Music For Paradise

Music is an art form that involves organized and audible sounds and silence. It is usually expressed in terms of pitch (including melody and harmony), rhythm (including tempo and meter), and the quality of sound (which includes timbre articulation, dynamics, and texture). Music may also involve generating complex forms in time through the construction of models and combinations of natural stimuli, principally sound. Music can be used for artistic or aesthetic, communicative goals, entertainment, or ceremonial. The definition of what constitutes music varies according to culture and social context.

If painting can be seen as a form of visual art, music can be considered as an art form hearing.

Allegory of Music, by Filipino Lippi

Allegory of Music, by Lorenzo Lippi

Content

1 Definition

2 History

3 Aspects

4 Production Performance 4.1

4.2 Solo and ensemble

4.3 Oral tradition and notation

4.4 Improvisation, interpretation, composition

4.5 Membership

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[Edit] Definition as shown by [http://www.FaceYourArt.com]

Main article: Definition of music

See also: Music genre

Broader definition of music is organized sound. There are observable patterns to what is broadly labeled music, and while there are understandable cultural variations, the properties of music are the properties of sound as perceived and processed by humans and animals (birds and insects also make music).

Music is formulated or organized sound. Although it can not contain emotions, it is sometimes designed to manipulate and transform the emotion of the listener / listeners. Music created for movies is a good example of its use to manipulate emotions.

Greek philosophers and medieval theorists defined music as tones ordered horizontally as melodies and vertically as harmonies. Music theory, this realm, is studied with the pre-supposition that music is orderly and often pleasant to hear. However, in the 20th century, composers challenged the idea that music should be pleasant by creating music that explored harsher, darker timbres to. The existence of some modern genres everyday like grindcore and noise music, which enjoy an extensive underground following, indicate that even the crudest noises can be considered music if the listener is so inclined.

20th century composer John Cage disagreed with the idea that music must consist of pleasant, discernible melodies, and he challenged the notion that it can communicate anything. Instead, he argued that any sounds we hear can be music, saying, for example, “There’s no sound, just sound,” [3]. According to musicologist Jean-Jacques Nattiez (1990 p.47-8, 55): “The border between music and noise is always culturally defined – which implies that, even within a single society, this border does not always go through the same place; in short, there is rarely consensus …. By all accounts there is no single and intercultural universal concept defining what music might be “.

Johann Wolfgang Goethe believed that patterns and forms were the basis of music, he said that “architecture is frozen music.”

[Edit] History as shown by [http://www.FaceYourArt.com]

Main article: History of Music

See also: Music and politics

Figurines playing stringed instruments, excavated at Susa, 3rd millennium BC. Iran National Museum.

The history of music predates the written word and is linked to the development of each unique human culture. Although the earliest records of musical expression found in Sama Veda of India and in 4000 year old cuneiform from Ur, many of our written records and studies deal with the history of music in Western civilization . This includes musical periods such as medieval, renaissance, baroque, the classical, romantic, and 20th century era music. The history of music in other cultures has also been documented to some extent, and knowledge of “world music” (or the field of “ethnomusicology”) became more and more sought after in academic circles. This includes the documented classical traditions of Asian countries outside the influence of Western Europe, as well as the folk or indigenous music of various other cultures. (The term world music was applied to a wide range of music made outside Europe and European influence, although its initial application in the context of the World Music program at Wesleyan University, was a term including all genres musical as possible, including European traditions. In academic circles, the original term for the study of world music, “comparative musicology”, was replaced in the middle of the twentieth century by “ethnomusicology”, which is still regarded as unsatisfactory coin by some.)

Styles of popular music varied widely from culture to culture and from period to period. Different cultures emphasized different instruments, or techniques, or uses for music. Music has been used not only for entertainment, for ceremonies, and for practical and artistic communication, but also extensively for propaganda.

As world cultures come into larger, their indigenous musical styles often merged into new styles. For example, the United States bluegrass style contains elements from Anglo-Irish, Scottish, Irish, German and some African-American traditions instrumental and vocal, they were able to fuse in the United States’ multi-ethnic “melting pot” society.

There are a host of music classifications, many of whom are trapped in the argument from the definition of music. Among the greatest of these is the division between classical music (or “art” music), and popular music (or commercial music – including rock and roll, country music and pop music). Some genres do not fit neatly into either of these two “big” classifications, (such as folk music, world music or jazz music).

Genres of music are determined both by tradition and presentation as by the actual music. While most classical music is acoustic and meant to be performed by individuals or groups, many works described as “classical” include samples or tape, or mechanical. Some works, like Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue, are claimed by both jazz and classical music. Many current music festivals celebrate a particular musical genre.

There is often disagreement on what constitutes “real” music: string quartets late-period Beethoven, Stravinsky ballet scores, serialism, bebop-era jazz, rap, punk rock, and electronica have all been considered non-music from some critics when they were first introduced.

[Edit] Aspects as seen from [http://www.FaceYourArt.com]

Main article: Aspects of music

The traditional aspects of European or classical music often listed are those elements given primacy in Europe influenced classical music: melody, harmony, rhythm, tone color or timbre, and form. A more comprehensive list is given by stating the aspects of sound. Pitch, timbre, loudness, and duration [1] These aspects combine to create secondary aspects including structure texture and style. Other commonly included aspects include the spatial location or movement in space of sounds, gesture, and dance. Silence has long been considered an aspect of music, ranging from the dramatic pauses in Romantic-era symphonies to the avant-garde use of silence as an artistic statement in the 20th century works like John Cage on 4’33. “John Cage considers duration the primary aspect of music because it is the only aspect common to both” sound “and” silence “.

As mentioned above, not only do the aspects included as music vary, their importance varies. For example, melody and harmony are often considered to be most important in classical music at the expense of rhythm and timbre. It is often debated whether there are aspects of music are universal. The debate often hinges on definitions. For example, the fairly common assertion that “tonality” is universal for all music requires an expansive definition of tonality.

A wrist sometimes taken as universal, yet there are solo vocal and instrumental genres with free, improvisational rhythms with no regular pulse; [2] One example is the alap section of Hindustani music performance. According to Dane Harwood, “We wonder if cross-cultural musical universal is in the music itself (either its structure or function) or the way music is made. By ‘music-making,” I intend not only current performance but also how music is heard, understood, even learned. “[3]

[Edit] Production

Main article: Music industry

Music is composed and performed for many purposes, ranging from aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, or as an entertainment product for the market. Amateur musicians compose and perform music for their own pleasure, and not trying to get their income from music. Professional musicians are employed by a range of institutions and organizations, including the armed forces, churches and synagogues, symphony orchestras, broadcasting or production companies, film, and music schools. As well, professional musicians work as freelancers, seeking contracts and links to a variety of settings.

Although amateur musicians differ from professional musicians amateur musicians have a non-musical source of income, there are often many links between amateur and professional musicians. Beginning amateur musicians take lessons with professional musicians. In community settings, advanced amateur musicians perform with professional musicians in a variety of sets and orchestras. In rare cases, amateur musicians attain a professional level of competence, and are able to perform in professional performance settings.

A distinction is often made between music performed for the benefit of audience and music that is performed with the aim being recorded and distributed through the system of retail music or broadcasting system. However, there are also many cases where a live performance before an audience is recorded and distributed (or broadcast).

[Edit] Performance

Main article: Performance

Chinese Naxi Musicians

Someone who performs, composes or conducts music is a musician. Musicians perform music for a variety of reasons. Some artists express their feelings in music. Performing music is an enjoyable activity for amateur and professional musicians, and is often done for the benefit of the audience, which is an aesthetic issue, the social, religious, or ceremonial of performance. Part of the motivation for professional artists is to get their income from making music. Not only is income derived motivation, music became a part of life and society. Allows one to be motivated through self intrinsic motivations as well, as the saying goes “for the love of music.” As well, music is performed in the context of practicing, as a way of developing musical skills.

[Edit] Solo and ensemble

Many cultures include strong traditions of solo or soloistic performance, such as in Indian classical music, and in the tradition of Western art music. Other cultures, such as Bali, include strong traditions of group performance. All cultures include a mixture of both, and performance may range from improvised solo playing for enjoyment one very planned and organized performance rituals such as modern classical concert or religious processions.

Chamber Music, which is music for small ensemble with no more than one type of instrument, is often considered more intimate than symphonic works. A performer is called a musician or singer, and can be part of a musical ensemble like rock band or symphony orchestra.

[Edit] Oral tradition and notation

Main article: Musical notation

Musical notation

Music is often preserved in memory and performance alone, given orally, or aurally (“by ear”). When the composer of the music is no longer known, this music is often classified as “traditional”. Different musical traditions have different attitudes towards how and where to make changes to the original source material, from quite strict, for those who demand improvisation or modification to the music. In the Gambia, West Africa, the history of the country is passed aurally through song.

When music is downloaded, so there is usually notated instructions on what should be heard by listeners, and what the musician should do to perform the music. This is referred to as musical notation, and the study of how to read notation involves music theory, harmony, the study of performance practice, and in some cases knowledge of historical performance methods.

Written notation varies with style and period music. Art music in the West, the most common types of written notation are scores, which include all parts of the music ensemble piece, and parts, which are the music notation for individual performers or singers . In popular music, jazz, and blues, the standard musical notation is the lead sheet, to notate the melody, chords, lyrics (if vocal piece), and the structure of music. However, scores and parts are also used in popular music and jazz, particularly in large ensembles such as jazz “big bands.”

In popular music, guitarists and electric bass players often read music notated in tablature, which indicates the location of the notes to be played on the instrument using a diagram of the guitar or bass fingerboard. Tabulature was also used in the Baroque era to notate music for the lute, a stringed, fretted instrument.

Generally music to be performed is produced as sheet music. To perform music from notation requires an understanding of both musical style and performance practice that is associated with a piece of music or genre. The detail included explicitly in the music notation varies between genres and historical periods. In general, art music notation from the 17th to the 19th century required performers to have a lot of contextual knowledge about performing styles.

For example, in the 17th and 18th century, music notated for solo performers typically indicated a simple, unornamented melody. However, it was expected that the artists know how to add stylistically-appropriate ornaments such as trills and turns.

In the 19th century, art music for solo performers may give a general instruction to perform the music expressively, without describing in detail how the performer should do this. It was expected that the performer would know how to use tempo changes, the accentuation, and pauses (among other means) to get this style “expressive” performance.

In the 20th century, art music notation often became more explicit, and used a range of markings and annotations to indicate to performers how they should play or sing the piece. In popular music and jazz, music notation almost always indicates only the basic framework of the melody, harmony, or performance approach; musicians and singers are expected to know the conventions of performance and styles associated with specific genres and pieces.

For example, the “lead sheet” for a jazz tune may only indicate the melody and chord changes. The artists in the jazz ensemble are expected to know how to “flesh out” this basic structure by adding ornaments, improvised music, and chordal accompaniment.

[Edit] Improvisation, interpretation, composition

Main articles: musical composition, musical improvisation and free improvisation

Many cultures use at least part of the concept of musical material preconceiving, or composition, as held in western classical music. Even when music is notated precisely, there are still many decisions that artist must do. The process of deciding how to perform music artist who was previously composed and notated is termed interpretation.

Different interpretations of artists’ music that can vary widely. Composers and song writers who present their music are interpreting, as much as those who perform the music of others or folk music. The standard body of choices and techniques present at a particular time and particular place is known as performance practice, where as interpretation is generally used to mean either individual choices of the artist, or an aspect of music that is not clear, and therefore ” standard “interpretation.

In some musical genres such as jazz and blues, the more freedom is given to the artist to engage in improvisation on a basic melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic. The greatest latitude is given to the performing artist in a style called free improvisation, which is a material that is spontaneously “thought of” (imagined) while being performed, not preconceived. According to the analysis of Georgiana Costescu, improvised music usually follows stylistic or genre conventions and even “fully composed” includes some freely chosen material (see precompositional). Membership does not always mean the use of notation, or the known sole authorship of one individual.

Music can also be determined by describing a “process” which may create musical sounds, examples of this range from wind chimes, through computer programs which select sounds. Music which contains elements selected by chance called Aleatoric music, and is often associated with John Cage and Witold Lutosławski.

[Edit] Membership

Musical composition is a term that describes the composition of a piece of music. Methods of composition vary from one composer to another, however in analyzing music all forms – spontaneous, trained, or untrained – are built from elements comprising a musical piece. Music can be composed for repeated performance or it can be improvised, made on the spot. The music can be performed entirely from memory, from a written system of musical notation, or some combination of both. Study of composition has traditionally been dominated by examination of methods and practice of Western classical music, but the definition of composition is broad enough to include spontaneously improvised works like those of free jazz performers and African drummers.

What is important to understand the composition of a piece is singling out its elements. Understanding of formal music elements can be helpful in deciphering exactly how a piece is constructed. Universal element of music is how sounds occur in time, which is referred to as the rhythm of a piece of music.

When a piece appears to have changed time feel, is considered to be in rubato time, an Italian expression indicates that the tempo of the piece changes to suit the expressive intent of the artist. Even random placement of random sounds, which occurs in musical montage, occurs within some kind of time, and thus employs time as a musical element.

[Edit] Reception and audition as shown by FaceYourArt.com

Main article: Hearing (sense)

Concert in Salzburg Mozarteum

The field of music cognition involves the study of many aspects of music including how it is processed by listeners.

Music is experienced by individuals in a range of social contexts ranging from single to attend a great concert. Musical performances take different forms in different cultures and socioeconomic milieus. In Europe and America, there is often a divide between what types of music are considered “high culture” and “low culture.” “High culture” types of music typically include Western art music such as Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and modern-era symphonies, concerto, and solo works, and are typically heard in formal concerts concert halls and churches, audience sitting quietly in seats.

On the other hand, other types of music like jazz, blues, soul, and country are often performed in bars, nightclubs, and theaters, where the audience may be able to drink, dance, and express themselves by cheering. Until the 20th century, the division between “high” and “low” musical forms was widely accepted as a valid distinction that separated better, more “art music” art of the popular styles of music heard in the bars and dance halls.

However, in the 1980s and 1990s, musicologists studying this perceived divide between “high” and “low” musical genres argued that this distinction is based on the musical value or quality of the different types of music . Rather, they argued that this distinction was based primarily on the socio-economic position or social class of the performers or audience of the different types of music.

For example, while the audience for Classical symphony concerts typically have above-average income, the audience for hip-hop concert in an inner-city area may have lower than average income. Even though the performers, audience, or sites where the “art” music performed can have low socioeconomic status, the music is performed, such as blues, hip hop, punk, funk, or ska may be very complex and sophisticated.

Deaf people can experience music by feeling the vibrations in their body, a process that can be enhanced if the individual has resonant, hollow object. A known deaf musician is the composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who composed many famous works even after he had completely lost his hearing. Recent examples of deaf musicians include Evelyn Glennie, a highly acclaimed percussionist who has been deaf since the age of 12, and Chris Buck, a virtuoso violinist who has lost his hearing.