We all have things that irk us to the core; pet peeves that we just can’t stand and for me it’s when someone claims to ‘love’ music, and then later say they ‘hate’ Country and find classical music ‘boring.’ But wait, don’t you love music? I’m confused. It’s like someone claiming to love Shakespeare, but not liking his sonnets. It doesn’t work. I’m not saying it’s necessary to want to listen to all music, but it seems only right to respect its existence and understand how it could been enjoyed.
Quite frankly, I don’t personally listen to the Country genre of music (I hope I haven’t offended). When it comes on the radio I change the channel, but I don’t hate it. I can understand why many people enjoy it. While it’s not my personal choice, I do respect its history. For many people, Country music is what they grew up on and listen to everyday. It has helped them celebrate their triumphs, and grieve their losses.Who am I to say it’s not good music and to condemn someone’s way of expressing themselves?
This begs the question what can be classified as music? I am by no means an expert on the subject, although I am seventeen years old, which makes me ALMOST an adult. But this is exactly the reason I am writing this blog. To discover in depth what music is to me, to my friends, and to my family. This blog will include but not be limited to my experience with music, my love for music history, my life as a classical musician, and what it takes to truly love music.
Here is a little bit about me. First off, I’m a cellist. I could say it a million times and still feel like I haven’t emphasized it enough. I am a cellist. I eat, sleep, and breathe cello. I have been playing for approximately seven years and I’ve loved every minute of it. I can’t wait for the next seventy years of learning how to be a musician. My favorite composers are Beethoven, Brahms, and Mahler but put any composer on and I won’t mind at all. I do of course like ‘normal’ people music too and mostly I choose to listen to Indie, Oldies, and good ole’ Rock n’ Roll.
Finally, I need a favor. I’m not only here to express my own opinions, but to learn as well. I want to expand my knowledge on music and become a better writer. So please, comment and makes suggestions, express your own opinions, or suggest a good song! It’s all welcome.
I love this, Hannah! I shall be creepin' on you blog all summer long. :)
ReplyDeleteDear Chattanooga Cellist,
ReplyDeleteI think your Brilliant!! I can't wait to read more of your blogs in the future. Follow your dreams and never give up, Cello Goddess!
-BTR
Classification of music seems like an interesting topic. I think you should delve deeper into how you look at it and how you might imagine a "normal person" looks at it. Food for thought to begin with, do you think Dubstep is music?
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. I do think that Dubstep is 'music.' Although I must admit I have a very limited experience with this specific genre. However, I think my point right now is that music is an extremely hard thing to define. It can be nearly impossible and who has the right to say something isn't music when someone else thinks it is. I look forward to the challenge of broadening my horizon in the sense of discovering as much music as possible.
ReplyDeleteClassifying something as music is always fun to do. In response to "Anonymous", for me, it is very easy to classify Dubstep as music. I don't listen to it at all but from few times I've heard it, it seems to be another form of popular music/party music. Most of it seems to have a basic chord progression that it follows so it is tonal. But tonality isn't everything when you are trying to define music. Look at people like John Cage or Steve Reich, at times their pieces go so far away from what most people would call music, that at first glace I myself don't even want to call it music. Is a tape loop of someone speaking a sentence over and over again really music? And if you do consider it music, what specific part of it makes you say so? Traditional tonality doesn't exist in these pieces, so is it music? I would encourage you to look up John Cage, Steve Reich, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Pierre Boulez, and many other modern composers if you don't know these guys already. It many not be something you would actually put on your Ipod and walk down the street listening to, but it will certainly open your eyes to what people are/have been calling music. But don't automatically consider it all music, just because one person says that it is music doesn't mean you have to agree. I myself haven't even decided on much of the new music I've listened too. Happy practicing!
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