Musical Exoticism : The Use Of Exoticism In Music

Transcendentalism influenced the 19th century and emphasized on the value of the individual and intuition. It was an idea that people were at their best when they we self reliant and independent. Ralph Waldo Emerson was the movements most important figure along with his main follower Henry David Thoreau. These two people were the most influential people during this movement. Transcendentalism was all about being an individual and it still endures today in modern culture. It is particularly evident in modern music. Modern music expresses individuality and the idea of being something other than the majority.

6. Is language a reliable demarcation of musical style in Europe? Why or why not?

The adoption of Western music inspired new ways of viewing music and resulted in a transformation of Chinese music. It prompted “Chinese composers to either fuse Western music with traditional sounds or turn their back on traditional Chinese music [because they Westernized] their music modeled on the perceptions that Western music equates with modernization” (Lau 90). Additionally, because many traditionalists feared that traditional Chinese music would gradually disappear due to the modernizing Western music, “they began to focus on promoting Chinese music as a way to counteract the encroachment of Western culture and music. But they did it in a 'modernist' rather than preservationist sort of way. Many musicians experimented with new ways of composing music and modernizing traditional instruments” (Lau 92).

Having looked at the emotional effect this music has on people, it is now worth looking at the specific churches within the Sydney diocese to get a greater understanding on a smaller level as to how the music is played and what effect it might have. To do this, there have been visits to said churches to see what goes on, this is like a large scale of the participant observation methodology. This was a very useful in developing an understanding for how different churches of the same denomination were going about music as part of the service. There is some clear information that has come out from attending these churches. Firstly, and worth noting, the churches run very similar services, across most of the churches the structure of songs is the

Ralph P. Locke’s theory of musical exoticism takes form through a spectrum that ranges from pure musical exoticism to transcultural composing. However the main requirement of exoticism is the notion of conjuring up a specific place or group of people as being perceived as different from the audience culture. In terms of pure exoticism, the composer willingly incorporates exotic sounding elements in order to mark a specific group or place as foreign. Transcultural composing is the other facet of exoticism. It is different in that it is not intended to marginalize any exotic group, rather it is a mix of Western and non-western styles. While both George Bizet’s Carmen and Benjamin Britten’s Death In Venice incorporate exoticism, they each take on an opposite form of exoticism. Bizet’s use of stereotypical gypsy music, as well as the portrayal of Carmen, explicitly marginalize and construct Carmen as different. Carmen’s lack of Spanish descent and her Gypsy ethnicity are constructed as different via musical and performative aspects of the opera. Within the exoticism framework, Bizet’s carmen is an example of pure exoticism. In contrast, Britten's Death In Venice is an example of transcultural composing because the “other” being marginalized is homosexuality, which is an identity that Britten is apart of and is not exclusive to any one group.

In the late 2004, a series of papers (research project) on the topic of world music and globalisation became a hot topic in a conference and gradually took on a life turning onto a virtual laboratory for teaching and research on the relationship between music and globalisation under ethnography which was funded by the Canadian Social Sciences and humanities Research Council from 2003-2006. Since then this topic has got wide meaning and more complicated.

Music has evolved too many different forms that we recognize today. We trace this development throughout time. Beginning in the middle ages, we have seen advancement from the Gregorian chant all the way to the Jazz of the 20th century. The current events, politics, religion, technology and composers can shape musical eras during time. Here I will look at the middle ages, renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic and twentieth century periods. I hope that a better understanding can be reached to why, when, where and who are the reasons for musical evolution.

Some may say music is just music; a song is just a song. However, music plays an enormous role in our psychology, because a single song has the ability to bring about many kinds of thoughts and emotions in the listener. Music is subtly one of the main factors in which people identify with certain groups and establish their belonging in society. It shapes people’s perspectives on how the world functions and the roles they play within it. Music can function the same way in a culture; it can reflect many of the culture’s values and ideologies. Music can have many effects on culture and the people’s idea of who they think they are within that culture. Music can serve in a way that promotes cultural identity and pride, yet it could also play a

American Music is a melting pot of different cultures, emotions, experiences, and therefore genres. It is incredible to see how as music evolves and changes with the time, so does The United States. We are a mixed bag as a country, accepting all different cultures and backgrounds. This has led to many breakthroughs and innovations in music throughout history. We are all influenced by our experiences in life and this is no different in the evolution of music in American History. The Blues was created from African American Slave songs, with lyrics that narrate the hardships of the human experience at the time. These rhythms and forms carried over and eventually created what is now Rock and Roll. Over the next five weeks, we will explore and discover five key genres and artists who are known to specialize in that genre as a way to reconnect with our history and explore the possibilities for innovation in music in the future.

The term “classical music” refers to the western influence, not the eastern influence of Asia; the two are very different

Country music is constantly changing, an example of this is how women are now viewed in country music. The American form of music became popular in the 1920’s, and continued to grow, artists of this era include the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, and Vernon Dalhart. One of country’s most well-known female singers is Dolly Parton, becoming a major country star in the 1970’s. Dolly was one of the first female artists to challenge the gender stereotypes in country music, this major success led to her long career. She has contributed over 35 hits to country and popular music, including her album Coat of Colors released in 1971, by RCA records was the album that changed her career. The 8th solo album made it onto Time Magazine 's 100 Greatest

The history of American music begins with a fundamental process of exchange through all different social lines, where diverse cultures meet, and mix. Music has and always will be defined as sounds that are arranged in a particular pattern that are played to be meaningful and pleasurable. The chronology of music began in the Medieval period, when chanting was introduced into the Church. Music has then moved its way through many stages: renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic and leading up to 20th century American music. American 20th century music is made up of a diverse number of styles that are reflected by cultural traditions and the era’s of the past. Immigrants from Spain, France, England, Germany and Ireland all contributed and brought their own unique styles to the forefront, hence creating American music. African Americans created influential musical traditions that include rhythm and improvisation that were later combined with European traditions and other indigenous music.

So whilst some parts of the world stayed traditionalist, other parts were taking music to the next step. Western cultures have used music for almost every aspect of life. Music was used for entertainment, religion, war cries and important ceremonies. Some countries have unfortunately lost their culture and heritage thanks to more developed countries trying to expand their empires. A good example of this is when the indigenous Mexican people were murdered in their homeland by the invading Spanish – and replaced the traditional drums and flutes with more vibrant shakers and trumpets. It is no doubt that the way upper countries have acted has greatly affected the distribution of music worldwide.

Music from all over the world presents a range of musical theories. Some of these are documented in writing whilst others are transmitted orally. Discuss and give examples with reference to both Western and non-Western music.