Sustainability and Music

Whenever I think of China and music, I think of long held traditions that have been passed down for centuries. However, there was the Chinese Cultural Revolution that destroyed this aspect of tradition because people feared persecution for practice. Despite this, from the video clips Saga of Mulan and From Mao to Mozart and Titon’s blog about his trip to China, it seems as though traditions have survived and the idea of “tradition” is still important. It is unfortunate that for a period of time they were not able to freely practice, but I think it speaks highly of the culture that they returned to their traditions and uphold the belief about sustaining Chinese music.

            What stuck out to me in the video From Mao to Mozart was the opinions on Chinese music that was discussed. One being the belief that “we do not need Western music, we need Chinese music” and the other being “we need to develop Chinese music, but it is important to study Western Music.” When I was reading Titon’s blog with this in mind I thought of how it relates to the Qujiaying village traditional concert/funeral music he heard out in the town. Titon tells us that the concert style song was "suited" and is compared with Western music: because it included 13 divertimentos, and seven concerto grossos. Titon mentions how this might be because they are trying to make the music more classical. However, I think of the ideas from the video and how tradition Chinese culture and music is always changing just like all style of music. It is just more interesting because it is what they consider traditional. Besides this, the instrumentation of the concert and the people talking during it (regardless of if it is a funeral or not) still reflects the heritage of Chinese music.  This can also be seen in the Saga of Mulan because their voice parts and instrumentation is reminiscent of the traditional Beijing opera style JingJu.

            Chinese music is being sustained, but with minor changes over time. But for the most part, traditional aspects can always be seen.

The difference in European Music

The two excerpts of European music I have chosen are “An Chlöe” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and  "A Chantar" by Comtessa Beatritz de Dia. These two pieces are completely different, but both considered European. “A Chlöe” is a classic example of stereotypical European music according to Cooley, and “A Chantar” is a perfect example of an atypical European song.

            Some of the things Cooley lists as being stereotypical to European music are: Major keys, repeating rhythmic structure, harmonics, and melody. “An Chlöe” contains all of these elements. The score shows the piece having a time signature. This along with the simple (repeated) rhythm makes it easy to sing. There is also a definite melody (in a major key) and there are harmonies one can hear in the piano part. 

            “A Chantar" is a completely different –yet still beautiful- example of European Music. Unlike “An Chlöe” there does not seem to be any type of meter to the song. It is more speech-like and free, the tempo and rhythm is really up to the vocalist and how they choose to sing. There also seems to be no real melody or harmony to the piece. This is a very early type of European music- before common notation as we know it today was properly developed. So when looking at the piece, it can seem foreign in the way it's notated.

            With Europe not being the biggest of continents, one would think that the music would be roughly the same country to country. This however, is not the case and this is the point Cooley is trying to get across.

                                                                   "An Chlöe"

                                                                  "A Chantar"

Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah

This excerpt I have chosen immediately reminded me of the “Amazing Grace” example sung by the New Bethel Baptist Church in our text. Pastor Calvin Johnson is lining out the singing part very similarly to the way the Deacon line is sung. It is obvious that there is a social organization for the singing of the group because you can hear the call and response between the Pastor and the congregation.  The timbre of Pastor Johnson’s voice is rhaspy and smooth through his ornamentation just like in the recording Titon provides us.

In our book it states that these hyms are often improvisatory, I believe that is very true for this recording as well. There is many melismas and glides that Pastor John adds to his singing. Titon tells us that the congregation typically does not all sing the same thing or what the Pastor previously sang. In this recording there is so many different variations that it all sort of blends together in perfect harmony.

 One of the things Titon tells us that is important is movement. Immediately Pastor Johnson tells the congregation to stand if anyone feels so called to. Throughout the video the congregation can be seen lifting hands, fanning, clapping, and swaying with Pastor Johnson. One small thing that I think is an important part of movement during worship ((for some people) but it is kinda hard to see in this video because it’s grainy) is the closing of the eyes. To feel so moved that you just close your eyes and let the music move you. Pastor Johnson, as well as other members of the congregation can be seen closing their eyes and letting the music envelop them.

I could go on about the amazing community of this congregation and the diversity of the music and Pastor Johnson’s magnificent leading…But alas I have been restricted to 300 words for this entry…

                                                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z7c7dSbLrg

Forest People

I feel like the most unexpect song from our anthology was the BaAka Mabo song Makala. I say this because to the untrained ear, or to someone who isn’t paying close attention, the first thing that comes to mind is Native American music. That’s one of the first things that came to my mind as I was listening anyway.  The song is polyphonic with different layers of yodeling, chanting, singing, and yelling at all different intervals. Even though the song seems to be chaotic, improvisatory, and like none of the themes or melodies blend together, there is a sort of harmony between all the parts. The first image that came to my mind was the cultural Native American dance video we watched the other day in class (sorry I forgot the specific name!!).  In that video everyone seemed to be singing and dancing in their own little world - so to speak. But there was one sole purpose during the song and dance. One idea that was universal for all of them that made the piece come together. I think that is the same for Makala as well.  I found it very interesting how similar these songs actually are in terms of them both being cultural songs and dances where everyone in the whole tribe participates. Not everyone may be dancing or singing in the Native American piece as they are in the Makala, but everyone is there and engaged.  These cultures have probably never crossed paths so it is fascinating to see and listen to how similar the pieces may or may not seem to be.  It makes me wonder if then, there was a third party that crossed their paths and had some sort of influence or has an answer as to why these groups are reminiscent of  one another.  

Journey to Saigon

I guess you could say musical theatre is my passion, my "thing". I’m that loud girl that stands on stage and belts notes as loud as I can. I'm that girl that lives for a good story to completely loose myself in. When I sing musical theatre that's only time where I feel like I understand myself. I don’t think I would have figured that out if I hadn’t seen the show Miss Saigon.

This is the story of a love brought together and ripped apart by war. The musical theatre story of Miss Saigon, with music by Claude-Michael Schönberg and lyrics by Alain Boubill and Richard Maltby Jr. is based off of Giacomo Puccini's Opera, Madame Butterfly. It is the story of an American GI named Chris who is sent off to war in Vietnam and falls madly in love with a Vietnamese girl named Kim.  Chris is forced to leave Vietnam and he marries another woman named Ellen.  The story follows Chris’s return to Vietnam and the surprise for the lovers that Chris is now married and that Kim has Chris’s child.

I remember it was the song “I Still Believe” that made me start practicing the passionate ballad and belt songs. Kim and Ellen sing this song approximately 3 years after he has left Vietnam. What I find so extremely beautiful and heart wrenching is the setting and text. Kim sits awake in a room full of strangers and hasn’t seen or heard from Chris in 3 years, but yet she reminisces in the middle of night about their nights together. She sings about her memories, her undying love, and her confidence in his return to her. At the same time in America, Ellen lies awake in bed troubled about her husbands nightmares- that are actually about his concerns over Kim’s safety. Yet Ellen sings about her promise to remain a devoted wife despite the secrets he keeps from her.

In particular, it was the actress playing Ellen whose voice drew me in.  The beginning was so hushed as Kim was singing that you could almost hear a pin drop. The song completely intensified when the women began to sing together and you could hear the pain of Ellen not being able to comfort her husband, and for Kim crying out for Chris in the midst of the night. During their duet Ellen’s voice was so resonant and powerful. I could her hear her pain, but I could also hear strength and her confidence that they would get past this. I remember sitting in amazement with my friends, jaws dropped, and the roar of applause when the song finished.

I had liked musical theatre before I saw Miss Saigon, but this show motivated me to practice songs that had power to them, that had multi-dimensional characters. Ever since this performance I’ve had one goal as a performer, and that is to have everyone so completely engaged in my performance, that they feel like their living it with me. 

I like the vocals in this video more…However,

 The staging and set of this particular production is closer to how it looked when I saw it.
(I liked the people I saw better!! But enjoy anyway!)