Within this week’s reading, finishing up with the music stardom unit, we read about the band “New Kids on the Block,” through David Marshalls input on the meaning of the Popular Music Celebrity. He explains how song writers developed the singers through sheet music and lyrics, connecting the performer to the audience. To continue, he explains how the growth of technology thus allowed the mass productions of songs, with portable music devices and radios, everyone was able to listen to their favorite music in their favorite environments. Marshall says, “Moreover, the activity of listening permitted the investment of personal experiences into the meaning of the music to a great degree than did concert performances” (198). Essentially, the portable…
In Kathleen M. Higgins work The Music of Our Lives she discusses her theory on how music positively benefits us, not only as a culture, but an individuals. She opens her writing by elaborating two very profound quotes on the importance of music, one by Plato and the other Confucius. Both quotes, alone with Higgins words, come to the conclusion that music is a central tool in promoting harmony in the soul and connecting our cross cultural society. Kathleen M. Higgins than goes on to compare the views of Allan Bloom. Despite devoting a chapter in his book Closing of the American Mind to maliciously attacking rock music, he keeps in mind that music still serves a ethical function. Bloom expresses how deeply music sears deep into the souls of…
In this assignment I will be writing about how stakeholders in two selected organizations of my choice are affected by P.E.S.T.L.E this will show how each one is affected by P.E.S.T.L.E;…
Andy changed Anita in ways she never could knew she could be changed, he helped her realize that music is an important part of her life, and she can’t deny it. That music to her is like air or water, a necessity, something she absolutely needs in her life. There it was, they began to inspire and motivate each other in the name of music. Andy, however felt music in more of a deep personal way, it helped him go through terrible times such as his mother abandoning him years before, or more recently Ardor, the asteroid only days away. While he was facing those tribulations, he then spilled his mind on paper and creating staggering ballads in which he would keep to himself. In conclusion, Andy feels a close connection to music, almost as if it were in a spiritual level. He and Anita both hear and feel music in a different way than others. People might use music to dance, or enjoy it, on the other hand Andy and Anita both connect the music and relate to every single word of the…
History of music from 1650 to 1800 can be described by three major periods, the middle Baroque, the late Baroque / early Classical, and Classical eras. The middle Baroque can be described as a time of developing and standardizing musical forms, styles, and conventions, and then obeying those conventions in the creation of new music. The second era found the undoing of these conventions in two important areas, prompting the end of the Baroque and beginning of the Classical era. The final era describes a period of newer conventions, built from the changes presented to Baroque music by its creators. This evolution can best be understood by careful investigation of musical conventions through these three periods.…
Throughout the story of Gawain and the Green Knight, games play an important role in propelling the story forward. The Christmas game, the exchange game, and the Knights last ax game is used as tests for Gawain and leads to determining his place as the greatest Knight of Arthur's Round Table. The trials Gawain is put through tests his strength, commitment, and honor.…
Music can be more than just something to dance or sing along to. It is also a form of art and a way for people to let their feelings out in a different way. Many people write music to express any sort of feeling, such as happiness, anger, and depression. By putting out their music they can connect to their fans, friends, and family in a way that is easier for them and everyone can find a way to relate to them. The songs “From Dog to God” by Prayers, “Undercover Martyn” by Two Door Cinema Club, and “Hey You” by Pink Floyd all express the effects of isolation and how it gets in the way of their lives.…
In the essay, “Blasting Music to Drown Out Reality”, by Sydney J. Harris, the author is determined that people use music as a way to, “keep reality at arm's length”. “It is not in order to hear the music, but in order that the vacuum in their minds may be soothed by the sound, so that silence does not force them into thinking about themselves or experiencing the real world of perception and sensation.” This shows how music has be used as earplugs to block away people's connection to the world around them, to silence their troubles if only for a moment. This thesis is explicit to make sure the readers can easily identify what the author's argument is going to be when they are examining the essay. Some examples of how music being used in the text were: the young assistants blasting music from the radio, elevator music in factories and restaurants to keep the workers from falling asleep or complaining about how tedious their jobs are, and in the dentists' office where it is relatively soft and easy to ignored.…
I think a lot of times we don't really listen to the music and don't appreciate the true or full meaning behind a piece. I know I am guilty of not really listening to the music's meaning. Many times I use music to change my mood. I can be bummed out about cleaning my room so I throw on some "happy" music to change my mood. I use music as a crutch instead of a learning experience. I often also find myself listening to the words in the song, but it is not always the lyrics that give the meaning to a song. There can be a song with no words and still give a sense of emotion and meaning through the notes or pace. After reading this essay I put on a couple of the songs by the composers Aaron Copland mentions in this essay. I tried to really listen to all three planes instead of listening to the music instinctively. This is something I have done before back in music class or when I took music lessons, but I forgot how beautiful music really is. Today many young adults, like us in highschool, no longer listen to music that has no lyrics. It is really a different feeling to listen to the melody or rhythm of the song then the crazy lyrics of the songs we listen to today. I think we still like music for the same reasons Copland discusses in his essay, but now the words in the songs play a bigger role in whether or not we listen to it. I think after reading this essay we can all learn to appreciate the meaning to…
Music is used to help people of every ethnicity, religion, and lifestyle, cope with different struggles, times of enjoyment, and life itself. But, what is it about music that makes it so therapeutic? It’s the fact that no matter what the genre of music is, it’s what message that artist is putting out into the world. It’s the beat, the tone, and the emotion behind the lyrics is what makes listeners feel the way they do because it speaks on a specific aspect of life and what someone can be going through.…
I am reading, “The Chemist”, By Stephanie Meyer. It is about a character named Alex, who is an Ex-Agent for the top-secret government program dealing with terrorism. Alex had been approached in hiding by her former agency who needed her help with one of the most dangerous men in the world, who withheld a super-flu to extinct all human population. Within the novel, there are many diverse characters that can identify with pieces of music. Often times, music can be relatable in that people put their feelings into the text.…
In “Rebel Music”, Daniel Felsenfeld delves into the inspirations he has drawn from music in his childhood. He tells of the struggles he experienced and the lack of inspiration from mandatory piano lessons from Ms. Shimizu. Although he dazzled her every time, he never felt connected to the music. Felsenfeld reminisced, “I was experiencing a personal drought, an acrid lack of culture of all kinds, especially music” (Felsenfeld 624). After he heard Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony while with a friend, he had an epiphany. He felt that in this moment, he heard music for the first time. From then on, he became obsessed and revolved his entire life around it. He then went on to become a composer despite his non-musical family background. Felsenfeld’s passion for music as a child encouraged him to be the person he is today, which is similar to the way gymnastics influenced my life. Gymnastics was a huge part of my life growing up, and I realize now that the sport allowed me to learn the valuable traits I use today. Being a gymnast taught me many things but especially how to be dedicated, how to be a team player and how to never give up.…
There are wires growing out of everyone’s ears. That is, to listen to music. Music is an infinite source, whether that source is for lifting up spirits, expressing underlying pain and anger, or just merely a distraction. Music from well-developed Broadway musicals to a series of beats at a party, it is something we all have done: listen to music. Some even say that music defines us but it that really true? Is our music the soundtrack of who we each are? Do what we listen to support our core values in life? To answer this I sought out the one song I listened to most, “This Kiss” by Alex Days and Carrie Hope Fletcher, and interpreted its lyrics to see if it matched with my core values of commitment, happiness, and love.…
Rachmaninoff stated, “Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.” Essential to all nationalities, generations, and people, music can make your soul soar, put you to sleep, or bring you to your knees in tears. All din and clamor goes silent. Every eye is riveted on the conductor. The baton lifts. Suddenly, in a myriad of melodies, harmonies, timbre, and texture, a whole new realm is unraveled. The extraordinary feeling of unwinding and renewing your mind by listening to the flow of music is inexpressible. Nothing compares.…
My love for music began in middle school. At that time, I was socially awkward with very few friends. To compensate, I buried myself in music. My dedication led to many honors and admiration from my peers. However, when I got to high school, my relationship with music fundamentally changed. The arrival of an overly demanding teacher coupled with a long episode of depression robbed me of my passion to play. As time progressed, the pain I felt became too much to bear, and I became desperate for an outlet in which I could express myself positively. My quest led me to music once more, but classical was no longer the genre of choice. It was in hip hop and rap music that I found the will to overcome mental illness.…