Experiencing the Celtic Culture - Essay Example

? Experiencing the Celtic Culture Introduction The ability to be a part of the traditional music of a different culture is one which expands awareness of the expressions throughout the world. The event which I attended was on March 26th, 2011 with the Silver Arm, a band renowned for Celtic Music. This event was sponsored by the Highlands of Ohio and held at the UU Church. My expectations before the concert was to hear some of the basic folk melodies which I knew as related to the Celtic music. However, my limited amount of knowledge with the music and aspects of playing led me into misunderstandings of what should further be expected and how to respond when in the given situation. I think it is important for me to recognize what the limited amount of knowledge led to with my expectations with the concert as well as hesitations which were noted before going because of my misunderstandings of the concept of Celtic music and what the concert would entail. When I went to this concert, the only understanding was based on the ability to listen to cultural music which I had only limited introduction to in the past. Sound The sound of the concert was inclusive of four members which led the Celtic music. This included the flute and concertina, bouzouki, guitar and banjo, fiddle and finger style guitar. The four individuals changed the instruments, depending on the tune and the needed settings for both harmony and melody. This was followed by the interchanges which were heard with singing and rhythmic options that were used with some of the dance pieces. The sound and the interaction with the different instrumentation provided the basis for the experience and allowed the expressions to be easily heard within the different pieces of music. I noticed that the banjo and finger style guitar were used for fast moving chords while the guitar was more often used for the chord structures. The banjo would also sometimes be used for melodic lines. The other instruments interchanged with melodies, specifically between the flute and the fiddle. The sound which was heard was not only based on the basics of the instrumentation, but also the complexities which were heard with some of the pieces. The songs which intrigued me most were the Celtic dances which were played. These were difficult in nature, not only with the individual lines but also with the entire group. My interest was set on the finger picking guitar because of the fast lines and movements made to keep the harmony and rhythm with the other players. I was also intrigued with the flute and violin which often played difficult passages at fast paces and in unison. This particular style is one which I believe would be difficult to play. However, the melodic line was never lost and the rhythmic pace continued with the dance style which allowed the sound of the Celtic music to be a main part of the tune. The other intriguing part of the sound which I was drawn to was the other side of the rhythm, harmony and melody. The folk tunes and ballads which moved at a slower pace were refreshing to listen to and provided a sense of relaxation. The words from the main melodic lines as well as the melodies held by the flute or violin were simplistic; however, they were also soothing and had a comforting effect when listening to the different sounds. The harmonies added into this, specifically with the guitars that held the chords or picked the different sounds as well as the background sounds which moved through the harmonies. While these weren’t complex in nature, the ability to capture the sound and to create an expression of the culture added a magical tone to the concert. The musicians made these ballads seem like there was a reminiscing over an older culture and expression which was often not a part of contemporary society. Setting The place for the Celtic music, at the UU Church, was one which at first didn’t seem comfortable for the Celtic music. The four instrumentalists were at the front stage, usually where the preacher is, and had an organ that was in back of them. The audience was in the stands usually used for the church. Even though being in a church was somewhat uncomfortable because of the atmosphere, there was a focus that was brought in from the Highlands of Ohio which caused the room to become secondary and the focus to be on enjoying the folk music that was a part of the evening. This was furthered with the snacks and refreshments at the intermission which added into the enjoy ability and which offered a break from being in a space which I may not have considered as refreshing. Even though the overall atmosphere of the church wasn’t ideal, there were some parts of the area which made it seem better. The performers were able to use everything acoustically and performed with the sounds of the hall working in their favor. Each of the pieces echoed through the hall and the voices were heard even in the back of the church, even though no mics were used. The effects of the acoustics created a different understanding of the music and made it livelier. I believe that the use of the UU Church was able to provide a different sound throughout the hall and created a specific effect that allowed the ideas of being reminiscent and having a soothing effect through the music come into life. The crowd also added into this as most were already familiar with the folk music and were excited about hearing the tunes or were from the same college atmosphere and curious about a new experience. Significance The significance of this specific concert is one which goes beyond the idea of expression and music. While in this setting, there was a feeling of understanding culture and going into the expressions which belong to a specific identity. The performers brought this to life with the overall attitude they had about each piece. For instance, some of the jigs and dance pieces led to not only the complexity of the piece but were reminiscent of the folk tunes which had passed through generations. The folk songs and ballads which were slower created a different type of significance where one was able to connect with some of the messages and experiences of the culture while hearing the essence of the music through the combined music elements which were played. The pieces which I believe had the most significance out of all were the ones which were sung and had the slower ballad tunes to them. The singing had a special element which the dance tunes didn’t provide as much. The songs, being in English, were easier to understand and follow. The singing was simple in nature, both with the harmony and the melody that was used for the expression of the song. The importance wasn’t only in the concept of the singing and the association with the lyrics and harmony. The meaning created a deeper understanding of the culture and where those from the Celtic tradition really came from. There was an understanding of the older and ancient ideals of how one lived to be a part of the music and to be carried on through a type of story telling which was present in the songs. This part of the performance had a stronger effect in showing the significance of holding onto tradition, expressing identity and showing the generational understanding of belonging to the Celtic traditions. At this point, I was able to understand the significance not only of the music, but also how it related to society, culture and other aspects which were a part of the Celtic ideology. Reflection The performance was able to show me the link between music and culture. When observing this specific performance, I could see the link first between the accepted types of instruments, songs and the dance music. The melodic lines and the harmonies struck me most when I was listening to the music. However, there was a more important element with the expressions that were a part of each of the pieces. The expressions were able to show me what the culture treasured, what had evolved over time and what the important elements of the society were throughout time. The ballads and dance tunes which had been passed down, as well as the understanding of music, all became important because they intertwined with the identity and beliefs which one had about their life. When listening to this performance, there was the ability to observe another individuals reality, lifestyle and past culture that was held onto through time. The main observations which I related to through the music and the culture were nothing of what I expected. Because I was not familiar with Celtic music or the elements of the concert, I didn’t expect much. There was only a sense of general knowledge about what Celtic music was, mostly from other forms of entertainment. However, this was always secondary and not as important to the entertainment which I was a part of. When being at the concert, I was able to change my ideas from unknowing of the culture and music. I was also able to change my associations with what Celtic music was and what it meant to be a part of a cultural experience. Instead of only having the knowledge about the culture, there was an understanding of the identity. The knowledge turned into a sense of experience from the music, specifically which was based on one expressing their identity through the music. The surprises which I had from this musical concert came from the learning of the different types of music. When first going to the concert, I expected the instrumentation and the expressions to be the same as what I associated with my culture. The sound of the instrumentation, the use of traditional Celtic instruments and the changes with aspects such as finger picking, singing, banjo and the traditional instruments all were surprising to me. I didn’t expect to see the shift in instruments or the difficult forms which were used with the music. I was also surprised to hear the difficulty of the dance pieces and the simplicity of the ballads. These two extremes in the music became a part of the understanding of the music and the concept of identity for the culture. The way in which I fit into the cultural context of the performance was simply as an observer. Throughout the concert, I felt as an observer looking at another culture, without a knowing about what to expect or how the sounds would be. To someone who understood the folk music, and which was in the audience, there was a different approach where they could recognize the ballads and dance tunes and become a part of the identity which was expressed in the music. For instance, one of the members which were sitting close to me knew some of the dances and old ballads. I would often see them swaying their head or singing silently. From this aspect, I was able to relate to the music by observing something new; however, there wasn’t a sense of connection or identity that was a part of the performance or from the ballads which I found throughout the performance. Conclusion The concept of cultural expressions and performance is one which can be found throughout time and in different societies. With my experience of the Celtic concert, I was able to find a different approach to music. The overall performance created a different experience of being able to understand a culture and the way in which music represented society and the individual identity of those within the culture. This combined with the musical elements of acceptable harmonies, rhythms and melodies that were heard throughout the pieces. When listening to this specific performance, there was the ability to understand more about what it meant to be Celtic as well as how the music associated with the myths, tales and the overall identity of those that know this specific culture as a part of their own society. Read More