Classical and Popular Music: Appropriateness of Academic Consideration of Study Methods - Essay Example

? ical and Popular Music: Appropriateness of academic Consideration of study methods Introduction Music has for a long time been thought and classified as a subject that triggers philosophical argument, being that the subject has been considered more of philosophical orientation during the early times of Pythagoras. This olden philosophical thinking has for a long time continued to hold a place even in modern day when the philosophy of this particular subject matter comes out as of the active field, popular and knowledge rich philosophical field. (Tara, 2012) Of interesting is the reasoning why this subject has dominated philosophical thinking for a long time. One such reason as advanced by (Weiner, 2011) is how accessible music has been. To this end, there exists a clear remarkable difference in accessibility of ‘popular music’ and ‘classical music’ According to (Kennedy, 2007) Classical music is the art music which is produced in, or one that is rooted in the traditions and cultures of Western liturgical and secular music, that can be traced back to music that originated around 11th century to present times. Classic music differentiated from other kinds of music by its system of staff notation whereby composers prescribe the performers speed, meter, pitch, and individual rthyms and the execution of any music type. Popular music is classified to several musical genres and is associated to a wide large number of audiences and fans in the music industry. (Tara, 2012) Different scholars have differentiated views when it comes to the difference between classical music and popular music. Some are of the view that classical music has complexity when it comes to thematic development, harmonization, modulation, texture among others. They argue that the classical music is more structured than popular music and having more form. Another group of scholars is of the view that classical music is more of an art while popular music is more for entertainment. Despite all this however popular music is considered to be very artistry and therefore very popular. Suggestions by (Macan, 1997) argue that in today’s world many people are of the opinion that classical music has an elite clientele and patronage where on the other hand popular music has an international more off universal appeal with a general popularity across all types of people in the world.Classical music unlike the popular music has a structured, more unified and a strict body and composition.Classical music is considered to be more repetitive as compared to the popular music .The rhythms of classical music and popular music are thus very different and have different types of genres to their list. Unpopular Musicology Musicology is the study of music, which includes relevant cultures, music forms, genres, styles and traditions and it tends to be included in a combination of musicology, ethnomusicology, and other humanities. (Covach, 2001)Views among musical scholars and academicians argue strongly that the word ‘popular musicology’ is an inappropriate term to fully describe popular music discipline and justifiably deduce the methodologies used. In this regard John Covach is of the opinion that for scholars of music to study popular music, the study must be involved in“issues that already exist in the current discourse, or because [the issues raised] extend or are closely related to issues within the current discourse.” He goes ahead to conclude that, “the study of popular music opens up new repertories and introduces fresh perspectives on current issues in musicology; thus, it expands our understanding of the history of music and enriches our relationship to music itself.” (Covach, 1997) Within this paradigm popular music as a type or classification of music has been excluded from musicology and this has led to one of the most persistent criticisms and has since recently been included in the study of musicology. (Weiner, 2011) In the past in the 1990`s the works of musicology, historical or theoretical deeply and openly excluded popular music. The basics and theoretical part of musicology has always ignored popular music but of late the scholars have started including popular music in their studies. Other emerging contemporary views on music is perhaps interest is theoretical issues of music that are suggested in traditions of music and those that are practiced in western common era around 1725-1900. Of increased interest are issues such as experimental music, rock, jazz, popular music, improvised music, and music from other non western societies. Emerging issues here are progressively related to performance of music, and its perceived audience interpretation, and the impact of technological innovations on recording of music. Other issues here include musical topics that have a great bearing on socio-political context of music as well as the appropriateness of musical compositions onto a new culture. (Weiner, 2011) Studies by (Weiner, 2011) suggest that twenty years down the line, it seemed apparently difficult finding a specific school of study where educational programs could be offered in popular music as opposed to classical music. For this reason, this type of music was commonly referred to as ‘amateur’ music not considering the level of professionalism that were being displayed by the industry players. This position has since then changed with entire academic programs devoted to studying this form of music. The study of popular music academically can be traced back in the early 1980s when musicologists, historians of different types of cultures and their music, together with ethnomusicologists have taken their time to study, research and document their findings on popular music which have led to popular music to be taken seriously as a subject of study and in the recent past have become an academic discipline. (Moore, 2001) Popular Music was the first journal to be ever written academically of popular music in 1981 and it was only later in 1994 was there devoted time and resources to popular music and a society known as International Association for the Study of Popular music formed. Popular music has developed largely and as such there is a need to engage in studies in order to have a full understanding of the theoretic involved in popular music. These developments have been made possible by among other factors need to treat popular music as a dignified activity with set fields of study and not just another activity where anybody can engage into, and also to make qualitative use of musical techniques that are developed in the study of bourgeois canon. Additionally, this perceived academic interest into the study of popular music can be attributed to the fact that it has continually become one of the lucrative engagements of the human activity; additionally it has also become one of the influential issues in individual and community identity and this offers arguments for people to understand popular music and its philosophical influence on people and societies. (Covach, 2001) Within this context there should be continued study and research to improve the knowledge of popular music. Simplicity in Popular Music There is nothing simple when it comes to popular music. Actually some scholars of music are of the view that popular music is one of the most complex classifications of music ever to be done. (Covach, 1997) This is due to the fact that popular music keeps on changing from time to time to capture the shifts in social, cultural and political organization of different cultures and communities and the fact that popular music often has sectional forms of which the most persistent and common includes several verses, a chorus which is repeated over and over the verses in the song and also a section known as the bridge which connects different sections of the song in question.The chorus and the verses are considered as the primary elements of the whole song.The chorus has a key and major lyrical line which is repeatedtime and again, and it also have a melodic phrase which is the most important part of the chorus and is responsible for forming the rhythm of the song.The verses and the chorus are normally repeated through the song while the bridge and the intro are only used once. Thus popular music is considered very complex by several scholars and musicologists. (Tara, 2012) Popular Music does not operate in isolation but operate with other academic disciplines such as sociology.This is in the sphere of lyrics and interpretation whereby the sociologist looks at the lyrical composition of different popular music examples. Other discipline involved in popular music includes anthropology, psychology, and politics (Censorship). Strong emphasis has been placed with the relationship between the three disciplinary approaches that have emerged to showing definitive relationship in the study of popular music. These approaches or disciplines include anthropological approach, historical approach and analytical approach. Other studies also suggest that it was particularly intentional activities by British sociologists and in particular works from the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies, Birmingham that shaped the study of popular music. (Tagg, 1982) Propose that this music at that time emanated as a music of the youth resistance to subculture theories at that time. These developments therefore strongly suggest the development as an interdisciplinary affair, and the contributions made by various disciplines are summarized in Middleton’s (1990) mammoth study and in fact this interdisciplinary approach led to formalization of ‘International Association for the Study of Popular Music’ (Tagg, 1982) drawing largely from both science and humanities disciplines. Lastly, there seems to be a converging opinion that musicology still lags mile behind when compared to disciplines such as sociology, and some scholars have suggested that musicology seems to be at an equal development stage in regards to its potential advantages and limitations. (Tagg, 1982) Musical Composition: a comparison between popular and classical music Sound organization and structure among different forms of music seems to be diverse between different musical cultures. For instance, the Western audiences are quite familiar with three musical pitches identified as; tonic, dominant, and subdominant which relate in keys formation and tone formation. Arguably, the western music composition is shows a derivative of what is commonly described as ‘loyalty’ to tonal center. There seems though significant deviations from this norm and music may exhibit varying degrees of complexity or simplicity within levels of consonance and levels of dissonance. Considering both classes of music, it can be by use of instruments, vocal alone or in most cases a combination of instruments and vocal. Depending on arrangement the music can be produced by a single soloist or by a group of people numbering from a few to hundreds. (Tagg, 1982) The composers of popular music are the artists and musicians who have taken advantage of the development of the upcoming and new technology in recording their music. Such new entrances in technology include multitrack recorders where by multi tracks can be recorded are being used. New sounds have been created by sound engineers by the use of these new technologies and most of these sounds and sound effects were not used in the traditional music in the type of recording techniques they use. In the 1990`s there was the introduction of digital equipment for example samplers, mixing desks, and sequencers which further allowed creation of new sounds which lead to further development of the popular music.There have also been the developments of new tools in the development of popular music and also classical music for example the Queen Bohemian Rhapsody. (Weiner, 2011) Several tools and instruments have therefore been identified with classical music composers that also seem to find applicability in popular music. These instruments used in classical music largely consist of those in orchestra and few solo tools. Orchestra has been a more used tool for classical music and includes tools such as string family, percussion, and brass. Particularly, the classical and popular music composers have found a converging point around 20th Century with the use of electronic techniques for musical composition. Of particular interest are instruments such as electronic guitar, synthesizer, and use of modern digital and computer techniques to aid in sound production. Within this context, acoustic guitar which was prominently associated with the popular music has over the years gained prominence in use among the classical music. (Tagg, 1982) There also seems to be strong borrowing between classical music and popular music concerning music composing, several popular songs drawn from classical music can also easily be identified, and also several classical music compositions being attributed to popular music specific example include the musical genre as advanced by Kurt Weill in his Opera. (Weiner, 2011) Progressive Rock Progressive rock is a type of rock whereby there is a fusion of styles and electrical experiences. Emerson, Lake and Palmer also referred to as ELPis an English Rock Super group which became very successful in the 1970`s and sold millions of albums. (Bill, 1996) They have taken the title for being the most popular progressive rock bands that are also very and extremely commercially successful.They have been described to have reinvented classical music to pop music. For example the Tchaikovsky’s nutcracker in 1982.The group had training and also had a classical music background though their progressive rock is the one responsible for their success and popularity.Progressive rock is a mixture of visuals, words and music which in this context is related to Wagner`s Gesamtkunstwerk which idealize or unifies art. (Macan, 1997) The compositions of ELP are greatly influenced by classic music and also jazz and to some extent in their earlier years were influenced by hard rock. Most of their pieces contain classical quotations, and arrangements of classical music, and fall under the sub-genre of symphonic rock and art rock. (Bill, 1996) Composers of different music attempt to combine different combinations of music in order to widen their sphere and also their popularity.For examples differentartists have tried to combine classics and pop music.Examples of these artists or groups of artists include Beatles which have attempted to borrow from Baroque and have come up with different songs the likes of she loves you,Fool on the hill,Hone Pie etc.Another example is The Queen Symphony which contains themes from the Queens Music.The combinations of these two types of music has come up with very satisfying songs which have become extremely popular. (McClary, Susan, & Robert, 1990) There is a very strong relationship between heavy metal and classical music.Heavy metal is drawn upon the knowledge of classical music and is fused with African-America Blues music. (Covach, 1997) The musical instrument used also is heavily borrowed from classical instruments.There is the collaboration of the two e.g. Concerto with an orchestra for example Jon Lord, Deep Purple etc. Another example is Metallica and San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Another good example is Deep Purple `Highway Star’.A Key board solo used chromatic descend and arpeggio pattern both of which were in Baroque gesture.Also there was a guitar passage in the notion of classical tradition such as movement in the 3rd. (Moore, 2001) During the romantic period there were ideological and there was an element of virtuosic influences to the classical music.For example Edward Van Halen had very strong classical influences to his music. Another example is Eruption from Van Halen whereby he used guitar tapping techniques passage which is related to Beethoven`s Kroitzer Etude for violin an example of classical examples.There is also a relationship between Yngwie Malmsteen`s `Black Star’ and J. S. Bach`s Brandenburg Concerto e.g.instrumental which is purity of music which is related to absolute Music. (Walser, 1992) Heavy Metal Neoclassical is known to most people as an element and combination of both the late romantic era and the modern period classical music.But in reality it’s a sub-genre of metal and rock which normally shows and has elements of classical music which quotes from different composers. (Walser, 1992) Rock musicians who were earlier classical musicians had a pseudo-intellectual and an authentic neoclassical for example the likes of Randy Rhoads and Ritchie Blackmore.With time however, progressive music became more popular and musicians such as Yngwie Malmsteen as mentioned before became very popular with their neoclassical style. (Macan, 1997) Conclusion From the above discussions, a number of objective concluding remarks seem obvious, music serves as a form of communication between the singer and the audience amongst various levels of cultures and community organization encoding in them social, political and cultural issues, equally there seems a new musical development that moves away from the traditional musical composition dominated by classical music and jazz music to recognition and appreciation of other forms of music including popular music into the musicology discipline. Popular music is a recent discipline which in the past has been ignored thoroughly by the scholars of music and culture. Popular music is very complex and as discussed above borrows heavily from the classical music through interdisciplinary approaches in science and humanities. 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