I found this reading to be very interesting. The majority of the reading was a letter written by a monk Nokter of St. Gall to a bishop where he presented his compositions. His whole tone in the letter was very humble and self deprecating, and even apologetic. I wonder if this is the typical manner that someone of that time period would use to interact with a person in a higher church office. If this man were to consult me about this letter today as he submitted his compositions to a higher authority, I would tell him to stop putting himself down and stop trying to underplay his work. While it is not good to sound to overly confident or arrogant, this type of extreme humility would probably not go over very well today, but it was a different time and a different culture and this may have been the type of humility and reverence that was expected.
I liked that he described his composition process and even framed it in a way that was apologetic and humble. He told how he had trouble remembering the melodies without words at the end of the Alleluia so he put words to them and made them into a hymn. In his words the melodies "escaped from my poor little head".
He also described that when it was suggested that he present his compositions, he first "shrank back in shame" and felt "unequal to the task" and had to work up the courage, and when he did it was "still with great pain and difficulty". He also referred to his work as a "worthless little book". I found all of this to be extreme and over the top, but I am very aware that I am reading it in with my 21st century views and I understand that at the time the letter was written, it may have been very appropriate, even expected.
I am also curious as to just how controversial this idea of embellishing the liturgy was at the time and I wonder if this also played a role in how apologetic and self deprecating his letter was. It is hard for me to understand why this would be controversial because of the culture that I have been raised in, but I know that the liturgy of the church was considered to be sacred and holy, and embellishing the liturgy may have been viewed as sacrilege. Rituals and traditions have always been extremely important to humans, probably even more so in the past because there were not easy ways to preserve their history and purity. Changing these rituals, even if it is adding something new will always be met with opposition, especially if the traditions are considered to be sacred. .
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Gloria Laus
This is a Christian hymn composed in 810 by Theodulph of Orléans. I listened to this recording on the web page that showed the notation in the liber useralis. The page moved along with the song which made it very easy to follow along with the notation and understand it even better.
http://cp.aznetwork.com/chant/27-glorialaus.htm
This hymn was written for Palm Sunday and the text was based on Psalm 117:26.Matthew 21:1-16, and Luke 19:37-38. The NT passages both describe the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem which marks the beginning of Holy Week in the Church calender.
The English translation for this hymn is:
All glory, laud, and honor,
To thee, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.
Thou art the King of Israel,
Thou David’s royal Son,
Who in the Lord’s name comest,
The King and Blessed One.
This hymn was composed in Dorian mode also known as mode 1. It was sung by a chorus of men and overall it had a solemn and reverent tone. It did not sound triumphant to me at all, and if I read the words first before listening to it, I think i would have been surprised by the tone.
http://cp.aznetwork.com/chant/27-glorialaus.htm
This hymn was written for Palm Sunday and the text was based on Psalm 117:26.Matthew 21:1-16, and Luke 19:37-38. The NT passages both describe the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem which marks the beginning of Holy Week in the Church calender.
The English translation for this hymn is:
All glory, laud, and honor,
To thee, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.
Thou art the King of Israel,
Thou David’s royal Son,
Who in the Lord’s name comest,
The King and Blessed One.
This hymn was composed in Dorian mode also known as mode 1. It was sung by a chorus of men and overall it had a solemn and reverent tone. It did not sound triumphant to me at all, and if I read the words first before listening to it, I think i would have been surprised by the tone.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Te Deum 5th century
This is a 5th century early monastic chant. The version I found began with church bells that immediately gave it an authentic tone. After the singing began, the bells continued in the background which gave the whole song a very peaceful feeling. The quality of the recording also made it seem as if it was sung in a large room with great acoustics. It was not hard to picture monks in a beautiful monastery prayerfully singing.
This is the recording that I listened to.
youtube recording
I was able to find the notation and the text in the liber useralis.
liber useralis
This confirmed my original impression that it was in Phrygian mode, or mode 3. After seeing the notation, it also confirmed that it was neumatic with mostly one syllable per note except for a few exceptions. It was performed in a responsorial fashion with one man singing phrases and a chorus repeating the phrases.
The tone of the entire piece was solemn and prayerful. I learned through my research that this was a hymn of thanksgiving and joy. The solemn tone is not what I normally associate with hymns of joy and thanksgiving in our modern day. I usually think of joy and thanksgiving being expressed in a more jubilant way, with a faster tempo and more variety and expression, but I understand that joy and thanksgiving can be expressed in a solemn and prayerful way as well.
I learned from my research that this hymn was originally attributed to St. Ambrose or St. Augustine, but is now accredited to Nicetas, Bishop of Remesiana (4th century). " It is used at the conclusion of the Office of the Readings for the Liturgy of the Hours on Sundays outside Lent, daily during the Octaves of Christmas and Easter, and on Solemnities and Feast Days. The petitions at the end were added at a later time and are optional. A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who recite it in thanksgiving and a plenary indulgence is granted if the hymn is recited publicly on the last day of the year." source
I was able to read the English translation which is about 8 paragraphs long. It gave praise to the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit,and included a lot of other doctrine/theology mentioning the virgin birth, the death of Christ, and his position at the right hand of the Father. The end which according to the paragraph above was added later and includes several petitions.
This is the recording that I listened to.
youtube recording
I was able to find the notation and the text in the liber useralis.
liber useralis
This confirmed my original impression that it was in Phrygian mode, or mode 3. After seeing the notation, it also confirmed that it was neumatic with mostly one syllable per note except for a few exceptions. It was performed in a responsorial fashion with one man singing phrases and a chorus repeating the phrases.
The tone of the entire piece was solemn and prayerful. I learned through my research that this was a hymn of thanksgiving and joy. The solemn tone is not what I normally associate with hymns of joy and thanksgiving in our modern day. I usually think of joy and thanksgiving being expressed in a more jubilant way, with a faster tempo and more variety and expression, but I understand that joy and thanksgiving can be expressed in a solemn and prayerful way as well.
I learned from my research that this hymn was originally attributed to St. Ambrose or St. Augustine, but is now accredited to Nicetas, Bishop of Remesiana (4th century). " It is used at the conclusion of the Office of the Readings for the Liturgy of the Hours on Sundays outside Lent, daily during the Octaves of Christmas and Easter, and on Solemnities and Feast Days. The petitions at the end were added at a later time and are optional. A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who recite it in thanksgiving and a plenary indulgence is granted if the hymn is recited publicly on the last day of the year." source
I was able to read the English translation which is about 8 paragraphs long. It gave praise to the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit,and included a lot of other doctrine/theology mentioning the virgin birth, the death of Christ, and his position at the right hand of the Father. The end which according to the paragraph above was added later and includes several petitions.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Oxyrhynchus Hymn
The Oxyrhynchus Hymn is the earliest known manuscript that has both lyrics and musical notation of a Christian hymn. It is believed to be from the 3rd century. Only a fragment was found so researchers have done their best to try to fill in the missing pieces. The fragment is known as P. Oxy. XV 1786. It is a papyrus fragment that was discovered in 1918 and published in 1922. It is now kept at a library in Oxford.
The hymn was written and notated in Greek. This is the English translation of the hymn found on Wikipedia.
... Let it be silent
Let the Luminous stars not shine,
Let the winds (?) and all the noisy rivers die down;
And as we hymn the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Let all the powers add "Amen Amen"
Empire, praise always, and glory to God,
The sole giver of good things, Amen Amen.
The ellipses and question mark must indicate where the fragment is damaged and the text in undecipherable.
I found 4 versions of this hymn being performed.
The first one began with a man reading or reciting. Then a group of men began singing the melody along with a stringed instrument that plucked the melody. Periodically there were bells and some type of percussion. The melody sounded like it was in a major key, but there was a whole step down from the tonic instead of a leading tone which makes me want to place it is Mixolydian mode.
I found another version on youtube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bYqOIwbNAM&feature=player_embedded#!
This performance began with a bell that seemed to count out measures before the singing began and also in the middle. It did not say what the purpose was, but I wonder if it is to indicate where the text and notation is lost and instead of recreate it, they used that method instead. That is the impression that I got. This performance began with a chorus of men's and women's voices all singing the same text and melody. Except for the bell, there were no instruments. It then alternated between a solo man's voice, a chorus of men, a chorus of women, and the mixed chorus.
After listening to this version I could picture a small group of worshipers in the 3rd century gathered at in the early morning or by candlelight and singing the hymn.
I found one more version that had been arranged to sing in a modern church.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQKVILQsbv4&feature=player_embedded#!
This version began with a flute that played the entire melody. A piano and female choir performed this. It was clearly a modern arrangement with harmony and multiple parts, but it was very enjoyable to listen to. I liked how it began simply without much embellishment and then grew more complex. i thought it was great imagery for the continuity of the ancient church to the church today. I don't know if that was the intent of the arranger and the performers but that is the impression that I was left with.
The hymn was written and notated in Greek. This is the English translation of the hymn found on Wikipedia.
... Let it be silent
Let the Luminous stars not shine,
Let the winds (?) and all the noisy rivers die down;
And as we hymn the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Let all the powers add "Amen Amen"
Empire, praise always, and glory to God,
The sole giver of good things, Amen Amen.
The ellipses and question mark must indicate where the fragment is damaged and the text in undecipherable.
I found 4 versions of this hymn being performed.
The first one began with a man reading or reciting. Then a group of men began singing the melody along with a stringed instrument that plucked the melody. Periodically there were bells and some type of percussion. The melody sounded like it was in a major key, but there was a whole step down from the tonic instead of a leading tone which makes me want to place it is Mixolydian mode.
I found another version on youtube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bYqOIwbNAM&feature=player_embedded#!
This performance began with a bell that seemed to count out measures before the singing began and also in the middle. It did not say what the purpose was, but I wonder if it is to indicate where the text and notation is lost and instead of recreate it, they used that method instead. That is the impression that I got. This performance began with a chorus of men's and women's voices all singing the same text and melody. Except for the bell, there were no instruments. It then alternated between a solo man's voice, a chorus of men, a chorus of women, and the mixed chorus.
After listening to this version I could picture a small group of worshipers in the 3rd century gathered at in the early morning or by candlelight and singing the hymn.
I found one more version that had been arranged to sing in a modern church.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQKVILQsbv4&feature=player_embedded#!
This version began with a flute that played the entire melody. A piano and female choir performed this. It was clearly a modern arrangement with harmony and multiple parts, but it was very enjoyable to listen to. I liked how it began simply without much embellishment and then grew more complex. i thought it was great imagery for the continuity of the ancient church to the church today. I don't know if that was the intent of the arranger and the performers but that is the impression that I was left with.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Topic-Martin Luther, the Musician/Music of the Reformation
I have chosen to write my article about Martin Luther as a musician, or if this is too narrow of a topic, I may expand the scope of the topic to include all music of the Reformation period. I will be updating this post with possible sources.
I have found a promising journal article from the Journal of Research in Music Education titled "Music in the Educational Philosophy of Martin Luther." Link
Another interesting article that I found was in the Journal of Musicological Research. It is not about Martin Luther, but about how music was used in the Reformation to argue both sides. It is titled
"Thomas Murner, Michael Stifel, and songs as polemic in the early reformation."
That is another possible angle I could explore.
Source
Another promising article is from the Journal called Early Music called "The historiography of the Reformation, or the reformation of historiography."
journal article
I found 3 interesting books that I am hoping to get a hold of.
I have found a promising journal article from the Journal of Research in Music Education titled "Music in the Educational Philosophy of Martin Luther." Link
Another interesting article that I found was in the Journal of Musicological Research. It is not about Martin Luther, but about how music was used in the Reformation to argue both sides. It is titled
"Thomas Murner, Michael Stifel, and songs as polemic in the early reformation."
That is another possible angle I could explore.
Source
Another promising article is from the Journal called Early Music called "The historiography of the Reformation, or the reformation of historiography."
journal article
I found 3 interesting books that I am hoping to get a hold of.
Theology, Music and Time (Cambridge Studies in Christian Doctrine) [Paperback]
Jeremy S. Begbie (Author)Resonant Witness: Conversations between Music and Theology (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies)
Jeremy S. Begbie (Editor), Steven R. GuthrieMusic and Theology (Horizons in Theology)
Don E. Saliers (Author)Sunday, September 18, 2011
Byzantine Chant
We only heard one example of Byzantine chant, but it was a great example. Byzantine chant came from the Eastern branch of the Roman Catholic church.
I could not understand any of the text that was sung, but I enjoyed the style very much. It was sung by men. There were drones throughout the chant that alternated between two notes. I could not tell if the drones were actual text or not. This gave the song more texture and at times it sound like harmony.
This song had more phrasing and dynamics, which was interpreted by the performers. We do not know if that was typical of Byzantine chant. The effect was wonderful and it was pleasant to listen to. All of the men had great voices that blended together perfectly. The drones moved beautifully with the melody. At the end of the song, there was a half step resolution which means it included a leading tone.
I could not understand any of the text that was sung, but I enjoyed the style very much. It was sung by men. There were drones throughout the chant that alternated between two notes. I could not tell if the drones were actual text or not. This gave the song more texture and at times it sound like harmony.
This song had more phrasing and dynamics, which was interpreted by the performers. We do not know if that was typical of Byzantine chant. The effect was wonderful and it was pleasant to listen to. All of the men had great voices that blended together perfectly. The drones moved beautifully with the melody. At the end of the song, there was a half step resolution which means it included a leading tone.
Ambrosian Chant
In our listening lab we were able to listen to several examples of Ambrosian chant. They were sung by women. All of the songs were incredibly beautiful and peaceful. It almost made me want to join a convent. I am guessing that the women on the recording were all professionally trained and selected so that their voices matched beautifully. In an actual convent over 1,000 years ago, this probably would not be the case. In fact, I am guessing that at least a few of the women who joined were tone deaf. But it is nice to imagine that their music may have sounded this beautiful.
The phrase being sung in the Kyrie is "Kyrie eleison" which translates to "Lord have mercy". It was sung in a responsorial fashion with a leader singing first and the chorus repeated. It is in Mixolydian mode. The melody is descending at first and then changes in the middle and begins ascending. It is mostly syllabic, meaning one syllable per note. The overall effect of the chant was peaceful and prayerful.
We also listened to "Gloria" This was also responsorial, although not as strict in it's structure. The response was not always the same as the call. The first line was mostly two or three notes, centered around the reciting tone. Then the melody became much more complex, first ascending and then descending in mostly step wise motion.
The third song was "Alleluia" which precedes the reading of the gospel. The text mostly consisted of "Alleluia" and the melody was long and complex. This song was mostly melismatic with many notes per syllable. It was in Dorian mode. This was my favorite of the three. The overall effect was love and adoration. It was sung so beautifully and lovingly.
The phrase being sung in the Kyrie is "Kyrie eleison" which translates to "Lord have mercy". It was sung in a responsorial fashion with a leader singing first and the chorus repeated. It is in Mixolydian mode. The melody is descending at first and then changes in the middle and begins ascending. It is mostly syllabic, meaning one syllable per note. The overall effect of the chant was peaceful and prayerful.
We also listened to "Gloria" This was also responsorial, although not as strict in it's structure. The response was not always the same as the call. The first line was mostly two or three notes, centered around the reciting tone. Then the melody became much more complex, first ascending and then descending in mostly step wise motion.
The third song was "Alleluia" which precedes the reading of the gospel. The text mostly consisted of "Alleluia" and the melody was long and complex. This song was mostly melismatic with many notes per syllable. It was in Dorian mode. This was my favorite of the three. The overall effect was love and adoration. It was sung so beautifully and lovingly.
"Ashir Shirim" Ancient Jewish Wedding song
I was able to find many versions of this song and also find the translation and the background.
This is the English translation:
"I will sing songs to God at the coming of the redeemer.This terrified,innocent,& fair daughter - hurry to redeem her now. Elijah will come and she will be redeemed"
This melody of course sound very Eastern which makes sense. I noticed the lowered second right away which made me want to place it in Phrygian mode, although I am sure that is not what they called it. I have heard guitarists talk about improvising using what is called a "Jewish scale" and I suspect that this may be the same thing.
This song is a celebratory song used in weddings. Some researchers speculated that this melody could be as old as 500 B.C. and handed down orally over generations.
My favorite version of this song is this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lnmsN0mJek
I loved the ancient sound of the instruments and the vocal techniques that were used that I associate with middle Eastern music.
I also enjoyed this version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLQrZlN5B_Y
In every version of the this song that I found, it always started slowly emphasizing the melody and then sped up with more instruments added as the song went on. I wonder if this is because there is evidence that this is the way the songs were performed, or if this is just a popular way to stretch out a short song into something longer. Either way I liked it. When the melody is sung or played slowly it sounds hauntingly beautiful. As it speeds up, it sounds more celebratory like a dance.
My knowledge of ancient Jewish weddings is that they were a really big deal and went on for days and they included great feasts and a lot of wine. I can picture this song being sung and danced to at many of these great celebrations.
This is the English translation:
"I will sing songs to God at the coming of the redeemer.This terrified,innocent,& fair daughter - hurry to redeem her now. Elijah will come and she will be redeemed"
This melody of course sound very Eastern which makes sense. I noticed the lowered second right away which made me want to place it in Phrygian mode, although I am sure that is not what they called it. I have heard guitarists talk about improvising using what is called a "Jewish scale" and I suspect that this may be the same thing.
This song is a celebratory song used in weddings. Some researchers speculated that this melody could be as old as 500 B.C. and handed down orally over generations.
My favorite version of this song is this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lnmsN0mJek
I loved the ancient sound of the instruments and the vocal techniques that were used that I associate with middle Eastern music.
I also enjoyed this version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLQrZlN5B_Y
In every version of the this song that I found, it always started slowly emphasizing the melody and then sped up with more instruments added as the song went on. I wonder if this is because there is evidence that this is the way the songs were performed, or if this is just a popular way to stretch out a short song into something longer. Either way I liked it. When the melody is sung or played slowly it sounds hauntingly beautiful. As it speeds up, it sounds more celebratory like a dance.
My knowledge of ancient Jewish weddings is that they were a really big deal and went on for days and they included great feasts and a lot of wine. I can picture this song being sung and danced to at many of these great celebrations.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
First Delphic Hymn to Apollo c. 138 B.C.
This piece of music was found inscribed in marble. It is not a complete piece of music, only a fragment. I could not find as many versions of this. This is the one I listened to multiple times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MMI06AnhtM&feature=watch_response_rev
This man is playing a lyre that is as similar to an ancient Greek lyre that we can probably recreate. Under the video he wrote that he tried to tune it with ancient Greek cyclical tuning but was not successful. I really enjoyed the sound of his lyre and I liked the tuning of the strings. It definitely had a unique sound, different from our modern instruments and modern tuning which helped give the music an "otherworldly" quality.
Even though I listened to this piece of music several times, it did not have a memorable tune, yet it was enjoyable and pleasant to listen to. I could not tell what mode it was in, but I would guess that it would be Greek Dorian or hypo Dorian because it was a hymn to Apollo. Apollo was associated with reason and intellect as opposed to emotionalism and revelry. Unlike the Seikilos epitaph, I cannot picture creatures dancing and drinking wine to this music. It was most likely always performed in a serious manner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MMI06AnhtM&feature=watch_response_rev
This man is playing a lyre that is as similar to an ancient Greek lyre that we can probably recreate. Under the video he wrote that he tried to tune it with ancient Greek cyclical tuning but was not successful. I really enjoyed the sound of his lyre and I liked the tuning of the strings. It definitely had a unique sound, different from our modern instruments and modern tuning which helped give the music an "otherworldly" quality.
Even though I listened to this piece of music several times, it did not have a memorable tune, yet it was enjoyable and pleasant to listen to. I could not tell what mode it was in, but I would guess that it would be Greek Dorian or hypo Dorian because it was a hymn to Apollo. Apollo was associated with reason and intellect as opposed to emotionalism and revelry. Unlike the Seikilos epitaph, I cannot picture creatures dancing and drinking wine to this music. It was most likely always performed in a serious manner.
Epitaph of Seikilos, 1st century A.D.
In class I was able to hear listen to three different versions of this song. At home I found many more on youtube.
This is my favorite version because the melody is played over and over and different instruments are played. This video also has the ancient Greek images throughout which always helps to transport me to ancient Greece. The main instrument is a stringed instrument that is most likely a lyre, and a woman singing the words with that beautiful clear voice. Then some flute-like instrument comes in, maybe an aulos. In this version it played and sung slowly at first and then speeds up with some percussion which makes it sounds like a dance. While listening to it with my eyes closed I could definitely picture some ancient Greek men and women dancing around with their instruments, and maybe some fawns, centaurs and other woodland creatures.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xERitvFYpAk&NR=1
Before listening to this song, I was able to read the English translation of the lyrics.
I am an image in stone. Seikilos put me here, where I am
forever, as the symbol of eternal remembrance.
As long as you live, shine:
Afflict yourself with nothing beyond measure:
your life is of brief duration;
time clams it's tribute.
In class, I read the words but did not quite understand what the words meant because of the rough English translation. I understood that it was a tombstone and that the theme was about how short life is. I assumed that the moral of the text was "Life is short, so make it count." But after hearing about it in class the next day and reading some different translations that were worded slightly differently, I now understand it to mean "Life is short, so enjoy it." :) The line that reads "Afflict yourself with nothing beyond measure" probably just means, "Don't work to hard, because you're just going to die anyway." This is kind of a funny thing to put on your wife's tombstone. I don't think
I have not seen anything like that on any tombstones in today's world. I wonder if this reflects the general mood of the population at that time.
This theme fits more with the music which has a lighthearted feel to it, even in the slower versions that were purely instrumental. This made me curious as to what Greek mode it is in, and what emotions were associated with the mode. It turns out that it is in Phrygian mode (Greek Phrygian) which was believed to create feelings of agitation and emotionalism, and is associated with the god Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry. I don't think that Plato would have approved. I didn't find that it made me feel agitated or emotional, but it is an enjoyable tune that's been stuck in my head for the past three days.
This is my favorite version because the melody is played over and over and different instruments are played. This video also has the ancient Greek images throughout which always helps to transport me to ancient Greece. The main instrument is a stringed instrument that is most likely a lyre, and a woman singing the words with that beautiful clear voice. Then some flute-like instrument comes in, maybe an aulos. In this version it played and sung slowly at first and then speeds up with some percussion which makes it sounds like a dance. While listening to it with my eyes closed I could definitely picture some ancient Greek men and women dancing around with their instruments, and maybe some fawns, centaurs and other woodland creatures.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xERitvFYpAk&NR=1
Before listening to this song, I was able to read the English translation of the lyrics.
I am an image in stone. Seikilos put me here, where I am
forever, as the symbol of eternal remembrance.
As long as you live, shine:
Afflict yourself with nothing beyond measure:
your life is of brief duration;
time clams it's tribute.
In class, I read the words but did not quite understand what the words meant because of the rough English translation. I understood that it was a tombstone and that the theme was about how short life is. I assumed that the moral of the text was "Life is short, so make it count." But after hearing about it in class the next day and reading some different translations that were worded slightly differently, I now understand it to mean "Life is short, so enjoy it." :) The line that reads "Afflict yourself with nothing beyond measure" probably just means, "Don't work to hard, because you're just going to die anyway." This is kind of a funny thing to put on your wife's tombstone. I don't think
I have not seen anything like that on any tombstones in today's world. I wonder if this reflects the general mood of the population at that time.
This theme fits more with the music which has a lighthearted feel to it, even in the slower versions that were purely instrumental. This made me curious as to what Greek mode it is in, and what emotions were associated with the mode. It turns out that it is in Phrygian mode (Greek Phrygian) which was believed to create feelings of agitation and emotionalism, and is associated with the god Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry. I don't think that Plato would have approved. I didn't find that it made me feel agitated or emotional, but it is an enjoyable tune that's been stuck in my head for the past three days.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Invocation of the Muse (2nd. c. A.D.)
This song was played several times for us in class and I was able to write down my thoughts and initial impressions of the music. The translation and the background were not provided, so I will share my original impressions and then try to research more about this piece of ancient music.
A woman sang in a beautiful clear voice without much vibrato. A stringed instrument that resembled a lyre or a kithara was plucked while the woman sang. The instrument played the same melody and the same rhythm that the woman sang.
The melody was simple yet very beautiful. The entire range was probably less than one octave. It was not a traditional minor or major mode which makes sense because we know that the ancient Greeks had their own modes that the church later reconstructed, but not correctly. I have confirmed through more research that it was in Greek Dorian mode, which is the same as the church Lydian mode. On the keyboard it would go from E to E. I found it very interesting that Plato had referred to the Dorian mode as the real Greek mode and claimed that it created feelings of sincerity. I have to agree with Plato because the music does sound very sincere,
Obviously I could not understand the words, but the way the song was put together made it seem like the words being sung were words of wisdom, or words of poetry.
While researching I was able to find a youtube video that played the same audio that we heard in class (or a similar one). While the music played it displays pictures of ancient Greek art and architecture. The visuals along with the music definitely help to transport me to Ancient Greece for a few moments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAGoBL_xrQ8
I learned from my research that muses were believed to be the goddesses that inspired literature, poetry and art, and it was common practice to recite or sing an invocation to the muse before reciting poetry or telling a story.
I also found an English translation for the Invocation.
'Sing for me, dear Muse, begin my tuneful strain; a breeze blow from your groves to stir my listless brain'.
It was very interesting listening to the music once again knowing the English translation and trying to imagine myself in Ancient Greece singing this song to invoke a muse.
A woman sang in a beautiful clear voice without much vibrato. A stringed instrument that resembled a lyre or a kithara was plucked while the woman sang. The instrument played the same melody and the same rhythm that the woman sang.
The melody was simple yet very beautiful. The entire range was probably less than one octave. It was not a traditional minor or major mode which makes sense because we know that the ancient Greeks had their own modes that the church later reconstructed, but not correctly. I have confirmed through more research that it was in Greek Dorian mode, which is the same as the church Lydian mode. On the keyboard it would go from E to E. I found it very interesting that Plato had referred to the Dorian mode as the real Greek mode and claimed that it created feelings of sincerity. I have to agree with Plato because the music does sound very sincere,
Obviously I could not understand the words, but the way the song was put together made it seem like the words being sung were words of wisdom, or words of poetry.
While researching I was able to find a youtube video that played the same audio that we heard in class (or a similar one). While the music played it displays pictures of ancient Greek art and architecture. The visuals along with the music definitely help to transport me to Ancient Greece for a few moments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAGoBL_xrQ8
I learned from my research that muses were believed to be the goddesses that inspired literature, poetry and art, and it was common practice to recite or sing an invocation to the muse before reciting poetry or telling a story.
I also found an English translation for the Invocation.
'Sing for me, dear Muse, begin my tuneful strain; a breeze blow from your groves to stir my listless brain'.
It was very interesting listening to the music once again knowing the English translation and trying to imagine myself in Ancient Greece singing this song to invoke a muse.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Anti-social Music??? Plato's view and my view
Is there such thing as anti-social music or sociopathoic music? I would definitely say that there is. Although I don't have the strict standards that Plato had in his time.
Music can certainly be a form of entertainment, for both the musically educated and the non-musically educated. This does not cause a problem for me. I don't feel that this corrupts the integrety of music. I believe that people can have whatever opinions they want to have and they are free to voice their opinions. In our society we place a heavy value on "expert" opinion and those opinions will always carry more weight.
So I disagree with Plato that music as a form of entertainment can cause problems in society. I disagree also with the idea that the voiced opinions of the unknowledgable will corrupt music in society and lead to lawlessness. I also don't have a problem with mixing modes. I once heard someone sing the words of "Amazing Grace" to the tune and chords of "House of the Rising Sun" and I thought that the result was brilliant and beautiful.
As long as we continue to respect the professionals who dedicate their careers to studying music and understanding music more that we respect a random person on the street, I think we are okay.
With all of this being said, I do believe that some music is harmful to individuals and society. Mostly this type of music would manifest itself through the lyrics. Lyrics that contain themes of violence racism, misogyny, murder, death, hatred, etc., obviously affect the individual who is listening to it, and it has the potential to negatively affect society as a whole. There are even some clear examples of life imitating art, where people who listened to this type of music went out into the real world and committed crimes similar to the music that they were listening to daily.
Many people scoff at this idea of certain types of music being harmful. They view music as an art that is completely subjective. They say that it's not real, it's just a show, it's just for fun, it's an outlet for people to explore their dark side. Regarding crimes committed, many people would argue that the type of music was not causal. Rather, those who have a dark side are just more likely to be drawn to that type of music.
I disagree. The main reason that I disagree is because I have such a strong belief in the power of music to affect people. I know that music affects me greatly. I believe that there is something in the human spirit that is universal. We are hard-wired to respond to music. If people believe that they can listen to dark and violent music, they are kidding themselves.
The flip side of this is that music can have powerful effects in a positive way. I know that I have experienced this myself and others have as well. I believe that everyone should be aware of the type of music they are drawn to, and question it a little. Ask themselves why they are drawn to this particular type of music? How does it affect them? Is it just entertainment? Is it having positive or negative effects on your mood and behavior?
Music can certainly be a form of entertainment, for both the musically educated and the non-musically educated. This does not cause a problem for me. I don't feel that this corrupts the integrety of music. I believe that people can have whatever opinions they want to have and they are free to voice their opinions. In our society we place a heavy value on "expert" opinion and those opinions will always carry more weight.
So I disagree with Plato that music as a form of entertainment can cause problems in society. I disagree also with the idea that the voiced opinions of the unknowledgable will corrupt music in society and lead to lawlessness. I also don't have a problem with mixing modes. I once heard someone sing the words of "Amazing Grace" to the tune and chords of "House of the Rising Sun" and I thought that the result was brilliant and beautiful.
As long as we continue to respect the professionals who dedicate their careers to studying music and understanding music more that we respect a random person on the street, I think we are okay.
With all of this being said, I do believe that some music is harmful to individuals and society. Mostly this type of music would manifest itself through the lyrics. Lyrics that contain themes of violence racism, misogyny, murder, death, hatred, etc., obviously affect the individual who is listening to it, and it has the potential to negatively affect society as a whole. There are even some clear examples of life imitating art, where people who listened to this type of music went out into the real world and committed crimes similar to the music that they were listening to daily.
Many people scoff at this idea of certain types of music being harmful. They view music as an art that is completely subjective. They say that it's not real, it's just a show, it's just for fun, it's an outlet for people to explore their dark side. Regarding crimes committed, many people would argue that the type of music was not causal. Rather, those who have a dark side are just more likely to be drawn to that type of music.
I disagree. The main reason that I disagree is because I have such a strong belief in the power of music to affect people. I know that music affects me greatly. I believe that there is something in the human spirit that is universal. We are hard-wired to respond to music. If people believe that they can listen to dark and violent music, they are kidding themselves.
The flip side of this is that music can have powerful effects in a positive way. I know that I have experienced this myself and others have as well. I believe that everyone should be aware of the type of music they are drawn to, and question it a little. Ask themselves why they are drawn to this particular type of music? How does it affect them? Is it just entertainment? Is it having positive or negative effects on your mood and behavior?
Monday, September 5, 2011
Why I Love Music
I love music because of the way it makes me feel. Certain types of music have the power to relax me when I am feeling anxious. Other types of music can pep me up when I am feeling slow. Music that sounds beautiful makes me happy and fills me with a sense of awe, the same type of awe that I feel when I see a sunset, a beautiful garden, or a painting.
I like to share music with others. I am vocal about my likes and also my dislikes, although I am much more careful about how I vocalize this than when I was a teenager. I am also more open to experiencing different types of music and learning to enjoy things that I wouldn't normally enjoy. I feel that when I share my musical likes and dislikes with people, I am sharing a piece of myself with others, because in a way, the music a person likes says something about them. Sometimes a popular song will be played often on the radio and I will listen to it when I'm by myself because I enjoy it for some reason or another, but I won't admit to others that I like it. I treat it as a "guilty pleasure". I don't share with others that I enjoy the music because for some reason or another, I don't think it is really good quality music. It might be cheesy or simple, or unoriginal. Even though I may enjoy listening to it, I wouldn't want to share with others that I enjoy it because I am afraid that it might communicate something about me that I don't like.
I like to play music with other people. My favorite thing to do is to play the piano with a small group of instruments and singers. Playing with other people always uplifts me and it is a lot of fun. It is a shared experience that creates a special bond.
I like to play for other people (when nerves don't get in the way). When I play music for other people it makes me feel as if I am sharing a part of myself with them, something that can't be expressed in words. I like to listen to others perform music also, because I enjoy the music (if it is played or sung well) and because I feel like I am learning about the performer.
I like to share music with others. I am vocal about my likes and also my dislikes, although I am much more careful about how I vocalize this than when I was a teenager. I am also more open to experiencing different types of music and learning to enjoy things that I wouldn't normally enjoy. I feel that when I share my musical likes and dislikes with people, I am sharing a piece of myself with others, because in a way, the music a person likes says something about them. Sometimes a popular song will be played often on the radio and I will listen to it when I'm by myself because I enjoy it for some reason or another, but I won't admit to others that I like it. I treat it as a "guilty pleasure". I don't share with others that I enjoy the music because for some reason or another, I don't think it is really good quality music. It might be cheesy or simple, or unoriginal. Even though I may enjoy listening to it, I wouldn't want to share with others that I enjoy it because I am afraid that it might communicate something about me that I don't like.
I like to play music with other people. My favorite thing to do is to play the piano with a small group of instruments and singers. Playing with other people always uplifts me and it is a lot of fun. It is a shared experience that creates a special bond.
I like to play for other people (when nerves don't get in the way). When I play music for other people it makes me feel as if I am sharing a part of myself with them, something that can't be expressed in words. I like to listen to others perform music also, because I enjoy the music (if it is played or sung well) and because I feel like I am learning about the performer.
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