Abstract A book report on Herman Vianna's "The Mystery of Samba", a cultural anthropology study of music in Brazil, particularly the use of 'racially-mixed' culture as a symbol for all of Brazilian culture.
Abstract This paper discusses the existentialist tendencies in the music of hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur. A brief biography of Tupac is included here, as well as a discussion on the meaning of existentialism. Several of Tupac's songs are examined for traces of existentialist thought.
Abstract This paper examines copyright and the technology of music file sharing. Initially, it explores the technology itself. Then it examines the law and the broader social and ethical issues surrounding the technology.
Abstract This paper is a full examination and critique of the book, "Race, Rock, and Elvis" by author Michael T. Bertrand. This book promotes the theory that Elvis, as well as rock and roll itself, worked to deconstruct racism in American in general and in the South in specific. The paper critiques the book in terms of organization and theme.
Abstract This paper looks at the works and life of Aaron Copland. The direct appeal and irresistible imagination of Aaron Copland's works make him one of the defining voices of American music. His musical works ranged from ballet and orchestral music to choral music and movie scores. For the better part of four decades Aaron Copland was considered the premier American composer.
Abstract This paper takes an argumentative stance on the idea of Madonna as a feminist. It contends that while Madonna's outward behavior does not seem to be within the feminist vein, the fact that she maintains such a strong sense of herself and of her dedication to doing what she wants to do actually does represent the future of feminism.
Abstract This paper will seek to understand teenage thought in popular music. By seeking the psychological mind process of a teenage girl, we can see how psychology plays into her reaction to the music of Britney Spears and Madonna.
Abstract This six-page undergraduate paper discusses how the technological advances of the Industrial Revolution up until the late nineteen-thirties led to the dissemination of American Popular Music, and what role inventions such as the radio and the phonograph played.
Abstract This six-page undergraduate paper discusses the Napster controversy in terms of analyzing the court briefs prepared by Napster attorneys. Based upon these briefs, and citing the Sony precedent, a legal argument is presented asserting that Napster is not responsible for any possible copyright infringement indulged in by third parties.
Abstract This paper describes how rock and roll integrated sounds from both black and white musical traditions, traces some of the roots of rock and roll, examines how those roots came together, and demonstrates how they have manifested themselves in the music.
Abstract This paper discusses how Bob Dylan has exerted a lasting influence on our culture and has altered our conception of what is possible within a popular song and particularly within its lyrics. It looks at how it is upon his sixties songs that his reputation rests and how throughout these songs he covered and developed a broad spectrum of themes, an important and reoccurring one being women. It explores the presentation of women in Dylan's early albums using a selection of songs which the author feels to be representative of each record.
From the Paper "Another side of Bob Dylan (1964) was his last solo album until the 1990s. With the exception of one song, none of the songs had any overtly political theme. The album marked a shift from the public Dylan to a more private and introspective Dylan. The songs on the album offer personal explorations of love and focus on the nature of relationships.
To Ramona is fundamentally a break-up song in which the singer reluctantly takes his leave of a girl ensnared by the opinions of her acquaintances. It expresses feelings in a direct manner, yet is softened by reaching a moving and mature resolution in which he comes to accept the inevitability of the change, while refusing to shut the door completely on any future possibility of reunion."
Examination of how pop music can be used in a film score to drive the narrative and create meaning by use of ironic counterpoint or dramatic forshadowing.
Abstract Popular music, as demonstrated in the movie "Boogie Nights", can be utilised to generate added meaning for the narrative. Time and place contexts are established and asserted, and connotations brought forth by lyrics inform the narrative, working with the onscreen action to generate new meanings and character motivations. This paper discusses how "Boogie Nights" has a tight synthesis with its music and the way it is arranged and the particular pieces which are chosen, reflect the central themes of change and accepting who you are and what you have to offer, as well as performing a metaphoric or comical purpose. It shows how this effectively demonstrates how popular music, in the (near) absence of a classical score can interact with the film text in a meaningful way.
From the Paper "The popular song score operates in a different way from the classical film score, with seemingly more specific purposes based on its lyrical content. Popular Music utilises cultural contexts and linguistic content to create meaning. Coupled with an image the popular song's lyrics can be used as pun, ironic counterpoint or provide commentary or insight into character thought and motivation. The music of Boogie Nights works to fulfil the above functions, denoting, as only popular music could, the trends and transitions of music and fashion over several years, as well as articulating the thematic concerns of the film and acting as guide through the unfamiliar world."
Abstract The process of globalization permeates every aspect of comtemporary society, manifesting itself especially through mass culture. This paper explores popular music as a mirror reflecting the economic, technological and socio-political implications of globalization in a comprehensive and open manner.
From the Paper "The issue of globalisation is deeply embedded in contemporary cultural values as a complex interconnection of processes that work in a contradictory and often opposing fashion, involving a system of societies, cultures and institutions worldwide (Tomlinson, 1997; 170). As Pickering suggests with much insight, globalisation cannot be viewed as purely a result of collective cultural imperialistic expansion by the west, but also as a heterogenous and multi-centred process (2001;47) inherently tied to commodification, capitalism and modernity. As a result, global economic, political and social importance are all inherently manifested through popular/mass culture, especially that of the pop music genre, which is not only cross-cultural but also relies heavily on the capitalist global construct as its main source of profit and survival. As Robert Burnett asserts, ???"most fundamental aspect of popular culture as a concept is that it is the product of industrialization"? (1996; 194), shaped by the advanced urban economies through corporate production. As a standardized product of global economy, popular music is able to assert much socio-political, economic and technological influence, becoming a motivational force behind cultural globalisation through its unifying persuasiveness, vast output and secularity, highlighting the significance of the link between the global trend and the popular music genre in today?'s society."
Abstract With the age of expansion and exploration in both Europe and Asia, there would come a time when the two worlds would inevitably converge. That junction between Europe and Asia came to be called the Middle East. This paper explores the influences of the Arabic culture on Europe, more specifically, the effect of Arabian musical traditions on the world's musical tastes. In examining the musical development of Western cultures, it becomes evident that the nations of Islam contributed, not only to its advancement, but also its direction, chiefly in preserving and spreading the scholastic ideas on music held by Greece, Rome, and the Middle East.
From the Paper "Furthermore, the invasion and fall of the Byzantine Empire by the Muslim nations brought about a migration of intellectuals from the capital, Constantinople, to the island of Crete and the great seaports of Venice. It was the influx of these intellectual thinkers coupled with the invention of the printing press that served as a catalyst for the Italian renaissance. The scholars that fled the turbulent scene of Constantinople brought with them not only many texts in both Greek and Latin, but also the ideas that facilitated the Renaissance movement."
Abstract This paper explains, by describing in detail each movement, that Brahms's "Violin Concerto" demonstrates how a composer can use aspects of music to move the listener emotionally. The author, for example, details that Brahms signals changes of mood by using dramatic retards followed by rhythmic passages, thereby, communicating an inevitable feeling of both despair and hope. The paper concludes that the overall feeling of the listener is that in the midst of despair there is always a glimmer of hope (first movement), that in the midst of turbulent emotions we can find peace (second movement), and that life should be full of enthusiasm and joy (third movement.)
From the Paper "Gradually, the orchestra fades out and the solo violin comes in more rapid and intense, followed by forceful rhythms of the orchestra that builds to an intense climax, but then backs off so a sweet violin melody accompanied by a flute can break through. This ebb and flow of intensity, gradual crescendos and decrescendos continues throughout the first movement, shifting the listener back and forth between hope and despair. In some places, the violin is only accompanied by light pizzicato in the strings. Finally, Brahms brings the movement to a dramatic conclusion with a sometimes fiery and sometimes gentle passage by the violin and a triumphal orchestral denouement. The entire movement gives a feeling of strong, conflicting emotions."
