Finals Week Music

Because I know people are stressed from finals, I set out to find calming music that fit in with our curriculum. Surprisingly there's quite a lot, that comes from all corners of the sections that we covered. Here are a few.

Music-y? Stuff

While it's not the best website, Cracked has some great articles on music (if you can mind the humor). And I found a really interesting one that I thought people would like to read here.

Wrecking Ball?

While we only briefly touched upon it in class, it is interesting to note that many of the classical songs that we listen to were once commissioned by someone else. That's not saying that there aren't some songs that were purely from the artist, but to take into consideration, I thought I'd compare it to today's music. There is a thriving market that exploits young artists and forces them into stereotypes to sell music. One of the most popular in today's crowd is Miley Cyrus, notable for some of her onstage antics. This video, for example, has had her decried as needing help for shedding her "good girl" image. But is that what it really is? Or is it truth finally coming out in the words she wants?

Modern Music

One of the more interesting topics that we covered this semester was the idea of modern music. And while we got down on some topics (Miley Cyrus, anyone?), I think its really interesting to see how music trends have changed over time. And who knows, maybe we'll turn into the fogey old people who are cantankerous about "today's music".

VC/DC

Soooooo yeah VC/DC. There is so much to say about them but then I am not sure if there is. They were a very interesting group that has come to Thomas More to perform. I am not sure where to start about how I thought they were. I mean they are good in their own way but then I found them to be slightly odd. I liked what they were doing and how they didn't care what mainstream music was and created music that was different and enjoyed what they do. I won't deny the first time we listened to their music I really didn't like it at all. I thought it was really weird and really annoying. Soon though after listening to some of it for a while it turned out to be okay and I was more opened to listen to it. I most likely will never go out of my way to listen to their music but I definitely won't listen to them if it is being played. I also now am a bit more opened to listening different kinds of music if it is presented to me. They are an interesting band and not really sure what else I could say about them other than that, definitely different.

John Cage!

So yeah going to start off saying he is pretty awesome in his own way. He brought up a whole new look at music. His style was completely different than what has been done before him. Many thought that his music was odd and weird but then again it wasn't really. I think his music was odd yes but then it was good at the same time. There has been many things that his music introduced to the world of music. Everyone knows his most famous piece and that is his 4:33. I still chuckle the one day in class when we watched a film on Cage and they showed 4:33 and a statement scrolled across the bottom of the screen saying that we can turned down the tv now. I mean really? I thought that was so funny because I was just sitting there thinking about how it is already silent and it's telling us to turn it down. I don't know that could of just been me. I found that Cage was very interesting because also during the time that he was making his music there was very interesting art being created during that time as well. That point in time was just a huge transformation for the arts. I guess I just have a lot of appreciation for him because of all that he has done for music as well as many people. Showed that people can be creative and open to do just about anything. So cool how there is barely any limits now to what people can do.

The end of the arts? I think not.

So a topic we talked about recently in class is about the idea that classical music is going downhill and possibly may not be practiced years down the road. I don't think that will happen, personally. Yes I know that music, especially orchestra, programs in schools are ending or definitely getting cut back and not many people are really supporting the arts. I still think though that there are many different people out there that are willing to find a way that the art programs will be continued. Yes a lot of the people who are currently supporting those programs are those who are older and soon might not be able to support them because of their age or whatnot. That is when people from my generation and the younger people who should take the step up and start supporting it when they can. I think the support is there just needs to be shown more. I have personally have grown up in different art programs may it be dance, music, or visual art; I have always really enjoyed them and never want them to leave. I will be spending my life surrounded by the arts because what I chose to study in school as well as what I do on my own time. So may it be writing children's books or playing my violin at an event, I will always be artsy. So that is why I have a strong grasp on wanting the arts to survive. I want children and people after me to enjoy them all just as much as I have and still do enjoy them. So in my opinion I don't think they will end or at least hopefully no time soon.

4:33 sports remix

My intentions were to give a sports take on John Cages 4:33. In the video that we watched in class the guy playing the piano closed the lid to the piano keys every so often, in my video I used pictures of myself playing basketball here at Thomas More & one of our cheerleaders to symbolize closing the piano. Granted the video quality isn't great but I did it on my phone & I was working the games so I was trying to not get in trouble as well as get my shots. The basketball videos are of Centre College vs Franklin College & Thomas More vs North Park University.  Sorry that about the poles in the way I was working the concession stand. The soccer video is Thomas More in the second round of the NCAA tournament & happened to be the only goal of the game. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suS5l_qEgbE&feature=em-upload_owner#action=share

Birdsong is Music

In chapter 8 of Why Birds Sing, Rothenberg shows the song of a mockingbird converted to sheet music. My question is how can composers and philosophers say that birdsong isn't music if it can be set to human music? The song of the mockingbird can be studied and reproduce. What more does the bird have to do for its songs to be considered music in the human culture. If a human can make birdsong, it should be considered actual music. I don't see how Hamilton can consider a bird's song unmusical if it meets all the requirements for music made by humans. Just because birds don't have culture, doesn't mean they can't make music. A lot of people in the world have certain cultures not accepted by others, but their music is still considered acceptable. So, why not birds?