched a video about music from different cultures. I found this video really cool, I'm very interested in music from other cultures. The way it sounds is what draws my interest the most, it's just so different from how our music here sounds. Music from India and Asia are my favorite kinds of music from other clutures. I also really like the instruments they use, it's facinating to me because you can't get that sound from any other instrument. What I think about most in relation to music from other cultures, is how easy it is to say, that music is from India, or that music is Russian. It just sounds like how you would imagine music to sound from that culture. I've always thought that was interesting, how there is no mistaking the origin of the music. Even in American culture, music that comes out of the U.S. is very distinctely U.S. I think music is definitely a way for someone to connect with a culture, especially one they've never been to. Music can tell us a lot about the place it comes from, music is it's own language.

Blog 8: Immanuel Kant

     I found a quote that Kant said. It reads, "In law a man is guilty when he violates the rights of others. In ethics he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so." I interpretted this quote as saying that when a man violates others he gets punished for it and is guilty. I think the second part of the quote is the important part. I suppose that Kant is meaning that even if you consider violating others rights, you should still be punished. It is unethical to even think about violating others rights. Even if you don't commit the violation, you are still commiting it in your head.
     I think this is an interesting quote because it relates to The Music of Our Lives. We have been discussing Kant and his beliefs in class the past couple days. I believe this quote relates to our discussion because of how one of Kathleen Higgins emphasis in her book is ethical emphasis. She goes into great detail about Kant and his beliefs in order to help support her emphasis on ethics. Higgins believes that Kant has very useful information .

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/i/immanuel_kant.html

Blog 7: Why the Halo Music sounds awesome to me

Halo is my favorite game series, and I really enjoy listen to the music.  Not because I am a diehard fan boy, but because it combines two of my favorite musical taste.  Martin O'Donnell is the composer of the music from the first 3 halo games.  It is his music that I enjoy listening to.

When creating the music for the Halo Martin O'Donnell combined classical music, techno, and rock and roll in order to create an original sound for the series.  To my tone-deaf ears the harmony created by the classical influenced combine with the dramatic shifts in volume influenced by rock and roll provides a perfect listening experience for me.  The myriad of instruments used in Martin O'Donnell’s works do not overwhelm me, because of their harmony with each other.


Here is an example of Martin O'Donnell’s work, entitled Mjolnir Mix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O9K7E3lDRU

Blog 6: Improvisation, my love hate relationship

Improvisation is not one of my favorite things, though I absolutely love the logic behind it.  The idea of using chance operation in order to create something unique is a very interesting and ingenious method in my eyes.  In a matter of fact I use my own form of chance operations in my art work.  I think improvisation is a very interesting and fun way to create a unique piece of music.


Most people would assume since I enjoy the logic behind improvisation so much, I would also enjoy listening to improvisation.  Sadly enough my ears would have to disagree with my mind on this one.  Being tone-deaf makes improvisation sound like a busy city street.  There are so many noises going on at the same time that my ears are bombarded with sounds and end up giving me a headache as I try to listen to them.  This is why me and improvisation are in a love hate relationship.

Blog 5: Musical Taste of a Tone-Deaf Man

So what does it mean to be tone-deaf?  Well basically I cannot tell the difference between the notes A and G, also a single instrument can only makes one sound to me.  For someone that’s not tone-deaf it may be hard to comprehend or even imagine this, so I think it is best I tell a story to make it easier to understand.

When I was very young I didn't even know what tone was, since I couldn't even hear it.  I remember this one time when I was at my grandma's house playing on her piano.  As I hit all the different keys I couldn't help but wonder one thing, all these keys make the same darn sound, why the hell are there so many of them?  At that time my thought was that talent in playing the piano was how cool one could look hitting all keys in different ways, of course that is not that case.

Even though I cannot hear tones I still enjoy listening to music.  So what is the most important thing to my taste?  Well I like three things; first and foremost I like harmony.  When there is not harmony within the instruments the music becomes very confusing to my ears and gives me a headache.  So I do enjoy classical music to a certain degree, the great harmony is very easy on my ears.  Secondly I also enjoy music that fluxuates in volume, since that is the closer thing I can get to tone going up and down.  Rock is one of my favorite genre’s because of this.  Lastly, I do enjoy music with lyrics.  Since I am tone-deaf the lyrics are very important to me, it makes it easier for me to follow along with the beat of the music.

Blog 4: Vox Arcana

Vox Arcana was an interesting experience for me, even though I listen to some jazz Vox Arcana used a little too much improvisation for my taste.  I do not want to move to far away from Vox Arcana, but in a future blog post I will go into more detail on my views of improvisation.

My favorite performance that they did was their first work; it was very interesting to listen to.  My least favorite work was the recording of their missing performer.  Since I am tone deaf, listening to one single instrument make the same sound over and over is really bland for me.  I know that it was not the same sound over and over, but to my ears that all I could hear.  The fact that I am tone death is one of the reasons I could not fully enjoy them, for the improvisation was more confusing and gave me a headache.  Once again not because their music was bad, but being tone deaf it sounded very overwhelming to my ears.

Blog 7: Higgins and Video of Different Cultures

Upon reading the first chapter of Kathleen Higgins book, The Music of Our Lives, it is interesting as she tries to define the term music. After watching the video in class demonstrating different genres of music across different cultures demonstrates that it would difficult to have one specific definition for music. Higgins presents different definitions that are published in encyclopedias, however they do not seem to cover aspects that could be constituted as music. She also musical Platonism that argues that classical/composed music is real music and that the performance of it is secondary. Higgins disagrees with this view as do I. However, I am interested in finding out if there can be a true definition to music as we move on in the semester.  

Blog 6: the influence of choir

As a long time singer and reader of music, i tend to see music in a different way that most typical readers or philosophers. When listening to music I tend to, subconsciously or consciously, hear each note and instrument separately even as I hear it as a completed piece. I also have biases ingrained into my opinions of good music by my music teachers. They tended greatly towards both classical music and spiritual music, only rarely giving us anything more recent. Also, when reading music I cannot imagine seeing it as anything other than music. In order to read it I have to hear it in my head. The sound and the written directions are inescapably connected in my mind. Higgins brings this up. Isn't the performance you hear in your head just as flawed as one which is performed by professional musicians?

My personal view of music is much like Higgins's, if not closer to John cage's. So many things in this world have a musical quality to them that cannot be ignored, even if that means only putting them under a category of music.

#7

Today in class we listened to computer generated music. This type of music has always made me laugh a little bit. Not laughing in a making fun of kind of way but a laughing and the sounds of the music. To me you can definitely tell that it is a computer making the music not humans. I feel going to a performance by one of these groups would be quite entertaining to watch. I also wonder how they can make different songs and have them sound so differently. This genre of music is one that totally surprises me.

Blog #7: Cultural Differences
  I found the reading to be very interesting this week.  Higgins has some different views that Hamilton did.  They still talk about music and what it is.  I was really interested in the cultural differences and the idea of a universal definition for music.  I found it very interesting that some cultures do not even have a name for what we here in the United States consider music.  I cannot imagine not having something like what we consider music.  It is such a big part of our lives.  This does help explain the cultural relevance of music though because we look at music very differently than many other societies and cultures do.  The way we listen and experiences music helps us define what it means to us.  The idea of universal music is one I never thought of before.  I have heard music called a "universal language" before, and I just went along with the idea that everyone could relate to music.  I never even thought about how in some cultures music is not very important.  I think it would be extremely hard to come up with a universal definition when music means so many different things to many people.  In one defintion, there would have to be many views that would be left out or forgotten.

Latcho Drom

The last few days in class we sat and watched a movie titled "Latcho Drom" that explained the life of gypsies and how they make a living. I thought it was a very exciting movie, especially when the bear came out. As a child I couldn't imagine traveling like that all day everyday. However, the way they interacted with everyone was very amazing to see. I liked their songs that they sang, even though I didn't understand the lyrics and melody & beat were upbeat and interesting to hear.

Vox Arcana

Last Tuesday we were able to sit down and listen to Vox Arcana. Going into it I had no idea what to really expect. I didn't know if they were going to be making music up as they go or going off of scores- since we knew that they did both. Also, I didn't really know if they played more slow beat songs or other ones that really "get the party started". When I sat down and watched them I thought it was enjoyable. I couldn't believe they only played an hour and it went pretty fast. I won't lie at times I couldn't really get into it but other times I enjoyed their music and was glad they were able to come and play here for us.

Jazz: Armstrong & Charles

Last week we were talking and learning about Jazz and famous Jazz musicians. When I think of Jazz I think of two of my favorite Jazz players in Louis Armstrong and Ray Charles. Just the way Armstrong could work his way around the trumpet and just that raspy voice of his is outstanding. Now, with Ray he was influenced by some of his other peers in playing his jazz, such as Nat King Cole. He didn't sing or do much jazz until the late 60's early 70's but when he did they were the most amazing sounds ever.

Blog 7: Latcho Drom

Today in class we watched the film "Latcho Drom" by Tony Gatlif. It was a very interesting film and also an exciting one too. I thought it was neat how they made their musical experience such a communal one. It seemed like they included people of all ages, as well as their animals. The instruments they played were all sorts of different ones. I thought it was neat how they used some tools as instruments as well. All of the instruments blended together very well and made it sound completely natural. It looks like the people in this culture take a lot of time to prepare for their music playing. They seem to put everything they have into their music, including their heart and soul. I noticed how they spent tons of time on their outfits. All of the women had tons of "jewerly" on, and they also had other elements to make their outfits look very elegant. Another thing I found very neat was the fact that they were singing in a different language because they are from a different culture. The reason I thought that was neat was because it made me realize other elements they added to the music. I wasn't just focusing on the words of their pieces. I was focusing on all of the other elements I mentioned earlier. At some points during the film it was like I did not even notice they were singing in a different language. I believe this film was a great one to show because it exposes us to other culture's meanings of music.