Scruton: The Decline Of Musical Culture

Gracyk dissects and responds to Roger Scruton’s philosophy of music that states, “Taste in music matters, and that a search for objective musical values is one part of our search for the right way to live” (138). Scruton believes that music exists in an intentional realm, meaning a person does not need to completely understand music in order to understand its message. People are able to grasp the intentional realm because people are part of a community based on tradition (139). Participation in this advanced culture shapes who people are and what type of music they want to hear. Being able to understand a language allows a person to make inferences and interpret its different meanings.

Music can be used to describe how we feel on the inside when we ourselves can’t seem to find the words. Music has the power to help us discover ourselves or remember something we may have lost. I think Paulnack is right when he states that music can bring people together. Many people like the same genres and styles and feel something when they listen to it. Music can be found all over the world and can be related to everything around us. Music has been a part of our culture since the beginning of history, it’s constantly evolving giving each generation their on form of expression. Just by appreciating music as an art from we can make connections to those who are different from

To understand why music is a product of human intention and perception, we start by defining or understanding the nature of music. Music is defined as the sounds or combination of vocals and instruments in a way that it produces a form of beauty, expression, or harmony of emotions. Arguably, people compose or make music through many ways (Resnicow, Joel E., 20-29). While some people might compose music without incorporating instruments, others use instruments to produce beats that match with their sounds. However, to argue that the

For as long as mankind has walked on this earth, music has been an important part of our culture and lifestyles. Each walk of life beats to a different drum. Different cultures use music for many aspects of their lives; for religious purposes, for celebrations, for comfort, for sorrow, for relaxation, for sports, for dances, for energy, for learning, for sleeping, and for sexual experiences. Everyone uses music for something. Music connects with people and reaches them in ways that words simply cannot. Music is a representation of what feelings sound like. It expresses emotion and brings that characteristic out from within us; it tells us a story. Every generation has its’ own sound and different music styles have emerged and become

Popular music is often one of the best lenses we have through which to view our own cultural orientation. Many of the artistic and experimental shifts in popular music have mirrored changes in our own society. For instance, the emergence of Elvis Presley as a public figure would signal the start of a sexual revolution and the growth in visibility of a rebellious youth culture. Similarly, the folk and psychedelic music of the 1960s was closely entangled with the Civil Rights, anti-war and social protest movements. In this regard, we can view popular music as an artifact through which to better understand the time and place in which it is produced. In light of this, the state of popular music today may suggest troubling things about our society.

Encyclopedia Britannica defines music as, “art concerned with combining vocal or instrumental sounds for beauty of form or emotional expression, usually according to cultural standards of rhythm, melody, and, in most Western music, harmony”. Music was considered beautiful at one time. Musical artist in this day and age put their drive to succeed strongly before their personal morals. The explicit language warnings on music covers are not enough. The foul language usage in music remains not the only concept that continues influencing the younger generation. Pop, country, R&B, and rap music continues having an immense impact on influencing the American youth. The biggest factor of these music

Most of the population will agree that music is all around us. Whether it be someone humming, making a beat or singing. Music can never escape us, as it has lived with us for many years. Now, not everyone will listen to the same genre, but it is a way to keep us connected. Music is a tool to help communicate in many different levels.

Music is a part of the American culture that has been around for many years. It allows American’s to express themselves and share their talents with others. Every genre of music is a reflection of the previous one, allowing there to be multiple divisions of the music world. Halfway through the 19th century, music took a different route becoming the start of something new. By the 1960s, R&B, Hip-Hop, and Rap evolved in the American culture by presenting music that covers creativity, inner thoughts, and feelings about society.

Throughout history, music have defined or depicted the culture and social events in America. Music has constantly played an important role in constituting American culture, where people have expressed themselves through music during flourishing and turbulent times. In the 1930’s, Swing music created a platform for audiences to vent their emotions in the midst of Great Depression and political unrest. Such strong relationship between music and culture can be seen throughout history, especially in the sixties.

Music is defined differently for each individual. It is the universal language that speaks to us all, but in different ways. It is one of the few genres that can instantly transport a person back to the past. Music is also an art of sound which expresses ideas, thoughts, and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, and harmony. It is the design of giving structural form and rhythmic pattern to combinations of sounds produce instrumentally and vocally. To me, music brings a sense of calmness, happiness, and peacefulness. Music is the absolute bread of life because it feeds my soul.

Music; Indefinable by words alone. It is not only something you can hear but what you can feel. It is something your soul is able to reach out and touch. Music also has the power to bring us as humans, together. It is one language spoken by all cultures, sexes, races, age and religions. Music also controls our emotions; it makes us happy, sad, angry, relaxed, etc. We also can express ourselves through music. It can affect our personality.. someone who listens to classical, like Mozart or Bach, all the time is going to be smarter and more intellectual than someone who listens to rap or metal, and someone who listens to more upbeat happier music, like Ska or Swing, is more likely to

Music has played a vital role in human culture and evidence based on archaeological sites can date it back to prehistoric times. It can be traced through almost all civilizations in one form or another. As time has progressed so has the music and the influences it has on people. Music is an important part of popular culture throughout the world, but it is especially popular in the United States. The music industry here is, and has been, a multi-million dollar business that continues to play an important role in American popular culture. This is also a art form and business that is forever changing as the times and more importantly, technology changes. Technology has changed the way music is made as well as how it is produced,

When music is created, it integrates the cultural and emotional situations that occur in everyday life. People create dances to the

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.

The popular culture of music has changed dramatically over the course of sixty five years. Since this time, new genres of music have been introduced, existing genres have changed, and fixed stereotypes have been associated with certain genres of music. Music has become a major part of popular culture, and is portrayed almost everywhere in first world societies, including on television, radio, at shopping centers, sporting events and in every area of popular culture. Music has become a major part of popular culture, and continues to strive and develop into more and diverse areas of culture.