Tuesday, 7 October 2014

Week One: 23/09/2014

What is Music?
Focusing on the exploration of music and what it is, is a very personal matter to each person. Music is a subject which we usually find ourselves talking about on a daily basis whether it be; listening or watching the news, charts or media. Chatting to friends or looking through social networks. However, every discussion about music can never be agreed nor disagreed as everyone has a different view on what music is? 'Anything made before 1940 or after 1960 isn't really music at all.' (Daniel J. Levitin:13. (2007).) To me, music is a meaningful and emotive expression of feelings and thoughts, it is also timeless. It can persuade and influence the mind, act as a release or emotionally enhance others feelings. Everyone is musical whether they are conscious of this or not, an example of this would be that at least once each person has said 'I have a song stuck in my head'. Music is a natural part of life and is merely 'organised sound' famously defined by Edguard Varese (http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/9a6d6ce0-3496-4db2-8c7a-f2a9a14548a9). This means that it can only be controlled for a short amount of time, as it is constantly developing through technology and the development of people themselves. People can not be told that they can't listen to music that attracts them, as in history when the catholic church banned new and upcoming influences in music such as polyphony. This goes to show that people have different feelings towards music and change within the industry. 'Composers in the tradition are like the painters who stepped outside of the boundaries of representational and realistic art.' (Daniel J. Levitin:14. (2007).) Music is all around us.


BBC [online]. (2014). Available from: <http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/9a6d6ce0-3496-4db2-8c7a-f2a9a14548a9>. [Accessed 23/09/2014].
Daniel J. Levitin (2007). This Is Your Brain on Music. 1st. ed. London: Penguin.






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