Antonin Dvorak and Amy Beach present two distinguishable viewpoints on the concept of "true" American music being found in African-American spirituals and Native American tunes. In Dvorak's perspective, he believes that the concept mentioned above is credible and should be taken into consideration by the general population of people in America. (Note: Even though Dvorak initially connects these ideas to the black peoples' music at first, he later comes to the statement that black peoples' and Native Americans' music were very similar to one another, so when reading these ideas, it can possibly be interpreted as Dvorak talking about both.) He tries to strengthen and defend his argument by stating that these cultures' music are pitiful, warm, ardent, sad, serious, daring, delightful, cheerful, and/or anything else. Dvorak also says with these cultures blends itself in appropriately to and for any atmosphere and/or any intention. These ideas are reminiscent of how Native American music can house a wide variety of feelings that are incorporated into the specific text of a song in certain ways, which are used wisely in regards to what specific emotions connect best with an individuals personal experiences which are represented in the lyrics the song, which was discussed in class and in previous readings. Furthermore, with the help of the statements mentioned above, Dvorak states that with these tunes performed by the black people (and Native Americans), that any American performer and/or any regular American individual involved in this business is able to comprehend these compositions and that they stir belief in these people, and stand out in their thoughts because of their connections to certain things.
Another idea that can possibly be implied through Dvorak's writing which is also used to strengthen his opinions on the concept mentioned at the beginning focuses on how intrigued a certain number of American people are by the African-American and Native American cultures music which is an essential part of their cultures. Dvorak uses an example when explaining about how his music students are always wanting to get the full scope immediately on the types of music and information that he presents to them and find out the meanings behind all of them. This statement is reminiscent of how Americans have had a strong interest in Native American music and have wanted to uncover its hidden meanings and symbolic lyrics for a long time and how that interest still exists in Americans today, especially with "throat-singing" and such, as was mentioned in previous readings and in class. Through these statements and other things in the text, it reflects upon how these kinds of music trigger what Dvorak calls the qualities of Americans to any non-native spectator, being "patriotism" and "enthusiasm" in the American people. By this statement, Dvorak is basically implying that the African-American and Native American music is "true" American music, because they allow Americans to develop their own individual senses of "push," which allows them to show off good emotions that they want others to notice.
Before going on to mentioning Amy Beach's points of view on the concept mentioned at the beginning, it is important to mention how Dvorak might have encountered disagreement towards his opinions. One way in which this could have happened could involve certain American people around him stating that he was a foreigner and that in being one, he would really have no significant and/or thorough insight into what American music actually is, especially in terms of how modern Americans might have viewed there music during his time. Another way in which this could have happened might have involved people saying that it would be impossible for African-American music and Native American music to fully represent "true" American music since other groups of people in America, such as white people, approach music in their own unique ways and compose music in certain methods that people in America of their own race would tend to prefer to listen to the majority of the time over the other cultures' music. One other way in which this might have happened could have involved people commenting back on Dvorak's thoughts, saying that these cultures' music did not fully represent "true" American music due to the fact these cultures originally came from other regions of the world such as Africa and the Artic regions and that they had also originated their cultural practices towards certain things, including music, before they "supposedly" decided to spread their teachings to other lands that they eventually came to inhabit. It is definitely possible that Dvorak might have faced some remarks like these back in his time and especially with trying to present his ideas to certain people the general population of America. Amy Beach's also offers some significant points of view on the concept mentioned in the beginning.
Amy Beach's viewpoints towards the concept presented above and/or Dvorak's statements are kind of mixed. Beach's viewpoints definitely contrast with Dvorak's in certain ways. (Note: Even though Beach might be specifically referring to only one culture in the text with some of these ideas, it can possibly be interpreted that she is talking about both.) This is evident based on a fact that talks specifically about native-born African Americans and Native Americans living as a member of their respective cultures from the earliest stages of existence who have listened to their respective culture's music since they were very young. She says that it only these specific people who can generally form any kind of "connection" to their respective culture's music and that a good portion of the American population goes about it's daily lives Another statement that Beach makes states that with certain cultures and their music, these forms of music do not generally create a complete model of this nation. She talks about this topic further by stating that the general amount of black people in America is too diminutive for its music to be called "American," since it describes only portrays a single group of people in the whole of this country, and that these people and their music do not initially come from America. Despite some of these kind of harshly critical comments that Beach makes, she does mention a few positive feelings towards the other cultures' music. One statement she makes is that other cultures' music still hold a great sense of elegance in their own ways and that their foundations are still good as well. Another statement that she makes is that the other cultures' music could perhaps still affect musicians in certain methods that could intrigue them and instruct them in good ways. Dvorak and Beach both make interesting points by their opinions on the concept mentioned at the beginning.
When it comes to both authors' viewpoints, I find it possible to agree and/or disagree with both of them. This is true due to a number of the statements made by both of them in the reading. I agree with the statement presented with Beach that traditional African-American and Native American music may only have a significant impact on the respective people in these cultures who grew up listening to it, because a certain majority of Americans tend to listen to the classic English language pop, rock, R&B, etc., kinds of music that emerged within their own country throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century that fall into their own kind of popular culture by American music artists and/or English speaking artists. This definitely relates to my personal feelings, because I would rather listen to music that I can quickly understand and in which I not have to decipher the lyrics sung in it, and listen to a song sung by any well-known and/or popular artist known solely in the English language and/or American music business, such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, and/or Christina Aguilera among others in this industry. However, I do disagree with Beach in the sense that I do feel as though artists from African-American, Native American, and other ethnic backgrounds can still make a strong impact on Americans and bring out the best reactions from them with music that still carries certain root elements from their own cultures but put a bit of an American formula into it. A case that I present to explain my opinion involves a song that I have song by a an Asian recording artist named Hikaru Utada which is called "Sanctuary," which was used as a song on the video game entitled Kingdom Hearts 2, which was a popular game in American culture as part of a video game series with that same name. The song is song mostly in the English language, but has some fewer lyrics in the original Asian language that it was initially sung in. The song is also reworked from the original Asian language version of the song, called "Passion," which is sung by the same music artist, but was structured a little differently. The English-translated version of this song made an impact on people who were big into this video game and it caught on to a number of American people who found it to be a good song. It has definitely made an impact on the American market, because a couple of times when I went on iTunes in the past to see if the song was available to purchase, one copy of this song was available but it apparently wasn't working properly and a good number of people complained about it and wanted the people running iTunes to fix it as soon as possible so that it could be listenable. In conclusion, both Dvorak and Beach present some reasonable statements in their respective readings.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Monday, September 23, 2013
Reading Journal #5
Jeff Todd Titon covers a number of new methods in approaching Native Americans and inquiring about their music in the text. The first important new method that Titon talks about at the beginning of the chapter is fieldwork. He mentions that fieldwork is an important practice because it is, "no longer viewed principally as observing and collecting (although it surely involves that) but as experiencing and understanding music" (see Titon 1992[1984]:xvi, Titon 87). This concept is reminescent of how McAllester viewed Native American culture and music in his text entitled "An Apache Fiddle." In the text, McAllester is described as actually observing closely as to how an Apache Fiddle was made with a grand sense of interest and fascination while doing so There are two specific practices mentioned which stand out from the others in a certain way, which are phenomenology and hermeneutics. These practices remain important because they are associated with, "Theories of knowledge based on understanding rather than explanation" (Titon 90). This idea reminds me of how, as discussed in previous readings and in class, that when it comes to Native American music, it is more essential for an outsider to apprehend how a song is actually meant to be perceived, especially since the core of its meaning varies from person to person, and to gain a sense of personal experience of the message in a song by letting oneself mentally experience the song in a surreal fashion. Phenomenology is individually significant because it highlights the instantaneous, solid, receptive planet of people who are animated, and it tries to cement information in a world of events viewed by people who are alive. Hermeneutics on the other hand had initially been regarded as a means of looking at the Bible, however it transformed into a strategy for trying to understand written works as a whole.
Other significant practices mentioned are included as part of a general description from the narrator's point of view in regards to the term "ethnomusicology," as what he describes as a "paradigm." Titon describes ethnomusicology as important based on the details that it has an, "emphasis on fieldwork and cultural immersion, rather than survey work; in addition, ethnomusicologists tend to distrust broad comparative generalizations and produce, instead, monographs based on detailed studies of particular music-cultures" (Titon 91). I think that this goes to show readers that ethnomusicologists really take their work seriously, since they try to dig deep and try to take it further into retrieving the accurate details of Native Americans and their music, as well as other cultures' music, with details that go against popular beliefs and that try to include more descriptive and informative details on these things. Jeff Todd Titon brings up another important concept in the chapter in regards to the word "text" and how it is defined. One important idea presented by him says that, "any meaningful action can be considered, or read, as a text; thus, a musical performance, for example, can be understood as the equivalent of a text" (1981b, Titon 90). Another key concept in regards to the word "texts" involves the basic definition given by Titon himself which is, "subjects of interpretation" (Titon 92). These ideas reminds me of how any concept in Native American culture can be subject to multiple and varying views of interpretation from both insiders and outsiders, which was mentioned in class. In addition, the usage of music in the example above and the idea of how any significant thing can represent a text reminds me how in Native American culture, just one important word that holds a symbolic meaning can represent an entire key concept of something, which was discussed in class and in previous readings.
Bruno Martell addresses the insider/outsider concept in his text through the details of his personal encounters with Native Americans during his travels. One important detail in regards to this concept mentioned in the reading explains that an outsider must have forbearance towards their interviewees and not be pushy with them in order to get the information they seek from the start out of them. This idea is present when a Native American spotted for an interview by the narrator who he approaches in a town at his residence tells him to, "'Come back and see me next Tuesday, and bring your machine,'" (Martell 134) when the narrator initially does not have enough cash to give to the man to enable him to learn about his music after he lets his main objectives be known to the man. Another important detail mentions how the personal relationship between an insider and an outsider can be very awkward and uncomfortable for one or the other, or both, at first but this relationship can eventually end up becoming more enjoyable. This idea is seen in the text when at first the narrator feels out of place in the town that he enters and is extremely nervous about asking who is and where to find a Native American who can explain to him important information in regards to Native American culture and/or music. He is also very wary when approaching the Native American man at his residence, but is a completely changed man some time later in his relationship with the man, named Joe, when the narrator says that, "I joined his family on picnics, moved from outsider to observer to something approaching participant-observer" (Martell 135). These ideas remind me of how all outsiders trying to gain insight into Native American music and culture when they approach these respective people should come off to them as pleasant, confident, respectable, and willing to open their minds up to a wide array of possibilities ,while not seeming to be presumptuous, awkward, pushy, or out for only their own benefits in any way whatsoever so that way they can get the best out of Native American culture and music. It definitely a lesson to be learned that any outsider trying to get inside Native American culture and music should make their interviews and such on these topics as less awkward as possible. The man in this text had a bit of an awkward encounter with the Native American, and this kind of interaction was also present in Curtis' text, in the story about an individual trying to translate/interpret the Hopi language in song down on paper and was given a questioning look by the chief of this group of people when the narrator was still writing things down on the paper long after he had finished singing, since this was no easy task for the narrator. In conclusion, Titon and Martell both address important concepts that require a decent amount of explanation for readers to fully understand.
Other significant practices mentioned are included as part of a general description from the narrator's point of view in regards to the term "ethnomusicology," as what he describes as a "paradigm." Titon describes ethnomusicology as important based on the details that it has an, "emphasis on fieldwork and cultural immersion, rather than survey work; in addition, ethnomusicologists tend to distrust broad comparative generalizations and produce, instead, monographs based on detailed studies of particular music-cultures" (Titon 91). I think that this goes to show readers that ethnomusicologists really take their work seriously, since they try to dig deep and try to take it further into retrieving the accurate details of Native Americans and their music, as well as other cultures' music, with details that go against popular beliefs and that try to include more descriptive and informative details on these things. Jeff Todd Titon brings up another important concept in the chapter in regards to the word "text" and how it is defined. One important idea presented by him says that, "any meaningful action can be considered, or read, as a text; thus, a musical performance, for example, can be understood as the equivalent of a text" (1981b, Titon 90). Another key concept in regards to the word "texts" involves the basic definition given by Titon himself which is, "subjects of interpretation" (Titon 92). These ideas reminds me of how any concept in Native American culture can be subject to multiple and varying views of interpretation from both insiders and outsiders, which was mentioned in class. In addition, the usage of music in the example above and the idea of how any significant thing can represent a text reminds me how in Native American culture, just one important word that holds a symbolic meaning can represent an entire key concept of something, which was discussed in class and in previous readings.
Bruno Martell addresses the insider/outsider concept in his text through the details of his personal encounters with Native Americans during his travels. One important detail in regards to this concept mentioned in the reading explains that an outsider must have forbearance towards their interviewees and not be pushy with them in order to get the information they seek from the start out of them. This idea is present when a Native American spotted for an interview by the narrator who he approaches in a town at his residence tells him to, "'Come back and see me next Tuesday, and bring your machine,'" (Martell 134) when the narrator initially does not have enough cash to give to the man to enable him to learn about his music after he lets his main objectives be known to the man. Another important detail mentions how the personal relationship between an insider and an outsider can be very awkward and uncomfortable for one or the other, or both, at first but this relationship can eventually end up becoming more enjoyable. This idea is seen in the text when at first the narrator feels out of place in the town that he enters and is extremely nervous about asking who is and where to find a Native American who can explain to him important information in regards to Native American culture and/or music. He is also very wary when approaching the Native American man at his residence, but is a completely changed man some time later in his relationship with the man, named Joe, when the narrator says that, "I joined his family on picnics, moved from outsider to observer to something approaching participant-observer" (Martell 135). These ideas remind me of how all outsiders trying to gain insight into Native American music and culture when they approach these respective people should come off to them as pleasant, confident, respectable, and willing to open their minds up to a wide array of possibilities ,while not seeming to be presumptuous, awkward, pushy, or out for only their own benefits in any way whatsoever so that way they can get the best out of Native American culture and music. It definitely a lesson to be learned that any outsider trying to get inside Native American culture and music should make their interviews and such on these topics as less awkward as possible. The man in this text had a bit of an awkward encounter with the Native American, and this kind of interaction was also present in Curtis' text, in the story about an individual trying to translate/interpret the Hopi language in song down on paper and was given a questioning look by the chief of this group of people when the narrator was still writing things down on the paper long after he had finished singing, since this was no easy task for the narrator. In conclusion, Titon and Martell both address important concepts that require a decent amount of explanation for readers to fully understand.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Reading Journal #4
There a number of important similarities and differences between the approaches, methods, and attitudes that Curtis, Densmore, McAllester, and the pair of Lafferty and Keillor towards Native Americans, their cultures, and their music. One of the main similarities between the majority of these authors involves the inclusion of the explanation and/or translation of the physical structure of Native American songs. All of these writers were able to successfully incorporate in their own eyes how at least one Native American song might have been composed by making an English language interpretation of the song that, in the form of musical notes arranged in specific patterns on staffs, tried to be an accurate representation of the song in another form. The majority of these writers also managed to include physical translations of the Native American language present in their songs into actual words in the English language and include depict the translations by two columns across from each other; one with words in the English translated form and one with words in the original Native American language from where they came from. One example of a song like this that is present in a text is, "A Buffalo Said to Me," in Densmore's text. This common approach in the writing of their texts shows that each of them saw something significant in the way that Native Americans handled their music that stood out in certain ways from other cultures' music and that they wanted to preserve their compositions in solid concrete form, each for their own distinct purposes, so that they could be studied by future generations of musicologists and/or music fanatics.
Another main similarity between the majority of these authors involves discussions about the significance and important of the symbolism, great purpose, and personal meaning behind lyrics in regards to the Native American songs. These writers altogether addressed a number of important ideas regarding the symbolism and personal meaning in Native American song lyrics in their own separate discussions in their own respective texts. One important fact that is mentioned in Curtis' text is that an individual word in a song could represent a whole entire concept. Another important fact that is present in Densmore's text is that the meanings behind a song can be based off of dreams and/or surreal events that an individual experienced at a specific point in his or her life and that this person will try to incorporate a number of elements from these occurrences into the context of his or her song. One other important idea which is present in Browner's text that can be learned by carefully looking at the text and generalizing on the ideas that it presents is that through the process of creating a meaningful song with meaningful lyrics that, "Through this practice an individual establishes one's own identity and an awareness of one's surrounding world and culture" (Browner 25). This common approach in the writing of their texts shows that the majority of them regarded this topic of discussion as one of the major things for any individual to take into consideration when studying Native American music. Besides this, it makes sense for the majority of these writers to mention things along these lines because by doing so, it would allow outsiders to develop a more accurate representation of how a Native American song is created and some of the deep processes involved in doing so. Besides the common features between the authors in their respective pieces of writing, there are certain differences to be found as well.
The main differences between these authors lies in the specific processes in which they went about gathering information on Native American music and how things went about for them in doing so. One part of this process that shows some differences is how each of them managed to record a performance of a song sung by a Native American that a number of them happened to come across when they were originally doing research on this topic. The other part of this process is how they spoke to the Native American that was interviewed and interacted with that Native American with certain feelings and behaviors. Looking at both of these things, it is important to notice that there are a number of different methods used throughout these texts. In Curtis' text, in one story, it is mentioned that the narrator (might be referencing Curtis or not) records a song sung by the chief of the Hopi Native Americans, named Lololomai, by putting it down on regular writing paper. This process ends up being a bit of a drag and a challenge for the narrator who tries to keep up with what Lololomai is singing. By the narrator taking all the time necessary to write the song as best as possible, it shows that the narrator didn't want to disappoint the Native Americans with a lousy interpretation of the song and that the narrator wanted to impress Lololomai and that the narrator has a lot of respect for the Lololomai and his people. This definitely makes sense, because the narrator mentions that it shouldn't have to come down to the point where Native American songs will be lost and never be heard of by future generations, and the narrator also allows Lololomai inspect the written interpretation of the song on the paper before deciding to go with it and Lololomai says that it was very well done.
One other example is located in the text of "An Apache Fiddle," in which the narrator (being the author, who is David P. McAllester) apparently is able to translate a song played by a Native American named Wooster Kaytogy. Before the author can translate the song, he first observes ,just by naturally observing with his own two eyes, how Kaytogy creates an Apache fiddle by using varioud items. He observed that the fiddle string was made with horse hair and how the rest of the materials, including cow sinew and a mescal stalk (etc.) were used to make the entire instrument itself. It can possibly be said that the author was very patient during this process and interested in it, since he took a careful amount of time to record the entire process and seems to have enjoyed learning how it was done, since he followed Kaytogy wherever he went during this time. In addition, the process of recording the performance of Kaytogy playing a song with the Apache fiddle was done with more advanced technology than mentioned in the previous example, since McAllester was able to record the song with four player devices.
The academic approaches to recording the two songs mentioned in discussion of the differences between the authors of the texts required for reading are significantly different in certain respects. One of the obvious ones is the technological aspect of recording the songs; this involves how McAllester was more conveniently able to record with a player a song without having to ask the Native American performer to repeat and didn't have to worry about writing fast to keep up with the performer, since this took place in the 1950s when this kind of device was around. The opposite can be said for the narrator in the first example who recorded a Native American song during a time when newer technology was not around yet. Another one that can connect to the one just mentioned is the social interaction between the specific Native American being recorded and/or interviewed and the person doing the recording and/or interviewing. In the case of the narrator in Curtis' text, it probably was a little awkward for this person to record Lololomai, since he gave this person a look of confusion when a took awhile for this person to finish recording down the song. The general request and/or process seeking out and asking a Native American to perform a song so it could be recorded for translation and such might have been a little uncomfortable for this person, since the event took place in a time when people of the narrator's race and the Native Americans did not associate themselves with each other that often. It was definitely a different case for McAllester, because during the 1950s, it can possibly be said that English people had had more experience with recording Native American songs for translation and such, and that they had by then possibly been able to establish more friendly relations with certain groups of Native Americans. This can possibly explain how McAllester seemed to be very patient and no feel too out of place when he experienced seeing an Apache fiddle be made and performed by a Native American. The technological advance would also possibly play a role in McAllester not feeling as awkward as the other person when recording the song performed by Kaytogy on the Apache fiddle. In conclusion, all of these authors and their respective texts present an important range of information regarding the Native Americans, their music, and other things, as well.
Another main similarity between the majority of these authors involves discussions about the significance and important of the symbolism, great purpose, and personal meaning behind lyrics in regards to the Native American songs. These writers altogether addressed a number of important ideas regarding the symbolism and personal meaning in Native American song lyrics in their own separate discussions in their own respective texts. One important fact that is mentioned in Curtis' text is that an individual word in a song could represent a whole entire concept. Another important fact that is present in Densmore's text is that the meanings behind a song can be based off of dreams and/or surreal events that an individual experienced at a specific point in his or her life and that this person will try to incorporate a number of elements from these occurrences into the context of his or her song. One other important idea which is present in Browner's text that can be learned by carefully looking at the text and generalizing on the ideas that it presents is that through the process of creating a meaningful song with meaningful lyrics that, "Through this practice an individual establishes one's own identity and an awareness of one's surrounding world and culture" (Browner 25). This common approach in the writing of their texts shows that the majority of them regarded this topic of discussion as one of the major things for any individual to take into consideration when studying Native American music. Besides this, it makes sense for the majority of these writers to mention things along these lines because by doing so, it would allow outsiders to develop a more accurate representation of how a Native American song is created and some of the deep processes involved in doing so. Besides the common features between the authors in their respective pieces of writing, there are certain differences to be found as well.
The main differences between these authors lies in the specific processes in which they went about gathering information on Native American music and how things went about for them in doing so. One part of this process that shows some differences is how each of them managed to record a performance of a song sung by a Native American that a number of them happened to come across when they were originally doing research on this topic. The other part of this process is how they spoke to the Native American that was interviewed and interacted with that Native American with certain feelings and behaviors. Looking at both of these things, it is important to notice that there are a number of different methods used throughout these texts. In Curtis' text, in one story, it is mentioned that the narrator (might be referencing Curtis or not) records a song sung by the chief of the Hopi Native Americans, named Lololomai, by putting it down on regular writing paper. This process ends up being a bit of a drag and a challenge for the narrator who tries to keep up with what Lololomai is singing. By the narrator taking all the time necessary to write the song as best as possible, it shows that the narrator didn't want to disappoint the Native Americans with a lousy interpretation of the song and that the narrator wanted to impress Lololomai and that the narrator has a lot of respect for the Lololomai and his people. This definitely makes sense, because the narrator mentions that it shouldn't have to come down to the point where Native American songs will be lost and never be heard of by future generations, and the narrator also allows Lololomai inspect the written interpretation of the song on the paper before deciding to go with it and Lololomai says that it was very well done.
One other example is located in the text of "An Apache Fiddle," in which the narrator (being the author, who is David P. McAllester) apparently is able to translate a song played by a Native American named Wooster Kaytogy. Before the author can translate the song, he first observes ,just by naturally observing with his own two eyes, how Kaytogy creates an Apache fiddle by using varioud items. He observed that the fiddle string was made with horse hair and how the rest of the materials, including cow sinew and a mescal stalk (etc.) were used to make the entire instrument itself. It can possibly be said that the author was very patient during this process and interested in it, since he took a careful amount of time to record the entire process and seems to have enjoyed learning how it was done, since he followed Kaytogy wherever he went during this time. In addition, the process of recording the performance of Kaytogy playing a song with the Apache fiddle was done with more advanced technology than mentioned in the previous example, since McAllester was able to record the song with four player devices.
The academic approaches to recording the two songs mentioned in discussion of the differences between the authors of the texts required for reading are significantly different in certain respects. One of the obvious ones is the technological aspect of recording the songs; this involves how McAllester was more conveniently able to record with a player a song without having to ask the Native American performer to repeat and didn't have to worry about writing fast to keep up with the performer, since this took place in the 1950s when this kind of device was around. The opposite can be said for the narrator in the first example who recorded a Native American song during a time when newer technology was not around yet. Another one that can connect to the one just mentioned is the social interaction between the specific Native American being recorded and/or interviewed and the person doing the recording and/or interviewing. In the case of the narrator in Curtis' text, it probably was a little awkward for this person to record Lololomai, since he gave this person a look of confusion when a took awhile for this person to finish recording down the song. The general request and/or process seeking out and asking a Native American to perform a song so it could be recorded for translation and such might have been a little uncomfortable for this person, since the event took place in a time when people of the narrator's race and the Native Americans did not associate themselves with each other that often. It was definitely a different case for McAllester, because during the 1950s, it can possibly be said that English people had had more experience with recording Native American songs for translation and such, and that they had by then possibly been able to establish more friendly relations with certain groups of Native Americans. This can possibly explain how McAllester seemed to be very patient and no feel too out of place when he experienced seeing an Apache fiddle be made and performed by a Native American. The technological advance would also possibly play a role in McAllester not feeling as awkward as the other person when recording the song performed by Kaytogy on the Apache fiddle. In conclusion, all of these authors and their respective texts present an important range of information regarding the Native Americans, their music, and other things, as well.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Reading Journal #3
The required sections for reading in The Indians' Book and Teton Sioux Music share a common topic of discussion between themselves. This topic focuses on how Native American music stands out from other cultures' music in its own distinctive ways. A way that Native American music stands out from other kinds of music is evident by its composition and the steps in making it. This involves the fact that Native American music consists of three main key features in its composition which are rhythm, melody, and harmony. Curtis' text mentions that each individual part plays a key role in bringing music together as a whole by incorporating a wide variety of noises along with a well-structured pattern of sound to and keeping them at a decent pace that appropriately fits a certain song to make their music sound professional. It is even mentioned that other forms of music, unlike Native American music, tend to not include harmony a great deal of the time. This topic also involves the organization of musical notes in a Native American music composition. Densmore's text explains how certain music notes are placed in a certain order to allow individual notes to serve as crucial structure points in a song and that the specific number of notes per measure, section, etc., is crucial to allow a the sounds in a song to cooperate with each other and keep the composition as a whole running smoothly and seen in tune with each other.
I would definitely expect these work practices from Native American music, because Native Americans always carefully consider how they want to arrange their music compositions before finalizing their work. I have already learned that from previous readings for this class and/or in the class itself that Native Americans will always take their music seriously and make sure that every detail about it is actually how they want it to be. The ways in which Native Americans approach their music in contrast to how other cultures do is an interesting case of "insider" vs. "outsider." This is so, because based on these facts about Native American music, it is clear that the Native Americans have their own self-taught special processes and methods that were created to enable them to come to final decisions on their music that have lead to exciting results for their people. In addition, this can generally confirm the fact of how other cultures are unaware of these practices which can be a big reason as to why their music may not be as significant as others.
Another way that Native American music stands out from other cultures' music is evident by symbolism and meaning behind the lyrics/words in songs. Curtis' text mentions the fact that in the general forms of written work by Native Americans, especially music, that an individual word can represent one full statement in Native American, whereas in English music it would take an entire sentence to get a statement across to listeners. Besides this, it is mentioned that the certain songs by Native Americans hold secretly hidden meanings behind them that only the person who created the song knows about. Densmore's implies that a certain number of the meanings behind Native Americans songs come from unreal experiences that they had, which sometimes happens in a person's dreams. This idea right here shows another case of "insider" vs. "outsider," since only the creator behind a song can personally connect with its meaning and understand the message within it since that person was the only one to experience it outside of the song in his or her lifetime. Due to this, the person can more so feel the emotions in the song than anybody else and be a part of the song unlike anybody else. In relation to this music, it can definitely be stated as a general fact that Native Americans tend to connect themselves with the Earth and as many of the living organisms and land settings on it as they can through certain song lyrics that they come up with. This fact definitely makes them stand out among other cultures to a certain degree. The ways in which Native Americans handle their music will always remain a significant part of their culture for a long time.
I would definitely expect these work practices from Native American music, because Native Americans always carefully consider how they want to arrange their music compositions before finalizing their work. I have already learned that from previous readings for this class and/or in the class itself that Native Americans will always take their music seriously and make sure that every detail about it is actually how they want it to be. The ways in which Native Americans approach their music in contrast to how other cultures do is an interesting case of "insider" vs. "outsider." This is so, because based on these facts about Native American music, it is clear that the Native Americans have their own self-taught special processes and methods that were created to enable them to come to final decisions on their music that have lead to exciting results for their people. In addition, this can generally confirm the fact of how other cultures are unaware of these practices which can be a big reason as to why their music may not be as significant as others.
Another way that Native American music stands out from other cultures' music is evident by symbolism and meaning behind the lyrics/words in songs. Curtis' text mentions the fact that in the general forms of written work by Native Americans, especially music, that an individual word can represent one full statement in Native American, whereas in English music it would take an entire sentence to get a statement across to listeners. Besides this, it is mentioned that the certain songs by Native Americans hold secretly hidden meanings behind them that only the person who created the song knows about. Densmore's implies that a certain number of the meanings behind Native Americans songs come from unreal experiences that they had, which sometimes happens in a person's dreams. This idea right here shows another case of "insider" vs. "outsider," since only the creator behind a song can personally connect with its meaning and understand the message within it since that person was the only one to experience it outside of the song in his or her lifetime. Due to this, the person can more so feel the emotions in the song than anybody else and be a part of the song unlike anybody else. In relation to this music, it can definitely be stated as a general fact that Native Americans tend to connect themselves with the Earth and as many of the living organisms and land settings on it as they can through certain song lyrics that they come up with. This fact definitely makes them stand out among other cultures to a certain degree. The ways in which Native Americans handle their music will always remain a significant part of their culture for a long time.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Reading Journal #2
Chapters 2 and 3 in the book Native American Music in Eastern North America by Beverly Diamond together cover a number of important concepts that explain about Native American people and their music. The former generally explains how a number of significant differences even exist between individual Native American tribes, especially with the ways in which they approach their music. The latter generally explains how Native Americans have been able to successfully integrate non-American practices and ideas into their cultures while still holding on to their original ancestral values and ways with going about doing certain things. Looking at chapter 2 first, the main differences presented in the text among Native Americans are said to be present in their music (songs), dances, and live shows. A varying factor in this case can be gender roles in these live shows. The chapter states that, "in some cases, only men play the drum, while women sing the accompanying chorus. Women drum in some communities,...," (Diamond 40) which shows the lack of similarity. The general idea of Native American men and women trying to all be actively involved in their special events I definitely believe to be true. One example of this in American popular culture that helps with my belief is the Walt Disney animated film Peter Pan. In the film, the majority of the main characters, male and female (including Tiger Lily and her father who is the chief of his tribe), celebrate and dance in a around a fire at a Native American camp site in Neverland. Another example of this in popular culture that cements by belief is in Annie Get Your Gun, a movie shown in our class, in which a female plays an active role in a ceremony in which she is inducted into a tribe.
A second varying factor involves the specific methods in which tribal songs are sung and instruments are played. Examples of this mentioned in the chapter state that, "Songs from western Greenland, for instance, use only vocables in performance, although singers may recall words as they sing those vocables" (39). Another example states that Native Americans in the western Canadian Arctic regions of the world, "A group of seated drummers accompanies several dancers, who don't drum, unlike the solo tradition of Nunavut" (45). This fact definitely makes sense in my opinion since the book mentions how a number of Native Americans base the construction of their pieces of music off individual experiences in which they each got their own distinct perspective on life which affects the sounds they produce through the ways in which they experiment with their instruments, rhythmic musical patterns, voices, and other things too. This can possibly resemble a case of "self" vs. "other," since only the individual composer of a certain song would have insight into its actual meaning in comparison to the other people around that individual who don't. Chapter 3 in the book also presents some important details on Native Americans as well.
Chapter 3 in the book states a number of ways in which Native Americans have be able to represent similar non-Native American cultural ideas in their own methods, while not copying them exactly 100%. One way this has managed to happen is through religious ideology and festivities. A Christian religious practice that certain Native Americans came to accept was the recognition of Saint Anne. The chapter states that, "Many Innuat make an annual pilgrimage to the church of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre in Quebec City. For Mi'kmaq, Se't A'newimk (Saint Anne) is their patroness,...," (77) in the text. Through this, some of the Native Americans still managed to hold on to original concepts of religious people in their cultures but with the exception of a name that didn't originate from their culture. This is so, because the book states that, "In some communities, she (meaning Saint Anne) is said to be 'a great helper and culture heroine who taught them moose-hair embroidery" (Howard 1962, 5; Diamond 77-78).
Another way this has managed to happen is through certain possible ways in which they form their songs. The book states that some people have claimed that certain vocables in Native American songs have sounded similar in certain ways to at least one type of other culture's song formatting. At one point in the book, a certain section of a Native American song is compared to songs in another culture. This part of the book says that in the section of the Native American song that, "Some hear lullaby-like-features (perhaps the 'do do do' vocables), while others associate it with children's songs such as 'London Bridge'" (83). This idea definitely makes sense to me, because when I listened to some sound clips of Native American music, the way it in which one of the songs was composed seemed to have a four chorus and three verse form to it with the chorus always being played before a verse. This form of a song is also present in regular English Christian American music, but the Native American song (and Native American songs in general) obviously has (have) its (their) own distinct sounds to it (them). In conclusion, both chapters in the book provided even more reasonable details about Native Americans, along with the first chapter.
A second varying factor involves the specific methods in which tribal songs are sung and instruments are played. Examples of this mentioned in the chapter state that, "Songs from western Greenland, for instance, use only vocables in performance, although singers may recall words as they sing those vocables" (39). Another example states that Native Americans in the western Canadian Arctic regions of the world, "A group of seated drummers accompanies several dancers, who don't drum, unlike the solo tradition of Nunavut" (45). This fact definitely makes sense in my opinion since the book mentions how a number of Native Americans base the construction of their pieces of music off individual experiences in which they each got their own distinct perspective on life which affects the sounds they produce through the ways in which they experiment with their instruments, rhythmic musical patterns, voices, and other things too. This can possibly resemble a case of "self" vs. "other," since only the individual composer of a certain song would have insight into its actual meaning in comparison to the other people around that individual who don't. Chapter 3 in the book also presents some important details on Native Americans as well.
Chapter 3 in the book states a number of ways in which Native Americans have be able to represent similar non-Native American cultural ideas in their own methods, while not copying them exactly 100%. One way this has managed to happen is through religious ideology and festivities. A Christian religious practice that certain Native Americans came to accept was the recognition of Saint Anne. The chapter states that, "Many Innuat make an annual pilgrimage to the church of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre in Quebec City. For Mi'kmaq, Se't A'newimk (Saint Anne) is their patroness,...," (77) in the text. Through this, some of the Native Americans still managed to hold on to original concepts of religious people in their cultures but with the exception of a name that didn't originate from their culture. This is so, because the book states that, "In some communities, she (meaning Saint Anne) is said to be 'a great helper and culture heroine who taught them moose-hair embroidery" (Howard 1962, 5; Diamond 77-78).
Another way this has managed to happen is through certain possible ways in which they form their songs. The book states that some people have claimed that certain vocables in Native American songs have sounded similar in certain ways to at least one type of other culture's song formatting. At one point in the book, a certain section of a Native American song is compared to songs in another culture. This part of the book says that in the section of the Native American song that, "Some hear lullaby-like-features (perhaps the 'do do do' vocables), while others associate it with children's songs such as 'London Bridge'" (83). This idea definitely makes sense to me, because when I listened to some sound clips of Native American music, the way it in which one of the songs was composed seemed to have a four chorus and three verse form to it with the chorus always being played before a verse. This form of a song is also present in regular English Christian American music, but the Native American song (and Native American songs in general) obviously has (have) its (their) own distinct sounds to it (them). In conclusion, both chapters in the book provided even more reasonable details about Native Americans, along with the first chapter.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Reading Journal #1
Chapter 1 in the book entitled Native American Music in Eastern North America by Beverly Diamond successfully allows readers to understand the general differences between how Native Americans and other citizens of the U.S.A. look at the world and the things in it. In congruence with this, the chapter allows readers to gain a more fairly reasonable insight into how Native Americans really are. The general differences noted in the chapter revolve around how Native Americans and Christians approach certain ideas and situations in different manners. One set of these ideas involves time and place. It is mentioned in the book by a Lakota named Vine Deloria Jr. that, "Native Americans base their religions on place and largely discount time while the Christianity of Europeans focuses on time and discounts place" (Diamond 26-27). Looking at this statement, I find it hard to really agree or disagree because I have never been a heavily religious person in my life and have never engaged myself into thoroughly reading any big religious texts and such about the origins and practices of my religion. Another main thing that Native Americans and Christians approach differently is music. A woman by the name of Sadie Buck mentions that when it comes to "describing the sources of sounds that outsiders 'see something and think it's one thing, but that's not the intent'"(29). The book goes further to suggest that Christians usually favor a mix sounds working together in music over a stand alone sound that can work perfectly on its own and appeal to audiences of people in the world. This idea definitely makes sense to me, since a number of people in the Christian population and in general can be close-minded about certain things and not be willing to open up their minds to all the possibilities that exist in the world in regards to certain things.
One other main way in which Native Americans are different from Christians involves how they are with sharing personal information in regards to their cultural practices, music, texts, and other things. When it comes to this part of the discussion, it is key to mention that Native Americans are extremely cautious when it comes handing out any of these things, especially to Christians. Looking at this fact, it definitely makes sense to me that Native Americans are like this because they don't want Christians to misrepresent them in any way, whether it be intentional or by accident, which could easily happen by misprinting any documented fact about the Native Americans. This could lead other people to make false assumptions about them, which was discussed in the class. This type of situation also highlights the idea of an "insider" vs. "outsider" issue in regards to the practices and ideas being kept within a certain peoples' culture. One last thing to mention before concluding is that the chapter basically reminds about the general connection between "facts" and "interpretation," since this book explains how Native Americans truly are, which mainly encompasses a very peaceful and kind people with their own moral values who are not as wild and crazy as they are depicted in many forms of American popular culture. It is also important to mention about how reading just this first chapter of the book can change any negative stereotypical thoughts about Native Americans and look at them in a more positive way, which can definitely be seen as one of the intentions of the Native American Music class that I am taking this semester in college. In conclusion, the first chapter in this book basically helps to paint a more accurate and detailed picture of modern Native Americans that exist in today's world.
One other main way in which Native Americans are different from Christians involves how they are with sharing personal information in regards to their cultural practices, music, texts, and other things. When it comes to this part of the discussion, it is key to mention that Native Americans are extremely cautious when it comes handing out any of these things, especially to Christians. Looking at this fact, it definitely makes sense to me that Native Americans are like this because they don't want Christians to misrepresent them in any way, whether it be intentional or by accident, which could easily happen by misprinting any documented fact about the Native Americans. This could lead other people to make false assumptions about them, which was discussed in the class. This type of situation also highlights the idea of an "insider" vs. "outsider" issue in regards to the practices and ideas being kept within a certain peoples' culture. One last thing to mention before concluding is that the chapter basically reminds about the general connection between "facts" and "interpretation," since this book explains how Native Americans truly are, which mainly encompasses a very peaceful and kind people with their own moral values who are not as wild and crazy as they are depicted in many forms of American popular culture. It is also important to mention about how reading just this first chapter of the book can change any negative stereotypical thoughts about Native Americans and look at them in a more positive way, which can definitely be seen as one of the intentions of the Native American Music class that I am taking this semester in college. In conclusion, the first chapter in this book basically helps to paint a more accurate and detailed picture of modern Native Americans that exist in today's world.
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