Chapter 1 and 2
Chapter 1: Introducing the World of Music
The Infinite Variety of Music: A Global Perspective
How is music a global phenomenon?
To approach music from a global perspective, requires awareness of and respect for the lifestyles, traditions, values, and music of different nations and cultures.
The musical traditions in the US include western Europe classical music, folk music, and pop. Other styles like jazz. blues, and various ethnic music, evolved from a blending of cultures and traditions.
The American Mainstream and Ethnic Diversity
How is ethnic diversity important in our culture?
What group of settlers (colonists) established America’s cultural mainstream in the 17th and 18th centuries?
The predominance of English-speaking settlers in North America.
How may one define “ethnic minorities"?
Groups that preserved parts of their original cultures such as language, customs, or social views.
Describe a musical example of “ethnic merging” in the US
Jazz is a merging of Anglo-American, Creole, and African American songs and dances, that developed in the early 20th century.
Music in Culture
What are some cultural characteristics of the US?
Briefly describe the role of an ethnomusicologist
Ethnomusicologist study “world music,” that’s outside of the cultural mainstream. They do research on the music of a culture, write about it, and teach others about it.
Music Labels: Help or Hindrance?
How helpful is the use of labels in music?
Categories or labels are sometimes useful for organizing knowledge but ambiguity and overlap frequently occur, so don’t adhere to them rigidly.
Give two specific examples of overlapping musical labels
Crossover and fusion styles
Classical music is not popular or commercial but remain popular to this day—for example, Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven’s Fifth symphony, and Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.
Classical composers who incorporate jazz or ethnic music or vice versa.
George Gershwin was a composer of both classical and popular music and pieces like Rhapsody in Blue (symphonic) and Porgy and Bess (opera) contain elements of both.
Artists and Artistry
An artist is someone who performs in any medium with creativity and sensitivity and with the ability to communicate with an audience.
What does it mean, in music, to be an “artist”?
A musical artist plays music in a manner that is expressive, consistent in style, and based on musical, cultural, and historical knowledge.
Musical artistry is found in all styles and traditions of music, not just in association with Western art music.
In the context of the popular music industry, anyone who performs music, regardless of style, is usually said to be an artist.
The Business of Music
How is music both a business and an art?
Americans support music’s creators, performers, and listeners.
Manufacturing and Merchandising
Making and selling music and merchandise for profit
Band and orchestra instruments/ repair people.
Electronic instruments
Pianos and pipe or electronic organs that serve homes, schools, churches, and concert halls.
Performance of Music
Producing and selling live or recorded music for profit or as a service; this involves recording technicians, agents, managers, and copyright attorneys, etc.
Music Publishing and Copyright Laws
For performance and instruction of music and the administration of copyright laws, where applicable.
Publishers specialize in printed music for churches, schools, and colleges (Christian, educational, and concert music markets)
For amatuer music makers who buy pianos, organs, keyboards, and guitars for home use.
Music in Advertising
Includes radio, television, the Internet, and print media to help sell a product or service.
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) = electronically produced sound
Music in the Community
Encompasses professional, semi-pro, and amateur musical organizations and activities and the promotion and development of music and the other arts.
Entertainment industry: agents, managers, bookers, promoters fulfill nonmusical functions in order to make the industry work.
Local community: support from the private sector comes from the volunteer work of boards of directors of professional arts organizations, etc.
Summary
Music serves different purposes: to entertain, uplift, stimulate feelings and responses, and enhance certain rituals.
Music is global. It is part of all cultures, and we can learn about other cultures from their music.
Ethnomusicologist helps us learn about musical acculturation and assimilation.
When we recognize the diversity of music and acquire a global perspective, categorizing music, defining terms, organizing musical styles and genres, and giving them labels can be useful, but labels can be problematic when you follow them to a T.
Musical styles often overlap and are ambiguous.
Music is a business, in which people support the artist: the agents, manufactures, and retailers of music-related goods and services, publishers, recording technicians, and community volunteers.
Questions in this chapter
How is music a global phenomenon?
How is ethnic diversity important in our culture?
What are some cultural characteristics of the US?
How helpful is the use of labels in music?
What does it mean, in music, to be an “artist”?
How is music both a business and an art?
How can we participate in the arts in our communities?