My next paper topic is for my class, music and technology. I don't want to have to ground myself this coming semester because of my paper, so I'm beginning early. The hardest part for me is defining the topic/refining the thesis statement.
My teacher is willing to work with me, and let me stretch the topic a wee bit - defining music as a technology, because I am wanting to discuss how music can be used as a method for healing.
[My ideas are still a wee bit fuzzy, so sorry.]
Okay, music IS a method of cultural healing.
Yes, this technology (music) is being misused, and can actually cause social division. These thoughts mostly refer to the Western Classical tradition. Thankfully, folk music, etc. will always live on.
These ideas I can talk about, and how the elitist-ness* of the Western Classical tradition is either sadly perpetuated, or thrown away and discarded. (There must be a happy medium, no? I do find it amazingly ironic that many people who poo-poo the Western tradition would not be in academia if it wasn't for said tradition...but that's a completely different topic.)
Understandably, my teacher would appreciate me working a more explicit idea of the impact of technology of music.
Would you agree that the Western elitist ideas began with the idea of musical notation? And now, especially with the amazing availability of top-notch virtuosos on recordings - does this too perpetuate the idea that only 'special people' can achieve the title of Musician? If we still learned things (for example) completely by ear, would things be different? Would more people gather together as a community and enjoy music without these things?
Thankfully, there are always people who defy expectations and will do what they love, no matter what.
Among other things, something that has brought these questions to the fore:
Why is it, that primary kids will sing every week, and enjoy singing, and never have any thought that they can't sing.
And then, post-primary, deciding that they can't sing. Is it because they aren't in Choir? Because they can't read music, and real Musicians read music?
I am being given the opportunity to provide piano lessons to members of the Spanish Branch (they were told to be self-sufficient. [It's a darn good thing I wasn't there. I don't disagree by any means, but I don't think they are the only unit who needs the talk.... *biting tongue*] Maybe this is why Paul said women should be silent.... :) )
They will be at a discounted rate.
Part of me thinks, why do they even need to join in the traditional piano to accompany - why not the guitar or something? Why not just the online CD-ness? Why should they be 'forced' to join the musical constraints of a church, though world-wide, definitely strongly based in the Western musical traditions. And, with P. Monson asking us to pray for the opening of doors for missionary work in other countries - China, the Middle East, other parts of Africa, etc. If we who have experienced the singing of hymns in the Hispanic World, I can only imagine when these other cultures and musical traditions are joined.
Yet, to hear the melody of "I am a child of God" in another language is fabulous, because, you KNOW what is being sung. And, there are so many lovely, beautiful things taught through hymns. I am a huge fan.
Okay, that's all for now. Thoughts from you, my intrepid reader, are much appreciated.
* I would define elitism as believing that only a select few can understand something. I believe this is completely and utterly FALSE!
2 comments:
I also wonder what it's like for members of the church who have never heard of/seen a piano, let alone a hymnal, with its strange scribblings on the inside. I'll have to ask one of my friends who has served a mission somewhere like that.
Although not an extreme example, but Germans have a rich primarily protestant hymn tradition, but the German hymn book only includes a very few of those hymns. The German members, however, don't mourn this - they don't want to sing what they sing in other churches. They want to sing the "hymns of Zion," translated from English. It's a sort of cultural colonialism that on the one hand I mourn but on the other I understand their desire.
From my limited experience and from what I've heard from others, there's alot more "unison" singing out of America, which could potentially be very powerful.
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