Abstract This paper examines Alexie's novel, in which the blues comprise more than an appearance of disaster entrenched in African-American understanding. This paper looks at the role of blues music in the African-American lifestyle as presented in "Reservation Blues".
From the Paper "The blues articulate chronicles that, as of the usual point of view, instigate in the practices of Africans in America. However, customarily the blues go beyond diverse, inflexible cultural boundaries. Ralph Ellison's well-known classifications of the blues propose a liberal view; one partial, no more than, by the speaker's capability to lyrically articulate his or her autobiographical chronicle of personal catastrophe (Ralph, 78)."
Abstract This paper examines how one important mode of expression that emerged during the Modern period was Surrealism. By looking at several scholar's definition of surrealism, the writer discusses how this movement has affected popular society, focusing on the music industry.
From the Paper "Commenting on the longer influence of Surrealism up to the present with reference to socio-political phenomena it is clear that underground and popular culture in the West have both been changed to a certain extend by this mode of expression. Although the visual arts, especially film, have not escaped the wraith of Surrealism it would seem that music in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries has been even more profoundly affected by Surrealism. Many genres of popular music including modern classical, jazz, hip-hop, and ambient spawn musicians who compose music with a Surrealist edge. Yet it may be the genre of rock & roll where Surrealism has had the most impact."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed examination of the life of famed musician, Frank Zappa. The life and works of Zappa are explored, and reasons are presented as to why he should be labeled a 20th century genius in the field of music.
From the Paper "It used to be that the word genius only applied to a standardized IQ score on an Intelligence Quotient test. In more recent years the world has come to the understanding that there are many types of intelligence and that genius can be found in many areas of life. One area that has always escaped the watchful eye of genius identifiers has been that of the music world. While musicians were often referred to as talented or gifted, the word genius was rarely used. Today, with the new understanding that genius can come in many forms; artists from the past and present are being recognized for the true genius they possessed. One of the most talented geniuses in the field of music was famed artist Frank Zappa. Zappa will always be remembered as a 20th century genius because of his lifetime achievement and contributions to the world of music."
Tags: rock, and, roll, the, yellow, shark, joe's, garage, composing, audience, pop, plastic, people
Abstract This paper examines how music is composed of a mixture of sounds, or a single sound, which is pleasing to the sense of hearing. It discusses some different instruments used to create sound or music. It also shows how sound can be created by an infinite number of things and focuses on the guitar, the flute, the kettledrum, and the human singing voice.
From the Paper "In order for sound to be produced, the muscles of the larynx contract and bring the vocal folds together. While the vocal folds are together, the diaphragm moves to a convex position causing the air pressure directly below the vocal folds to increase. When the air pressure below the vocal folds becomes greater than the pressure holding them together, a column of air breaks through the folds. As the air jets through the larynx, it makes a decrease in pressure that brings the vocal folds back together. When the pressure beneath the folds increases once again, the process repeats itself. Vibration is produced by the vocal folds opening and closing rapidly. Every time the vocal folds open a gush of air escapes."
Abstract This paper discusses how "Rage Against the Machine" has been a very influential political musical group and how, in this day and age, there are not many musical groups that can put forth such important political issues in their music. It examines a few of the issues that "Rage Against the Machine" writes music about and some of the political injustices that they are trying to fight, which include the struggles of Mexican immigrants and the fight for the freedom of Mumia Abu-Jamal.
From the Paper "Rage Against The Machine was formed in Los Angeles back in 1991. The band consisted of Zach De La Rocha on vocals, Brad Wilk on drums, Tom Morello on guitar and Tim Commerford on bass. Zach was in a previous band called Inside Out, and the title of Inside Out's second album was "Rage Against The Machine", that is how the band got its name. They sold 5,000 copies of their demo tape and played two shows at Lollapalooza in California. After playing that they were signed by Epic Records. In November of 1992 the album "Rage Against The Machine" was released. The album sold over a million copies and was on Billboard's top 200 chart for 89 weeks. Rage went on to play benefits like the Anti-Nazi League Benefit and the Rock for Choice Benefit. In 1993 Rage went on to play Lollapalooza again, only this time they never played any music."
Tags: mumia, abu-jamal, immigrants, united, nations, death, penalty
Abstract Describes "Rasta" as a form of religious and cultural expression. Discusses the link between "Rasta" and contemporary music, the political/cultural influences, such as Pan Africanism, the Back-to-Africa movement, and the popular culture of modern Jamaica.
From the Paper "The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of Rastafarianism on contemporary music. The plan of the research will be to set forth the popular-culture origins of Rastafarianism as a mode of religious and cultural expression and then to discuss ..."
Abstract The music industry spends enormous amounts of money to create music videos that will make a profit, and the one ingredient they have consistently found that helps sell their products is violence; this violence is usually directed toward women. The AAP notes that there is a paucity of research concerning the impact of such gratuitous violence on children and adolescents. To this end, this paper demonstrates this relationship through a critical review of the literature, followed by a summary of the research and recommendations in the conclusion.
From the Paper "The definitions concerning what constitutes entertainment and what is protected by the 1st Amendment do not necessarily address the underlying problems of violence in the media and sometimes only serve to merely contribute to the statistical haze that surrounds an already complex situation. The recent appearance of national leaders on MTV attests to the importance and power of music videos in shaping the nation's conscience. Further, while many non-black observers feel that rap music is just ?so much noise generated by angry black youths,? rap music or simply ?rap,? is in actuality a reflection of the current affairs within the communities in which it is performed. Rap is a "genre of rhythm-and-blues music that consists of rhythmic vocals declaimed over musical accompaniment. The accompaniment generally consists of electronic drum beats combined with samples (digitally isolated sound bites) from other musical recordings" (Bowman, 2003). From this perspective, rap is an extension of the Black Power movement of the 1960s, and has embodied the essence of the young black culture. The first rap recording was made in 1979 and the genre rose to prominence in the United States in the mid-1980s. Although the term rap is often used interchangeably with hip-hop, the latter term encompasses the subculture that rap music is simply one part of. The term hip-hop derives from one of the earliest phrases used in rap, and can be found on the seminal recording "Rapper's Delight" (1979) by Sugarhill Gang. In addition to rap music, the hip-hop subculture also comprises other forms of expression, including dance methodologies, art, vocabulary (in the form of slang) and fashion affectations. Despite these contributions to the popular culture, many observers suggest a connection between the music and personification of violence evinced in music videos and rap as a factor contributing to the incidence of violence by young people in the United State today."
Abstract This paper explores how entertainers today are more interested in money and their moment in the spotlight of fame and fortune than in being aware of their sense of what music as an art form really is. It looks at how the entertainer's social status and financial value have absolutely no correlation to their abilities as a musician or their talents. It examines how this commercialism has ruined music as an art form and turned it into a business.
From the Paper "Where did the creativity go to? Music has the power to move people in unexplainable ways. It gives them the power to go deep inside themselves, to touch emotions which otherwise would be unattainable. It has the power to spark movements and revolution. Listening to music, watching live music, or even making music with other people has the power to lift one's spirits onto another level and gives people the sense that they are not alone. With music one can explore all possibilities; it can help us to reach ulterior ways of understanding the world. Lyrics and more importantly image are not the only way music exists."
Abstract This paper defines Reggae is a heavy four-beat rhythm, which is driven in different measures, depending on the artist concerned, by two percussion instruments,drums and a corrugated stick rubbed against a plain stick called the scraper, and two string instruments, the bass guitar and the electric guitar. The author points out that reggae is influenced by the traditions of African music, and its link to life before the African diaspora, and so before slavery, runs through the music as one of its defining revolutionary elements. The paper examines Jamaican music by using a reader-response model to understand the importance of the changes in the music over the years.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The History of Jamaican Music
Reggae Reader Response
Is Reggae Still Radical?
From the Paper "Although it might seem from our current vantage point that there has always been a connection between reggae and Rastafarianism, this connection actually came about through the work of a number of groups such as Big Youth and Black Uhuru. They pushed the messages of both reggae and the Rastafarian movement, a pan-Africanist movement, which urged the children of the African diaspora to return to the continent of their forebears and created a divinity of the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I (whose birth name was Ras Tafari). The fact that Rastafarianism promotes the use of ganja (marijuana) as a sacrament did much to endear the movement to many reggae fans."
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of the piano in history. Specifically, the paper discusses the three-hundred-year history of the piano. The piano is a fascinating instrument with a long history that includes many transformations. Today, the piano is still one of the most popular instruments for composers and musicians alike.
Contents
Introduction
The History of the Piano
The History and Construction of the Piano
Small Pianos in Europe and America, 1770-1795
Curators Who Keep Scores
From the Paper "The piano is one of our most popular instruments, and it enjoys a long and varied history. The piano we know and play today is far different from the first pianos, which resembled organs with pipes, and even stringed instruments. As one author writes, "To some the piano is merely a piece of furniture, to others it is a musical instrument. But this amazing machine is much more than just a large, wooden object: it is an intricate mechanical device designed to produce a vast range of musical tones" (Crombie). It seems the very first keyboard instruments were types of organs found as far back as Egypt in the second century B.C. (Wier 1). Initially, the keys were plucked, as on a harp or a harpsichord, and later, the keys were struck with a hammer or mallet, such as today's dulcimer."
Abstract This paper examines how drumming historically has been used as a means of communication and how marching percussion has followed suit. It looks at how marching percussion has evolved in large part from the military drum lines of history; drummers were used during the Revolutionary War and Civil War to keep armies in line and to signal friends. It shows how the marching percussion has evolved from a simple group of military drummers to a group of civilian musicians that pound out orchestral quality music, still communicating to the public, whether in the form of a school's cheer, a warrior's status or cheer, or public message information.
From the Paper "The marching percussion can now be found in schools, universities, organizations, federal establishments and still in the military. The formation of the marching percussion has changed from the simplistic 10 man line up of early military times. The most basic marching percussion section now has 5 areas that incorporate the following: snare drums, tenor drums, bass drums, cymbals and a "pit" or area on the sideline with any other related musical fare (Rhythmspice, 1999). The equipment used in marching percussion has also changed with time. The heads of snare drums are typically bulletproof and made of very durable material that is durable, because the plastic head of old used to stretch and cause problems with sound quality (Rhythmspice, 1999)."
Abstract This paper examines the life of Michael Jackson, who has established himself as one of the most successful musical artists of all time. It shows how, for many years, Michael Jackson fell under the media's main radar, even though some felt he continued to be a superstar who, at any time, could produce a new hit. In particular, it looks at how after ABC's 20/20 aired an interview produced by Martin Bashir in February of 2003, named "Living with Michael Jackson", Jackson quickly returned to the headlines. It examines how he became the brunt of comedians? jokes, how he raised concerns of childcare advocates, how he raised the interest of the IRS, and was seen by many as a poor father and maybe even a pedophile.
From the Paper "Besides the rumors, other issues throughout the mid 90's began to raise that started to aid his fall from grace. For one thing, Jackson was getting older. But besides Jackson's age, it appeared that the singer was bleaching his skin and altering his facial features with excessive plastic surgery. Although he vehemently denied that he had multiple plastic surgeries in recent interviews, Jay Leno's monolog makes one wonder. The mid 90's brought about sudden fashion changes. The grunge wardrobe of the rock world for example made Jackson's wardrobe suddenly strange. The fact that Jackson needed protective masks and umbrellas on sunny days to shield him from the elements made additional rumors circulate that he was getting stranger as time wore on. But then, accusations and a hushed settlement concerning homosexual pedophilia made people start to question who the King of pop really was."
This paper discusses the life and work of Carl Orff, a German composer born in Munich, Germany, in 1895, who is most famous for his composition, "Carmina Burana".
Abstract This paper describes that Carl Orff's genius in music was nourished and developed into a master's art at the Academy for the Musical Arts, a music school in Munich. The author points out that Karl Orff believed that every child has a talent for music; hence, his "Schulwerk" is a pedagogical compilation of music for children. This paper explains that "Carmina Burana", or "Songs of Benedikbeuern", is a cantata including songs of drinking, food, love, and happiness, which are based on an old manuscript. Illustrations.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Orff's "Carmina Burana"
Today's Orff's Music for Children
Carl Orff's Styles and Techniques
From the Paper "Today, Orff Schulwerk has been a music tradition in many nations worldwide. It has long been established in countries such as the USA, Austria, Hungary, Germany, and Greece. Aside from being an institute of music education for children, as it has been since the 1950s, Schulwerk is extended as a music institute for adults alike. In the USA, the American Orff-Schulwerk Association is a music institute that adheres to the teaching techniques developed by Orff and Keetman.
that adheres to the teaching techniques developed by Orff and Keetman."
Abstract This paper discusses how American popular music is so firmly entrenched in our culture and personal lives that it is sometimes extremely difficult to even begin to accurately remember when many forms of popular music did not exist in American culture. In particular, it looks at how both rock and roll and country music owe much of their popularity to changes in the audience, innovations in technology, and changes in the business world itself. It analyzes how rock and roll has been much more significantly impacted by these factors than has county music, at least during the early half of this century, and how whatever the reasons for their emergence and distribution, today, rock and roll and country music are enjoyed by millions of people worldwide.
From the Paper "The modern music industry was shaped by a number of business forces. Prolonged and often bitter struggles over music property rights played an important role in this change in business forces. Likely the most crucial of these clashes was the prolonged battle between radio broadcasters and music publishers based in New York (Ennis). Government antitrust legislation essentially broke up the monopoly of existing national broadcasting networks, and brought about the emergence of independent radio stations across the nation (D'Anjou). Ultimately, disc jockeys in small, local stations became a sort of catalyst for the release of many types of popular music (Ennis)."
Abstract This paper examines the Renaissance, the name for the period of history where Western countries moved from medieval to more modern times. In particular, it looks at how developments in music and sculpture during this period demonstrate how much new knowledge, a tendency toward humanism, and a bringing together of disciplines resulted in the explosion of great art executed in new ways that is such a prominent feature of the Renaissance.
From the Paper "Changes in science resulted in theological changes that affected music as well. The Church had taught that the Earth was the center of the universe. The solar system was thought to be set up specific mathematical principles that reflected God's will, and that in music corresponded to certain harmonic patterns (Staff writers, 2000a). The Church allowed only those harmonic patterns to be followed. With the advent of the Renaissance and the knowledge that this view of the solar system was incorrect, composers experimented with music that involved several melodies woven together. This was called contrapuntal, or polyphony (Staff writers, 2000b)."
