Abstract This paper explains that John Mitchell, born in Hollywood, California, in 1941, has set to music the works of countless poets, including T.S. Eliot, Robert Browning, Sylvia Plath, Dylan Thomas, Robert Frost, and William Blake. The author describes that, in "To the Thawing Wind", the lyrics by Frost begin very shortly after the music, which is not often seen with Mitchell's style, suggesting the angst of this piece, the feeling of "almost there, not much longer now"; the speed of the words and music also reflect the haste in the situation. The paper relates that both of Robert Frost's poems are sung with a baritone voice, quite contrary to Mitchell's creations based on William Blake's poetry, which are sung by a soprano.
From the Paper "I am sure John Mitchell had a different idea when he heard this poem, as he seems to have interpreted the man as being lonely and maybe a bit afraid. The music has a somber sound, which only gets sadder at the mention of the "saddest city lane". Even the reading of those three words suggests loneliness, the singers? baritone voices carrying the notes like an echo in an abyss. The somber music, however, does end before the poem does. After the cry that is not for him, the missing "good-bye", the music takes a happy turn, and the man looks up to the moon. Now he knows what time it is, and again is comforted by his one true acquaintance, the night. So perhaps Mitchell would agree that the man is not lonely, that he only needs to be reminded by the sight of a familiar face that he is not alone. The night is always there for him, and he will never be alone."
Abstract This paper examines how the evolution of popular music over the last century has undoubtedly been heavily influenced by the constant development in recording technologies. It looks at how the huge variety of options available to producers and engineers nowadays are almost boundless and how virtually any radical new idea conjured up in the studio can be implemented in one of several ways. It shows how the changing way in which music is produced can be analysed by looking at several contrasting recordings, produced at suitable milestones in record production history.
From the Paper "The audio quality of the record is somewhat poorer than more modern reel-to-reel tape recordings. This is primarily due to the non-existence of any noise reduction technology, but also because of the lack of attention paid to the rest of the signal chain, other than the microphones and the tape machine itself. The high proportion of background electrical noise and hiss was mostly created (and then further amplified at the output) in unbalanced, un-screened cabling runs, and poorly earthed equipment. More modern tape machines like those used at Electric Lady Studios by Stevie Wonder, would have been properly biased to balance unwanted distortion and noise, with high frequency fidelity."
Abstract Jazz was created as a reaction to the African-Americans' need to create their own form of culture. This paper examines how jazz evolved from the black marching bands of New Orleans after the Civil War. The paper examines the history of jazz from the 1920s and 1930s until World War II.
From the Paper "As the decade progressed, the performance styles in all groups featured more written arrangements and placed increasing emphasis on solo performance. Representative of the many players who led the outburst of jazz virtuosity in the 1920s were Sidney Bechet, Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton, Coleman Hawkins, Armstrong, and James P. Johnson. Among the leaders in establishing the sound of the new big bands were Fletcher Henderson (with Don Redman, his arranger) and Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington. It was Henderson who developed the performance style that became known as swing, featuring call-and-response patterns between brass and reeds."
Abstract This paper examines how jazz music can be identified, but not easily defined by, its variety of forms and how one distinguishing characteristic of jazz is its ability to lend itself to individuality among artists. It looks at how performers of jazz have enjoyed modifying and adjusting certain music elements to set themselves apart, as well as to make a statement,and how one movement that has emerged from this new attitude toward jazz is the Third Stream, which fuses Western musical influences with classical music. It discusses how the Third Stream movement is significant because it revives the dying tradition of bebop and encourages young jazz performers to redefine jazz.
From the Paper "Gennari explains the divide that existed between swing and bebop as a "a dispute between groups that were simply looking for different things from the music. The established audience was looking for familiar rhythms and melodies for purposes of dance, romance, and nostalgia; the newer audience was looking for bold experiments in harmony and fresh approaches to time and tempo for purposes of sensory inspiration and aesthetic fulfillment" (Gennari 491). We can certainly see how such performers as Gunther were reaching for a new and exciting experience while still holding onto the roots of the jazz music they loved."
Abstract This paper explains that temporally, music's structure has many determining characteristics, which shape affective properties (such as tempo and tonality). Throughout this paper these structural characteristics are explored, accompanied by an exploration of the ability of music to elicit emotions, the link between performance (both visual and manual) and emotions and the relationship between music and physiological response. Conclusions of this review involve general methodological considerations for future research and potential hypotheses to be explored.
From the Paper "Music is a key element of everyday life; its role within society is divergent, and temporally, music takes on many forms. Such variation in temporal structure allows for diverse utilisation, thus permitting music to pervade all cultures and play a significant role in the majority of social and religious rituals, such as birthdays, weddings and funerals. The affective properties of musical stimuli upon behaviour appear as the source of much research throughout psychology with theories regarding its effects and emotive properties being recruited, and adapted, from non-musical literature (Ritossa and Rickard, 2004). With such apparent impact upon individuals throughout society, the profound effects of music deserve further exploration. This paper shall conduct such an exploration with the primary focus concerning the impact of musical exposure upon affective states, arousal, performance (both visual and manual), and physiological reactions."
Abstract The purpose of this discussion is to trace specific African-American musicians and discuss how they influenced the racial identity of the black population of America. The discussion focuses on the following artists: Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Lauryn Hill, Beyonce, and Outkast. The paper looks at not only their lyrics, but their impact as significant catalysts for change and for influencing the African-American identity over the last 35 years or so.
From the Paper "No discussion about the influence of African American music would be complete without examining the influence of Stevie Wonder. The remarkable thing about Stevie Wonder is that he is totally blind but he can see much more than most people that are sighted. He has mastered several different instruments and has written some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century. His influence was particularly important in the aftermath of the civil rights movement.
Musicians like Stevie Wonder and others gave the African American community hope and also challenged the powers that be with songs like "You Haven"t Done Nothing?."
Abstract Those outside of its culture generally perceive hip-hop as very homophobic and misogynistic. While it is undoubtedly hyper-masculine and grounded in a culture that has traditionally not been very accepting of homosexuality, hip hop is not generally perceived by those within the culture as being homophobic. This study shows that a majority of hip hop fans are more accepting of homosexuality than the white Christian majority and that the perceived homophobia of the lyrics may be a misunderstanding by those outside the culture of the hip hop dialogue, which uses extreme language and extreme metaphor to express social truths.
Paper Outline
Abstract
Introduction
Investigation and Statement of the Problem
Qualitative Study
Conclusion
Bibliography
From the Paper "As mentioned earlier, there are two significant reasons why such homophobia may be present in the hip-hop genre. The first is religious. While Hip-Hop lyrics are generally extremely profane and amoral (to say the least), it nonetheless has deep roots in a religious culture. According to Umar ben-Ivan Lee, one hip-hop defender of anti-gay lyrics, ? Hip Hop has always celebrated God... unlike Hollywood or American pop culture which vilifies [religion] ... in Hip Hop Islam is generally held in high regard. [Meanwhile] countless rappers pay tribute to their faith in Jesus over the years ... [because] God, Jesus and the Prophet Muhammad have not been removed from the Hip Hop Lexicon.? (Political Palace) Certainly historically Hip Hop, like most other culturally black music, has its roots in soul and gospel. Additionally, it draws strongly from a culture where religion continues to be one of dominant forces for goodness. Just as hip-hop has a tendency to be misogynistic and yet demonstrate great respect for motherhood, it is often irreligious and yet inspired to anti-gay sentiment from these religious sources. It is this religious sentiment which gives a sort of moral legitimacy to the more rabid expressions of homophobia."
Abstract This paper traces the origins of the Cajun people and culture and, in particular, their musical heritage. The paper describes the musical repertoire shared by both Cajuns and Creoles and looks at the Creole contribution of Zydeco towards Cajun music. The paper also describes the unique characteristics of Cajun music, typical instruments used for Cajun music, and its evolution and impact on Louisiana culture.
From the Paper "A Cajun is a ?Louisianian who descends from French-speaking Acadians,? however many common Cajun surnames such as Souileau and Romero are not Acadian in origin, but are Spanish, German or French Creole and some are even of Anglo or Scotch-Irish origin, as in the case of famed Cajun musicians Lawrence Walker and Dennis McGee (Cajun 1 Pp). For this reason, "contemporary scholars of Cajun history and culture tend to offer a more complex, comprehensive view, attributing the traits of modern-day Cajuns to a dynamic, unending process of ethnic interaction" (Cajun 1 Pp). Modern Cajuns are largely homogenous, however, their ancestry consists of a mixture of numerous ethnic groups (Cajun 1 Pp). The majority of early Acadians originated in the Centre-Ouest region of France, while other came from families of Spanish, Irish, Scottish, English, Basque and American Indian (Cajun 1 Pp). When Acadians were forced out of Nova Scotia in 1755, many sought refuge in South Louisiana and again intermixed with other ethnic groups, especially with the French, Spanish, German, American Indian, and Anglo-American settlers (Cajun 1 Pp)."
Abstract This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the topic of music appreciation. Specifically, the paper discusses the author's personal attraction to jazz music and some of its composers and performers. An annotated listening list is appended to the paper.
From the Paper "Jazz is a uniquely American creation, and perhaps that is one reason I enjoy it so much. In the early part of the 20th century, the music we call jazz and blues were beginning to develop into popular songs people enjoyed. One critic writes, "Unquestionably, the most significant contribution made to music by the United States in the period under discussion lay in the field of popular music" (Hansen 84). Jazz used atypical syncopation and "blues notes," which included a complex variation on the major scale. Most music experts believe jazz and the blues developed from black spirituals and folk music of the South, and stretched from New Orleans to Chicago and then the East. In due course, jazz would influence later styles of music, such and be-bop and swing. In fact, jazz helped generate a popular music rage that seized the country. That passion for jazz continues today. Jazz also influenced other styles of music, as the uniquely American compositions of George Gershwin and Aaron Copland clearly illustrate."
Tags: harlem, renaissance, new, york, louis, armstrong, duke, wellington, cotton, club, blues
Abstract This paper explores some of America's most important musical styles, which were usually found outside of the concert hall and represented such genres as comic opera, operetta, and other types musical revues. It looks at how these were usually located in the major cities like New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and San Francisco. This paper provides a brief discussion of the history of these musical styles.
From the Paper "The "Great Depression" years, circa 1929 to 1940, created a huge impact on American music, for some long-existing institutions were forced to close their doors due to financial difficulties. The genre of the musical revue was also affected because of nationwide radio broadcasts that severely limited the number of people that attended live musical performances. As an example, "between 1929 and 1934, about 70 percent of all musicians in the United States were unemployed" (Crawford, 2001, 590). Thus, with the advent of radio and later television, the true musical revue and its related genres were doomed, and in light of today's technology have never fully recovered."
Abstract Angela Y. Davis was one of the founding mothers of the radical black feminist and civil rights movement. Her participation in these movements was not simply vocal and intellectual, but profoundly political as well. In particular, it examines how a different, more artistic side of her political interests comes to light regarding Davis? works in "Blues, Legacy and Black Feminism", in which she shows an interest in black feminist works beyond that of the purely verbal and prosaic.
From the Paper "Perhaps inevitably, the second half of the work and its project falls a bit short. The main problem with the methodology of emphasizing lyrics is that it tends to bring "the word" or a literary rather than a musical perspective to the forefront in understanding these performance artists. This bias may be inevitable, given Professor Davis? own background. But these women were not of the academy"their music was performed as a living text. However, although the inclusions of the lyrics and the lyrical analysis is not as strong as the first more historically oriented part of the book that seems to be more in line with Davis" abilities as an historian, the analysis of the lyrics does reveal that these artists did discuss issues of domestic violence and transgressing lesbian love in a way that is seldom given credit."
Abstract This paper examines how the avant-garde movement in jazz is important because it represents the departure from traditional forms of jazz into a more free-flowing form that allowed musicians to express themselves in a way that they had not done before. The writer argues that many jazz greats have contributed to this movement, and many critics feel that it is a shame to ignore the significance of the jazz avant-garde movement.
From the Paper "Musicians that illustrated a departure from traditional jazz and regularly included bebop into their music are Ornette Coleman, Wilbur Barr, Ed Blackwell, and Billy Higgins. An interesting characteristic of bebop is the type of singing that generally accompanied songs. Much like scat singing, bebop singers would incorporate "something like chants and field hollers" into the music. This freedom allowed the musical instruments to carry the "entire rhythmic impetus of the music" (226). This type of rhythmic freedom and diversity is what Jones claims is the "valuable" legacy of bebop. Gottlieb claims that the Hard Boppers? wanted to revolutionize jazz but did not go far enough. What was seemingly lost in the 1940s was rediscovered in the 1960s. ?Because rhythm and melody complement each other so closely in the latter style, the drummer and bass player were better able to play melodically. There was no longer a concern with continuing the beat in a song."
Abstract This paper discusses Rachmaninoff's piano concerti. It explains how Rachmaninoff is one of the world's best-known composers and wrote numerous pieces for concert and stage. Some of the most famous are the four piano concerti, which all highlight his talent and his high opinion of the piano as a concert instrument.
From the Paper "Third in these four works is the Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, which was written in 1909, and written specifically for Rachmaninoff's first concert tour in the United States. Many people believe this is "probably the composer's best unified longer work" ("Webring"), but it did not receive good notices from the critics when it was first performed ("Piece Details"). Another critic notes this piece "rises to another of those pinnacles which form the landmarks in his career...Conscientious historians may one day consider this concerto as the beginning of a 'third period' of the composer's life" (Veinus 350). This piece shows a true unity some of his other pieces lack, and indicates how Rachmaninoff grew as a composer as his career continued. The opening of the piece is quiet and hushed, and seems far different from the more strident first two concertos. While this piece starts simply enough, it grows to emphatically highlight the piano, and so calls for great talent from the pianist. The last movement is a virtuoso section that is quite alluring and entertaining, which rises to a soaring and elegant coda. There is also a memorable fanfare in the piece that could be a strong composition on its own. It is a very long piece, nearly 40 minutes, and consists of three distinct movements. It is still performed enthusiastically today by orchestras around the country."
Abstract 'The Beatles' changed our world by introducing a new musical style and sense of creativity in popular culture in the 1960s. This paper looks at the history of the group and examines the four singers who made up the most famous quartet in world pop music.
From the Paper "The Beatles, through their music and lyrics, articulated the needs and frustrations of the youth and became an integral part of a new cultural movement. Their music reflected the rebellion of the youth of the 1960's against the governments and leaders and the type of thinking that had plunged the world into two world wars. The titles and lyrics of their songs reflected the desire for change and for peace in the world."
Tags: Beatlemania, George, Harrison, Ringo, Starr, Paul, Macartney, John, Lennon
Abstract This paper takes the position that rap music is harmful due to the violent lyrics encouraging disrespect toward women and lack of respect for moral ethics or authority. It argues that there are both laws and Biblical principles that stand against the type of violence and graphic sexuality that is thrust in the face of the children of today's world.
From the Paper "There are detrimental effects to children and adolescents that listen to violent and sexually graphic lyrics. The posture of disrespect for others is blatant in much of the rap music of today. Although all rap music is not the same, and although there exists rap music with a "consciousness" the detrimental effects of rap music on the development of children is a factor in today's society and does seem to affect the behavior of children exposed to the lyrics glorifying the use of drugs and alcohol, violence, disrespect for authority and other negative influences and factors."
Tags: violence, sex, lyrics, ethics, authority, moral
