Hamm takes a critical approach to examining Simon's "Graceland" album and its effect or lack of effect on troubling race relations in South Africa. Upon receiving criticism, Simon and supporters have defended the album, claiming that it focuses on South African music, the musicians benefit financially from the recording and publicity, addressing political content in the music may have put the musicians' musical careers in danger, and it publicly protests racism because of its "mixed-racial character" (page 299). Hamm explains that the album was popular in South Africa, but primarily among whites; the album was pricey and sold mostly in locations in which whites shopped, and it received positive reviews by the press and newspapers in South Africa. Hamm argues that the members of the band Simon played with, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, were actually fairly wealthy to begin and were not particularly or actively concerned with the struggles for black liberation in South Africa. Furthermore, Hamm explains, the South African government permitted blacks and whites to attend the same popular music performances, and so Simon was not really challenging race relations with his music. In fact, the music may have actually been perpetuating racial stereotypes that African music is all about percussion and should serve as the background in a song, and that the black man is willing and privaleged to assist the white man. Overall, Hamm contends that musicians such as Simon who incorporate music of countries that are in political turmoil are ultimately just taking advantage of the media attention focused on these countries for the profit of the musician and the music industry.
Question:
Are there ways in which such CDs as "Graceland" can benefit the social and political situations of such countries as South Africa, even if the music does not specifically address these issues? Is it immoral for a musician to selfishly take advantage of such situations as Hamm discusses, even if it is ultimately beneficial and promotes awareness and action? Is it immoral if it does nothing for the country or culture?
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Challenge Question response to Bryan's response to my response to his question!
Bryan's Response to My Response: http://bryanmusc1900.blogspot.com/2008/11/challenge-question-feedback-julie.html
Bryan’s comments regarding my response to his challenge question were generally very helpful. He brings up a good point that reflexivity is important not only in the conclusive processes of putting an ethnography together, but at all times during the fieldwork experience. Reflecting on the ways in which the ethnomusicologist might have influenced the music culture certainly reduces the problem of asymmetries of power, as the ethnomusicologist is acknowledging that he is not necessarily the best or most objective candidate for the job. Bryan also has a good point in that a method of polyphonic discourse would be beneficial when interviewing many people. I agree, as incorporating opinions of everyone involved will provide a more diverse and extensive pool of information.
However, I disagree with Bryan’s comment that it “should not be a problem” for the ethnomusicologist to make objective and reflexive choices from that large pool of information in the editing process. Choosing what information is “important” after information has been gathered may be a slightly less difficult process than choosing what information to include in the process of taking fieldnotes, but I would argue that there can be just as much bias in making choices once information has been gathered. How exactly one should approach this issue and choose which information to include in an ethnography could require a challenge question response of its own. Reflexivity is certainly helpful in this process, but there is no way to maintain objectivity, and the choices one makes at all stages of the ethnographic process will always be subjective to some degree. Again, I do not offer a solution or strategy for approaching the choices an ethnographer must make, but I simply suggest that this is a problem, and it is one that requires much thought.
Overall, Bryan seems to have thought out his own question thoroughly, and has come up with his own valid conclusions.
Bryan’s comments regarding my response to his challenge question were generally very helpful. He brings up a good point that reflexivity is important not only in the conclusive processes of putting an ethnography together, but at all times during the fieldwork experience. Reflecting on the ways in which the ethnomusicologist might have influenced the music culture certainly reduces the problem of asymmetries of power, as the ethnomusicologist is acknowledging that he is not necessarily the best or most objective candidate for the job. Bryan also has a good point in that a method of polyphonic discourse would be beneficial when interviewing many people. I agree, as incorporating opinions of everyone involved will provide a more diverse and extensive pool of information.
However, I disagree with Bryan’s comment that it “should not be a problem” for the ethnomusicologist to make objective and reflexive choices from that large pool of information in the editing process. Choosing what information is “important” after information has been gathered may be a slightly less difficult process than choosing what information to include in the process of taking fieldnotes, but I would argue that there can be just as much bias in making choices once information has been gathered. How exactly one should approach this issue and choose which information to include in an ethnography could require a challenge question response of its own. Reflexivity is certainly helpful in this process, but there is no way to maintain objectivity, and the choices one makes at all stages of the ethnographic process will always be subjective to some degree. Again, I do not offer a solution or strategy for approaching the choices an ethnographer must make, but I simply suggest that this is a problem, and it is one that requires much thought.
Overall, Bryan seems to have thought out his own question thoroughly, and has come up with his own valid conclusions.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Response to Jaime's challenge question answer
Jaime's response: http://jaimethnoblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/challenge-question.html
I think you make a good point in that a performance ethnography should focus more intently on the experience of the individual in the audience rather than on the history of the music culture. Even if a brief history was presented in a performance ethnography, subjective choices would have to be made regarding what elements of the culture’s history should be included anyway. I appreciate your personal example of attending an opera, in which you are more focused on how the performance is personally affecting you rather than on the history or importance of opera music in American culture, even if you are aware of both of these aspects of the music. However, while I do think the experience of the audience is an extremely important component of fieldwork for a performance ethnography, I would argue that including more contextual elements and a broader scope of experiences is what separates an Ethnomusicologist from any other kind of critic or writer on musical performance and that, while individual experience and reflexivity are important, the emphasis should not necessarily be on the Ethnomusicologist’s “heroic journey” (Titon’s term).
I would also suggest that considerations of what should be included in an ethnography may differ between a performance ethnography of a specific performance and an ethnography based on a broader view of a culture’s music. A performance ethnography by nature focuses on specific and time-sensitive occurrences, while an ethnography of a music culture may ultimately seek to communicate an outline of what general elements define and distinguish that particular music culture. Overall, you seem to have put a lot of thought into your opinions, and I think it is beneficial to acknowledge the inevitability of individual interpretation, as you did.
I think you make a good point in that a performance ethnography should focus more intently on the experience of the individual in the audience rather than on the history of the music culture. Even if a brief history was presented in a performance ethnography, subjective choices would have to be made regarding what elements of the culture’s history should be included anyway. I appreciate your personal example of attending an opera, in which you are more focused on how the performance is personally affecting you rather than on the history or importance of opera music in American culture, even if you are aware of both of these aspects of the music. However, while I do think the experience of the audience is an extremely important component of fieldwork for a performance ethnography, I would argue that including more contextual elements and a broader scope of experiences is what separates an Ethnomusicologist from any other kind of critic or writer on musical performance and that, while individual experience and reflexivity are important, the emphasis should not necessarily be on the Ethnomusicologist’s “heroic journey” (Titon’s term).
I would also suggest that considerations of what should be included in an ethnography may differ between a performance ethnography of a specific performance and an ethnography based on a broader view of a culture’s music. A performance ethnography by nature focuses on specific and time-sensitive occurrences, while an ethnography of a music culture may ultimately seek to communicate an outline of what general elements define and distinguish that particular music culture. Overall, you seem to have put a lot of thought into your opinions, and I think it is beneficial to acknowledge the inevitability of individual interpretation, as you did.
critical Review 9: Neustadt
Neustadt discusses the similarities and differences in styles and perceptions of the son music tradition as well as more modern forms of Cuban music, especially timba. He focuses on two specific examples: Buena Vista Social Club (son) and Charanga Habanera (timba). Both son and timba have similar lyrical themes, some of which are offensive, including those that involve derogatory messages about women. However, outsiders have come to appreciate son and know little or nothing about timba, assuming son is a more authentic form of Cuban music, partly because it is older. Neustadt describes how foreigners become enamored with son, especially that of Buena Vista, because rather than listening to and understanding the lyrics, listeners are attracted to the marketed exotic Cuban image which emphasizes that it is a traditional gem. Foreigners still know little about modern forms of Cuban music, and many of these musicians are frustrated at the thought that they might have to wait as long as the Buena Vista musicians did for their music to be discovered and appreciated internationally.
Question for Discussion:
At what point does the music of a specific culture become a tradition? Is there an amount of time that must go by for it to be considered a valid representation of a culture's music? Or does any music produced by members of a certain culture automatically represent the culture's music?
Question for Discussion:
At what point does the music of a specific culture become a tradition? Is there an amount of time that must go by for it to be considered a valid representation of a culture's music? Or does any music produced by members of a certain culture automatically represent the culture's music?
Friday, November 7, 2008
Response to Challenge Question: Bryan's second question
Titon outlines the three main critiques of Ethnomusicology, which are that it is grounded in asymmetries of power, that fieldwork narratives play out as heroic quest stories, and that any account grounded in individual experience is basically fiction. All three of these critiques are valid, and certainly serve as a productive way to begin thinking about approaches to fieldwork and ethnographic writing. While transcending these issues altogether may be impossible, there are certain measures one can take in the reflexive process to minimize each issue in practice.
The idea of asymmetries of power stems from the fact that an Ethnomusicologist is exerting her power over a culture and deciding she has a right to represent a culture, especially because, as Titon mentions, she has interests in her career in mind. To the idea of motivation based on career interests, I would argue that because the field of Ethnomusicology presents so many challenges, criticisms, and ethical issues, only someone truly passionate about all kinds of music and learning would go into the field in the first place. Many ethnographies end up endorsing a culture or the music of a culture, and while this is still biased, it at least demonstrates that the Ethnomusicologist either entered his fieldwork with a predisposed interest in the music or culture, or that he gained interest and passion through learning. In terms of the idea that the Ethnomusicologist should not have a right to represent a culture over the members of the culture itself, I argue that a good Ethnomusicologist would be trained or practiced in how to approach fieldwork and write an ethnography in such a way that is clear to and effective for a specific audience. While an individual member of a culture certainly has a right to represent the culture, the individual might not know how to look outside of what he has always known, and may not know how to communicate what is so familiar. Ethnomusicologists serve as translators, and even translators cannot always translate word for word as some aspects of one language have no translation in another. The question is, which is better, to have an outsider represent a culture, or to have no representation at all? Ultimately, the answer to this should be up to the members of the musical culture, and while their own abilities to represent themselves should not be overlooked, it should be accepted if they are comfortable having an outsider represent them.
In terms of the issue of the “heroic quest,” there is definitely a balance that must be achieved. In order to achieve balance between the extremes of heroic quest and pretension of objectivity due to lack of reflexivity, one could perhaps dedicate certain sections of an ethnography to personal experience and certain sections to factual or general information learned. The Ethnomusicologist could also focus on the specific stories of individuals, such as those we viewed in the documentary of Sacred Harp singing. This method both acknowledges the subjectivity of the experiences of the Ethnomusicologist, and places importance on the experiences of members of the culture or community.
The idea that an account of individual experience is fiction is difficult to approach. There is no way to avoid this completely, but there are ways to focus on more tangible information. First, an Ethnomusicologist should spend as much time in her studied environment as possible. This way, she can determine common themes, patterns, and ideas that characterize the music culture rather than assuming something she saw once was significant, or dismissing an occurrence as unimportant. Also, she should incorporate the views of the people in the group regarding what is characteristic of the culture. Just as Handler and Linnekin describe, a tradition should be considered on the terms of the participants, so there is immeasurable value in the participant’s views of his own musical culture. Here again, the Ethnomusicologist should interview as many different participants as possible so as to find common threads and rather than simply make grand assumptions about the entire music culture based on an individual’s account.
Overall, only a superhuman could transcend these three critiques completely, but one can certainly minimize their effect by consciously acknowledging them and actively planning how to overcome them.
The idea of asymmetries of power stems from the fact that an Ethnomusicologist is exerting her power over a culture and deciding she has a right to represent a culture, especially because, as Titon mentions, she has interests in her career in mind. To the idea of motivation based on career interests, I would argue that because the field of Ethnomusicology presents so many challenges, criticisms, and ethical issues, only someone truly passionate about all kinds of music and learning would go into the field in the first place. Many ethnographies end up endorsing a culture or the music of a culture, and while this is still biased, it at least demonstrates that the Ethnomusicologist either entered his fieldwork with a predisposed interest in the music or culture, or that he gained interest and passion through learning. In terms of the idea that the Ethnomusicologist should not have a right to represent a culture over the members of the culture itself, I argue that a good Ethnomusicologist would be trained or practiced in how to approach fieldwork and write an ethnography in such a way that is clear to and effective for a specific audience. While an individual member of a culture certainly has a right to represent the culture, the individual might not know how to look outside of what he has always known, and may not know how to communicate what is so familiar. Ethnomusicologists serve as translators, and even translators cannot always translate word for word as some aspects of one language have no translation in another. The question is, which is better, to have an outsider represent a culture, or to have no representation at all? Ultimately, the answer to this should be up to the members of the musical culture, and while their own abilities to represent themselves should not be overlooked, it should be accepted if they are comfortable having an outsider represent them.
In terms of the issue of the “heroic quest,” there is definitely a balance that must be achieved. In order to achieve balance between the extremes of heroic quest and pretension of objectivity due to lack of reflexivity, one could perhaps dedicate certain sections of an ethnography to personal experience and certain sections to factual or general information learned. The Ethnomusicologist could also focus on the specific stories of individuals, such as those we viewed in the documentary of Sacred Harp singing. This method both acknowledges the subjectivity of the experiences of the Ethnomusicologist, and places importance on the experiences of members of the culture or community.
The idea that an account of individual experience is fiction is difficult to approach. There is no way to avoid this completely, but there are ways to focus on more tangible information. First, an Ethnomusicologist should spend as much time in her studied environment as possible. This way, she can determine common themes, patterns, and ideas that characterize the music culture rather than assuming something she saw once was significant, or dismissing an occurrence as unimportant. Also, she should incorporate the views of the people in the group regarding what is characteristic of the culture. Just as Handler and Linnekin describe, a tradition should be considered on the terms of the participants, so there is immeasurable value in the participant’s views of his own musical culture. Here again, the Ethnomusicologist should interview as many different participants as possible so as to find common threads and rather than simply make grand assumptions about the entire music culture based on an individual’s account.
Overall, only a superhuman could transcend these three critiques completely, but one can certainly minimize their effect by consciously acknowledging them and actively planning how to overcome them.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Critical Review 8: Miller
Questions for Kiri:
You discuss how individuals feel specific connections to certain songs, and even claim them, whether openly or in a way that is mutually understood by group members. Do you find this phenomenon within the Sacred Harp group here at Brown? You mentioned that there are members of Brown's group that don't follow the music's religious affiliation, and in fact the majority are not Baptist Christians. How are certain idiosyncrasies different or similar in the specifically religiously-affiliated Sacred Harp groups you’ve studied versus the groups that are not specifically affiliated with the religion?
You write about the controversies and connotations of oral tradition versus written tradition in Sacred Harp singing. Sometimes, it seems, people who have learned primarily through oral tradition take offence at such stereotypes as that they cannot read music, while other times this method of passing down tradition is seen as superior and evidence of insider status. In your experience, how do/have most people responded to the social associations with these two kinds of learning? Do people feel the need to prove their music-reading abilities, or is it more valued to simply be a part of the oral tradition? If the answer to this is completely based on the individual, are there any specific aspects of an individual’s background that stand out that might determine her sentiments about the issue?
Question for discussion:
Kiri’s article notes that Sacred Harp singers will sometimes, knowingly or unknowingly, sing a different harmony than what is written for their parts, and occasionally a music writer for this genre will hear these changes and think they fit better than what was originally written. Who has authority to make such changes? If an outsider comes into a group and internally hears something she feels might sound better, should she change it when singing? Or should she, as an outsider, make a special effort to follow along with everyone else? Where should a line be drawn of who can make changes, if there is a line?
You discuss how individuals feel specific connections to certain songs, and even claim them, whether openly or in a way that is mutually understood by group members. Do you find this phenomenon within the Sacred Harp group here at Brown? You mentioned that there are members of Brown's group that don't follow the music's religious affiliation, and in fact the majority are not Baptist Christians. How are certain idiosyncrasies different or similar in the specifically religiously-affiliated Sacred Harp groups you’ve studied versus the groups that are not specifically affiliated with the religion?
You write about the controversies and connotations of oral tradition versus written tradition in Sacred Harp singing. Sometimes, it seems, people who have learned primarily through oral tradition take offence at such stereotypes as that they cannot read music, while other times this method of passing down tradition is seen as superior and evidence of insider status. In your experience, how do/have most people responded to the social associations with these two kinds of learning? Do people feel the need to prove their music-reading abilities, or is it more valued to simply be a part of the oral tradition? If the answer to this is completely based on the individual, are there any specific aspects of an individual’s background that stand out that might determine her sentiments about the issue?
Question for discussion:
Kiri’s article notes that Sacred Harp singers will sometimes, knowingly or unknowingly, sing a different harmony than what is written for their parts, and occasionally a music writer for this genre will hear these changes and think they fit better than what was originally written. Who has authority to make such changes? If an outsider comes into a group and internally hears something she feels might sound better, should she change it when singing? Or should she, as an outsider, make a special effort to follow along with everyone else? Where should a line be drawn of who can make changes, if there is a line?
Monday, November 3, 2008
Critical Review 7: Campbell
Campbell discusses the conflicts that have arisen between those interested in preserving the old traditions of Sacred Harp music and those interested in its modernization. Those who want to preserve the tradition as it has been claim that modernization incorporates trends from secular music, and thus takes away from the sanctity of Sacred Harp music. There have been two main systems of Sacred Harp notation, the four-note- and seven-note-systems, and before the Civil War, both generally coexisted in peace. After the war, however, the seven-note system became associated with Gospel music and modernization. Some, like Atkins, saw the evolution of shape notes over time as necessary to preserve Sacred Harp singing in general, while others believed the original four-note method and original texts were sacred and important in providing a dependable, unchanging sanctuary within the chaos of the world.
Is it beneficial to the survival of a musical practice to evolve in such a way that is parallel with the changing times? Can a musical tradition be preserved without much change, even if the context in which it is used is gradually changing? Is it possible to even expect a tradition to resist change over time?
Is it beneficial to the survival of a musical practice to evolve in such a way that is parallel with the changing times? Can a musical tradition be preserved without much change, even if the context in which it is used is gradually changing? Is it possible to even expect a tradition to resist change over time?
Monday, October 27, 2008
Challenge Questions
Question 1:
Because it seems nearly impossible to account for all experiences when doing fieldwork, we inevitably, and sometimes subconsciously, pick and choose what we remember and eventually document based on what sticks out in our minds and what we forget. To what degree is it our responsibility to account for these choices? Is it totally up to us what we include and leave out? Do we have to somehow write a disclaimer that not only is the point of view of the ethnography subjective, but the actual events or conversations included are subjective choices also? Do we have a responsibility to the culture we represent to find out what is most important to THEM to have represent their music in an ethnography?
Please write a 2-3 page response reflecting on a fieldworker's responsibilities in terms of the conscious or subconscious values she or he places on certain experiences, noting how the values of the studied culture can or should(n't) influence that which we decide is important information.
Question 2:
On pages 82 and 83 of "Shadows in the Field," Deborah Wong discusses the idea that an Ethnomusicologist is always an outsider even when she feels closest to the subject of study because she is always translating to an audience, primarily other Ethnomusicologists or anthropologists. How important is it to consider audience when writing an Ethnography? How should one tailor one's writing so that it can be understood by a certain audience, without conveying some sort of bias or distancing oneself from the group? Is there a specific audience that the ethnomusicologist should be targetting? If we have a target audience in mind from the beginning, does this affect what information we choose to pay more attention to while conducting fieldwork? If so, is this acceptable?
Please write a 2-3 page response reflecting on the importance, if there is importance, in considering one's audience when conducting fieldwork and writing an ethnography.
Because it seems nearly impossible to account for all experiences when doing fieldwork, we inevitably, and sometimes subconsciously, pick and choose what we remember and eventually document based on what sticks out in our minds and what we forget. To what degree is it our responsibility to account for these choices? Is it totally up to us what we include and leave out? Do we have to somehow write a disclaimer that not only is the point of view of the ethnography subjective, but the actual events or conversations included are subjective choices also? Do we have a responsibility to the culture we represent to find out what is most important to THEM to have represent their music in an ethnography?
Please write a 2-3 page response reflecting on a fieldworker's responsibilities in terms of the conscious or subconscious values she or he places on certain experiences, noting how the values of the studied culture can or should(n't) influence that which we decide is important information.
Question 2:
On pages 82 and 83 of "Shadows in the Field," Deborah Wong discusses the idea that an Ethnomusicologist is always an outsider even when she feels closest to the subject of study because she is always translating to an audience, primarily other Ethnomusicologists or anthropologists. How important is it to consider audience when writing an Ethnography? How should one tailor one's writing so that it can be understood by a certain audience, without conveying some sort of bias or distancing oneself from the group? Is there a specific audience that the ethnomusicologist should be targetting? If we have a target audience in mind from the beginning, does this affect what information we choose to pay more attention to while conducting fieldwork? If so, is this acceptable?
Please write a 2-3 page response reflecting on the importance, if there is importance, in considering one's audience when conducting fieldwork and writing an ethnography.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Critical Review 6: Nettl
Nettl describes his work in the music buildings of "Heartland U," the name used to represent all the colleges in which Nettl worked and researched. The central question that should be on an Ethnomusicologist's mind, Nettl tells us, is the question of why a society has a certain music or musical culture. Music can often serve as a microcosm of a culture, not in that it necessarily exemplifies or reflects certain aspects of culture, but it is informative, even if we find that the music represents an idealized version of cultural values. The importance of the "who" in music should not be overlooked, and this is especially relevent in Western Classical music, which sees a certain select group of composers as Godlike, and Nettl compares the heirarchy of how much these composers are valued to the heirarchy within the Greek Gods and Goddesses. Aside from the quasi-religious element of how Western Classical music is appreciated, Nettl informs us of other values and practices within the culture of Western Classical music, such as referring to a great living composer as a "talent" and a deceased composer as a "genius," and often the latter will be referred to as if still alive. Nettl discusses the differences in how Mozart and Beethoven, two composers among those most highly respected and worshipped, are valued differently (Mozart had an otherworldly innate sense of genius while Beethoven had to work hard to accomplish what he did). Nettl continues to describe Western Classical music culture, describing such things as the order on a concert program and the roles of individuals in an orchestra.
Nettl claims that, despite his insider status, he will at times take the viewpoint of an "E.T." in his approach to Western Classical music and in his ethnography in order to gain a sense of perspective and eliminate bias. We have read other ethnographies written by insiders into their own cultures. However, I would argue that Western Classical music is a form that is at least familiar to the general audience being targetted here. Based on the audience's presumed familiarity with the subject, is there anything that might be missed, biased, or assumed because an insider is communicating to an audience that is generally familiar with the music style described?
Nettl claims that, despite his insider status, he will at times take the viewpoint of an "E.T." in his approach to Western Classical music and in his ethnography in order to gain a sense of perspective and eliminate bias. We have read other ethnographies written by insiders into their own cultures. However, I would argue that Western Classical music is a form that is at least familiar to the general audience being targetted here. Based on the audience's presumed familiarity with the subject, is there anything that might be missed, biased, or assumed because an insider is communicating to an audience that is generally familiar with the music style described?
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Interview with Nadine
Nadine is the pianist and founder of the 15-year-old Gospel choir of the Olney Street Baptist Church. The following is an excerpt from my interview with her.
J: Do you think there’s something different about singing worship rather than just praying with speech?
N: (pause) Yes. I do.
J: Do you wanna... Can you tell me a little bit about that experience and how it’s different?
N: Um... I think between the words, and the sound, the rhythm, and the way people sing it, it... it just touches you a little bit different than just hearing it. You can sing a prayer, and the way that someone is interpreting it through their music, you... it touches you a little different than someone just stating the same words. So... but then again, if someone’s saying a prayer, the way they say the prayer... again, it’s the way... the tone, the emotion, that’s part of it, so you can get touched that way too but for me, music does that for me.
J: You mentioned the rhythm. What about the rhythm enhances that?
N: Like, if it’s a slow, mellow type of a song, then it touches you different than if it’s high beat, up beat....
J: Right, right.
N: But when it comes to the actual worship part, like, the Holy Spirit coming in, it depends on what’s going on at the time. So, if it’s a prayer, or it’s a prayerful song, then you’re touched a different way than if it’s upbeat. The praises are different.
J: Can you elaborate on that difference?
N: Um... (pause) I think it’s more like an emotional thing, so I never really think about it. You know what I mean?
J: Right. It’s just kind of—
N: It’s just part of.... it’s just part of the worship experience. So I don’t really know how to put it in words.
J: Mm-kay.
J: And is there something about the group experience? How is singing worship songs with other people different from singing them alone?
N: When you sing it by yourself, then it’s your personal testimony. So it’s just like if we try to sing um... songs from like, Kurt Franklin or something like that. Well that was his song, that was his testimony, so we can’t duplicate what he’s done. We can’t duplicate “Mary, Mary,” you know what I mean? We can interpret it our way but when you sing a solo, that is your interpretation, so that is you singing that song. But in a group situation, it’s all of us coming together. And, um, trying to be one. Singing it as one. But until it’s really in our hearts or whatever when we sing... it is a personal testimony, but when you sing in a group, you have to bring it together. But when you sing a solo, you’re singing it on your own and it’s your personal take on the music, on the song, on the words. The words become yours.
J: Do you feel differently when you’re doing solo stuff versus—
N: Mmm-hmm, yeah.
J: What’s the difference?
N: Cause it’s personal.
J: Yeah.
N: It’s personal. So, if I’m doing a solo or something like that, then I really... I think of what the words are, and so therefore it becomes my song. So, it’s different.
(someone comes in to hand a piece of paper to Nadine, then leaves. Break in recording.)
J: Um, what other kinds of music do you like besides Gospel?
N: Um... R and B, uh... Gospel rap, um, Jazz, love Jazz. Um... I like a lot of the... some, well... like Alicia Keys, that kind of... that kind of stuff. And back in the day, the Temptations, all of the... you know. Isaac Hayes... And some Country....
J: Yeah.
N: I like some Country, so.
J: And how is Gospel... Do you listen to Gospel besides just singing? Do you listen?
N: (nods)
J: How does it affect you differently compared with the other kinds of music you listen to?
N: Um... (pause) I think it affects me different because I’m trying to be a Christian, so therefore, the music helps me get grounded. Like, um, when struggles are in my life, or whatever, it’s Gospel music that gets me going. You know, that keeps me up, that keeps my faith going. Because if we look at our circumstances all the time, then it can bring us down, and we forget who our Maker is. And if we listen to some of the music that’s out there, it’s negative, so, you know, I can’t worry about my, you know, my man, and all that.
J: (giggles)
N: If God... if this man is from God than I can’t worry about all that. You know what I mean?
J: Yeah.*
N: So, it’s Gospel music that keeps me... focused. Where I can deal with my children, my grandchildren, my husband...
J: So it’s more of a positive force rather than—
N: Yes, most definitely.
*I feel I do know what Nadine means. I'm reminded of the lyrics of a song by Lauryn Hil, who I grew up listening to, called "I Used to Love Him." The lyrics, referring to a lover who has done Lauryn wrong, go:
"I see him sometimes and the look in his eye
Is one of a man who's lost treasures untold
But my heart is gold, see I took back my soul
And totally let my creator control
The life which was his to begin."
That idea used to help me through situations, too. If I was having issues with someone, it was nice to think that maybe it was not my responsibility to worry about them and what they do. It takes away some burden. Based on my own experiences, this is what I understood Nadine to mean here.
General Notes, Reflection:
Conducting the interview was more difficult for me than I thought it would be. I had a few general questions written down beforehand, but it was hard to come up with anything specific without really knowing anything about Nadine. I was counting on that she would be so passionate about the music that she would go on and on, and while she was passionate, I got the impression that she felt sort of put on the spot a lot of times, and I in turn had a hard time thinking of good questions. I also had a difficult time understanding, or sometimes I wanted to take the interview in a direction it just wouldn't go, and then I found myself asking those "leading questions" that we're supposed to avoid as interviewers only because I needed clarification. It was hard to avoid those at times, and if I had another shot at this I would definitely plan more creative ways to approach questions if one way wasn't working.
When I listened to and transcribed this interview, I got frustrated because I thought of so many better questions I could have asked, such as:
What role has the church played in your life?
What occured in your life at age 12 that influenced you to start going to the Olney Street Baptist Church?
What do you think has influenced your passion for music, both with regard to your violin and piano lessons and Gospel music?
Has your family, either as a child or now, had any influence in your musical or other involvement with the church?
Are you affected differently by listening to Gospel and actually singing it? How about playing it on the piano?
You say Gospel music is helpful to listen to because it grounds you and gives you a positive feeling. Do you think there is a time and place for the other kinds of music you listen to; the kinds that are maybe not as positive?
Does belonging to the church, and the church's music, provide you with a sense of community in any way? How so?
You say "Gospel music is for everyone," no matter what race or age. Do you think Gospel music could be for people who aren't Christian?
etc.
Anyway, these are some things I would have liked to ask, but I also think it was important to let Nadine more or less take the interview in the direction she wanted to rather than me having a thought in mind and seeing if she would say it (ex. I expected her to say something about the feeling of unity of singing in a group, but maybe that was just my idea).
J: Do you think there’s something different about singing worship rather than just praying with speech?
N: (pause) Yes. I do.
J: Do you wanna... Can you tell me a little bit about that experience and how it’s different?
N: Um... I think between the words, and the sound, the rhythm, and the way people sing it, it... it just touches you a little bit different than just hearing it. You can sing a prayer, and the way that someone is interpreting it through their music, you... it touches you a little different than someone just stating the same words. So... but then again, if someone’s saying a prayer, the way they say the prayer... again, it’s the way... the tone, the emotion, that’s part of it, so you can get touched that way too but for me, music does that for me.
J: You mentioned the rhythm. What about the rhythm enhances that?
N: Like, if it’s a slow, mellow type of a song, then it touches you different than if it’s high beat, up beat....
J: Right, right.
N: But when it comes to the actual worship part, like, the Holy Spirit coming in, it depends on what’s going on at the time. So, if it’s a prayer, or it’s a prayerful song, then you’re touched a different way than if it’s upbeat. The praises are different.
J: Can you elaborate on that difference?
N: Um... (pause) I think it’s more like an emotional thing, so I never really think about it. You know what I mean?
J: Right. It’s just kind of—
N: It’s just part of.... it’s just part of the worship experience. So I don’t really know how to put it in words.
J: Mm-kay.
J: And is there something about the group experience? How is singing worship songs with other people different from singing them alone?
N: When you sing it by yourself, then it’s your personal testimony. So it’s just like if we try to sing um... songs from like, Kurt Franklin or something like that. Well that was his song, that was his testimony, so we can’t duplicate what he’s done. We can’t duplicate “Mary, Mary,” you know what I mean? We can interpret it our way but when you sing a solo, that is your interpretation, so that is you singing that song. But in a group situation, it’s all of us coming together. And, um, trying to be one. Singing it as one. But until it’s really in our hearts or whatever when we sing... it is a personal testimony, but when you sing in a group, you have to bring it together. But when you sing a solo, you’re singing it on your own and it’s your personal take on the music, on the song, on the words. The words become yours.
J: Do you feel differently when you’re doing solo stuff versus—
N: Mmm-hmm, yeah.
J: What’s the difference?
N: Cause it’s personal.
J: Yeah.
N: It’s personal. So, if I’m doing a solo or something like that, then I really... I think of what the words are, and so therefore it becomes my song. So, it’s different.
(someone comes in to hand a piece of paper to Nadine, then leaves. Break in recording.)
J: Um, what other kinds of music do you like besides Gospel?
N: Um... R and B, uh... Gospel rap, um, Jazz, love Jazz. Um... I like a lot of the... some, well... like Alicia Keys, that kind of... that kind of stuff. And back in the day, the Temptations, all of the... you know. Isaac Hayes... And some Country....
J: Yeah.
N: I like some Country, so.
J: And how is Gospel... Do you listen to Gospel besides just singing? Do you listen?
N: (nods)
J: How does it affect you differently compared with the other kinds of music you listen to?
N: Um... (pause) I think it affects me different because I’m trying to be a Christian, so therefore, the music helps me get grounded. Like, um, when struggles are in my life, or whatever, it’s Gospel music that gets me going. You know, that keeps me up, that keeps my faith going. Because if we look at our circumstances all the time, then it can bring us down, and we forget who our Maker is. And if we listen to some of the music that’s out there, it’s negative, so, you know, I can’t worry about my, you know, my man, and all that.
J: (giggles)
N: If God... if this man is from God than I can’t worry about all that. You know what I mean?
J: Yeah.*
N: So, it’s Gospel music that keeps me... focused. Where I can deal with my children, my grandchildren, my husband...
J: So it’s more of a positive force rather than—
N: Yes, most definitely.
*I feel I do know what Nadine means. I'm reminded of the lyrics of a song by Lauryn Hil, who I grew up listening to, called "I Used to Love Him." The lyrics, referring to a lover who has done Lauryn wrong, go:
"I see him sometimes and the look in his eye
Is one of a man who's lost treasures untold
But my heart is gold, see I took back my soul
And totally let my creator control
The life which was his to begin."
That idea used to help me through situations, too. If I was having issues with someone, it was nice to think that maybe it was not my responsibility to worry about them and what they do. It takes away some burden. Based on my own experiences, this is what I understood Nadine to mean here.
General Notes, Reflection:
Conducting the interview was more difficult for me than I thought it would be. I had a few general questions written down beforehand, but it was hard to come up with anything specific without really knowing anything about Nadine. I was counting on that she would be so passionate about the music that she would go on and on, and while she was passionate, I got the impression that she felt sort of put on the spot a lot of times, and I in turn had a hard time thinking of good questions. I also had a difficult time understanding, or sometimes I wanted to take the interview in a direction it just wouldn't go, and then I found myself asking those "leading questions" that we're supposed to avoid as interviewers only because I needed clarification. It was hard to avoid those at times, and if I had another shot at this I would definitely plan more creative ways to approach questions if one way wasn't working.
When I listened to and transcribed this interview, I got frustrated because I thought of so many better questions I could have asked, such as:
What role has the church played in your life?
What occured in your life at age 12 that influenced you to start going to the Olney Street Baptist Church?
What do you think has influenced your passion for music, both with regard to your violin and piano lessons and Gospel music?
Has your family, either as a child or now, had any influence in your musical or other involvement with the church?
Are you affected differently by listening to Gospel and actually singing it? How about playing it on the piano?
You say Gospel music is helpful to listen to because it grounds you and gives you a positive feeling. Do you think there is a time and place for the other kinds of music you listen to; the kinds that are maybe not as positive?
Does belonging to the church, and the church's music, provide you with a sense of community in any way? How so?
You say "Gospel music is for everyone," no matter what race or age. Do you think Gospel music could be for people who aren't Christian?
etc.
Anyway, these are some things I would have liked to ask, but I also think it was important to let Nadine more or less take the interview in the direction she wanted to rather than me having a thought in mind and seeing if she would say it (ex. I expected her to say something about the feeling of unity of singing in a group, but maybe that was just my idea).
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Critical Review 5
Titon describes different methods in which fieldwork can be conducted. Participation can be a positive experience for both the ethnographer and the musicians, and it can also be less intrusive than just observing, but an ethnographer must be careful to step back and get a more distant perspective so as not to take details for granted and to be able to better communicate with a reader who may not be at the same level of familiarity with the music as the ethnographer. It is important for the ethnographer to continually document the changes she goes through in the process of transforming from observer to participant. Titon discusses the ethics involved in ethnography, and notes that one should always include the people being studied in the decision processes regarding the ethnography and its publication. In interviews, it is important to refrain from asking "leading questions," which influence the informant's answer according to what he thinks the ethnographer wants or expects to hear. Generally, an ethnographer should keep in mind what her goal is for the information she collects.
Titon discusses how cultural filters affect how we sort through every day experiences in the world, but also how coming to a new experience allows us to see the greater picture. How does background knowledge on a specific kind of music affect the ethnographic experience? Is it best to have a bit of experience the subject, or does this cloud the ethnographer's ability to explain his experience to the unexperienced reader? How should an ethnographer attempt to gain greater perspective on a music in which they participate?
Titon discusses how cultural filters affect how we sort through every day experiences in the world, but also how coming to a new experience allows us to see the greater picture. How does background knowledge on a specific kind of music affect the ethnographic experience? Is it best to have a bit of experience the subject, or does this cloud the ethnographer's ability to explain his experience to the unexperienced reader? How should an ethnographer attempt to gain greater perspective on a music in which they participate?
Critical Review 4
Barz discusses the importance of fieldnotes in the ethnographic process, as including fieldnotes in an ethnography will allow both the writer and the reader to reflect on the "individual processes of knowing" (p. 207). Reviewing fieldnotes allows the ethnographer to take a step back and gain new perspectives each time notes are reviewed, and sometimes the ethnographer can realize certain biases she had initially assumed without realizing. Barz presents the idea of the fieldnotes serving as a fulcrum balancing out experience (field research) and interpretation (ethnography)--rather than a linear model with fieldnotes in between--which demonstrates that an ethnography does not necessarily need fieldnotes to translate experience into interpretation. In general, fieldnotes and additions to fieldnotes are beneficial because they allow the ethnographer to reflect on the change over time in his views and evaluations of the situations and of his own thought processes.
Barz discusses the importance of fieldnotes in the overall reflective process of transferring one's experience into an ethnography. There is importance, Barz tells us, in the way in which the ethnographer perceives her experience, and thus fieldnotes serve as a guide for reflection and re-reflection, on one's own interpretations. How does recording (either audio or video) a fieldwork experience affect our individualized fieldnotes? Will things be brought out to us in reviewing recorded material that were not originally noted or noticed by the ethnographer? Is this a good thing or a bad thing, or doesn't it make a difference?
Barz discusses the importance of fieldnotes in the overall reflective process of transferring one's experience into an ethnography. There is importance, Barz tells us, in the way in which the ethnographer perceives her experience, and thus fieldnotes serve as a guide for reflection and re-reflection, on one's own interpretations. How does recording (either audio or video) a fieldwork experience affect our individualized fieldnotes? Will things be brought out to us in reviewing recorded material that were not originally noted or noticed by the ethnographer? Is this a good thing or a bad thing, or doesn't it make a difference?
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Field Notes part 4
Day of First Performance
-It's 10:00am, Michelle called and left message she would be at my dorm to pick me up in 25 minutes
-I wait on Thayer, big van pulls over, I sit in front seat, 4 or 5 elderly people in back seats
-Michelle tells me she and everyone was looking for me at Waterfire, I am flattered and appologize for missing her performance, I had to leave early
-get out of van, man who was in back shakes my hand and I say I'm Julie and he says he is Bashey and I say "nice to meet you." he asks if I can pronounce it back. I say "Bashey?" and he says yes and laughs and says "simple, right?" and spells it for me. I ask him if people mess his name up often and he says yes, in this country. I ask him where he is from and he tells me Nigeria, and he moved here 8 years ago.
-We arrive at church, I go downstairs to put on robe and wait for instructions, several come in and shake my hand and ask how I am, without asking who I am
-Two women in bathroom talking about something and laughing, I can't really hear what
-finally choir files in, slowly and one by one, to downstairs, I hear Michelle and two other women talking about death of someone, I cannot figure out who it is, discussion of collecting money to buy plant for family member of person who died
-lots of disorientation and chattering in general, finally we file upstairs where the service is beginning, people filing in and chatting
-woman from my choir holds up drapes and tells someone that she and others cleaned the windows all yesterday, and that these drapes would be blessed and put up on the windows (held up drapes)
-choir goes into hall to pray, we all hold hands, Nadine prays and asks God to bless the choir, the church, the performers, and thanks God for bringing me to the choir and allowing "Julie" to sing with everyone. At this point everyone says "yes" and "amen." I can't help but smile I am so flattered, but then I immediately feel guilty for some reason, like I don't deserve that since I'm just here doing fieldwork, really. Also, I feel guilty knowing I won't really be able to participate in the choir after this fieldwork project is done, as it has been a big time commitment and I have other interests I'd like to pursue
-I also realize that I am relieved not to say a prayer out loud not just because I'm not a Christian, because I could certainly think of a prayer to say that wasn't exclusively Jesus-related. I realize it is because in every situation of prayer I have been in, prayer has been a silent and deeply personal thing, with no music or group connection except that all share the silence together. I have never said a prayer in front of others. Interesting difference. I wonder what it feels like to share something I consider so personal with a group. Maybe I should try it one of these times, if I get the guts.
-we awkwardly shuffle in, people moving around, I'm not really sure where to go. but then music starts playing of song I recognize, and Michelle signals to me to get in line. We walk down the church aisle singing "Oh Come Let Us Adore Him" doing a step-right, together, step-left, together movement. We then take a seat in the first rows.
-whole church begins singing a prayer that sounds familiar to me, soemthing like "let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptible in thy sight," etc. This is sung to a tune I don't recognize, but I mouth the words. I realize I know them from a Sublime song, "Rivers of Babylon."
-I left my paper and pencil for notes downstairs, and realize I wouldn't be able to write while sitting in the first two rows of the choir anyway. Order of events is again blurred and subjective, as is what I specifically remember. I had a hard time paying attention to much of the speach involved in the service perhaps because I got very little sleep the night before.
-man spoke at front, talked about how the drapes were blessed, talked about various things that needed money, etc., general church matters and concerns, again I regret not giving my full attention
-then Michelle signals for us to stand up, and we walk to front stage. We sing "Praise Him" in front of everyone. I am familiar and comfortable with the song, or so I thought. The meter of the song initially confused me, but once I got used to it in practice I felt it in a 9/8 meter. We began side stepping back and forth in performance, which was somewhat awkward feeling because we would step right on beat one, together on beat four, left on beat 6, and back together on beat 1 of the next measure, so it created a sort of hemiola between our foot movement and the meter of the song. I got the rhythm OK, but then Michelle, who was standing in front and leading us, began clapping on beats 2 and 3, 5 and 6, and 8 and 9. This clapping pattern makes perfect rhythmic sense, at least in my standards, for a 9/8 meter or any triple meter. But the movement of our feet was to a completely different meter or metrical feel than our hands. I have always thought that my strong point in music is rhythm, but I was embarraced to find that I was thrown off. I kept clapping on the wrong beats, and when I thought about it and regained a sense of the rhythm, I found myself swaying at the wrong times. It was certainly humbling, as everyone else in the choir, some of whom claim not to read music, expressed no obvious problems with these complex rhythms. This reminded me of a book I read for another class, called "The Games Black Girls Play" by Kyra Gaunt, which discusses the common stereotype that African Americans "have rhythm." Gaunt suggests that hand games and double dutch played by young black girls allows them to subconsciously develop a sense of flexible rhythm and an ability to express complex rhythms with different parts of their bodies. I wonder if anyone in the choir played such games as children. I should find that out.
-We sit down, pastor comes out. different man from last time. he stands on very high podium, have to strain neck back at this angle to see, i find myself looking down out of exhaustion.
-various songs are sang in hymnal from last time, and some that are memorized, at which points I sit with mouth closed and try to be respectful.
-pastor gives speech, which again, i failed to pay close attention. the general gist i got was that Jesus was a friend, to all, no matter what earthly friends have diserted us, and no matter how much we can't seem to get out of a situation.
-As the speech went on, various people chimed in with words of approval. one I had not noticed before was "well." I heard it first said by Michelle. She said "Well" so loud in the middle of the pastor's speech I was uncomfortable, I thought she was interrupting him to say something. And she said it with a sort of scooping inflection and it sounded almost like a question. but it stopped there. several others also said "well" and nothing else at various times with this same inflection
-One man particularly half shouts and half sings words of approval. At one point, he full out sings a succession of "wells." (in 3/4 time, all quarter notes except the last as half note, well (tonic), well (scooped into major third), well (forth), well (fifth), well (forth), well (third), weeeelllll (tonic)) at this point, half the congregation looks over in his direction and some giggle, myself included.
-the pastor begins half singing and half saying the ends of his speech, when he gets to the passionate parts about the loyalty of Jesus, and he keeps mentioning "a river that runs through His church," and all the wonderful properties of this river. He starts on a stable pitch, and then his voice sort of quavers, like a vibrato within speech, and then he just speaks. People in the audience are more excited and show this with their words of approval. The pastor speaks/sings louder and a bit faster.
-When he is finished, Michelle again signals for us to stand, this time where we are in our benches. This time we sing a song I call "Get Ready." Nadine, playing piano, sings a solo, and we all chime in in a sort of call-and-response sort of way, getting ready for His miracle. I hear a tamborine behind me, not always on beat. At the end of the song I turn around and am delighted to see it is held by a young boy in a choir robe, who is thrilled to be participating.
-Throughout the song, people begin getting up to leave, giving their hugs and kisses goodbye, etc. Michelle is directing us, and gives us a sort of "tag" ending (that's the jazz term for it at least) in which we repeat the last line however many times indicated. However, Michelle keeps signaling to us to do it again at the last second before saying the very last conclusive lines, and all are a bit confused and the song sort of crumbles slightly as some keep repeating while others move on.
-I start to leave, give some hugs and thank you's to various people. I wait downstairs as Michelle instructs me to, as she insisted again on driving me home. I do, put back my robe, and eventually wander back upstairs. Michelle assures me that she didn't forget about me, she is coming. I tell her I didn't think she did
-A spiffily-dressed mid-thirtiesish man who I recognized from various excited female greetings before the service walks outside, where I wait with the others who are getting a ride in the van. He shakes my hand and introduces himself, and welcomes me to the choir. He asks if I am from Brown and I explain yes, I am a music student and I am doing a project on the church's music. He says "oh" and I might have imagined it but I sense a slight twinge of disappointment on his face. I feel uncomfortable with the thought that most people probably think I am a Christian singing here because I love Gospel Music (which I do, but not for specifically religious reasons exactly), but I'm glad I made myself clear to this man and I think I should do this more often.
-we get in the van with the same crew as last time, with the addition of a man who sits in the front. He asks me what my name is and I tell him, and he says I was great and he's glad I sang with the choir. A woman next to me tells me she used to sing in the choir too, but she hurt her foot and had to stay home for a while, and now she needs to take the van to get back and forth from the church. I suggest that she will sing in the choir agian when she is healed, and she agrees.
-Michelle get's into the driver's seat. Someone asks, "George," (to the man in the front seat) "I thought you were driving," and he responds with something like, "no, Michelle is driving. I have to make sure she do alright," at which he laughs and Michelle gives an affectionate scowl, and I laugh as well.
-Michelle begins driving, and we get somewhere into Brown's campus. She asks if I know where we are, and I say "oh!' and then realize I have no idea and embarracingly say "no." and excuse myself for not knowing my way around yet. Michelle starts driving around blocks and getting stopped by one-way signs. George starts instructing her, and she says "OK, George," as in "that's enough, I got it." I can relate, I hate when people back-seat drive.
-She pulls over and says "OK here's your stop!" I thank her a lot, tell her I will see her in two weeks (will be gone next weekend), tell everyone it was great to see them, and leave.
Notes about music: today, with acception of Nadine's solo song on which she played piano, a man I did not recognize accompanied on piano. The keyboard/drummer from last time was playing percussion in a slow R&B sort of way that made me think maybe the emotional themes of much R&B music comes from the highly religious emotion of Gospel Music, or vice versa. Also, when we sang an upbeat song, the pianist would often role down the piano in what I relate to a "Jerry Lee Lewis style" (although I don't assume he invented the piano role, i just don't know how else to describe it so I remember what I meant later). This was interesting to me because I always associated such a musical gesture with the stereotype of sex-crazed rock and roll.
the hand signal of holding up a closed fist is used by anyone who is directing and is understood to mean that this is the last time through a tag or a verse. This is important, as much of the performance of our Gospel Music is based on the repetition of phrases or verses, and this is often an improvised structure that changes in every performance and practice. I also noticed that once in a while, the man sitting next to me in the choir would quietly chime in with little improvised solo lines. His voice was beautiful and gave me chills, and reminded me of all the old rusty recordings of blues that I've always been drawn to. I wish I told him that but I felt shy.
-It's 10:00am, Michelle called and left message she would be at my dorm to pick me up in 25 minutes
-I wait on Thayer, big van pulls over, I sit in front seat, 4 or 5 elderly people in back seats
-Michelle tells me she and everyone was looking for me at Waterfire, I am flattered and appologize for missing her performance, I had to leave early
-get out of van, man who was in back shakes my hand and I say I'm Julie and he says he is Bashey and I say "nice to meet you." he asks if I can pronounce it back. I say "Bashey?" and he says yes and laughs and says "simple, right?" and spells it for me. I ask him if people mess his name up often and he says yes, in this country. I ask him where he is from and he tells me Nigeria, and he moved here 8 years ago.
-We arrive at church, I go downstairs to put on robe and wait for instructions, several come in and shake my hand and ask how I am, without asking who I am
-Two women in bathroom talking about something and laughing, I can't really hear what
-finally choir files in, slowly and one by one, to downstairs, I hear Michelle and two other women talking about death of someone, I cannot figure out who it is, discussion of collecting money to buy plant for family member of person who died
-lots of disorientation and chattering in general, finally we file upstairs where the service is beginning, people filing in and chatting
-woman from my choir holds up drapes and tells someone that she and others cleaned the windows all yesterday, and that these drapes would be blessed and put up on the windows (held up drapes)
-choir goes into hall to pray, we all hold hands, Nadine prays and asks God to bless the choir, the church, the performers, and thanks God for bringing me to the choir and allowing "Julie" to sing with everyone. At this point everyone says "yes" and "amen." I can't help but smile I am so flattered, but then I immediately feel guilty for some reason, like I don't deserve that since I'm just here doing fieldwork, really. Also, I feel guilty knowing I won't really be able to participate in the choir after this fieldwork project is done, as it has been a big time commitment and I have other interests I'd like to pursue
-I also realize that I am relieved not to say a prayer out loud not just because I'm not a Christian, because I could certainly think of a prayer to say that wasn't exclusively Jesus-related. I realize it is because in every situation of prayer I have been in, prayer has been a silent and deeply personal thing, with no music or group connection except that all share the silence together. I have never said a prayer in front of others. Interesting difference. I wonder what it feels like to share something I consider so personal with a group. Maybe I should try it one of these times, if I get the guts.
-we awkwardly shuffle in, people moving around, I'm not really sure where to go. but then music starts playing of song I recognize, and Michelle signals to me to get in line. We walk down the church aisle singing "Oh Come Let Us Adore Him" doing a step-right, together, step-left, together movement. We then take a seat in the first rows.
-whole church begins singing a prayer that sounds familiar to me, soemthing like "let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptible in thy sight," etc. This is sung to a tune I don't recognize, but I mouth the words. I realize I know them from a Sublime song, "Rivers of Babylon."
-I left my paper and pencil for notes downstairs, and realize I wouldn't be able to write while sitting in the first two rows of the choir anyway. Order of events is again blurred and subjective, as is what I specifically remember. I had a hard time paying attention to much of the speach involved in the service perhaps because I got very little sleep the night before.
-man spoke at front, talked about how the drapes were blessed, talked about various things that needed money, etc., general church matters and concerns, again I regret not giving my full attention
-then Michelle signals for us to stand up, and we walk to front stage. We sing "Praise Him" in front of everyone. I am familiar and comfortable with the song, or so I thought. The meter of the song initially confused me, but once I got used to it in practice I felt it in a 9/8 meter. We began side stepping back and forth in performance, which was somewhat awkward feeling because we would step right on beat one, together on beat four, left on beat 6, and back together on beat 1 of the next measure, so it created a sort of hemiola between our foot movement and the meter of the song. I got the rhythm OK, but then Michelle, who was standing in front and leading us, began clapping on beats 2 and 3, 5 and 6, and 8 and 9. This clapping pattern makes perfect rhythmic sense, at least in my standards, for a 9/8 meter or any triple meter. But the movement of our feet was to a completely different meter or metrical feel than our hands. I have always thought that my strong point in music is rhythm, but I was embarraced to find that I was thrown off. I kept clapping on the wrong beats, and when I thought about it and regained a sense of the rhythm, I found myself swaying at the wrong times. It was certainly humbling, as everyone else in the choir, some of whom claim not to read music, expressed no obvious problems with these complex rhythms. This reminded me of a book I read for another class, called "The Games Black Girls Play" by Kyra Gaunt, which discusses the common stereotype that African Americans "have rhythm." Gaunt suggests that hand games and double dutch played by young black girls allows them to subconsciously develop a sense of flexible rhythm and an ability to express complex rhythms with different parts of their bodies. I wonder if anyone in the choir played such games as children. I should find that out.
-We sit down, pastor comes out. different man from last time. he stands on very high podium, have to strain neck back at this angle to see, i find myself looking down out of exhaustion.
-various songs are sang in hymnal from last time, and some that are memorized, at which points I sit with mouth closed and try to be respectful.
-pastor gives speech, which again, i failed to pay close attention. the general gist i got was that Jesus was a friend, to all, no matter what earthly friends have diserted us, and no matter how much we can't seem to get out of a situation.
-As the speech went on, various people chimed in with words of approval. one I had not noticed before was "well." I heard it first said by Michelle. She said "Well" so loud in the middle of the pastor's speech I was uncomfortable, I thought she was interrupting him to say something. And she said it with a sort of scooping inflection and it sounded almost like a question. but it stopped there. several others also said "well" and nothing else at various times with this same inflection
-One man particularly half shouts and half sings words of approval. At one point, he full out sings a succession of "wells." (in 3/4 time, all quarter notes except the last as half note, well (tonic), well (scooped into major third), well (forth), well (fifth), well (forth), well (third), weeeelllll (tonic)) at this point, half the congregation looks over in his direction and some giggle, myself included.
-the pastor begins half singing and half saying the ends of his speech, when he gets to the passionate parts about the loyalty of Jesus, and he keeps mentioning "a river that runs through His church," and all the wonderful properties of this river. He starts on a stable pitch, and then his voice sort of quavers, like a vibrato within speech, and then he just speaks. People in the audience are more excited and show this with their words of approval. The pastor speaks/sings louder and a bit faster.
-When he is finished, Michelle again signals for us to stand, this time where we are in our benches. This time we sing a song I call "Get Ready." Nadine, playing piano, sings a solo, and we all chime in in a sort of call-and-response sort of way, getting ready for His miracle. I hear a tamborine behind me, not always on beat. At the end of the song I turn around and am delighted to see it is held by a young boy in a choir robe, who is thrilled to be participating.
-Throughout the song, people begin getting up to leave, giving their hugs and kisses goodbye, etc. Michelle is directing us, and gives us a sort of "tag" ending (that's the jazz term for it at least) in which we repeat the last line however many times indicated. However, Michelle keeps signaling to us to do it again at the last second before saying the very last conclusive lines, and all are a bit confused and the song sort of crumbles slightly as some keep repeating while others move on.
-I start to leave, give some hugs and thank you's to various people. I wait downstairs as Michelle instructs me to, as she insisted again on driving me home. I do, put back my robe, and eventually wander back upstairs. Michelle assures me that she didn't forget about me, she is coming. I tell her I didn't think she did
-A spiffily-dressed mid-thirtiesish man who I recognized from various excited female greetings before the service walks outside, where I wait with the others who are getting a ride in the van. He shakes my hand and introduces himself, and welcomes me to the choir. He asks if I am from Brown and I explain yes, I am a music student and I am doing a project on the church's music. He says "oh" and I might have imagined it but I sense a slight twinge of disappointment on his face. I feel uncomfortable with the thought that most people probably think I am a Christian singing here because I love Gospel Music (which I do, but not for specifically religious reasons exactly), but I'm glad I made myself clear to this man and I think I should do this more often.
-we get in the van with the same crew as last time, with the addition of a man who sits in the front. He asks me what my name is and I tell him, and he says I was great and he's glad I sang with the choir. A woman next to me tells me she used to sing in the choir too, but she hurt her foot and had to stay home for a while, and now she needs to take the van to get back and forth from the church. I suggest that she will sing in the choir agian when she is healed, and she agrees.
-Michelle get's into the driver's seat. Someone asks, "George," (to the man in the front seat) "I thought you were driving," and he responds with something like, "no, Michelle is driving. I have to make sure she do alright," at which he laughs and Michelle gives an affectionate scowl, and I laugh as well.
-Michelle begins driving, and we get somewhere into Brown's campus. She asks if I know where we are, and I say "oh!' and then realize I have no idea and embarracingly say "no." and excuse myself for not knowing my way around yet. Michelle starts driving around blocks and getting stopped by one-way signs. George starts instructing her, and she says "OK, George," as in "that's enough, I got it." I can relate, I hate when people back-seat drive.
-She pulls over and says "OK here's your stop!" I thank her a lot, tell her I will see her in two weeks (will be gone next weekend), tell everyone it was great to see them, and leave.
Notes about music: today, with acception of Nadine's solo song on which she played piano, a man I did not recognize accompanied on piano. The keyboard/drummer from last time was playing percussion in a slow R&B sort of way that made me think maybe the emotional themes of much R&B music comes from the highly religious emotion of Gospel Music, or vice versa. Also, when we sang an upbeat song, the pianist would often role down the piano in what I relate to a "Jerry Lee Lewis style" (although I don't assume he invented the piano role, i just don't know how else to describe it so I remember what I meant later). This was interesting to me because I always associated such a musical gesture with the stereotype of sex-crazed rock and roll.
the hand signal of holding up a closed fist is used by anyone who is directing and is understood to mean that this is the last time through a tag or a verse. This is important, as much of the performance of our Gospel Music is based on the repetition of phrases or verses, and this is often an improvised structure that changes in every performance and practice. I also noticed that once in a while, the man sitting next to me in the choir would quietly chime in with little improvised solo lines. His voice was beautiful and gave me chills, and reminded me of all the old rusty recordings of blues that I've always been drawn to. I wish I told him that but I felt shy.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Field Notes part 3
-enter church room, welcomed in by pianist (Nadine), realize that the children's choir rehersal is still in session, sit in middle row to listen
-woman from my choir group is directing the kids, they are singing "Joyful Joyful, Lord, we adore Thee" (version from Sisteract). All are sitting in front row, looking down mumbling words, choir director tells them to put some feeling in it
-little girl giggles and runs up to stage, beckoned down by woman sitting in second row
-one older girl starts singing solo, stops and asks why others aren't singing, choir director tells her to keep going
-same little girl gets barbie taken away from angry woman in second row, soon starts runing between benches, and giggling, hiding from boy on other side who is also giggling
-end rehearsal with prayer, I am still seated but am beckoned to join the circle, we hold hands, choir director says prayer and we say "amen"
-our rehearsal begins, people file in, hold hands, one person says prayer, Nadine plays chords, man I haven't seen before sitting at a keyboard playing a drum beat behind it, sort of slow R&B type beat
-start singing through songs from last time, Michelle comes in late, A comes in even later, but luckily for me there was another alto present this time who wasn't there last time so I wasn't stranded without knowing my part well
-This alto who is new to me leaves early because she has to be with the children, or something like that, and then it is just me and A because Nadine has asked Michelle to join the soprano section
-Nadine asks A and I to sing our part alone for song, I'm a little nervous because neither A nor I know the part well, but we do alright and the repetition of lines helps cement my part into my head
-I begin to become aware that everyone is talking about a performance tomorrow, Sunday, at church. I am expected to be there. I wasn't planning to go and did not realize this, but I agree because I wasn't really asked and I don't have any serious commitment, but I am uneasy because I don't know the songs too well.
-woman comes in, I recognize her as cantor from first church visit, introduced as "Sister Betty," she begins handing people little pink breast cancer ribbons on pins and asking for 50 cents. I feel foolish for again forgetting to bring money. When she taps me on the shoulder I appologize for not having money, but she gives me a pin anyway and says I'll give her the money later. I agree and thank her.
-sometime in the midst of rehearsal, Michelle again introduces me to the group, since there are some new members present today. Everyone smiles and says "hi"
-After running through songs, Michelle anounces that her group RPM will be performing at waterfire this evening, which will be a representation of Rhode Island's relationship to the slave trade, and I announce that I'll be there volunteering. Michelle is delighted.
-People begin to start packing up, and Michelle asks me if I want music copied so I can learn the words before tomorrow. I tell her that this would be great, and she asks what pieces I want the music for. I can't really remember which pieces I didn't know too well, sort of all of them. I can't remember their names, either. I wish I paid better attention
-I ask for one specifically, "Praise Him," which I remember not knowing the middle section to. A suggests we go over that part now, because she missed it completely since she came in late. We do, and I feel more comfortable.
-Michelle insists on giving me a ride home in the church's van, saying she will pick me up tomorrow and needs to know where I live. I agree, and I follow her downstairs because she tells me I need to pick out a robe for tomorrow's performance. She hands me one and I try it on, and it seems to fit alright. She goes to copy the music and I tell her I think I'm alright and don't need it.
-We get into the van. Children from the church are holding up signs for a car wash to raise money for the church. Nearby, kids from the school down the street holding up signs for a car wash for their school. They yell "car wash!" towards us as we drive down Olney Street towards Thayer. Michelle rolls down the window and yells "my church is having a car wash!" and we proceed.
-Michelle discusses how excited she is about tomorrow and about her performance with RPM. She tells me RPM is a very diverse group.
-Michelle pulls over by my dorm and we exchange numbers so we can arrange a pick up for tomorrow. I thank her and we say goodbye.
-woman from my choir group is directing the kids, they are singing "Joyful Joyful, Lord, we adore Thee" (version from Sisteract). All are sitting in front row, looking down mumbling words, choir director tells them to put some feeling in it
-little girl giggles and runs up to stage, beckoned down by woman sitting in second row
-one older girl starts singing solo, stops and asks why others aren't singing, choir director tells her to keep going
-same little girl gets barbie taken away from angry woman in second row, soon starts runing between benches, and giggling, hiding from boy on other side who is also giggling
-end rehearsal with prayer, I am still seated but am beckoned to join the circle, we hold hands, choir director says prayer and we say "amen"
-our rehearsal begins, people file in, hold hands, one person says prayer, Nadine plays chords, man I haven't seen before sitting at a keyboard playing a drum beat behind it, sort of slow R&B type beat
-start singing through songs from last time, Michelle comes in late, A comes in even later, but luckily for me there was another alto present this time who wasn't there last time so I wasn't stranded without knowing my part well
-This alto who is new to me leaves early because she has to be with the children, or something like that, and then it is just me and A because Nadine has asked Michelle to join the soprano section
-Nadine asks A and I to sing our part alone for song, I'm a little nervous because neither A nor I know the part well, but we do alright and the repetition of lines helps cement my part into my head
-I begin to become aware that everyone is talking about a performance tomorrow, Sunday, at church. I am expected to be there. I wasn't planning to go and did not realize this, but I agree because I wasn't really asked and I don't have any serious commitment, but I am uneasy because I don't know the songs too well.
-woman comes in, I recognize her as cantor from first church visit, introduced as "Sister Betty," she begins handing people little pink breast cancer ribbons on pins and asking for 50 cents. I feel foolish for again forgetting to bring money. When she taps me on the shoulder I appologize for not having money, but she gives me a pin anyway and says I'll give her the money later. I agree and thank her.
-sometime in the midst of rehearsal, Michelle again introduces me to the group, since there are some new members present today. Everyone smiles and says "hi"
-After running through songs, Michelle anounces that her group RPM will be performing at waterfire this evening, which will be a representation of Rhode Island's relationship to the slave trade, and I announce that I'll be there volunteering. Michelle is delighted.
-People begin to start packing up, and Michelle asks me if I want music copied so I can learn the words before tomorrow. I tell her that this would be great, and she asks what pieces I want the music for. I can't really remember which pieces I didn't know too well, sort of all of them. I can't remember their names, either. I wish I paid better attention
-I ask for one specifically, "Praise Him," which I remember not knowing the middle section to. A suggests we go over that part now, because she missed it completely since she came in late. We do, and I feel more comfortable.
-Michelle insists on giving me a ride home in the church's van, saying she will pick me up tomorrow and needs to know where I live. I agree, and I follow her downstairs because she tells me I need to pick out a robe for tomorrow's performance. She hands me one and I try it on, and it seems to fit alright. She goes to copy the music and I tell her I think I'm alright and don't need it.
-We get into the van. Children from the church are holding up signs for a car wash to raise money for the church. Nearby, kids from the school down the street holding up signs for a car wash for their school. They yell "car wash!" towards us as we drive down Olney Street towards Thayer. Michelle rolls down the window and yells "my church is having a car wash!" and we proceed.
-Michelle discusses how excited she is about tomorrow and about her performance with RPM. She tells me RPM is a very diverse group.
-Michelle pulls over by my dorm and we exchange numbers so we can arrange a pick up for tomorrow. I thank her and we say goodbye.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Critical Review 3
Agawu discusses ethics in Ethnomusicology, and the difficulties or impossibilities of defining a set code of ethics for all who do fieldwork. The difficulty here is that different cultures have different ideas of ethic that may conflict with the Ethnomusicologist's, certain ethics may be helpful to one party, but hurtful to another, we might desire to respect a culture about which we write an ethnography, but our means of being "ethical" contrast those of the culture we represent, etc. In other words, "ethics" are completely subjective. Agawu describes how we can better understand a culture's ethical standards by looking for clues in things such as song text and practices such as that of the Anlo-Ewe which promotes exchanging insults in songs (by listening to insults and hearing what one ethically SHOULDN'T do, we can gain better insight as to what is expected one ethically should do). Agawu gives several examples of written works that seem ethical or unethical, but really just exemplify the subjectivity of ethics, such as Kisliuk's work with the BaAka tribe and Agawu's fictional writing in "African Rhythm: A Northern Ewe Perspective.
In the example of Kisliuk's writing, Agawu notes that, while she presented a completely personalized and reflexive account, Kisliuk completely left out that she ended up marrying her informant. Because it seems nearly impossible to account for all experiences when doing fieldwork, we inevitably pick and choose, even if we don't realize we are choosing. Sometimes certain occurances stick out in our minds more and we forget others, and thus what is important to us ends up being what is represented in the ethnography. To what degree is it our responsibility to account for these choices? Is it totally up to us what we include and leave out? Do we have to somehow write a disclaimer that not only is the point of view of the ethnography subjective, but the actual events or conversations included are subjective choices also? Do we have a responsibility to the culture we represent to find out what is most important to THEM to have represent their music in an ethnography?
In the example of Kisliuk's writing, Agawu notes that, while she presented a completely personalized and reflexive account, Kisliuk completely left out that she ended up marrying her informant. Because it seems nearly impossible to account for all experiences when doing fieldwork, we inevitably pick and choose, even if we don't realize we are choosing. Sometimes certain occurances stick out in our minds more and we forget others, and thus what is important to us ends up being what is represented in the ethnography. To what degree is it our responsibility to account for these choices? Is it totally up to us what we include and leave out? Do we have to somehow write a disclaimer that not only is the point of view of the ethnography subjective, but the actual events or conversations included are subjective choices also? Do we have a responsibility to the culture we represent to find out what is most important to THEM to have represent their music in an ethnography?
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Field work pt. 2
9/27/08
-arrive at OSBC at 11:30 for choir rehearsal. I hover outside the door of the rehearsal, and Michelle, the woman I spoke with last time, sees me and waves to me to come in
-There are seven people in the room besides me. Michelle introduces me and asks me to explain my purpose. I tell everyone I am a music student at Brown and I am doing a project on the music of the church for one of my classes. Some nod and smile and welcome me.
-I take a seat in the second row. The woman at the piano gets up and leaves the room, and the rest start discussing a surprise celebration they are having for her because she is the founder of the choir. She comes back and sits at the piano, and everyone changes the subject to the music.
-two more people enter. Michelle shouts out to them to introduce me. Besides me, there are 8 women and one man.
-we begin with prayer. a woman holds out her hand to me and we all form a circle holding hands. The pianist plays chords in a 3/4 meter along the lines of a VI (2, 3), IV (2, 3), IV (2) V, I (2,3). A woman begins to say a personalized prayer to God, and asks Him to bless the choir. During this, some people are humming, some mumble words of approval or "amen"'s.
-Michelle invites me to sing with the choir, and beckons me to sit in the front row. I agree, and a woman asks if I am an alto. I say I am, and she says she just knew it. I laugh and ask her how she could tell. She says sometimes she can just tell these things. She laughs then and says something like "we just need more altoes, some of them aren't here today." (I can't remember this woman's name and was too embarraced to ask again because everyone remembered my name, so for now I will just call her A.)
-The pianist calls out a song, and Michelle starts assuring me that it is easy and I'll catch on. A woman in the soprano section says she has music, and shuffles through her things, but the song has started and she can't find it.
-I listen through one verse and chorus, and pick it up pretty quickly. Michelle is calling out the words before each verse, for my benefit, it seems, because she is looking right at me with a sort of direction or indication in her eye.
-We sing about four more songs, all with this same process in which I listen and then join in, and Michelle is concerned that I am understanding how the part goes.
-The tenors are having trouble finding some of their notes. The pianist often asks them to step up to the piano and sing. There is one note in particular in the last song that they just cannot seem to get. The pianist has them sing it by themselves, and with the rest of the choir. She begins to get frustrated and starts banging the correct note on the paino, because every time they sing their line with the choir, they sing the wrong note. One tenor (one of two women, there is also the man) laughs and says something like "well if that is the right note that's not what we've been singin' all these years." I smile at her. The pianist ignores the comment and continues to play the transition from the note preceding the wrong note to its correction on the piano.
-between songs, A, who is on my right, makes various comments to me. Before about half of the songs, she whispers "I'm not to sure about this one" and giggles. I smile back at her and say "we're in the same boat" or something like that. Once she asks me if I am in the choir at Brown, to which I say no, I just transferred here and am still figuring things out. She later asks me if I'll sing with them two sundays from now, and I say yes not really thinking if this is a realistic possibility.
-Michelle, on my left, also talks to me between songs. She gives me little anecdotes about the choir, and seems very excited to have someone to tell these things to. One thing she tells me is that there is a sort of giant Gospel concert for multiple Gospel choirs including this one held at OSBC on Oct. 25. She tells me I am welcome to sing with the choir. I thank her, saying I would love to but meaning it in a sort of "that's a nice idea, I'll think about it" way but she stands up and asks everyone if it would be OK if I sing with them at this concert. A pipes in and says "she already agreed to!" The pianist gives a nod, but I am nervous that I am intruding and I cannot actually see the pianist (who is also the founder and choir director). I fear she nodded because she felt she had to, since I was sitting right there when she was asked.
-Before the last song, we stop for announcements. People begin discussing drapes that need to be replaced, and donations. Again, the Golden tin is braught out and people pull out donations. I awkwardly find my purse and open my wallet, only to find it is empty. I sigh and look at Michelle and appologize, and she stops me and says something like "you're singing with us, that's enough of a donation. We're just happy to have your voice." A nods in agreement, I thank them.
-We join hands in a circle for the last song. Then it turns into a prayer, in which the pianist is playing background chords similarly to the first prayer. People begin going around the circle, voicing their personal prayers. One woman is so emotional while she says her prayer that she almost breaks into tears. I start to get extremely nervous that I will be asked to do this. It gets to be my turn, and Michelle whispers and asks me if I'd like to, and I give an awkward smile and shake my head no. She pauses for a moment, and nods, and the prayer goes to the next person. I feel very uncomfortable, but nothing else was said about it. I feel that saying a prayer to "Jesus" would really be crossing a line of inappropriateness, since I don't share these religious beliefs. At the end, people begin to file out. The pianist, whose face I haven't seen yet, turns around, smiles at me, and hugs me and thanks me for singing with the choir. I am thrilled at this acceptance, hug her back, and thank her for having me. A does the same, and I thank her. Michelle asks for my email address, and I write it down. She explains that the Gospel event on the 25th is a celebration of the choir's 15 years. I ask if she has been in the choir for this long, and she said she has been there since the beginning. At first, she tells me, the choir had about 50 people but people moved, etc. and now they are trying to build it back up. She then hugs me, thanks me, and I thank her and leave.
-I am beginning to walk back to campus, but it is raining. A, who is sitting in her car parked on Olney Street, calls out to me and asks if I would like a ride. I decline politely at first, but she insists, so I cross the street. It is raining.
-During the carride, A explains again that the choir used to be bigger, and used to have more young people (I would estimate that no one was under 45) but they all went off to college or other places.
-She told me how much the music meant to her, and how much it lifted her up. I agreed that the music was very powerful. -And then she asked the question I had been dreading since I chose this topic for my project: "Are you a Christian?" I pause, and say "Actually, I'm not. I'm technically Jewish, but I sort of have my own religous beliefs. I'm still young, you know, and trying to figure out what's out there..." She smiles and nods, as if she understands. I wait to see how this will be received.
-She tells me that Jewish tradition is similar to Christian, and a lot of the songs have reference to the Old Testiment, which is true. (Slave spirituals especially referenced the Old Testiment when slaves were converted to Christianity, because the condition of the Israelites, who, according to the belief, were also enslaved, was relatable to the slave condition.)
-She tells me she was asking me because she saw that I was really into the music, and was uplifted by it the way she was.
I explain that even if I can't relate to a specific name, I still feel the power of the music because I can relate it to a higher power I believe in. I tell her I love Gospel Music, which is true, and she is delighted.
-She tells me it doesn't really matter if I can't relate to a specific name or religion, because with Gospel Music, people just feel the power of the "spirit." We are all spirits, she says, and we feel a connection to something more, to some kind of higher power. I verbally agree, even if I am not sure I actually completely agree. I try to encourage this thought by telling her that in some reading I have done, there are accounts of people who went to study Gospel Music and were so empowered by it that they couldn't help but join in.
-She continues to tell me that Gospel Music evolved out of slave spirituals, and that this music is what has carried African Americans through.
-We have mostly silence for the rest of the ride, I get out and thank her several times.
-arrive at OSBC at 11:30 for choir rehearsal. I hover outside the door of the rehearsal, and Michelle, the woman I spoke with last time, sees me and waves to me to come in
-There are seven people in the room besides me. Michelle introduces me and asks me to explain my purpose. I tell everyone I am a music student at Brown and I am doing a project on the music of the church for one of my classes. Some nod and smile and welcome me.
-I take a seat in the second row. The woman at the piano gets up and leaves the room, and the rest start discussing a surprise celebration they are having for her because she is the founder of the choir. She comes back and sits at the piano, and everyone changes the subject to the music.
-two more people enter. Michelle shouts out to them to introduce me. Besides me, there are 8 women and one man.
-we begin with prayer. a woman holds out her hand to me and we all form a circle holding hands. The pianist plays chords in a 3/4 meter along the lines of a VI (2, 3), IV (2, 3), IV (2) V, I (2,3). A woman begins to say a personalized prayer to God, and asks Him to bless the choir. During this, some people are humming, some mumble words of approval or "amen"'s.
-Michelle invites me to sing with the choir, and beckons me to sit in the front row. I agree, and a woman asks if I am an alto. I say I am, and she says she just knew it. I laugh and ask her how she could tell. She says sometimes she can just tell these things. She laughs then and says something like "we just need more altoes, some of them aren't here today." (I can't remember this woman's name and was too embarraced to ask again because everyone remembered my name, so for now I will just call her A.)
-The pianist calls out a song, and Michelle starts assuring me that it is easy and I'll catch on. A woman in the soprano section says she has music, and shuffles through her things, but the song has started and she can't find it.
-I listen through one verse and chorus, and pick it up pretty quickly. Michelle is calling out the words before each verse, for my benefit, it seems, because she is looking right at me with a sort of direction or indication in her eye.
-We sing about four more songs, all with this same process in which I listen and then join in, and Michelle is concerned that I am understanding how the part goes.
-The tenors are having trouble finding some of their notes. The pianist often asks them to step up to the piano and sing. There is one note in particular in the last song that they just cannot seem to get. The pianist has them sing it by themselves, and with the rest of the choir. She begins to get frustrated and starts banging the correct note on the paino, because every time they sing their line with the choir, they sing the wrong note. One tenor (one of two women, there is also the man) laughs and says something like "well if that is the right note that's not what we've been singin' all these years." I smile at her. The pianist ignores the comment and continues to play the transition from the note preceding the wrong note to its correction on the piano.
-between songs, A, who is on my right, makes various comments to me. Before about half of the songs, she whispers "I'm not to sure about this one" and giggles. I smile back at her and say "we're in the same boat" or something like that. Once she asks me if I am in the choir at Brown, to which I say no, I just transferred here and am still figuring things out. She later asks me if I'll sing with them two sundays from now, and I say yes not really thinking if this is a realistic possibility.
-Michelle, on my left, also talks to me between songs. She gives me little anecdotes about the choir, and seems very excited to have someone to tell these things to. One thing she tells me is that there is a sort of giant Gospel concert for multiple Gospel choirs including this one held at OSBC on Oct. 25. She tells me I am welcome to sing with the choir. I thank her, saying I would love to but meaning it in a sort of "that's a nice idea, I'll think about it" way but she stands up and asks everyone if it would be OK if I sing with them at this concert. A pipes in and says "she already agreed to!" The pianist gives a nod, but I am nervous that I am intruding and I cannot actually see the pianist (who is also the founder and choir director). I fear she nodded because she felt she had to, since I was sitting right there when she was asked.
-Before the last song, we stop for announcements. People begin discussing drapes that need to be replaced, and donations. Again, the Golden tin is braught out and people pull out donations. I awkwardly find my purse and open my wallet, only to find it is empty. I sigh and look at Michelle and appologize, and she stops me and says something like "you're singing with us, that's enough of a donation. We're just happy to have your voice." A nods in agreement, I thank them.
-We join hands in a circle for the last song. Then it turns into a prayer, in which the pianist is playing background chords similarly to the first prayer. People begin going around the circle, voicing their personal prayers. One woman is so emotional while she says her prayer that she almost breaks into tears. I start to get extremely nervous that I will be asked to do this. It gets to be my turn, and Michelle whispers and asks me if I'd like to, and I give an awkward smile and shake my head no. She pauses for a moment, and nods, and the prayer goes to the next person. I feel very uncomfortable, but nothing else was said about it. I feel that saying a prayer to "Jesus" would really be crossing a line of inappropriateness, since I don't share these religious beliefs. At the end, people begin to file out. The pianist, whose face I haven't seen yet, turns around, smiles at me, and hugs me and thanks me for singing with the choir. I am thrilled at this acceptance, hug her back, and thank her for having me. A does the same, and I thank her. Michelle asks for my email address, and I write it down. She explains that the Gospel event on the 25th is a celebration of the choir's 15 years. I ask if she has been in the choir for this long, and she said she has been there since the beginning. At first, she tells me, the choir had about 50 people but people moved, etc. and now they are trying to build it back up. She then hugs me, thanks me, and I thank her and leave.
-I am beginning to walk back to campus, but it is raining. A, who is sitting in her car parked on Olney Street, calls out to me and asks if I would like a ride. I decline politely at first, but she insists, so I cross the street. It is raining.
-During the carride, A explains again that the choir used to be bigger, and used to have more young people (I would estimate that no one was under 45) but they all went off to college or other places.
-She told me how much the music meant to her, and how much it lifted her up. I agreed that the music was very powerful. -And then she asked the question I had been dreading since I chose this topic for my project: "Are you a Christian?" I pause, and say "Actually, I'm not. I'm technically Jewish, but I sort of have my own religous beliefs. I'm still young, you know, and trying to figure out what's out there..." She smiles and nods, as if she understands. I wait to see how this will be received.
-She tells me that Jewish tradition is similar to Christian, and a lot of the songs have reference to the Old Testiment, which is true. (Slave spirituals especially referenced the Old Testiment when slaves were converted to Christianity, because the condition of the Israelites, who, according to the belief, were also enslaved, was relatable to the slave condition.)
-She tells me she was asking me because she saw that I was really into the music, and was uplifted by it the way she was.
I explain that even if I can't relate to a specific name, I still feel the power of the music because I can relate it to a higher power I believe in. I tell her I love Gospel Music, which is true, and she is delighted.
-She tells me it doesn't really matter if I can't relate to a specific name or religion, because with Gospel Music, people just feel the power of the "spirit." We are all spirits, she says, and we feel a connection to something more, to some kind of higher power. I verbally agree, even if I am not sure I actually completely agree. I try to encourage this thought by telling her that in some reading I have done, there are accounts of people who went to study Gospel Music and were so empowered by it that they couldn't help but join in.
-She continues to tell me that Gospel Music evolved out of slave spirituals, and that this music is what has carried African Americans through.
-We have mostly silence for the rest of the ride, I get out and thank her several times.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
SEM Write-Up
I was interested in the article Ethnomusicology, Its Problems and Methods by Mieczyslaw Kolinski from May 1957. In many ways, I was surprised by the extent of the author’s dedication to maintaining an unbiased view as an Ethnomusicologist, as I expected less because of the date of the article. He criticizes the work of Erich von Hornbostel for concluding that certain forms of world music were inferior to European music. He notes some flaws of comparative musicology, which focuses mainly on how music from different cultures differs rather than finding common threads among cultures other than among those that are ethnically closely related. While his criticisms and suggestions of open-mindedness are progressive and reflect the values and morals of unbiased Ethnomusicology, there are several points in the article that fail to convey this message or need more work.
Kolinski describes how Hornbostel saw non-European music as inferior to European music because the former had descending melodic trends and the latter had ascending melodic trends. Kolinski devalues this claim by describing examples of countries, both European and non-European, in which an average was taken of the actual degrees that music ascends and descends in music. His conclusion was that European music actually descends with similar degrees to non-European music. However, Kolinski fails to recognize that the actual idea that ascending melodic pattern is superior to descending is a bias itself and is only valued in certain cultures and contexts. By proving that European and non-European music have degrees that ascend and descend similarly, he is indirectly acknowledging that ascending patterns are, in fact, superior because he is not refuting or contextualizing this idea. Also, it seems unrealistic and biased to categorize all music into European and non-European music, especially since both Europe and everything outside of Europe are made up of many different countries and cultures. In his proof of degrees, Kolinski gives examples of some European and some non-European countries, but, especially concerning non-European countries, there are so many different cultures out there that it would be extremely bias to assume that a small representation of countries could represent the entire rest of the world. What about how the music of those countries compares to or differs from each other? I don’t believe one can classify an entire region made up of countless cultures as having one kind of music or another.
Kolinski attempts to criticize another of Hornbostel’s biased ideas relating to the supposedly inferior intervals used in “Negro” and “Indian” songs. Again, Kolinski acknowledges that this is bias, but tries to refute this idea not by stating that Hornbostel’s opinions are influenced by his own cultural ideals, but by claiming that the intervals Hornbostel described are not actually those used in “Negro” and “Indian” songs. Also, while Kolinski describes different intervals used in these songs, he fails to give examples and his arguments indicate that all “Negro” and “Indian” songs use these intervals, which, without extensive evidence, would be an audacious assumption.
To Kolinski’s credit, he does provide a reflection on his own work at the end, but it would have been helpful to see more of this throughout the paper. Generally, he fails to provide any evidence for his claims or give us any background details on where he is getting his information. I have drawn the assumption that he is of similar cultural background to his critiqued Hornbostel because instead of explaining why Hornbostel might have certain ideas about inferiority and superiority and why it is important to recognize his work as biased, Kolinski simply tries to disprove Hornbostel’s theories. Overall, I was impressed with Kolinski’s general attitude of assigning equal value to the music of all cultures, but he would still have much work to do in order to remain unbiased.
Kolinski describes how Hornbostel saw non-European music as inferior to European music because the former had descending melodic trends and the latter had ascending melodic trends. Kolinski devalues this claim by describing examples of countries, both European and non-European, in which an average was taken of the actual degrees that music ascends and descends in music. His conclusion was that European music actually descends with similar degrees to non-European music. However, Kolinski fails to recognize that the actual idea that ascending melodic pattern is superior to descending is a bias itself and is only valued in certain cultures and contexts. By proving that European and non-European music have degrees that ascend and descend similarly, he is indirectly acknowledging that ascending patterns are, in fact, superior because he is not refuting or contextualizing this idea. Also, it seems unrealistic and biased to categorize all music into European and non-European music, especially since both Europe and everything outside of Europe are made up of many different countries and cultures. In his proof of degrees, Kolinski gives examples of some European and some non-European countries, but, especially concerning non-European countries, there are so many different cultures out there that it would be extremely bias to assume that a small representation of countries could represent the entire rest of the world. What about how the music of those countries compares to or differs from each other? I don’t believe one can classify an entire region made up of countless cultures as having one kind of music or another.
Kolinski attempts to criticize another of Hornbostel’s biased ideas relating to the supposedly inferior intervals used in “Negro” and “Indian” songs. Again, Kolinski acknowledges that this is bias, but tries to refute this idea not by stating that Hornbostel’s opinions are influenced by his own cultural ideals, but by claiming that the intervals Hornbostel described are not actually those used in “Negro” and “Indian” songs. Also, while Kolinski describes different intervals used in these songs, he fails to give examples and his arguments indicate that all “Negro” and “Indian” songs use these intervals, which, without extensive evidence, would be an audacious assumption.
To Kolinski’s credit, he does provide a reflection on his own work at the end, but it would have been helpful to see more of this throughout the paper. Generally, he fails to provide any evidence for his claims or give us any background details on where he is getting his information. I have drawn the assumption that he is of similar cultural background to his critiqued Hornbostel because instead of explaining why Hornbostel might have certain ideas about inferiority and superiority and why it is important to recognize his work as biased, Kolinski simply tries to disprove Hornbostel’s theories. Overall, I was impressed with Kolinski’s general attitude of assigning equal value to the music of all cultures, but he would still have much work to do in order to remain unbiased.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Fieldwork Project, 1
Fieldwork Topic: Gospel Music, specifically at Olney Street Baptist Church
Notes:
*Note about notes: It was difficult to record detailed notes of occurances and I missed several songs and song titles. I felt I was being rude by writing while the service was going on, so I made quick and vague notes when I felt I wouldn't be drawing attention to what I was doing. I chose not to bring an audio recorder because I wasn't sure if that would be appropriate, but next time I think I will bring one and ask beforehand if I can use it.
-Welcomed into service before I had chance to explain my mission, about 25 people present scattered throughout benches
-service began with congregation singing two songs from The New National Baptist Hymnal (162 Pass Me Not, 164 I Have Declined to Follow Jesus), accompanied by piano and led by elderly female cantor. Most of the hymns in this book are musically written out in two- or three-part harmonies, but people are often flexible with the harmonies and melodies. Various people will also periodically raise their voices above others in both pitch and volume to sing a solo line. None of the changes in harmony or solo create dissonance
-Most in congregation sing, some clap, about two-thirds know songs without reading from book
-Woman stands after song to announce her thanks to God that her brother is doing well, followed by multiple "amen"'s
-Begin song "In the Name of Jesus," starts with only pianist, more people file into church, talk with each other, shake hands or hug
-Cantor begins to sing and starts walking and touching hands and finally takes a seat within the congregation
-song continues, people chime in here and there while still talking and greeting each other
-The next is an unnanounced song everyone seems to know by heart that makes reference to soldiers, and a group of six uniformly dressed middle-aged men enter through the door and walk up the aisle while singing, eventually taking seat in front row
-The six men get up in front of all to sing next song, one man sings first, others join in in responsive harmony, sort of call-and-response, met by scattered shouts of approval from audience
-break from singing, someone takes microphone and asks that anyone who is a guest or visiting for the first time please stand and say your name and church affiliation. I automatically stand, but then regret it, as I have no church affiliation and do not want to be mistaken for appreciating the service in a way I cannot based on my own religious views. It is too late, though, and the mic is passed to me, so I state my name and say I am "just visiting," and make some sort of awkward, uncomfortable giggle. To my relief, no one questions me; people just smile and say "welcome." I sit down.
*From this point on, the order of things is a bit confused, as I was scribbling notes on the program in all different angles and in no particular order, but I will try to recreate the order as accurately as possible.
-Pastor begins singing song a capella, others join, initially in various keys which makes the song sound very offtune. Pianist struggles to find chords that will match, eventually everything comes together
-Various people stand up to make announcements (events, ask people to accept church positions if asked, present a format for what is hoped to be a church newsletter, etc.)
-Pastor names sort of goal for day: "What to do when what you're doing isn't working." Explains that sometimes its hard to let go of old methods, but we have to realize that times change and methods must change accordingly, and it is insanity to keep trying something that isn't working. He gives an example of a story from the Bible in which different tribes in Israel are at war, the "good" side is losing so they pray to God for another way and God gives them a winning strategy
-Begin singing "When the Saints go Marching In," women wearing white walk through Aisles with gold tins collecting money. I feel obligated and pull out a dollar, and look around anxiously trying to find who I should give it to. A woman taps me from behind and smiles, holding out the tin, and I put in the dollar
-Song 309 "Higher Ground" is sung by all, and Pastor asks that everyone start singing with just one hand up while we remain singing. When the lyrics say "stand," we are all instructed to stand. We repeat this song several times while swaying.
-two people I did not see in the audience before, a man and a woman, walk up the Aisle hastilly, and the Pastor explains that one can be saved just by accepting Jesus as their savior. The two people stand right in front of the Pastor, facing him and with their backs to us, and we are instructed to recite something in the book. I begin to recite, but then feel uncomfortable and stop as I'm not sure what is going on. After, the Pastor whispers things to each person, and the retreat to the back hastily, the woman with tears in her eyes
-everyone sings "This Little Light of Mine"
-Closing song, all hold hands and sway, and say "bless you" afterward
-service ends, I shake hands with Pastor and he inquires if I am a Brown student, and I confirm. I go downstairs to reception to seek someone I can speak with about my project, and am met with many "welcome"'s and "please come back again"'s
Reflection on experience:
I found that I was more uncomfortable with myself than others were with me being there. The real source of my discomfort was that I felt sort of guitly for participating in something that means so much to others around me, but that I do not share this meaning and belief. At the end, when people held hands and said "bless you" to eachother, including to me, I said it back, but I felt sort of wrong about it because I can't mean it the way those who follow this religion do. This presents me with a delema I have still not solved: When being a participant-observer, is it more respectful to attempt to blend in and participate and do or say what those around you are doing, regardless of whether or not the words have meaning to you? Or is it more respectful to refrain from saying certain phrases, thus confirming that saying the words is a powerful and meaningful action, and the sacredness should not be diminished by people who just throw them around but don't personally believe in them? I wish I had a chance to explain my true intentions prior to attending service, but I will make an effort to clarify next time.
I did, however, make an effort to participate in hymns and songs when lyrics were available, and I found that the more I actually participated rather than observed, the more I found myself getting into the service and the pastor's charismatic stories and words. I found myself nodding along with everyone else without even realizing. I found the "silent" prayer to be particularly interesting, which I also participated in (although, as I said, I am not a Christian Baptist, I channelled my prayer energy to my own higher-power beliefs). The piano played chords in the background (3/4 meter, pattern of I, IV, V IV V, I) had a significant effect on my emotional levels during the prayer, which I found fascinating. I almost started tearing up, which is unlike me. Music is very powerful.
Further Questions:
The majority of the service consisted of music rather than speech. Does the music express the religious sentiments of the members of the church more precisely than speech? Why is this music meaningful for the church members? In what ways do the specific musical qualities of the hymns both influence and represent emotion?
How many of the particpants in singng actually read music? For those who have memorized songs, how did this happen? Where these hymns passed through families, or have certain members experienced specific hymns in church(es) since childhood? Do members have musical background, as certain harmonically pleasing improvisations would seem to indicate?
Notes:
*Note about notes: It was difficult to record detailed notes of occurances and I missed several songs and song titles. I felt I was being rude by writing while the service was going on, so I made quick and vague notes when I felt I wouldn't be drawing attention to what I was doing. I chose not to bring an audio recorder because I wasn't sure if that would be appropriate, but next time I think I will bring one and ask beforehand if I can use it.
-Welcomed into service before I had chance to explain my mission, about 25 people present scattered throughout benches
-service began with congregation singing two songs from The New National Baptist Hymnal (162 Pass Me Not, 164 I Have Declined to Follow Jesus), accompanied by piano and led by elderly female cantor. Most of the hymns in this book are musically written out in two- or three-part harmonies, but people are often flexible with the harmonies and melodies. Various people will also periodically raise their voices above others in both pitch and volume to sing a solo line. None of the changes in harmony or solo create dissonance
-Most in congregation sing, some clap, about two-thirds know songs without reading from book
-Woman stands after song to announce her thanks to God that her brother is doing well, followed by multiple "amen"'s
-Begin song "In the Name of Jesus," starts with only pianist, more people file into church, talk with each other, shake hands or hug
-Cantor begins to sing and starts walking and touching hands and finally takes a seat within the congregation
-song continues, people chime in here and there while still talking and greeting each other
-The next is an unnanounced song everyone seems to know by heart that makes reference to soldiers, and a group of six uniformly dressed middle-aged men enter through the door and walk up the aisle while singing, eventually taking seat in front row
-The six men get up in front of all to sing next song, one man sings first, others join in in responsive harmony, sort of call-and-response, met by scattered shouts of approval from audience
-break from singing, someone takes microphone and asks that anyone who is a guest or visiting for the first time please stand and say your name and church affiliation. I automatically stand, but then regret it, as I have no church affiliation and do not want to be mistaken for appreciating the service in a way I cannot based on my own religious views. It is too late, though, and the mic is passed to me, so I state my name and say I am "just visiting," and make some sort of awkward, uncomfortable giggle. To my relief, no one questions me; people just smile and say "welcome." I sit down.
*From this point on, the order of things is a bit confused, as I was scribbling notes on the program in all different angles and in no particular order, but I will try to recreate the order as accurately as possible.
-Pastor begins singing song a capella, others join, initially in various keys which makes the song sound very offtune. Pianist struggles to find chords that will match, eventually everything comes together
-Various people stand up to make announcements (events, ask people to accept church positions if asked, present a format for what is hoped to be a church newsletter, etc.)
-Pastor names sort of goal for day: "What to do when what you're doing isn't working." Explains that sometimes its hard to let go of old methods, but we have to realize that times change and methods must change accordingly, and it is insanity to keep trying something that isn't working. He gives an example of a story from the Bible in which different tribes in Israel are at war, the "good" side is losing so they pray to God for another way and God gives them a winning strategy
-Begin singing "When the Saints go Marching In," women wearing white walk through Aisles with gold tins collecting money. I feel obligated and pull out a dollar, and look around anxiously trying to find who I should give it to. A woman taps me from behind and smiles, holding out the tin, and I put in the dollar
-Song 309 "Higher Ground" is sung by all, and Pastor asks that everyone start singing with just one hand up while we remain singing. When the lyrics say "stand," we are all instructed to stand. We repeat this song several times while swaying.
-two people I did not see in the audience before, a man and a woman, walk up the Aisle hastilly, and the Pastor explains that one can be saved just by accepting Jesus as their savior. The two people stand right in front of the Pastor, facing him and with their backs to us, and we are instructed to recite something in the book. I begin to recite, but then feel uncomfortable and stop as I'm not sure what is going on. After, the Pastor whispers things to each person, and the retreat to the back hastily, the woman with tears in her eyes
-everyone sings "This Little Light of Mine"
-Closing song, all hold hands and sway, and say "bless you" afterward
-service ends, I shake hands with Pastor and he inquires if I am a Brown student, and I confirm. I go downstairs to reception to seek someone I can speak with about my project, and am met with many "welcome"'s and "please come back again"'s
Reflection on experience:
I found that I was more uncomfortable with myself than others were with me being there. The real source of my discomfort was that I felt sort of guitly for participating in something that means so much to others around me, but that I do not share this meaning and belief. At the end, when people held hands and said "bless you" to eachother, including to me, I said it back, but I felt sort of wrong about it because I can't mean it the way those who follow this religion do. This presents me with a delema I have still not solved: When being a participant-observer, is it more respectful to attempt to blend in and participate and do or say what those around you are doing, regardless of whether or not the words have meaning to you? Or is it more respectful to refrain from saying certain phrases, thus confirming that saying the words is a powerful and meaningful action, and the sacredness should not be diminished by people who just throw them around but don't personally believe in them? I wish I had a chance to explain my true intentions prior to attending service, but I will make an effort to clarify next time.
I did, however, make an effort to participate in hymns and songs when lyrics were available, and I found that the more I actually participated rather than observed, the more I found myself getting into the service and the pastor's charismatic stories and words. I found myself nodding along with everyone else without even realizing. I found the "silent" prayer to be particularly interesting, which I also participated in (although, as I said, I am not a Christian Baptist, I channelled my prayer energy to my own higher-power beliefs). The piano played chords in the background (3/4 meter, pattern of I, IV, V IV V, I) had a significant effect on my emotional levels during the prayer, which I found fascinating. I almost started tearing up, which is unlike me. Music is very powerful.
Further Questions:
The majority of the service consisted of music rather than speech. Does the music express the religious sentiments of the members of the church more precisely than speech? Why is this music meaningful for the church members? In what ways do the specific musical qualities of the hymns both influence and represent emotion?
How many of the particpants in singng actually read music? For those who have memorized songs, how did this happen? Where these hymns passed through families, or have certain members experienced specific hymns in church(es) since childhood? Do members have musical background, as certain harmonically pleasing improvisations would seem to indicate?
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Critical Review 2: Barz and Cooley Ch. 9
This chapter describes the importance of considering the possibilities of reciprocal influence between the Ethnomusicologist and the culture being studied. While the fieldworker consciously focuses on appropriate conduct and ethics during and after the fieldwork is conducted, little attention has been paid to the ways in which the fieldworker has an effect on the culture, and some sort of effect is inevitable. There are three ways in which the fieldworker is implicated in transmission with regard to tradition: preserving, memorializing, and mediating. Overall, it is important to realize that we are not studying a culture as some distant thing that is separate from ourselves, but rather we are human and we are studying a group of humans.
Discussion Question:
Shelemey mentions and later dismisses the idea that learning a culture’s style of music or traditions and then sharing them to the rest of the world could be an act of appropriation. Shelemey claims, however, that most cultures would still appreciate this action because the music is still passed on and will outlive the members of the culture, and the outsider’s learned music doesn’t necessarily take away from the original character of the music. Even if we assume that the Ethnomusicologist—who chooses to learn and pass on a previously foreign form of music and thus represent a culture—does follow every code of conduct and respect that we can think of, it seems like a large generalization to state that most cultures would appreciate this. Can you think of any examples where this would not be appreciated? Can an outsider, no matter how well-intended, truly act as a mediator to deliver the learned music to the world and still maintain the authenticity of the tradition? In our previous reading, we discussed the definition of tradition and that it is subject to change, so if it is slightly altered, consciously or subconsciously, by the ethnomusicologist in the mediation process, is that change still considered to be within the natural change of tradition, or is this music now something new that cannot be lumped into a category with the music directly produced from the given culture?
ps. Sorry for my bad grammer, I hope this makes sense.
Discussion Question:
Shelemey mentions and later dismisses the idea that learning a culture’s style of music or traditions and then sharing them to the rest of the world could be an act of appropriation. Shelemey claims, however, that most cultures would still appreciate this action because the music is still passed on and will outlive the members of the culture, and the outsider’s learned music doesn’t necessarily take away from the original character of the music. Even if we assume that the Ethnomusicologist—who chooses to learn and pass on a previously foreign form of music and thus represent a culture—does follow every code of conduct and respect that we can think of, it seems like a large generalization to state that most cultures would appreciate this. Can you think of any examples where this would not be appreciated? Can an outsider, no matter how well-intended, truly act as a mediator to deliver the learned music to the world and still maintain the authenticity of the tradition? In our previous reading, we discussed the definition of tradition and that it is subject to change, so if it is slightly altered, consciously or subconsciously, by the ethnomusicologist in the mediation process, is that change still considered to be within the natural change of tradition, or is this music now something new that cannot be lumped into a category with the music directly produced from the given culture?
ps. Sorry for my bad grammer, I hope this makes sense.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Critical Review 1: "Tradition, Genuine or Spurious" by Richard Handler and Jocelyn Linnekin
Handler and Linnekin explain that there is an important connection between tradition and culture/group identity. They present various definitions of tradition, such as Kroeber, who states that tradition is the handing down of something or some practice from one generation to the next, while Shils builds off that and states that the “tradition” is only such if it goes through at least three generations and contains certain “essential elements” that remain unchanged through time. The authors present the idea of a nation or group in the form of a metaphor: A group can be seen as one organism in which the group refers to its collective identity, or as a collective of individuals, such as one genus with a variety of species. After providing examples of culture/traditions in Quebec and Hawaii, the authors conclude by noting that tradition is always subject to change, and tradition is not necessarily an objective relation to the past. If something is considered meaningful and traditional to those who practice, then it is tradition even if it does not have the clearest ties to the past.
Question for Discussion:
Handler and Linnekin demonstrate that the definition of tradition has had multiple interpretations. This definition could be crucial in drawing lines among and between peoples, as certain shared traditions may tie people together into what we might then call a “culture.” If the definition of tradition is so malleable, what definition would be necessary to define a culture in such a way that it is clearly separate from other cultures? Aside from tradition, are there any other clear and unconditional factors that could separate one culture from another, or is tradition most important?
Question for Discussion:
Handler and Linnekin demonstrate that the definition of tradition has had multiple interpretations. This definition could be crucial in drawing lines among and between peoples, as certain shared traditions may tie people together into what we might then call a “culture.” If the definition of tradition is so malleable, what definition would be necessary to define a culture in such a way that it is clearly separate from other cultures? Aside from tradition, are there any other clear and unconditional factors that could separate one culture from another, or is tradition most important?
First 24 hour music log
12:00am 11/15/08 my roommate is playing Girltalk from her computer while clicking through Facebook. She complains that she is getting sick, I tell her to go to bed, so she does and we turn a fan on to block outside noise.
Morning:
Musically uneventful. I take a break from doing homework before my 3:00pm class, and decide to clean room. I put on "Hey" by the Pixies from my computer's iTunes, because I have had this song stuck in my head for the past two weeks.
iTunes is set on shuffle, and the next song that comes on is "Stool Pigeon Blues" by Lightnin' Hopkins.
I turn music off to do more course reading, and hear a succession of techno songs blasting from the boys next door, who are playing Halo.
******************
I return from my class at 5:30, and turn on iTunes on shuffle while I scarf down dinner before a 6:30 meeting. The first song that comes on is "Dirty Diana" by Michael Jackson. I am not in the mood for something so upbeat, so I skip it. The next song that comes on is "Take You There" by G Love and Special Sauce, and then "Little Miss Lover" by Jimi Hendrix. Then a rough recording by my old a capella group at UVM--"Virtual Insanity" by Jamiraqui--comes on, and I quickly skip it; definitly not in the mood for off-key trips down memory lane, and definitly didn't realize I hadn't deleted that yet. "Dig For Fire" by the Pixies comes on, and then "Something" by the Beatles which I skip because I never really liked that song. Then comes "Aqualung" by a band called Morcheeba, which is one of those bands that has one song you really really like, so you download the whole album thinking they'll all be great, but none of the other songs are anywhere near as good as that first one. So I skip it. Then comes "One Life One Love" by Hyrogliphics, and finally, "Big Man with a Gun" by Nine Inch Nails, which I turn off halfway through because it is a little too intense for my current mood. I resume studying before my meeting, and hear someone playing a piece on the violin somewhere down the hall. I don't recognize it--I'm not very knowledgable about classical pieces. Then I hear someone whistling scales and little tunes somewhere down the hall, and he/she is surprisingly on tune and loud.
******************
After my meeting, I come home to do work (this is about 9:30). Most people on my floor are not playing music and neither am I--I assume we all have work to do. I do hear a young woman singing in the bathroom, though, which has become a common occurance for her. She is singing what sounds like a pop song or maybe a tune from a musical. You know what? She is in there right now, maybe I will go ask her what she is singing. Be right back.....
When I first ask her if and what she was singing, she denies that she was even singing at all, but eventually she explains that maaaybe she was humming, and finally, when I explain why I am questioning, she flat out tells me it is "You Could Be Happy" by Snow Patrol.
******************
At around 10:00pm, I hear someone playing some recorded music made up of accoustic guitar, male vocals, and beats. It isn't close enough for me to distinguish what it is, and I can't tell where it's coming from. This music lasts for about 20 minutes.
By a little after 11:00pm, my roommate complains of feeling sick again, so I again turn the fan on and she sleeps while I do homework. No more music tonight.
Morning:
Musically uneventful. I take a break from doing homework before my 3:00pm class, and decide to clean room. I put on "Hey" by the Pixies from my computer's iTunes, because I have had this song stuck in my head for the past two weeks.
iTunes is set on shuffle, and the next song that comes on is "Stool Pigeon Blues" by Lightnin' Hopkins.
I turn music off to do more course reading, and hear a succession of techno songs blasting from the boys next door, who are playing Halo.
******************
I return from my class at 5:30, and turn on iTunes on shuffle while I scarf down dinner before a 6:30 meeting. The first song that comes on is "Dirty Diana" by Michael Jackson. I am not in the mood for something so upbeat, so I skip it. The next song that comes on is "Take You There" by G Love and Special Sauce, and then "Little Miss Lover" by Jimi Hendrix. Then a rough recording by my old a capella group at UVM--"Virtual Insanity" by Jamiraqui--comes on, and I quickly skip it; definitly not in the mood for off-key trips down memory lane, and definitly didn't realize I hadn't deleted that yet. "Dig For Fire" by the Pixies comes on, and then "Something" by the Beatles which I skip because I never really liked that song. Then comes "Aqualung" by a band called Morcheeba, which is one of those bands that has one song you really really like, so you download the whole album thinking they'll all be great, but none of the other songs are anywhere near as good as that first one. So I skip it. Then comes "One Life One Love" by Hyrogliphics, and finally, "Big Man with a Gun" by Nine Inch Nails, which I turn off halfway through because it is a little too intense for my current mood. I resume studying before my meeting, and hear someone playing a piece on the violin somewhere down the hall. I don't recognize it--I'm not very knowledgable about classical pieces. Then I hear someone whistling scales and little tunes somewhere down the hall, and he/she is surprisingly on tune and loud.
******************
After my meeting, I come home to do work (this is about 9:30). Most people on my floor are not playing music and neither am I--I assume we all have work to do. I do hear a young woman singing in the bathroom, though, which has become a common occurance for her. She is singing what sounds like a pop song or maybe a tune from a musical. You know what? She is in there right now, maybe I will go ask her what she is singing. Be right back.....
When I first ask her if and what she was singing, she denies that she was even singing at all, but eventually she explains that maaaybe she was humming, and finally, when I explain why I am questioning, she flat out tells me it is "You Could Be Happy" by Snow Patrol.
******************
At around 10:00pm, I hear someone playing some recorded music made up of accoustic guitar, male vocals, and beats. It isn't close enough for me to distinguish what it is, and I can't tell where it's coming from. This music lasts for about 20 minutes.
By a little after 11:00pm, my roommate complains of feeling sick again, so I again turn the fan on and she sleeps while I do homework. No more music tonight.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)