Platforms for social statements can be interpreted as the Minimalist’s sonic independence put into spoken or sung word. With initial ground word laid by such compositions as Reich’s controversial “Come Out” (a taped statement from a police beating of an African American) Protopunk and Punk rock continued the metamorphosis of Minimalist music. Minimalist influences now presented not only aggressive musical sound, but aggressive lyrical content. Individualism now had not only a musical sonority, but it was given a voice. Songs, such as “God Save the Queen” by The Sex Pistols, and the 1969’s “Kick Out the Jams” by MC5, became accepted vehicles to promote political and social platforms.
American composer, David Lang, makes the connection between minimalist music and social platforms when he states, “I look at minimalism… as being the battleground that was necessary to remove those forces from power… to loosen up the power structure in America.” This strong statement pinpoints underlying themes of Minimalism, that when fully embraced, it cannot only authenticate rebellion, but it can subtly breed a culture of rebellion.
Like most genres of music, Minimalism is a musical response to numerous cultural influences as a whole. Not all affects, whether viewed as positive or negative, were the intention of the initial Minimalist pioneers; affects are the products of intent and perceived realities of society and its individuals. Composers like Reich and Riley are heralded in their own right for exploring musical ideas, however, as with all new ideas, innovators risk consequences and interpretations.
Looking back through the timeline or American music, discoveries of how a seemingly simple and innovative shift in the thinking process of composition, such as the basic development of individualism, can lead to such varied music styles like Punk rock, Conceptual rock and “drone metal” music, shows the direct influence music has on culture. As art continues to be the forerunner of society’s cultural shifts, perhaps the next musical shift will oppose the spirit of rebellion and welcome a spirit of unity.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Minimalist Music and Social Platforms – Part III of Part IV
The Minimalist’s concept of music, as described by Keith Potter in Four Musical Minimalists, holds the “belief that their music should somehow go beyond what their own imaginations were inherently capable of inventing.” (1) With musicologists describing “It’s Gonna Rain” as an “authentic audio downpour,” (2) Reich evidenced his sonic independent compositional style throughout his various electronic tape compositions.
Minimalism’s foundation of individualism and sonic independence created an opening for the formation of Protopunk and Punk music of the 1970s and 1980s. With stripped down instrumentation, use of limited harmonic structures (i.e. power chords), repetitive, and limited, chordal progressions and instrumental lines, former Protopunk and Punk bands like MC5, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, and The Ramones, exemplify the similar threads of individualism and sonic independence found in their Minimalist predecessors. The young rock-trained audiences welcomed the influence of Minimalism as records began to sell in niche markets such as Seattle, Michigan and abroad. Rebellion to past Western music styles and forms was now considered acceptable as garage bands began to form and create local followings. Individualism and sonic independence became the focal point of musical expression for many bands.
More recently, bands that are categorized as “Doom” rock, such as Sun o))) and “Drone-metal,”,such as the Seattle band, “Earth,” exhibit similar Minimalist aspects of individualism and sonic independence. Sun’s songs, such as “Dylan Carlson” from their 1999 album Grimmrobe Demos, has been described by Steve Dollar as “single notes [that] flatten the space around them until they sublimate into something atmospheric – like cloud formations dark with raindrops.” (3) The once subtle idea of creating a music rebellion against style and form assisted in the promotion of going beyond the musical aspects of Minimalist structure to form integrated societal subcultures of Minimalism.
As a continuation and permutation of Steve Reich’s focus on rebellion from specific musical forms, Dollar acknowledges that “Drone-metal,” and “Doom” styles aim “to reinvent the form in their own image, throwing out the rulebook with each new project.” (4) Challenging listeners’ perceptions on many fronts, such extremes of Minimalist music forms can be found throughout music research.
When a composer set out to focus on purposeful rebellion to a form of music, the music created in that mindset will manifest similar concepts in its structure. Sonic independence is a natural corroborator of adorning individualism. Keeping in mind that not all Minimalist composers and bands may purport such strong beliefs as others, the spirit of individualism and independence can generally be found in their social ideologies.
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1. Keith Potter, Four Musical Minimalists: La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 6.
2. Daniel Kingman, American Music: A Panorama (New York: Schirmer Books, 1990), 211.
3. Steve Dollar, “Heavy Meddling” http://www.newmusicbox.org/article.nmbx?id=4871 (Published November 28, 2006), 2.
4. Ibid., 2.
Minimalism’s foundation of individualism and sonic independence created an opening for the formation of Protopunk and Punk music of the 1970s and 1980s. With stripped down instrumentation, use of limited harmonic structures (i.e. power chords), repetitive, and limited, chordal progressions and instrumental lines, former Protopunk and Punk bands like MC5, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, and The Ramones, exemplify the similar threads of individualism and sonic independence found in their Minimalist predecessors. The young rock-trained audiences welcomed the influence of Minimalism as records began to sell in niche markets such as Seattle, Michigan and abroad. Rebellion to past Western music styles and forms was now considered acceptable as garage bands began to form and create local followings. Individualism and sonic independence became the focal point of musical expression for many bands.
More recently, bands that are categorized as “Doom” rock, such as Sun o))) and “Drone-metal,”,such as the Seattle band, “Earth,” exhibit similar Minimalist aspects of individualism and sonic independence. Sun’s songs, such as “Dylan Carlson” from their 1999 album Grimmrobe Demos, has been described by Steve Dollar as “single notes [that] flatten the space around them until they sublimate into something atmospheric – like cloud formations dark with raindrops.” (3) The once subtle idea of creating a music rebellion against style and form assisted in the promotion of going beyond the musical aspects of Minimalist structure to form integrated societal subcultures of Minimalism.
As a continuation and permutation of Steve Reich’s focus on rebellion from specific musical forms, Dollar acknowledges that “Drone-metal,” and “Doom” styles aim “to reinvent the form in their own image, throwing out the rulebook with each new project.” (4) Challenging listeners’ perceptions on many fronts, such extremes of Minimalist music forms can be found throughout music research.
When a composer set out to focus on purposeful rebellion to a form of music, the music created in that mindset will manifest similar concepts in its structure. Sonic independence is a natural corroborator of adorning individualism. Keeping in mind that not all Minimalist composers and bands may purport such strong beliefs as others, the spirit of individualism and independence can generally be found in their social ideologies.
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1. Keith Potter, Four Musical Minimalists: La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 6.
2. Daniel Kingman, American Music: A Panorama (New York: Schirmer Books, 1990), 211.
3. Steve Dollar, “Heavy Meddling” http://www.newmusicbox.org/article.nmbx?id=4871 (Published November 28, 2006), 2.
4. Ibid., 2.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
MInimalist Music and Social Platforms – Part II of Part IV
According to music researcher, Jonathan Benard, Minimalism’s purposeful development of individualism included the ideas of thought that music was created by Minimalist composers “in a spirit of rebellion against the rigidities of the musical “establishment” or because they felt genuinely isolated in the world of music and were looking for some way to connect with the arts – or both. (1) This “rebellion” is modeled in Terry Riley’s, “In C” composition - a reactionary response to atonality. The listener can hear the Minimalist rhythmic and melodic simplicity within the ”limited improvisational freedom” (2) of the fifty-three varying figures. Yet, “In C” gives rise to an overall sonic complexity and seemingly non-unified blanket of sound when all ensemble members are playing. This blanket of sound can be viewed as a metaphor for the structure of individualism found in Minimalism –patchworks of ideas that obtusely display unique qualities while still being held together by the common frame of humanity.
In a brief period of time, and with the American cultural paradigm shift of the late 1960s, the construct for individualism grew in acceptance. The welcomed shift for individualism spurred musical reactions throughout the United States as exemplified in the style of Conceptual Rock. The seemingly unknown band named Devo’s made a 1978 appearance on Saturday Night Live that sparked questions, and laughter, about individualism in music style. With its rebellious robotic-like dance, repetitive motion and simplistic form, Devo made a Minimalist response to the Rolling Stones’ song “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”
Reacting to the loss of individuality in rock music, Theo Cateforis describes Devo having displayed “an absurd procession of minimalist, stunted riffs and nervous vocals.” This nationally broadcasted musical rebellion of Minimalism made a light-hearted disguise of the growing shift of music attitude that would continue to surface in other music outgrowths that focused not only on the self-adorning individualism, but inclusion of the Minimalist style of sonic independence.
Sonic independence can be heard in Reich’s use of phasing vocal lines from a street evangelist, in “It’s Gonna Rain.” This composition was a statement that demanded the listener to view to the music as an entire structure. The concept of hearing music through whole sonic structures, and not only pitch or rhythm, was the focal point. A shift from regular rhythmic pulses and pitch relationships and that of Western music’s harmonic form had emerged. Thus, with this shift, Minimalists laid the foundation for sonic independence. Not only was the composer in rebellion to previous musical ideas of form and structure, the Minimalist works themselves were sonic composites of rebellion. In order for the listener to understand a work, the entire work had to be viewed as its own identity with each piece creating its own form and independent structure.
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1. Jonathan W. Bernard “Theory, Analysis and the “Problem” of Minimal Music” Concert Music, Rock, and Jazz since 1945: Essays and Analytical Studies (New York: University of Rochester Press, 1995), 281.
2. Wim Mertens, American Minimal Music: La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass (New York: Pro/Am Music Resources, Inc., 1983), 42.
In a brief period of time, and with the American cultural paradigm shift of the late 1960s, the construct for individualism grew in acceptance. The welcomed shift for individualism spurred musical reactions throughout the United States as exemplified in the style of Conceptual Rock. The seemingly unknown band named Devo’s made a 1978 appearance on Saturday Night Live that sparked questions, and laughter, about individualism in music style. With its rebellious robotic-like dance, repetitive motion and simplistic form, Devo made a Minimalist response to the Rolling Stones’ song “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”
Reacting to the loss of individuality in rock music, Theo Cateforis describes Devo having displayed “an absurd procession of minimalist, stunted riffs and nervous vocals.” This nationally broadcasted musical rebellion of Minimalism made a light-hearted disguise of the growing shift of music attitude that would continue to surface in other music outgrowths that focused not only on the self-adorning individualism, but inclusion of the Minimalist style of sonic independence.
Sonic independence can be heard in Reich’s use of phasing vocal lines from a street evangelist, in “It’s Gonna Rain.” This composition was a statement that demanded the listener to view to the music as an entire structure. The concept of hearing music through whole sonic structures, and not only pitch or rhythm, was the focal point. A shift from regular rhythmic pulses and pitch relationships and that of Western music’s harmonic form had emerged. Thus, with this shift, Minimalists laid the foundation for sonic independence. Not only was the composer in rebellion to previous musical ideas of form and structure, the Minimalist works themselves were sonic composites of rebellion. In order for the listener to understand a work, the entire work had to be viewed as its own identity with each piece creating its own form and independent structure.
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1. Jonathan W. Bernard “Theory, Analysis and the “Problem” of Minimal Music” Concert Music, Rock, and Jazz since 1945: Essays and Analytical Studies (New York: University of Rochester Press, 1995), 281.
2. Wim Mertens, American Minimal Music: La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass (New York: Pro/Am Music Resources, Inc., 1983), 42.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Minimalist Music and Social Platforms – Part I of Part IV
As recorded in many aspects throughout history, art reflects an anticipated response of a cultural shift. Forerunners of cultural shifts, artists generally have a pioneering spirit that, for good or bad, exemplify the road to be taken by a culture in the forthcoming years or generations. The musical response of Minimalism and its composers foreshadowed, as well as provided a entry point, for many of the changes brought forth in American music during the late 1960s and 1970s. Beyond “merely a pop music for intellectuals,” (1) as stated by music academician Keith Potter, the spirit behind Minimalism provides listeners, both present and future, with a foundation to explore the development of individualism, sonic independence, and platforms for social statements.
Listening to works by Minimalist composer Steve Reich, such as “Piano Phase” or “Drumming,” one can observe the music from many vantage points. On a surface level, the music sound is repetitive and simple in form. Many listeners may hear the music for the first time and possibly judge it to be a type of white noise. On a deeper aesthetic level, if the listener is willing to explore music with all of the senses engaged, the music can cause the listener to raise questions and answers regarding individuality.
To authenticate the underlying theme of individualism, consider the development of Reich’s “Piano Phases.” This work begins with one pianist and then adds a second pianist in tandem: the two pianists performing the same notes in unison. Progressing through the unison work, one pianist accelerates by a subtle tempo so that unity between the players is broken. As the note delay begins to be perceived by the listener, individualism has subtly emerged from the previous unison harmony. Eventually, as the work progresses, the one player has accelerated until the players are heard with a sixteenth note in delay. Musically, this method, known as phasing, explores the sense of time and rhythms through subtle change. Taken from a broad cultural standpoint, this music exemplifies the shifting of focus on unity within a culture to a strong development of the individual as its own entity.
When discussing the development of his drum works, Reich qualifies the development of individualism as a human approach to the idea of phasing; “I wanted to think Balinese or African which meant that I would sound like myself while expanding my ideas about how to rhythmically structure my pieces.” (2) Stressing the idea that he used other music cultures for starting points, or unison, Reich then created his own individual musical interpretation. The musical expression of “Piano Phase” was not only a composition to Reich, it was part of his development as a person and composer.
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1. Keith Potter, Four Musical Minimalists: La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 10.
2. Jonathan W. Bernard “Theory, Analysis and the “Problem” of Minimal Music” Concert Music, Rock, and Jazz since 1945: Essays and Analytical Studies (New York: University of Rochester Press, 1995), 263.
Listening to works by Minimalist composer Steve Reich, such as “Piano Phase” or “Drumming,” one can observe the music from many vantage points. On a surface level, the music sound is repetitive and simple in form. Many listeners may hear the music for the first time and possibly judge it to be a type of white noise. On a deeper aesthetic level, if the listener is willing to explore music with all of the senses engaged, the music can cause the listener to raise questions and answers regarding individuality.
To authenticate the underlying theme of individualism, consider the development of Reich’s “Piano Phases.” This work begins with one pianist and then adds a second pianist in tandem: the two pianists performing the same notes in unison. Progressing through the unison work, one pianist accelerates by a subtle tempo so that unity between the players is broken. As the note delay begins to be perceived by the listener, individualism has subtly emerged from the previous unison harmony. Eventually, as the work progresses, the one player has accelerated until the players are heard with a sixteenth note in delay. Musically, this method, known as phasing, explores the sense of time and rhythms through subtle change. Taken from a broad cultural standpoint, this music exemplifies the shifting of focus on unity within a culture to a strong development of the individual as its own entity.
When discussing the development of his drum works, Reich qualifies the development of individualism as a human approach to the idea of phasing; “I wanted to think Balinese or African which meant that I would sound like myself while expanding my ideas about how to rhythmically structure my pieces.” (2) Stressing the idea that he used other music cultures for starting points, or unison, Reich then created his own individual musical interpretation. The musical expression of “Piano Phase” was not only a composition to Reich, it was part of his development as a person and composer.
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1. Keith Potter, Four Musical Minimalists: La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 10.
2. Jonathan W. Bernard “Theory, Analysis and the “Problem” of Minimal Music” Concert Music, Rock, and Jazz since 1945: Essays and Analytical Studies (New York: University of Rochester Press, 1995), 263.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Integrating Philosophies and History
From the historical growth charted throughout the timeline of music education philosophy, coupled with an understanding of both aesthetic and praxial philosophical belief, one can begin to discover how music curricula can be enriched through the inclusion of both philosophies. While the limited discovery as outlined in this paper has incited deeper understanding of personal music education philosophy, strong implications of additional study and analysis can be reasonably affirmed. Therefore, further suggestions to developing a stronger music education philosophical foundation may include studying historical philosophical texts, such as Broudy et al’s Democracy and Excellence in American Secondary Education, examining the music education teachings of non-Western cultures, and analysis of personal classroom curricula and routine for qualitative examples of philosophical bents.
It is through such self-discovery and action-oriented beliefs the one can analyze new ideas and proposed thoughts for the music educator to consider when creating, and re-creating, music education curriculum. By truly knowing your teaching philosophy, one supports self in understanding the values and beliefs that will be presented to students through the act of teaching and learning - thereby, under-girding how one’s curriculum will be formulated and executed. From an actively engaged music education philosophy, one can begin to provide teaching and learning examples for music students that can have a positive affect on teaching and learning for the classroom of life.
It is through such self-discovery and action-oriented beliefs the one can analyze new ideas and proposed thoughts for the music educator to consider when creating, and re-creating, music education curriculum. By truly knowing your teaching philosophy, one supports self in understanding the values and beliefs that will be presented to students through the act of teaching and learning - thereby, under-girding how one’s curriculum will be formulated and executed. From an actively engaged music education philosophy, one can begin to provide teaching and learning examples for music students that can have a positive affect on teaching and learning for the classroom of life.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Combining the Philosophies
Rather than mutual exclusion, use of the combined philosophies presents a more acceptable approach for accommodating both the role of feelings along with the cognitive activities found in the music experience. Finding the middle ground that is a feasible and workable solution to decades of philosophical debate is an educator’s personal adventure. There will not be any guarantee that the use of any philosophical system will provide an educator with the perfect curriculum, however, the understanding of one’s philosophical placement will provide the avenues for exploration in order to present a thoughtful and provoking program. It is up to the student to choose to engage.
Perhaps, Reimer found his blend of philosophical thought as he submitted his third revision of A Philosophy of Music Education in 2003. From this revision, one reads about the enlightenment of a need for a synergistic approach to music education that proposes a model of experience-based music teaching and learning that joins the reality of the music created with the interpretation by individuals. (1)
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1. Bennett Reimer, A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision, 3rd ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2003), 38.
Perhaps, Reimer found his blend of philosophical thought as he submitted his third revision of A Philosophy of Music Education in 2003. From this revision, one reads about the enlightenment of a need for a synergistic approach to music education that proposes a model of experience-based music teaching and learning that joins the reality of the music created with the interpretation by individuals. (1)
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1. Bennett Reimer, A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision, 3rd ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2003), 38.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
More thoughts about Praxialism
A praxial philosophy of music education highlights the action of music, and, “that music ought to be understood in relation to the meanings and values evidenced in actual music making and music listening in specific cultural contexts.” (1) Elliot further explains that, “Without some form of intentional human activity, there can be neither musical sounds nor works of musical sound. In short, what music is, at root, is a human activity.” (2)Therefore, when looking at music education philosophy from a praxialist thought, one understands the musical experience as, “explained completely in terms of cognitive challenges.” (3)
There are notable positive outcomes for embracing a praxial philosophy of music education - mainly the result of the integration of multi-dimensional musical aspects. Elliott suggests the high cognitive use of “performance-interpretation, the standards of traditions of practice, expression, musical representation, and cultural ideaological information,” (4) for music learning. Based on the understanding of music as a performance-experience, praxialism suggests promotion of high quality musicianship since the music student is involved in the various action-guided aspects. Highlighting action-based objectives, Elliott states that, “By itself, formal musical knowledge is inert and unmusical. It must be converted into procedural knowing-in-action to achieve its potential.” (5)
A second notable positive aspect of the praxial approach to music education is that it includes more inclusion of, “social, historical and cultural conditions and forces in which practices of music production arise and have meaning.” (6) It should be noted, that although, aesthetic music education did not originally give much attention to the social and cultural condition of music, revised understanding of aesthetic music education currently uphold the importance of the social and cultural conditions of music making.
Many challenges for Elliott’s praxial philosophy suggest that the core experience of praxialism is purely challenge at the cognitive level. Such challengers of praxial thought include Constantijn Koopman who stated, “There is no reason to believe that the enjoyment one derives from musical activities is exclusively a function of the magnitude of the cognitive challenge they involve.” (7) Praxial thought does not permit an explanation for those music experiences that do not provide high challenge opportunities. Taken further, this thought can lead to the assumption that if there is lack of challenge in performance, and therefore lack of true musical experience, one can also assume that the actual performance itself would be void of musical experience. This type of thinking can invalidate the performance of common, traditional works that perhaps do not require demanding facility solely on cognition of the performer and exclude the listener as well as the social traditions that the music may hold for society.
Therefore, it can be suggested that pure praxialism does not constitute a successful music experience. It explains the concepts of knowing about, and why a concept exists, however, it generally cannot give precise explanation on the reasoning for existing feelings brought forth from the music experience itself.
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1. David J. Elliot, Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995), 14.
2. Ibid., 39.
3. Constantijn Koopman, “Music Education: Aesthetic or "Praxial"?” Journal of Aesthetic Education 32:3 (1998): 9.
4. Ibid., 11.
5. David J. Elliot, Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995), 61.
6. Philip Alperson “What Should One Expect from a Philosophy of Music Education?” Journal of Aesthetic Education 25: 3, (1991): 236.
7. Constantijn Koopman, “Music Education: Aesthetic or "Praxial"?” Journal of Aesthetic Education 32:3 (1998): 8.
There are notable positive outcomes for embracing a praxial philosophy of music education - mainly the result of the integration of multi-dimensional musical aspects. Elliott suggests the high cognitive use of “performance-interpretation, the standards of traditions of practice, expression, musical representation, and cultural ideaological information,” (4) for music learning. Based on the understanding of music as a performance-experience, praxialism suggests promotion of high quality musicianship since the music student is involved in the various action-guided aspects. Highlighting action-based objectives, Elliott states that, “By itself, formal musical knowledge is inert and unmusical. It must be converted into procedural knowing-in-action to achieve its potential.” (5)
A second notable positive aspect of the praxial approach to music education is that it includes more inclusion of, “social, historical and cultural conditions and forces in which practices of music production arise and have meaning.” (6) It should be noted, that although, aesthetic music education did not originally give much attention to the social and cultural condition of music, revised understanding of aesthetic music education currently uphold the importance of the social and cultural conditions of music making.
Many challenges for Elliott’s praxial philosophy suggest that the core experience of praxialism is purely challenge at the cognitive level. Such challengers of praxial thought include Constantijn Koopman who stated, “There is no reason to believe that the enjoyment one derives from musical activities is exclusively a function of the magnitude of the cognitive challenge they involve.” (7) Praxial thought does not permit an explanation for those music experiences that do not provide high challenge opportunities. Taken further, this thought can lead to the assumption that if there is lack of challenge in performance, and therefore lack of true musical experience, one can also assume that the actual performance itself would be void of musical experience. This type of thinking can invalidate the performance of common, traditional works that perhaps do not require demanding facility solely on cognition of the performer and exclude the listener as well as the social traditions that the music may hold for society.
Therefore, it can be suggested that pure praxialism does not constitute a successful music experience. It explains the concepts of knowing about, and why a concept exists, however, it generally cannot give precise explanation on the reasoning for existing feelings brought forth from the music experience itself.
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1. David J. Elliot, Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995), 14.
2. Ibid., 39.
3. Constantijn Koopman, “Music Education: Aesthetic or "Praxial"?” Journal of Aesthetic Education 32:3 (1998): 9.
4. Ibid., 11.
5. David J. Elliot, Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995), 61.
6. Philip Alperson “What Should One Expect from a Philosophy of Music Education?” Journal of Aesthetic Education 25: 3, (1991): 236.
7. Constantijn Koopman, “Music Education: Aesthetic or "Praxial"?” Journal of Aesthetic Education 32:3 (1998): 8.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Thoughts about Aesthetic Music Education Philosophy
Bennett Riemer, leading music education philosopher on aesthetic music education, posits that, “An experience-based philosophy of music education is one that focuses on and cherishes all the many ways music can be experienced and all the many musics offering the special experience music provides.” (1) Reimer further states, “All our musical experiences, no matter what sort, ‘educate’ our inner, felt life, refining, clarifying, broadening, and deepening our feelings in a way analogous to how language does the same for our conceptual reasonings.” (2) While emphasizing music’s, or sound’s, affect on feeling and emotion as central to aesthetic music education, Reimer includes various creative, multi-dimensional approaches for music learning. Music students are given opportunity to explore the aesthetic value of music through inclusion of seven areas of music that include, among them, composition, performing, listening and music theory. (3)
Highlighting inclusion for both the general music student and the professional music student, aesthetic music education philosophy emphasizes individual feeling and a more comprehensive understanding of the role of feelings in the music listener and performer as listener. This positive impact of inclusion of all types of music students permits a broad-based learning environment for diverse music programs and groups. Reimer further reiterates his desire for inclusion of all individuals in music education as he states, “ Music education should help individuals achieve whatever potentials they have to be musically intelligent – able to more fully experience musical satisfactions – in whatever ways they choose.” (4)Further acknowledging the impact of a performance-based system of learning, Reimer suggests that singling out one aspect of music can limit the number of ways music can be enjoyed, and discovered, and thereby limiting one’s overall musical experience. (5)
It can be understood that challenges to an aesthetic music education philosophy can arise from the actual limitation of scope created by the music educator. Upon his revisions to his initial A Philosophy of Music Education, Reimer rewrote it to expand his philosophy for a broader cultural and intellectual inclusion. Without this important inclusion, aesthetic music education philosophy would not be able to adhere to the declarations made from the Tanglewood Symposium (1967) that submitted that current music education philosophy could not adequately present the teaching and learning of non-Western music.
A second challenge to aesthetic music education philosophy again submits to the actions of the individual educator: If one does not fully understand the basis of aesthetic education, and merely intakes a superficial gleaning of the ideas therein of “perceiving, reacting, producing, conceptualizing, analyzing, evaluating, and valuing,”(6) then a music program could conceivably result in students that perform quantitatively, however lack quality of performance skill. This perhaps led to David Elliott’s statement that with aesthetic music education philosophy, “It fails to acquit the art of music.” (7) Such was the problematic issue that began to surface in American schools in the late 1960s. Music educators wanted to purport a vogue aesthetic music philosophy without much individual research and subsequent application into curriculum design. This then resulted in music educators stressing performance rather than artistic human experience as seen in the rise of more performance oriented programs.
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1. Bennett Reimer, A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision, 3rd ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2003), 69.
2. Ibid., 135.
3. Ibid., 199.
4. Ibid., 199.
5. Ibid., 69.
6. Richard Colwell, “Music and Aesthetic Education: A Collegial Relationship.” Journal of Aesthetic Education 20:4 (1986): 36.
7. David J. Elliot, “Music as Knowledge” Journal of Aesthetic Education 25: 3 (1991): 23.
Highlighting inclusion for both the general music student and the professional music student, aesthetic music education philosophy emphasizes individual feeling and a more comprehensive understanding of the role of feelings in the music listener and performer as listener. This positive impact of inclusion of all types of music students permits a broad-based learning environment for diverse music programs and groups. Reimer further reiterates his desire for inclusion of all individuals in music education as he states, “ Music education should help individuals achieve whatever potentials they have to be musically intelligent – able to more fully experience musical satisfactions – in whatever ways they choose.” (4)Further acknowledging the impact of a performance-based system of learning, Reimer suggests that singling out one aspect of music can limit the number of ways music can be enjoyed, and discovered, and thereby limiting one’s overall musical experience. (5)
It can be understood that challenges to an aesthetic music education philosophy can arise from the actual limitation of scope created by the music educator. Upon his revisions to his initial A Philosophy of Music Education, Reimer rewrote it to expand his philosophy for a broader cultural and intellectual inclusion. Without this important inclusion, aesthetic music education philosophy would not be able to adhere to the declarations made from the Tanglewood Symposium (1967) that submitted that current music education philosophy could not adequately present the teaching and learning of non-Western music.
A second challenge to aesthetic music education philosophy again submits to the actions of the individual educator: If one does not fully understand the basis of aesthetic education, and merely intakes a superficial gleaning of the ideas therein of “perceiving, reacting, producing, conceptualizing, analyzing, evaluating, and valuing,”(6) then a music program could conceivably result in students that perform quantitatively, however lack quality of performance skill. This perhaps led to David Elliott’s statement that with aesthetic music education philosophy, “It fails to acquit the art of music.” (7) Such was the problematic issue that began to surface in American schools in the late 1960s. Music educators wanted to purport a vogue aesthetic music philosophy without much individual research and subsequent application into curriculum design. This then resulted in music educators stressing performance rather than artistic human experience as seen in the rise of more performance oriented programs.
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1. Bennett Reimer, A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision, 3rd ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2003), 69.
2. Ibid., 135.
3. Ibid., 199.
4. Ibid., 199.
5. Ibid., 69.
6. Richard Colwell, “Music and Aesthetic Education: A Collegial Relationship.” Journal of Aesthetic Education 20:4 (1986): 36.
7. David J. Elliot, “Music as Knowledge” Journal of Aesthetic Education 25: 3 (1991): 23.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Historical Perspective of Music Education Philosophy – Part III
While aesthetic education began to take form in music education, other ideas and philosophical thoughts began to emerge. Other music education philosophers, such as David J. Elliott, began to question how aesthetic education could not respond appropriately to other non-Western music teaching. Concurrently, as educators began to debate and re-evaluate music education philosophy, the development of music education organizations continued. Various monumental music education meetings, such as The Yale Seminar (1963) and the Tanglewood Symposium (1967), began to take place. Music education philosophical reform came to the forefront as music educators begin to seek answers as to why “public school music programs had not produced a musically literate and active public.” (1) Active philosophical debates increased with the surfacing of Elliott’s “praxial” philosophy which emphasized music value through performance rather than the aesthetics’ music value through listening. Music educators were challenged in their aesthetic education view as Elliott published his critique of aesthetic music education in his 1991 book, Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education. To repudiate Elliott’s critical proclamations on aesthetic music education, Reimer notably updated and revised A Philosophy of Music Education in 2003 to reflect his most recent views on music education. To date, both music education philosophies are found in the music classroom, moderately utilized in a dichotomous web.
From this brief historical background, one can observe how two seemingly different music education philosophies have evolved over the past 100 years. Both philosophical views present admirable teaching and learning aspects of music education that can provide a student with a developed music curriculum, and consequently a music learning environment, that promotes the value of music. It is at this point that the two philosophies break away from each other, as they begin to define what gives music meaning: feeling or cognition.
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1. Michael L. Mark and Charles L. Gary, A History of American Music Education (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2007), 399.
From this brief historical background, one can observe how two seemingly different music education philosophies have evolved over the past 100 years. Both philosophical views present admirable teaching and learning aspects of music education that can provide a student with a developed music curriculum, and consequently a music learning environment, that promotes the value of music. It is at this point that the two philosophies break away from each other, as they begin to define what gives music meaning: feeling or cognition.
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1. Michael L. Mark and Charles L. Gary, A History of American Music Education (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2007), 399.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Historical Perspective of Music Education Philosophy – Part II
By the mid-twentieth century, American society focused on education reform due to the flurry of technological advancement brought on after WWII. US Political leaders began to place emphasis on the development of science and math so that the American system could compete on a worldwide level with the organized education systems found in other countries, such as Russia. It was at this time that the elevation of the subjects such as math, science and reading created public bias towards other subjects such as music. (1) Governmental reports such as, “National Goals in Education” (1960), President Kennedy’s emphasis on educational research and development, and increased governmental funding towards scientific research education perpetuated the bias at a governance level as well.
The former progressive education movement prior to the mid-twentieth century no longer held first place in such technological advancement. This perpetuated the resultant lack of substantial for music education philosophy and direction. The 1960s brought forth a school curriculum that was more student oriented as a result of the vast displays of organized youth movements that encouraged freedom of the individual. Inductive thinking and learning became vogue in the educational setting. Overall curriculum structure and development began to concentrate on conceptual teaching.
With the lack of substantial music education philosophy at the time, the parallel resolve of lack of value and development for music education resulted. (2) Music education needed philosophical reform in order to survive. It around this time that early leaders of aesthetic education philosophy, i.e. Charles Leonhard and Allan Britton, began to present the unique qualities of the study of music that separated music from other school subjects. Aesthetic education emerged at this time as a philosophy for music education.
Heightened verbalized need for change in music education peaked around the 1970s with the publication of Bennett Reimer’s, A Philosophy of Music Education. This music education philosophy sought to transform the music classroom through valuing music from the aspect of intrinsic feeling. Such was exemplified in the 1970’s writing of Abraham Schwadron:
The real problem in contemporary music education which are daily concerns are to a considerable extent value-centered. We are coming to realize that a new or alternate approach is needed for the construction of value-oriented curricular design. The context of this emerging curriculum will focus on issues relevant to the nature of music and to the lives of the students. It will lead students to ask fundamental questions, to engage in intriguing musical activities, and to seek answers based on personal reflection, inquiry, discovery, and research; it will help them formulate their values of music on both logical and introspective levels.
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1. Michael L. Mark and Charles L. Gary, A History of American Music Education (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2007), 386.
2. Michael L. Mark and Charles L. Gary, A History of American Music Education (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2007), 417.
4. Michael L. Mark and Charles L. Gary, A History of American Music Education (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2007), 420.
The former progressive education movement prior to the mid-twentieth century no longer held first place in such technological advancement. This perpetuated the resultant lack of substantial for music education philosophy and direction. The 1960s brought forth a school curriculum that was more student oriented as a result of the vast displays of organized youth movements that encouraged freedom of the individual. Inductive thinking and learning became vogue in the educational setting. Overall curriculum structure and development began to concentrate on conceptual teaching.
With the lack of substantial music education philosophy at the time, the parallel resolve of lack of value and development for music education resulted. (2) Music education needed philosophical reform in order to survive. It around this time that early leaders of aesthetic education philosophy, i.e. Charles Leonhard and Allan Britton, began to present the unique qualities of the study of music that separated music from other school subjects. Aesthetic education emerged at this time as a philosophy for music education.
Heightened verbalized need for change in music education peaked around the 1970s with the publication of Bennett Reimer’s, A Philosophy of Music Education. This music education philosophy sought to transform the music classroom through valuing music from the aspect of intrinsic feeling. Such was exemplified in the 1970’s writing of Abraham Schwadron:
The real problem in contemporary music education which are daily concerns are to a considerable extent value-centered. We are coming to realize that a new or alternate approach is needed for the construction of value-oriented curricular design. The context of this emerging curriculum will focus on issues relevant to the nature of music and to the lives of the students. It will lead students to ask fundamental questions, to engage in intriguing musical activities, and to seek answers based on personal reflection, inquiry, discovery, and research; it will help them formulate their values of music on both logical and introspective levels.
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1. Michael L. Mark and Charles L. Gary, A History of American Music Education (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2007), 386.
2. Michael L. Mark and Charles L. Gary, A History of American Music Education (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2007), 417.
4. Michael L. Mark and Charles L. Gary, A History of American Music Education (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2007), 420.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Historical Perspective of Music Education Philosophy – Part I
In the US, during the nineteenth century, the practice of singing from rote was used for musical expression of worship in church settings. The practice of teaching of music in singing schools was then replaced by music schools. With basic rote teaching methods in place, it can be understood that the philosophical thought during this time was merely that music held value in society and that it should be included in one’s education. Common school curriculum included music and the need for specialized music educators began to grow in size and scope. Music educators were encouraged to develop more teaching methods resembling that of Pestalozzi and Froebel thus utilizing more of a psychological approach to music education teaching.
As American society moved into the twentieth century, music continued to hold integral value in education programming and additional features, such as instrumental music performance and fundamental music teaching, began to take shape. Replaced by foci of general music education and patriotism, worship became a minor focus for musical training. The increase of music education societies and associations, such as Music Teachers National Association and Music Supervisors National Conference, began to assist music educators across broad geographical areas providing avenues for expressing methods, organizational development and musical thoughts related to music education on a larger scale. Larger scale organization permitted vast exchange of thoughts and ideas throughout the music education community as the growth of professional music supervisors grew. Readily accessible radio and phonograph technologies birthed new avenues for music appreciation and listening, thus heightening the popularity of bands and subsequently increasing the need for more full-time music educators with formal training, music publications and related music materials. A growing music education philosophy began to form as a community of music educators began to share ideas and pedagogies of progressive education as exemplified in the establishment of the Music Supervisors National Conference of 1907, which would later become the Music Educators National Conference.
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1. Bennett Reimer, A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision, 3rd ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2003), 245.
As American society moved into the twentieth century, music continued to hold integral value in education programming and additional features, such as instrumental music performance and fundamental music teaching, began to take shape. Replaced by foci of general music education and patriotism, worship became a minor focus for musical training. The increase of music education societies and associations, such as Music Teachers National Association and Music Supervisors National Conference, began to assist music educators across broad geographical areas providing avenues for expressing methods, organizational development and musical thoughts related to music education on a larger scale. Larger scale organization permitted vast exchange of thoughts and ideas throughout the music education community as the growth of professional music supervisors grew. Readily accessible radio and phonograph technologies birthed new avenues for music appreciation and listening, thus heightening the popularity of bands and subsequently increasing the need for more full-time music educators with formal training, music publications and related music materials. A growing music education philosophy began to form as a community of music educators began to share ideas and pedagogies of progressive education as exemplified in the establishment of the Music Supervisors National Conference of 1907, which would later become the Music Educators National Conference.
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1. Bennett Reimer, A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision, 3rd ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2003), 245.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Developing a Music Education Philosophy – Part II
To many educators, developing a music education philosophy can be a daunting task, however, with a little self-reflection and motivation, one can set-out on the life-long path of discovery. By developing a music education philosophy an educator can begin to understand the central core of what musical experience means at a personal level, and then be able to explore the pedagogical implications. Intentional or not, the beliefs held within an individual, specifically teaching beliefs, will, in some way be manifested in the classroom setting. Knowing, or beginning to know, one’s music education philosophy will assist the educator in awareness of strengths and weaknesses that may be present due to beliefs therein.
When exploring the deep waters of music education philosophy, there are premises that need to be established before getting into further philosophical inquiry; the primary premise being that a music educator assumes music has value. Without music being given a place of value within the educator, a music education philosophy cannot be adequately established since all relevant core issues of music education will contradict future action-making experiences.
Secondly, it is assumed that a music educator also assigns value to the actions of teaching and learning such as personal growth and regular curriculum development. Since it is within oneself to give or deny value, personal reflection is needed to determine such distinctive qualifiers. Personal reflection leads to personal reaction. From such reactions, or lack thereof, all of our outward methods and concepts for teaching and pedagogy are displayed. It is such reactions that will determine and prioritize music curriculum, activity and daily routine within the classroom. Therefore, with music, and teaching and learning as established value premises, one can begin the process of discovering a personal philosophy of a music educator.
There are many examples throughout the history of music education that mirror how music education philosophy, and at times a lack of philosophical understanding, has affected teacher preparation and student learning. As one develops a music education philosophy that will be an active part of one’s teaching and learning, it would behoove oneself to understand the historical backdrop so that further critical thinking and ideas can be acknowledged, aptly understood, and either discarded or absorbed.
When exploring the deep waters of music education philosophy, there are premises that need to be established before getting into further philosophical inquiry; the primary premise being that a music educator assumes music has value. Without music being given a place of value within the educator, a music education philosophy cannot be adequately established since all relevant core issues of music education will contradict future action-making experiences.
Secondly, it is assumed that a music educator also assigns value to the actions of teaching and learning such as personal growth and regular curriculum development. Since it is within oneself to give or deny value, personal reflection is needed to determine such distinctive qualifiers. Personal reflection leads to personal reaction. From such reactions, or lack thereof, all of our outward methods and concepts for teaching and pedagogy are displayed. It is such reactions that will determine and prioritize music curriculum, activity and daily routine within the classroom. Therefore, with music, and teaching and learning as established value premises, one can begin the process of discovering a personal philosophy of a music educator.
There are many examples throughout the history of music education that mirror how music education philosophy, and at times a lack of philosophical understanding, has affected teacher preparation and student learning. As one develops a music education philosophy that will be an active part of one’s teaching and learning, it would behoove oneself to understand the historical backdrop so that further critical thinking and ideas can be acknowledged, aptly understood, and either discarded or absorbed.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Developing a Music Education Philosophy – Part I
For music educators, many parts of the day includes musical sound; sound that signals us to wake up, sound that signals a start of school, sound of the students warming up in a band room, and the sound of silence as the day is done. Our days are marked by sound. It is a reminder of who we are and why we press on: music educators with a passion for teaching sound, or music, to the next generation of music students.
Like other educators, music educators not only need reminders of why they continue to teach day in and day out, they need to actively live out their underlying beliefs about music teaching and learning. Such action-based belief is what many call music education philosophy. It is a set of beliefs displayed in daily classroom routines and activities. When truly anchored as belief within an individual, philosophy takes on an active, visible form in one’s outward life. It is through an individual philosophy that one is able to map one’s assumptions to understand what direction needs to be taken or which direction to follow. With an applied music education philosophy, educators invoke their individual philosophy and map it so that they are better able explore, probe and process musical thought and inquiry exemplified in the music classroom. Thus, a well-formed music education philosophy enables a music educator to present a strong foundation of formulated critical understanding to better equip music students for their future learning and musical experiences. It is through the application of an active philosophical discovery that this paper will promote how a music educator can strengthen one’s music education philosophy, develop purposeful curricula and thereby present a well-rounded music program and experience capable of providing opportunity to engage today’s music student for a lifetime of learning.
Like other educators, music educators not only need reminders of why they continue to teach day in and day out, they need to actively live out their underlying beliefs about music teaching and learning. Such action-based belief is what many call music education philosophy. It is a set of beliefs displayed in daily classroom routines and activities. When truly anchored as belief within an individual, philosophy takes on an active, visible form in one’s outward life. It is through an individual philosophy that one is able to map one’s assumptions to understand what direction needs to be taken or which direction to follow. With an applied music education philosophy, educators invoke their individual philosophy and map it so that they are better able explore, probe and process musical thought and inquiry exemplified in the music classroom. Thus, a well-formed music education philosophy enables a music educator to present a strong foundation of formulated critical understanding to better equip music students for their future learning and musical experiences. It is through the application of an active philosophical discovery that this paper will promote how a music educator can strengthen one’s music education philosophy, develop purposeful curricula and thereby present a well-rounded music program and experience capable of providing opportunity to engage today’s music student for a lifetime of learning.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Balanced Teaching in the Music Classroom
The art of balanced teaching in education should be a desire of all teachers. Sadly, most students graduate with a perspective only as wide as their teachers. As we look specifically at the music classroom, I believe that if we are honest about our past musical teaching, each of us, at some point in time, have taught music from our own understanding and perhaps avoided teaching on material that we either do not have formal training in, or that we do not find of personal interest.
That being said, as music teachers, it is our job to educate our students about music. This broad subject category called music covers the world over – both large and small cultural groups. Building on our knowledge as pedagogues, we can see that the music classroom crosses into many other subjects such as mathematics, geography, art, history, and social studies. By coordinating other subject disciplines with the music classroom, the burden of teaching students such a vast amount of knowledge can be lightened – and even making it easier for the different learner-types to understand. Using the resources of cross-classroom teaching will permit the music classroom to engage students in learning about the more specific music aspects of a music genre while still permitting the student to gain adequate knowledge about his or her instrument.
By cultivating and incorporating a balanced ethnomusicologist understanding in the music classroom, we will be leading our students, by example, of how we are each responsible to respect individuals, and cultures, outside of the classroom walls. The next generation of a country’s leadership is formed by the values and ethics that are taught, or neglected, in the education classroom.
That being said, as music teachers, it is our job to educate our students about music. This broad subject category called music covers the world over – both large and small cultural groups. Building on our knowledge as pedagogues, we can see that the music classroom crosses into many other subjects such as mathematics, geography, art, history, and social studies. By coordinating other subject disciplines with the music classroom, the burden of teaching students such a vast amount of knowledge can be lightened – and even making it easier for the different learner-types to understand. Using the resources of cross-classroom teaching will permit the music classroom to engage students in learning about the more specific music aspects of a music genre while still permitting the student to gain adequate knowledge about his or her instrument.
By cultivating and incorporating a balanced ethnomusicologist understanding in the music classroom, we will be leading our students, by example, of how we are each responsible to respect individuals, and cultures, outside of the classroom walls. The next generation of a country’s leadership is formed by the values and ethics that are taught, or neglected, in the education classroom.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Takeaways from my reading on Reimer and Elliott...
The biggest take-away for me from the readings I have done is how much Reimer adapted his philosophical belief system from 1970 to 2003, the year his third revision of A Philosophy of Music Education was published. From the reading of the 3rd edition, we are really given a blending of the two philosophies (aesthetic and praxial) yet, we may not have necessarily understood the implications of the blend. It seems that Reimer is quite humble in his estimation that his former writings do not quite hit the mark on cultural orientation for the music experience, but I am sure that we can all agree that he definitely exemplifies his acceptance of social and cultural contexts in the 3rd edition.
As for Elliot, I am still not sure that I can walk away knowing that I have indeed reached the level of “musicer.” I realize that Elliott is trying to establish a hierarchy, but I think that perhaps the high inclusion of cognitive challenge to establish music as experience limits his philosophical position.
When Reimer rephrases Ryle: “Your capacity to understand (and therfore estimate properly the value of) my musical thinking-in-action is one in type with knowing how to think musically in action yourself (Reimer, 57) it opens a very large window of questioning for me. For example, does this mean that we can say that someone is not a good enough music in knowledge to be a good enough listener of “my music” or “your music?” I.e. is this a way to justify “bad” music – in that we only need to say that the listener just isn’t experiences/knowledgeable enough to understand. This could lead to a few less grammy nods…
The take-away from a teaching perspective is that, as educators, we can go beyond the knowing areas of the music educator – beyond the sufficient – and explore outside the constraints of one’s background. Therefore, observed from a learner’s perspective, this means that one can initiate both technique and creativity at the onset of learning.
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Reading sources:
Bennett Reimer, A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision (2nd ed. Prentice Hall/Person Education: Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2002), 11.
David J. Elliott, Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995), 33.
As for Elliot, I am still not sure that I can walk away knowing that I have indeed reached the level of “musicer.” I realize that Elliott is trying to establish a hierarchy, but I think that perhaps the high inclusion of cognitive challenge to establish music as experience limits his philosophical position.
When Reimer rephrases Ryle: “Your capacity to understand (and therfore estimate properly the value of) my musical thinking-in-action is one in type with knowing how to think musically in action yourself (Reimer, 57) it opens a very large window of questioning for me. For example, does this mean that we can say that someone is not a good enough music in knowledge to be a good enough listener of “my music” or “your music?” I.e. is this a way to justify “bad” music – in that we only need to say that the listener just isn’t experiences/knowledgeable enough to understand. This could lead to a few less grammy nods…
The take-away from a teaching perspective is that, as educators, we can go beyond the knowing areas of the music educator – beyond the sufficient – and explore outside the constraints of one’s background. Therefore, observed from a learner’s perspective, this means that one can initiate both technique and creativity at the onset of learning.
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Reading sources:
Bennett Reimer, A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision (2nd ed. Prentice Hall/Person Education: Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2002), 11.
David J. Elliott, Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995), 33.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Influence of Blue and Ragtime on Jazz
Due to limited historical data, it is difficult to determine when was the impetus of Jazz, however it can be determined through careful comparison and study that Jazz was highly influenced from both Blues and Ragtime. Jazz in its many forms can be said to be a product of Blues and Ragtime.
The initial label of “Blues” came from the 1862 memoirs of Southern Carolina slave, Charlotte Fortner. In her response to her life, she considered her days of slavery to be her “blue” days. From this initial label, Blues grew to encompass the music of slavery and eventually solidified characteristics of call and response, falling or moaning vocals, use of b3, b5 and b7 harmonies, 8 or 12 bar melodic form and rhythmic interplay. Similarly, Ragtime (1890 – 1920) had much influence on the birth of Jazz. Music from composers such as Scott Joplin (“Maple Leaf Rag”) and Fats Waller (“Ain’t Misbehavin’”) hold identity of 16 bar themes, syncopated melodies, improvisation, and polyphonic textures of harmonic and instrumental identity.
As the timeline of commercial music history began to progress, one can hear that both the influence of ragtime and Blues united to create the genre that is today known as the Jazz. Initially, the young New Orleans Jazz genre was heard in the standard form of King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band’s recording of “Dippermouth Blues” (1923). Up until this time, improvisation and composition were viewed as separate identities. In the recordings of “Dippermouth Blues,” both the Okeh version of 1925 and the Gennett version of 1923 exemplify a soloing structure that incorporated spontaneous composition as part of the improvisation structure. It is at this musical juncture that the term Jazz emerged as a description for music with an emphasis on spontaneous composition and improvisation.
With the incorporation of set spontaneous composition and improvisation, “Buddy Bolden’s Blues” “Dippermouth Blues” and “West End Blues” (and most definitely, Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”) can be labeled the beginnings of Jazz, however, in my opinion “St; Louis Blues” can be found on the Blues side of the musical fence with its tethered Blues vocal traditions or moaning lyrics, call and response melodies, and Blues form in combination with the freely improvised trumpet.
The initial label of “Blues” came from the 1862 memoirs of Southern Carolina slave, Charlotte Fortner. In her response to her life, she considered her days of slavery to be her “blue” days. From this initial label, Blues grew to encompass the music of slavery and eventually solidified characteristics of call and response, falling or moaning vocals, use of b3, b5 and b7 harmonies, 8 or 12 bar melodic form and rhythmic interplay. Similarly, Ragtime (1890 – 1920) had much influence on the birth of Jazz. Music from composers such as Scott Joplin (“Maple Leaf Rag”) and Fats Waller (“Ain’t Misbehavin’”) hold identity of 16 bar themes, syncopated melodies, improvisation, and polyphonic textures of harmonic and instrumental identity.
As the timeline of commercial music history began to progress, one can hear that both the influence of ragtime and Blues united to create the genre that is today known as the Jazz. Initially, the young New Orleans Jazz genre was heard in the standard form of King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band’s recording of “Dippermouth Blues” (1923). Up until this time, improvisation and composition were viewed as separate identities. In the recordings of “Dippermouth Blues,” both the Okeh version of 1925 and the Gennett version of 1923 exemplify a soloing structure that incorporated spontaneous composition as part of the improvisation structure. It is at this musical juncture that the term Jazz emerged as a description for music with an emphasis on spontaneous composition and improvisation.
With the incorporation of set spontaneous composition and improvisation, “Buddy Bolden’s Blues” “Dippermouth Blues” and “West End Blues” (and most definitely, Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”) can be labeled the beginnings of Jazz, however, in my opinion “St; Louis Blues” can be found on the Blues side of the musical fence with its tethered Blues vocal traditions or moaning lyrics, call and response melodies, and Blues form in combination with the freely improvised trumpet.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Where does music begin?
If we are honest with ourselves, we define personal boundaries on music every time we hear sound. Whatever the promoter, or amplifier (i.e. car radio, television, elevator sounds or person), our sonic filters make a decision to either absorb the sound or not. However, the linear idea of sound initiation goes back farther than the amplifier and starts with the composer.
The composer is the initial decision maker on what sounds will be used. Particularly, the composer is not the creator of sound, but the vehicle that chooses which sonority to utilize and at which point in the music notation or production. With this in mind, it is the composer that has the ability to push the sonic envelope by being on the musical fringe or stay within the known for-profit sector of music. It is the composer’s choice to work within the developed framework of the music marketplace or risk by venturing into new music streams that may not have a for-profit sector.
Since every person has some type of unique music within them - scientists have proven that DNA mapping is actually a sound – I submit that some composers have a built in need to release music no matter if it is for public consumption and/or economic reasons. Many people would call this built in need one’s passion. If one squelches passion, he or she is essentially denying the unique identity made within. Composers are generally people that cannot afford to let passion die within; they usually find someway to vent the music- be it in a form the public finds acceptable or a form that may only be acceptable to the composer himself.
The composer is the initial decision maker on what sounds will be used. Particularly, the composer is not the creator of sound, but the vehicle that chooses which sonority to utilize and at which point in the music notation or production. With this in mind, it is the composer that has the ability to push the sonic envelope by being on the musical fringe or stay within the known for-profit sector of music. It is the composer’s choice to work within the developed framework of the music marketplace or risk by venturing into new music streams that may not have a for-profit sector.
Since every person has some type of unique music within them - scientists have proven that DNA mapping is actually a sound – I submit that some composers have a built in need to release music no matter if it is for public consumption and/or economic reasons. Many people would call this built in need one’s passion. If one squelches passion, he or she is essentially denying the unique identity made within. Composers are generally people that cannot afford to let passion die within; they usually find someway to vent the music- be it in a form the public finds acceptable or a form that may only be acceptable to the composer himself.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Absolute vs Referential Expressionism
For all of you die-hard music education philosophy fans out there, here’s a reminder of the debates that continue to circulate... yes, it’s been a long week!
Absolute Expressionist’s says:
It’s all about the music. I am an objective observer; I have nothing to do with the musical object. If the composer provides the musical object to interject unpredictable sounds in the music, I will let it cause emotion in me. All I do is permit my emotions to be activated by the music. Music has meaning; it comes from the music and the resultant sounds it creates. All I have to do is listen to hear the outcome of what the musical object produces. I don’t need to know a thing about the music’s context or be an educated music listener. So, let’s get on with the music. Let your music affect me, composer!”
A Referential Expressionist says...
Music has no value unless I say it does. The music is not about itself but it is about me and how I understand it to speak to me and those around me. I will shun music that is a copy cat. Music must be more than pleasure and beauty. It must reveal the divine nature and promote unity among his people. Yes, I demand many answers from the music. Is it simple? Are the musical lines clear and to the point? Can it be enjoyed by everyone? In my opinion, if there is art in the music, I will be able to tell you – actually, anyone should be able to perceive the artistic value in a piece of music. After all, it isn’t art unless I determine that it is art.
Absolute Expressionist’s says:
It’s all about the music. I am an objective observer; I have nothing to do with the musical object. If the composer provides the musical object to interject unpredictable sounds in the music, I will let it cause emotion in me. All I do is permit my emotions to be activated by the music. Music has meaning; it comes from the music and the resultant sounds it creates. All I have to do is listen to hear the outcome of what the musical object produces. I don’t need to know a thing about the music’s context or be an educated music listener. So, let’s get on with the music. Let your music affect me, composer!”
A Referential Expressionist says...
Music has no value unless I say it does. The music is not about itself but it is about me and how I understand it to speak to me and those around me. I will shun music that is a copy cat. Music must be more than pleasure and beauty. It must reveal the divine nature and promote unity among his people. Yes, I demand many answers from the music. Is it simple? Are the musical lines clear and to the point? Can it be enjoyed by everyone? In my opinion, if there is art in the music, I will be able to tell you – actually, anyone should be able to perceive the artistic value in a piece of music. After all, it isn’t art unless I determine that it is art.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Music Performance– Part IV – Scientific point of view
When studying the basic science of sound, one discovers that sound once sound is released, it is actually a waveform vibrating in the air that is then interpreted by our ear and translated to our brain as sound. Not only does our ear “hear” the vibration of the sound, our body consequently “feels” the vibration of the sound. In general, sound is not overtly “felt” as akin to touching our skin. Observation of the body’s reaction to sound on a molecular level, evidences the molecular structure reflecting or absorbing a sound wave. Further scientific evidence such as the use of Music Therapy as a viable medical science displays the societal acceptance that music, or sound, holds frequencies that are able to affect the body’s molecular structure and promote healing, and the converse, disease.
Cymatics is the study of waveform phenomena. This study is relevant to the aesthetic experience of music since sound is waveforms. A simple experiment of filling a pan with a thin layer of sand and drawing a violin bow across the pan edge demonstrates how sound moves objects, in this case sand. Without directly touching the sand itself, the sound vibrations from the violin bow creates a wave pattern in the sand. Using this basic understanding of cymatics, we can begin to understand how sound can effect the body.
Submitting that the body is a large complex organism, it can be inferred that such a small absorption of sound waves, such as I encountered in the concert, would not have had such a large affect on me. However, if we think about the consistency in which our society regularly encounters sound, the high absorption of numerous sound waves can be cause for some type of affect, be it positive or negative. Thus, from the point of the scientific community, there is plausible evidence that my personal experience could have been an acute form of large grade cymatic experience.
For further study on cymatics, http://www.cymaticsource.com/
Cymatics is the study of waveform phenomena. This study is relevant to the aesthetic experience of music since sound is waveforms. A simple experiment of filling a pan with a thin layer of sand and drawing a violin bow across the pan edge demonstrates how sound moves objects, in this case sand. Without directly touching the sand itself, the sound vibrations from the violin bow creates a wave pattern in the sand. Using this basic understanding of cymatics, we can begin to understand how sound can effect the body.
Submitting that the body is a large complex organism, it can be inferred that such a small absorption of sound waves, such as I encountered in the concert, would not have had such a large affect on me. However, if we think about the consistency in which our society regularly encounters sound, the high absorption of numerous sound waves can be cause for some type of affect, be it positive or negative. Thus, from the point of the scientific community, there is plausible evidence that my personal experience could have been an acute form of large grade cymatic experience.
For further study on cymatics, http://www.cymaticsource.com/
Friday, August 22, 2008
Music Performance– Part III
The music that was coming out of my saxophone was not of the listening sort. It was as if the music held much deeper intonations than just musical pitch. It was as if music had life: a living and breathing presence moving about me. This presence was surrounding me in a blanket of peace and speaking deep into my spirit. Each note spoke in harmony to my inner being; sounds described who I was and the places that I had been. Darker tones cried out of past sorrow and mourning that my life journey had waded through while the brighter tones decreed a joy and playfulness that came from the restoration; salve to a deep wound.
As I continued to play, the music created more views: pictures that I had always yearned to learn about myself and answers I wanted to know. One by one little pieces of a greater puzzle began to piece together within me. As the music continued, I saw more details. The entire puzzle was never solved in those short five minutes of music, nor will it be until my last note is played. But that day, that ‘one day in Argentina,‘ was the beginning of a puzzle that would continue to be pieced together throughout the rest of my life journey.
Since others reading this post may not have had such a dramatic, aesthetic experience during a music performance, to assist the development of aesthetic understanding, it would be advantageous to include other praxial methods. As outlined below, similar practices or experiences found in the scientific community, and formal culture experience, would be a praxial approach to defining the explanation of my personal experience.
As I continued to play, the music created more views: pictures that I had always yearned to learn about myself and answers I wanted to know. One by one little pieces of a greater puzzle began to piece together within me. As the music continued, I saw more details. The entire puzzle was never solved in those short five minutes of music, nor will it be until my last note is played. But that day, that ‘one day in Argentina,‘ was the beginning of a puzzle that would continue to be pieced together throughout the rest of my life journey.
Since others reading this post may not have had such a dramatic, aesthetic experience during a music performance, to assist the development of aesthetic understanding, it would be advantageous to include other praxial methods. As outlined below, similar practices or experiences found in the scientific community, and formal culture experience, would be a praxial approach to defining the explanation of my personal experience.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Music Performance– Part II
I was on stage with my soprano saxophone in hand, looking out at the crowd-packed auditorium, and knowing deep down inside, I was made for this moment. In that moment, it was like I got a “download of who I really am – the deep-down, who-are-you-when-you-get-to-the-true-you.” It wasn’t a voice coming out of the darkness or a flash of light. It was like a tiny switch had just turned on and I realized what my life was about and why I was created.
Now, not everyone reading this may believe in creation and a creator. My discussion is not to debate the issue, but to explain my experience. Here I am, horn in hand and getting ready to play a feature solo on the program. I hear my music cue, put my mouthpiece in my mouth and begin to play. Sound came out of the horn, as it normally does, but contrary to what everyone else heard at that moment, I saw the music.
It is said that as a performing artist you may come across an experience once in a while in which you get to watch yourself perform. In the theatre world, it is called the “third eye.” When someone once told me about this, I thought that it was impossible. But, with this “aesthetic experience,” I now have to admit that this performance anomaly does exist. I experienced it. I cannot dispute what I saw. It was my reality for that moment. I couldn’t touch it, but I was surrounded by it. (...stay tuned for more next time)
Now, not everyone reading this may believe in creation and a creator. My discussion is not to debate the issue, but to explain my experience. Here I am, horn in hand and getting ready to play a feature solo on the program. I hear my music cue, put my mouthpiece in my mouth and begin to play. Sound came out of the horn, as it normally does, but contrary to what everyone else heard at that moment, I saw the music.
It is said that as a performing artist you may come across an experience once in a while in which you get to watch yourself perform. In the theatre world, it is called the “third eye.” When someone once told me about this, I thought that it was impossible. But, with this “aesthetic experience,” I now have to admit that this performance anomaly does exist. I experienced it. I cannot dispute what I saw. It was my reality for that moment. I couldn’t touch it, but I was surrounded by it. (...stay tuned for more next time)
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Music Performance– Part I: Personal, Aesthetic Experience
I was asked the other day if I thought it was possible to have an ‘aesthetic experience’ while listening to and/or performing music. This question led to a rather long answer that I thought would be worthwhile to put it into a post and get some feedback. I’ll use two approaches to explain my personal experience, both by aesthetics and by explanation from the culture of science, so that those of you reading this post will have a broader understanding of my personal experience. My hope is that you will be able to learn about the subject of musical performance as explained purely from a “feeling” perspective of a professional musician, while being exposed to the explanation provided by the scientific community.
First, the “aesthetic experience” can be interpreted as a means to describe a feeling, understanding or emotion expressed when encountering music or fine art. Using this definition as a general concept, I believe that it is possible to have an “aesthetic experience” while performing music. From the inclusion of a personal experience to the evidence of music’s aesthetic qualities observed in the science community, praxial methods in music education can strengthen the “aesthetic experience.”
My encounter with a personal “aesthetic experience” took place in Argentina five years ago. It embraced what Bennett Reimer (Music Education philosopher) has described as “linguistic, the musical, the logical-mathematical, the spatial, the bodily kinesthetic, the interpersonal, and intrapersonal”(1) levels of intelligence. It was only a five-minute song, but the ramifications of the experience will last a lifetime.
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1 – Bennett Reimer, A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision (2nd ed. Prentice Hall/Person Education: Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2002), 11.
First, the “aesthetic experience” can be interpreted as a means to describe a feeling, understanding or emotion expressed when encountering music or fine art. Using this definition as a general concept, I believe that it is possible to have an “aesthetic experience” while performing music. From the inclusion of a personal experience to the evidence of music’s aesthetic qualities observed in the science community, praxial methods in music education can strengthen the “aesthetic experience.”
My encounter with a personal “aesthetic experience” took place in Argentina five years ago. It embraced what Bennett Reimer (Music Education philosopher) has described as “linguistic, the musical, the logical-mathematical, the spatial, the bodily kinesthetic, the interpersonal, and intrapersonal”(1) levels of intelligence. It was only a five-minute song, but the ramifications of the experience will last a lifetime.
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1 – Bennett Reimer, A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision (2nd ed. Prentice Hall/Person Education: Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2002), 11.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Playing the music
I got to play with a musician friend of mine the other day. Normally, we record our playing session, and this one was definitely one to have on tape. When we get together to play, there’s really no musical agenda. He’s on drums, I’m on sax and we just play and see what comes out. It’s always a creative time, but this session had some obvious times of musical connection. I don’t recall a time before when he him played as he did, and the sounds that came from my horn was comparable to a steady stream of notes coming from a never-ending musical faucet. For me personally, I couldn’t seem to shut off the music. It just had to come out to “play” – literally!
Now, I can’t say that I’ve been practicing up a storm in order to have the technical facility that came forth... but perhaps it was because I have had some time away with my head buried in other musical ventures (i.e. writing, arranging, etc.) This just reinforces that there’s something to be said about just taking time to run with the music that’s in you. Whether it was all of the sound that had been stacked up in my head and heart for the past little while, or just that my spirit needed to release some extra-explosive music, it was a memorable moment.
These are the moments you live for as a musician and music educator. We can try to separate the two professions, and sometimes we have to because of time restraints.... but, when it comes down to the true foundation of our being, you always have to give time to play the music. Oh, by the way, we forgot to record the session. Ah, c’est la vie. Just another reminder that it was all about getting lost in the music.
Now, I can’t say that I’ve been practicing up a storm in order to have the technical facility that came forth... but perhaps it was because I have had some time away with my head buried in other musical ventures (i.e. writing, arranging, etc.) This just reinforces that there’s something to be said about just taking time to run with the music that’s in you. Whether it was all of the sound that had been stacked up in my head and heart for the past little while, or just that my spirit needed to release some extra-explosive music, it was a memorable moment.
These are the moments you live for as a musician and music educator. We can try to separate the two professions, and sometimes we have to because of time restraints.... but, when it comes down to the true foundation of our being, you always have to give time to play the music. Oh, by the way, we forgot to record the session. Ah, c’est la vie. Just another reminder that it was all about getting lost in the music.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Music Classrooms Embracing Technology
I've often wondered how we can bring technology into the music classroom without loosing that personal touch of the teacher-student relationship. Today, we live in an uber simple social-networking climate with Facebook, MySpace, Hi-5 and all the other places that people can go to connect with old and new friends, as well as connect with businesses. From this, it seems to me, that education, specifically music education, can get in on the use of the technology that is out there and get it into the music classroom. I'm not advocating that we just use computer-aided instruction, but I can see how bringing in outside presenters via use of the net that our classrooms can benefit from all of the social networking. If I dream for even a few seconds, I can see top-rate musicians speaking to schools about the importance of music or even giving a live music workshop to a band class. Now, that would be a great connect for both the students and the performers!
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