Essay: Music Appreciation

Music was my entrance into the world of writing. When I didn’t have access to books, listening to songs such as Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable” and Raven-Symone’s “This Is My Time” helped me get through the many days in middle school where I was bullied and isolated myself from everyone. My social isolation led to my first bout with depression. As I kept to myself, I wrote my own songs, pouring my heart into each and every word. However, fully perfecting the craft was difficult because I did not know how to perform the music I created. Fortunately, there are organizations that enable children to learn how to play instruments, and one of those organizations is Hungry For Music.

Romantic 
Dates: 1800-1900
 
1.  What was going on historically during this era?  What was life like? Profound Political and Social changes going on; many moving into cities for work. Renewed interested in expressing emotion through music. 
2.  Does romantic music continue to use the same forms used in the classical era? No
3.  Explain the Individuality of style. Composers wanted their music to be uniquely identifiable to them. They worked hard on self-expression.
4.  What are the expressive aims and subjects of the pieces?  How is this different than in the classical era? Flamboyance, Intimacy, Unpredictability, Melancholy, Rapture, Longing etc..., Classical Era did not experiment with so many aims.
5.  What is musical nationalism?

Music Evaluation: “All About That Bass” Sitting at the top of several music charts, including Billboard’s “Hot 100,” is Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass.” Although it is technically in the genre of pop, this song holds a 1960’s doo-wop feel. The music itself is upbeat, positive, and is seen as “feel good” music. As said by Bennett Reimer in “Why Do Humans Value Music,” “Music creates possibilities of feeling available only from music.”

Music has always played a governing role in my development during life. My first major connection with a song occurred when I was around nine years old. A majority of my time growing up was spent with my older sister, Melissa. We would always spend weekend nights in her bedroom with a group of her friends. I can vividly recall the setup of her room: the lights dimmed to an almost perfectly relaxed ambiance; a faint smell of vanilla and cinnamon (her favorite scents) from the candles burning on the dresser; and the television loud enough to hinder any outside noise. Often, these nights would consist of binge watching T.V. shows and story-telling among my sister’s friends, who at the time were much older than me. It was during one of these nights that a commercial came on, displayed by a channel called “VH1.” A music video came on the screen; The song was “How to Save a Life” by The Fray. As the song progressed the room was filled with the seemingly instinctual singing of her friends, almost up-to-par with the rhythm and

When I was in fifth grade, I was caught between two worlds, playing a woodwind or string instrument. If I played a woodwind instrument I would have to blow in it to make music, but string instruments are played with a bow to make music. After much thought, I decided that the violin was the best instrument for me, because it has a beautiful, unique sound, plus the possibilities are never-ending. I could receive a compliment from a teacher, or even get accepted to the symphony.

The football stadium lights cut through the twilight sky like glass, creating an ambiance similar to that of Aurora Borealis. My heart pumps frantically as adrenaline fills my body, the crowd seated before me ripples and bellows like an ocean. The nerves that fill my stomach are agitated in a similar way, now is the time. I lug the heavy weight of my marimba and my anxieties as I descend onto the track with the remainder of the front ensemble, but the burden of my worries is no rival for the passion that drives my performance. Marching band has defined my life in ways that I had never thought possible. This was not how I expected it to turn out; the zeal that fills my being every waking moment of my performance never seems to pass. The months of summer fever and exhaustion that I had spent perfecting each note were worth it. They always are.

Many might say that the arts are stereotyped as a pass time or an extracurricular activity; I envision it as a safe haven from stress and anxiety. Throughout the past 8 years, music has played an insurmountable role in my development into the individual I have become today. Through times of disappointment and dissatisfaction, I have always resorted to music as a way to relieve myself, whether it be playing or listening. Music thrives through me, and applies to every day of my life.

Some people listen to music to shift their mood, while others do so to help alleviate feelings of unhappiness, or emotional discomfort. In the article “Music Evokes Vicarious Emotions in Listeners” published in 2014 by Ai Kawakami, Kiyoshi Furukawa, and Kazuo Okanoya, proposes that “we listen to sad music because it is possible to distinguish perceived emotions from those that are experienced”. (Kawakami, Kiyoshi, Okanoya) Therefore, even though sad music is usually perceived as something negative, listeners actually feel pleasant emotions while listening to sad music.

Everyday music engulfs us whether we are watching a show, listening to the radio, or shopping at a grocery store. Music gives humans the ability to express oneself when there is no other way. Music sparks more creativity, emotions and brain function than any other activity.

We've been talking a lot about social rituals. Well, just what exactly is a social ritual? Social rituals are, basically, traditions or customs that a society has followed for many years. For example, in America, most people follow the custom of dating. In Israel, they tend to follow the tradition of arranged marriages. Yet, in some countries, they use courtship. Even though all three of these approaches to finding a mate are different, they all are very similar because they are all Social Mating Rituals. Now, of course, mating isn't the only social ritual. The way our culture responds to and views death is a social ritual in and of itself. So is the way we do warfare. The way we eat and the way we clothe

Music is one of the greatest human creations (DeNora, 2000). It plays an integral role in human society worldwide irrelevant of race, gender, age, wealth or well-being (Kemper & Danhauer, 2005). Indeed according to Batt-Rawden (2010), playing different music in diverse situations can introduce listeners to the desired and relevant atmosphere. In most circumstances, music is played to entertain people, but it can also form part of an accompaniment in sad situations. Music is often the fulcrum that influences the listener by creating a unique ambience and atmosphere (Bernatzky, Presh, Anderson, & Panksepp, 2011). Chamorro-Premuzic and Furnham, (2007) adds that music can be a medium to enhance communication,

As an undergraduate in college not knowing what to major in is the worst feeling besides the paperwork and assignments. Writing song is my escape I put on my headphone and start singing then all the words and tune seems to match my feelings. I kept walking. As I walked across Mount Sinai Emergency Hospital I can faintly hear my mother saying “let's go to trade fair we are out of bread” to me and my younger sister. I kept walking and all of a sudden everything was black I couldn't see anything. But I could hear my mom screaming what is happening and asking for help. I was lifted and I wanted to speak but no words would come out eventually my body give in and I was fully unconscious. I woke up seeing myself getting IV shot and surrounded with elderly patients. I never felt so scared and helpless. I saw my mother face and she said smiling it was nothing to worry about my blood pressure went down at the moment. That day when I left I was so curious on how things happen. Everything about medical scares me but what scares me the worst is to not be able to do anything about it. That sparks my interest towards medicine

There is no disputing that society is influenced by its choices of entertainment. Some ways in which people are influenced are positive, but others are harmful. In the society we live in, the harmful ways always outnumber the positive. If we gravitated toward the positive forms of entertainment a little more often than the negative, then our society would have fewer problems. Popular music has a negative effect on society and endorses a lack of creativity.

It is no doubt that music has played a vital role in our society. Everything from loud, head-banging concerts to religious ceremonies have utilized the medium of music because of its awe-inspiring qualities. Music is basically the control of sound. We can control this sound by varying the pitch, tempo, octaves, dynamics and so on. There are thousands of ways that we can use music and to shape it to how we want to hear it. But how much has music influenced the way we think today? Why is it so popular?

I have learned the significance of making music act as ecstasy from the day I realized the value of it, now that it is my everyday love-affair. My first encounter was when in my 5th grade my mother took me to a local music training center. I enjoyed my time thoroughly learning classical and traditional music for some years, and had no idea about other musical genres. Until one day my best friend was kind enough to share his collection of music that he downloaded from the internet and that day was the turning point in my life, changed my chemistry within. It was a collection of heavy metal bands something which I have never heard of. I couldn’t believe that such an unknown musical genre can be so impressive than anything else. The power of expression, the deep emotion of instruments was hauntingly beautiful and still is. My early influence came from the magnificent music of bands such as Linkin Park, Metallica, Green Day, Iron Maiden and my current exploration is around progressive music. I truly adore the guitar playing of Andy James, John Brown of Monuments, Mike Dawes etc.