Initially, violin entered the music industry as an instrument for entertainment used by the lower classes. It accompanied dances for ordinary people and was not played at special places. However, with time, violin play became a profession. It entered the orchestral world and started to lead other instruments (Hann 2).
Two Main Types of Venues in the 18th and 19th Centuries
Since the 18th century already, those venues that were created for music-related purposes divided into two types. Those spaces that were connected with the political life of the country were rather large and had good acoustic, which could not be said about small spaces focused on artistic considerations. Some related issues are observed even today, as large music halls also often have a bad influence on the sound of the performance. This problem becomes more critical when intimate repertory is played, for instance, unaccompanied violin pieces (Donington 211).
In the 19th century, music-making was divided into home and philharmonic one. The large-scale music-making took place in the concert halls. In its framework professionals often refer to Wagner’s innovation considering placement of forces. He was the first to put the orchestra underneath the stage.
Programs
Nowadays, professionals pay much attention to concert programs that were popular previously. Still, focusing on them, they do not consider the possibility of recreation, as a rule. For a piece to be played in the concert hall, it is to be innovative and extraordinary. A mixture of different types of music was developed in the 19th century and became popular in its second half. Professionals would gather orchestral and vocal music, for example. The mixture of instruments and vocals appeals to the audience most of all due to its entertaining characteristics.
Examples of Music Mixture in the Programs of the 18th And 19th Centuries
A range of examples can be used to describe this approach of music mixture. Starting with the end of the 18th century, long concert programs were developed. In the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, a symphony, a hymn, violin concerto, and an aria, etc. were combined. Together, they composed an inaugural concert (Jackson 367).
Similar to it, the first concert of London’s Royal Philharmonic Society that took place at the beginning of the 19th century consisted of “Cherubini’s overture Anacréon, a string quartet by Mozart, a vocal quartet and chorus by Sacchini, a wind serenade by Mozart, symphonies by Beethoven and Haydn, a chorus from Mozart’s Idomeneo, a Boccherini quintet, Jommelli’s celebrated chaconne and a march by Haydn” (Lawson and Stowell 93).
The concert of a violinist Franz Kneisel, who was the representative of the 19th century, also was rather extended. It and was performed in 1892, which proves that tendency. It consisted of three main parts: Haydn’s Symphony, Paganini’s Concerto for Violin, and Brahms’ Symphony (Nikisch 1).
Current Examples of Programs and Venues
Current violinists also tend to gather several pieces that have different natures. For example, Hilary Hahn presents “recital of Bach Sonata No. 6, Mozart Violin Sonata in E-flat Major, K. 481, García Abril Solo Partita for Violin, Türk “Träume”, Schubert Rondo in B Minor, D. 895″ (par. 7). Usually, Hahn holds concerts in concert halls. They are rather big but are not always good for violin play, considering their acoustics. Sometimes, performances are held in philharmonics and theaters. They can be found in more locations and can be used for a wider variety of events. Unfortunately, it also means that they are less adapted to such concerts. In addition to that, attention can be paid to additional artists who accompany violinists on their tours. Hahn, for example, alters her program several times during the tour (par. 1-3). Considering those pieces she is going to play, different professionals assist her during the concerts. As a result, the sound of the same piece can change greatly being affected by the peculiar features of the venue, such as the placement of orchestra and seats for the audience, wallcovering, etc. In addition to that, it is influenced by the human factor.
According to Brittany Peterson, Executive Director of Uptown Violins, the venue not only poses additional challenges for the performance but can influence the program of the concert (Rescot par. 4). For instance, more traditional and chambered settings, such as historic churches, symphony halls, and people’s homes, do not require powerful sound and therefore allow more dynamic contrasts via bow hair tilting and playing closer to the fingerboard (Rescot par. 4). In contrast, a large hall, especially coupled with the presence of the orchestra, requires stronger playing and is restrictive to dynamic techniques (Rescot par. 5). Peterson also states that some venues require tweaks in the program to impress the audience, such as her arrangement of Vivaldi’s Winter for eight violins (Rescot par. 3).
The versatility of modern musical settings expands the list of traditional venues to include several venues not initially meant for musical performance. For instance, Dave Matthews Band’s violinist Boyd Tinsley often performs in stadiums and open spaces. For such a setting, electric instruments are often used to overcome acoustical disadvantages. While electric violins are commonly associated with band collaborations and modern music pieces, Tinsley also uses them for his solo performances, such as his performance in Grand Central Terminal, New York (Tinsley).
Conclusion
All in all, it can be concluded that venues and programs of concerts related to violin changed greatly since the 18th century when this instrument became popular. They started as entertainment events and ended with formal affairs. Relatively short and focused on a particular type of music classic programs coexisted with the mixed programs that appealed to the audience of the 19th century. As instrumental music became independent from opera, it attracted more attention, and musicians turned into performers. They hold concerts in concert halls that were made for orchestras but also could be found in theaters or philharmonics, etc.
Works Cited
Donington, Robert. The Interpretation of Early Music. Norton & Company, 1992.
Hahn, Hilary. “On Tour.” hilaryhahn, 2016. Web.
Hann, Hanna. “The Influence of Historic Violin Treatises on Modern Teaching and Performance Practices.” Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado, vol. 4, no. 3, 2015, pp. 1-10.
Jackson, Roland. Performance Practice: A Dictionary-Guide for Musicians. Routledge, 2013.
Lawson, Colin, and Robin Stowell. The Historical Performance of Music: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2004.
Raphael’s Saint Michael Overwhelming the Demon: renaissance conventions
Raphael’s Saint Michael Overwhelming the Demon is one of his works which is a part of the Louvre’s collection. This artwork can be regarded as a conventional example of Renaissance painting. This work is also known as The Small Saint Michael. It was painted circa 1505, allegedly, for Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino (Raphael, 1505). It is oil on wood, dimensions 30 x 26 cm.
This artwork can be regarded as a reflection of the sixteenth-century society. It also embodies the latest tendencies in the art of that time. When stating that the painting reflects 16th century culture, one should not only focus on the dressing. However, it is worth mentioning that the saint is dressed like a sixteenth-century nobleman rather than an archangel at the beginning of times.
It is necessary to point out that precise lines reveal the painter’s longing to create a lively image. Renaissance painters wanted to achieve realism in their depiction of people. Apart from this, the painting reflects the sixteenth century’s tendency to recreate motion. People are not static anymore.
It is also important to note that Raphael who is regarded as a painter devoted to the Church reveals the religious beliefs of his contemporaries. In the sixteenth century, people were still devoted to the Catholic Church.
Thus, Raphael’s Saint Michael Overwhelming the Demon is one of the best reflections of the sixteenth-century society and Renaissance conventions.
Dionisio Baixeras y Verdaguer’s Boatmen of Barcelona: a realistic reflection of the world
Dionisio Baixeras y Verdaguer’s (1886) Boatmen of Barcelona is a part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was painted in 1886. It is oil on canvas, dimensions 149.9 x 210.8 cm. The work is a great representative of the art of the nineteenth century’s realism.
In the nineteenth century many painters tried to convey the world they and the rest of the people saw the real world. Thus, Boatmen of Barcelona can be regarded as a precise photograph of the moment ceased by the painter. The choice of colors perfectly depicts the morning talk of the three men. The major focus is made on the three boatmen, so they occupy the majority of the painting’s space. Notably, precise lines depict everything just as it is in reality. Some dim images of boats are hidden by morning fog.
The painting can be regarded as a reflection of the nineteenth-century longing for realistic reflection and perception of the world. People living in the nineteenth century believed in the power of ratio and they still believed that people are capable of everything. That is why people accepted the world they lived in just as it was. People of art only reflected the world around them without focusing on their individualistic perception.
Pablo Picasso’s Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler: individualism and new perspectives
Pablo Picasso (1910) is one of the most significant painters of the twentieth century who opened up new horizons for art. His famous Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, which is currently in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, was painted in 1910. It is oil on canvas (101.1 x 73.3 cm).
This work reflects the concerns of people of the art living at the beginning of the new century. People rejected old orders and wanted to create something new. Picasso reflects this longing in his paintings, and especially in his Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler. Strict lines of the famous painter who is regarded as one of the founders of Cubism reflect numerous planes/perspectives which can help to see the real world, the world without old conventions. The use of dark colors (black, grey, and brown colors prevail in the painting) is aimed at helping people to focus on the reality depicted by the painter. The painter does not simply portray his model, but it seems that the inner world of the man is reflected.
Admittedly, the painting should be regarded as a reflection of society at the beginning of the twentieth century. Picasso is one of those millions of people who wanted to protest and set his own rules. He rejected old conventions and created his brand-new world. Thus, he reflected the highly individualistic nature of an individual at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Jackson Pollock’s Number 1A, 1948: relying on the universe
Jackson Pollock’s (1948) Number 1A, 1948 can be regarded as a reflection of a person of the twentieth century who saw the two world wars, nuclear explosion and noticed that the world starts developing too fast. As far as the medium is concerned it is oil, enamel paint on canvas dimensions 172.7 x 264.2. The painting was completed in 1948 as its name suggests.
The painting is an example of Pollock’s unique style, “drip” painting. The painter’s choice of colors is quite informative: black and white colors prevail. As for the lines, it is necessary to note that there can be no strict lines, but rather drips of paint. Pollock relies on Providence, he is only the mean, but not the creator. He is just a kind of brush in the hands of some power. The entire painting’s space is filled with unclear lines and drops which can be “read” individually, i.e. every viewer has his/her vision about the painting. The painter does not reveal the world around him or the world in him, he leads the viewer to his/her worlds.
The painting can be regarded as a reflection of the twentieth century when people revealed new secrets of nature and opened up new horizons. However, at the same time, many people relied on some external forces waiting for new worlds to be revealed.
Jeff Koons’s Sandwiches: consumerism, art, and modern life
Jeff Koons’s Sandwiches was painted in 2000. It is now a part of the collection of the Guggenheim Museum. This painting can be regarded as a reflection of our modern life, life at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It is oil on canvas, 304.8 x 426.7 cm.
The painter uses bright colors to reveal the peculiarities of modern life. It is necessary to note that Koons depicts items that people are accustomed to. The sandwich is a part of the everyday life of millions of modern people. Such advertised things as vacuum cleaner reveal modern consumerism. The painter included a cartoon’s eye in his painting and the mustaches, which presumably “belong” to Salvador Dali. Thus, he reveals the world of modern popular culture which is a mix of high art and low-quality advertisement.
Notably, when depicting the items of our everyday life, Koons is precise. All lines are deliberate. He does not create his world, he depicts real objects from real life. Koons does not want to show his reality to the viewer, the painter wants the viewer to see in what world he/she lives.
Thus, the painting is the reflection of the twenty-first century which is crowded with things which bear little value. The painting also shows that people understand that such a world, though being bright and quite attractive, is still shallow.
Reference List
Baixas y Verdaguer, D. (1886). Boatmen of Barcelona. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web.
Koons, Jeff. (2000). Sandwiches. The Guggenheim. Web.
Grey Zone is a film by the director Tim Blake Nelson (2001). The plot of the film is based partially on Miklos Nyiszli’s Auschwitz: a Doctor’s Eyewitness Account (who was a Jew working as a doctor in camp and assisted Mengele during the experiments on cam prisoners) and on diaries found buried in the cam (Blackwelder n. p.).
It is a true story that tells about a group of Sonderkommandos who worked in the Nazis crematoria. They were offered to work there in exchange for few more months of “a better life”: clean linen, better food and the advantage of walking across the territory of the camp.
The Sonderkommandos are the Jew prisoners. Their work is to burn the bodies of people (Jews mainly) killed in the gas chambers. Only one group of Sonderkommandos № 12 is going to rebel and make a diversion while destroying the crematorium which can help stop the horror at least for some time.
The film is very realistic and impressive. Apart from depicting the real events of the time, the director focus attention on the human relations, “quintessential human predicament”, moral, love, betrayal, brotherhood, mercy and other good human traits that were lost during the war.
The main idea of the film is to show how people can remain “people” under terrible conditions. The intention of the author was not only to depict a true historical situation, but examine human behavior and attitudes. The film is really thought provoking.
Tim Blake Nelson puts the characters of the film in situations which make them decide, either save their personal lives despite of other people’s fate, or take risk and let a “human” part of them head the situation.
One of such situations is when the prisoners planning the diversion find a 13 year old girl who was saved by a miracle in the gas chamber. Thus, they have to decide, either save the girl, or save their lives.
The realism of the film lies in the depiction of true historic, social and economic settings. As we know, the Jews were hunted by the Nazi army. The pictures in the film are the ones that really were observed during the war. As the film is based on the live memories, we can stay assure that what we see is what really happened.
We can observe how people behaved and what they felt. Social line is also described very realistic. We can observe how people had to kill their countrymen in order to save their lives.
Thus, the author of the film is trying to say that the war topsy-turned the lives of people and changed their priorities. The authenticity of the film makes it different from other Holocaust pictures. As Blake mentions about his characters:
“The characters aren’t cowering in corners or simpering. They’re not skulking off to pray; they’re not feeling sorry for themselves. They’re dealing with their situation in a strong way. It was very important to us to depict Jews in this way” (Wood n. p.).
It seems that people got used to such live and are ready to do everything to survive. They wash the bloodied walls of gas chambers, cut the hair of dead people and pull out the gold teeth, and all this horror and shame will only add them few months of comparatively (for camps) good life.
They see how people, men women and children are decoyed in to the gas chambers, how they die, but the Sonderkommandos can do nothing with this.
As it has already been mentioned, the story is relevant not only to the events and problems of the past, but to the contemporary issues as well. It draws attention to such moral conflicts and stems that are actual for our days. What is right and what is wrong? Whom to believe and how to act?
What is more important: personal interests or moral principles? All these questions have existed since people inhabited the earth. They became the main axis of the film, they were the prevalent questions for camp prisoners and these questions should be answered by modern people as well.
The film is relevant to Peace and Conflict Studies, as it also analyses human social behavior, reasons and consequences of violence and non-violence. It explores the social and moral conflicts that people faced during the war and, actually, face nowadays.
The film produces a great effect. Though, we cannot see the tortures or dead people, we are allowed to see only faces of those who watch those tortures, there are no any great musical effects or graphic imaginary, we have to turn our imagination on.
We observe people who faced the most terrible times and who had to survive while preserving their morality and believe. There are no extremely impressive scenes which usually serve to evoke emotions and produce greater effect.
The events flow comparatively smoothly, in other words realistically, and this “calmness” makes your hair raiser. This makes the film more powerful. The author does not make any conclusions in the film and makes you wonder about the past, present and future.
Among the major arguments brought forward by the film, “The Battle of Algiers” of 1966 by Gillo Pontecorvo is that winning a war depends on strategies and tactics as well as. Freund (2) argues that although the French were tactful, they failed to quell the insurgency by the National Liberation Front and the Algiers as a whole.
The French had lacked long term strategies for ensuring peaceful coexistence with the Algiers in their own country. According to Freund (5) the tactics employed by the French military that comprised of torture and murder did not succeed as it did not help them obtain critical and immediate information about the operations of the FLN. FLN’s leader, Ali La Pointe being a native was able to convince the Algiers populace to join the war in liberating Algeria by misinterpreting the Muslim teachings to them (Mathews 6).
The movie tries to show that negotiation is very important in solving conflicts. According to the movie, Ali says that he is not ready for any negotiations with the French reiterating the words of the then Interior Minister Francois Mitterrand (Freund 7). The movie concludes that the French worn the war using the tactics, however, they soon lost as the Algiers later worn the battle to achieve independence.
The movie also reveals that disconnecting the leader of an insurgent or terrorist can be very effective in destabilizing a terrorist gang. Despite the torture and murder that the French military employed on the insurgents and the Algiers populace, they were still resilient until the time when Ali was killed.
The movie shows pictures of women and children involve in the war as children shoot soldiers and women plant bombs in French quarters (Freund 2). The French therefore had worn the war as the FLN had no leader to coordinate their activities and to provide the necessary leadership.
The movie also creates the picture that it is not possible to win the war against terrorism or achieve independence through terror. The movie tries to show that the Algiers terror campaign failed to succeed. The bombings and the shootings done by the FLN is portrayed as futile and strategically pointless in the film (Freund 10).
The movie also shows that torture did not yield much result in helping the French military acquire more information although somehow it worked out. In the film, Col. Mathieu, explains to the journalists where he finds torture necessary in quelling the insurgents.
The historical/social/economic setting of the film
Historically, the film justifies the FLN’s terrorist activities as a fight for independence. The film reveals the social injustices that occurred as nations fought against their colonial masters to liberate themselves (Mathews 8). The film also creates a picture what both civilians had to go through as countries struggled for independence.
It shows series of street fights between the French and the Algerian civilians; pictures of French nationals being assembled in checkpoints laid by the Algerian civilians; and pictures of celebrations by the Algerian civilians as their torture and kill innocent French nationals. The film depicts the cruelty of the tactics employed by military personnel in fighting terrorist gangs and insurgents.
The pictures of tortured Algerian men with shattered faces and broken limbs show the crimes against humanity committed by the military. The film also provides evidence for economic deterioration brought by wars between terrorist gangs and the military.
The film shows pictures of bombings of the French quarters as the French military also blows up house suspected to be Ali’ hiding place (Smith 5). The movie shows pictures of Algerian women wearing make ups, uncovering their hair and dressing like European women to enter civil French quarters to plant bombs (Smith 10).
Relevance to Contemporary Issues
The film is relevant to the contemporary issues regarding the fight against terrorism. It reveals the tactics employed by the terrorist gangs to convince their members of the public to support their activities and to join the war. It also explores the strategies and options available for them in their terror campaigns.
However, the most important issue depicted by the movie is creative strategies in fighting the war against terrorism that is a major threat to the global security. Countries fighting terrorist gangs in far land nations have to understand the consequences of the presence of their troops in those countries and therefore react effectively and tactfully.
The countries have to ensure that their fight against terrorism is done tactfully and strategically not to arouse the wrath of the local citizens. The film shows that the application of torture may not be employed in every situation even though it may be efficient in acquiring critical information. The film calls for maintaining increasing the fight against terrorism while applying creative strategies which do not infringe human rights (Freund 10-14).
Relevance to Peace and Conflict Studies
The movie is relevant for peace and conflict studies as it clearly brings out the need for solving conflicts through negotiations. According to the film, the process could have been solved peacefully within few months but both leaders; Ali Pointe and the French internal minister did not recognize the need for negotiations.
The film documents the failures of solving conflicts through violence. Both the French and the FLN lost as both sides suffered economic and social losses as well as deaths of human beings. It shows that conflicts are solved through effective leadership and not by military engagements.
There has been a shift in the way film directors depict different themes on the screen. The directors and producers in contemporary film making use a variety of styles and cinematography to highlight and present a wide range messages in their films. The technical aspects of film making are emphasized great deal in the new emerging way of making film.
An example of this is depicted in the Pulp Fiction film which was written and directed by Quentin Tarantino in 1994. Quentin uses a variety of styles and cinematographic techniques to depict violence in the film.
The reformulation of screen violence has no doubt affected the way of viewing and showing and viewing violence. This paper will highlight and discuss how Quentin uses style and cinematography to show violence in the Pulp Fiction film.
The Pulp Fiction film is very rich in terms of style and cinematographic techniques. The nonlinear narration style is used by Quentin to effectively bring out three different stories in a chronological order with all stories emphasizing the theme of redemption through violence. The staging of the film in a suburban setting of Los Angeles was very relevant because of the crime and violence history of the place.
The stage portrays the mood of an unexpected violence and danger. Four characters in the Pulp Fiction film are shot onscreen to categorically demonstrate the intense violence in the film. Effective utilization of the mise –en-scene element in most parts of the film was key to the director’s success in highlighting violence.
The shots in Pulp Fiction are up-close with the majority of the conversation scenes being shot in door and window frames (Pratt 28). This type of cinematography makes the audience to appear as if they are in an eavesdropping position. The subjective point of view of the audience is what makes the film look real. The film is full of satire and highlights the causes and effects of crime in the contemporary America.
The extensive use of irony and rib –cracking humor by Quentin makes the film interesting to watch. Crime life in Los Angeles is deeply highlighted in the film by the inventive forms of dialogue employed by the director to bring out his primary themes.
The use of irony together with cinematic allusions gives the director room to use his cinematic techniques rather than characters to depict violence. The crime mobs in Los Angeles form a good number of the main characters in the film and are specifically used by Quentin to highlight the theme of crime and violence.
The pictures in the Pulp Fiction film demonstrate high reflex degrees. Quentin uses homage in most instances a style that has made the film to be labeled as postmodern. The extensive use of humor in the film makes the film look like a comedy and yet it is violent.
The self –referential nature of the film is depicted by the way Quentin presents the plot in an ordered sequence. The film also features the use of pastiche which is an element that gives the film a more modern way of showing violence on the screen (Pratt 38).
The Pulp Fiction film is presented in a very sequential manner with the three intertwined storylines being effectively brought out as one. Quentin uses the chronological arrangement technique to present his film sequences. The film contains quite a number of episodes that are separately presented but all focusing on the main theme.
The circular events in the film facilitate easy reference among different elements in the film (Pratt 46). The film was made using a slow stock because Quentin wanted clear images free from grains. Rock and surf music are mostly played in the film to connect the film with younger viewers who have expansive knowledge about modern cinema (Pratt 52).
Rock music is known to appear violent in nature and the music plays a big role in giving the film a violent effect. What make Quentin special are his extra-ordinary creative and imagination abilities. Quentin extensively uses graphic violence in this film to highlight change in the way of showing violence to the audience.
The extensive use of pop and rock music gives the film a trademark violent mood (Pratt 59). The structure of the film is chronological in nature and highlights the overall meaning of redemption through violence.
In conclusion, the film making has undergone a lot of transformation especially in the way the directors highlight themes and show the meaning of their films. The Pulp Fiction film is a perfect example of how violence is shown on the screen in a modern manner.
The emphasis on the use of style and cinematographic techniques has become very popular in modern film making. Quentin effectively uses a variety of cinematic techniques to show the theme of violence in the Pulp Fiction film.
Work Cited
Pratt, Mary K. How to Analyze the Films of Quentin Tarantino. Minnesota: ABDO Publishing Company, 2010. Print.
Humanities involve the study of intellectual as well as artistic creations. It also involves the determination of how such artifacts influence their thinking. In this regard, we decided to visit one of the three chosen museums. These were the San Jose Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. Amongst these, I chose to visit the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University to explore the exhibitions. This is therefore a response paper to the visit to Cantor museum (Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University 1).
Visit Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University
My visit to Cantor Arts Center, also known as Iris & B. Gerald Cantor was exciting. Its location, which is adjacent to the university made it even more exhilarating as the scenes were exemplary. According to the brief history given by the administrator, this center underwent several turmoil and transformations. These events ranged from negligence to natural calamities in earthquakes, which led to its new name Iris & B. Gerald Cantor in 1999.
The administrator concurred that Cantor Center’s strong but vulnerable history gave it unique viability to establish itself as a classic Arts center. According to him, The Stanford family, Leland, and Jane established this center and Stanford University in 1891. This was done in remembrance of their late son Leland Jr. The history was quite emotional, given the intensity of calamities that had faced this center, for instance, the two earthquakes.
In his concluding remarks, the administrator informed me that the center’s new name was in remembrance of Iris and Cantor who worked to revive it in 1999. I then made my way to the gardens, Rodin and Papua New Guinea sculpture gardens. I also had the opportunity to view other sculptures such as Asian and Oceania artistic. These were made between the 19th to 20th centuries (Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University 1).
Exhibitions
Since admission to Iris & B. Gerald Cantor center is free, it was quite easy finding the sceneries. I viewed its antiquity to contemporary times. This started with its two elegant sculpture gardens namely Rodin and Papua New Guinea sculpture gardens. It was electrifying to see the 20 bronzes in Rodin garden, which included Adam, Eve, The thinker, The Three Shades, Gates of hell, among others. In addition, I saw the elegant salient traditional artifacts, which include Visual arts from Papua New Guinea in the second garden. Another striking artifact in Cantor Center included outdoor collections such as Stone River, ceramics, textiles as well as sculptures from Asia, Africa along with Oceania, among others.
Of great interest was Rodin’s monument, also known as the Thinker. It was strategically placed on top of The Gates of Hell. The thrilling visit was culminated by views on Greco-Roman marble sculpture and other exhibitions, which conveyed its varied sensibilities. These included tribal arts, computer arts, painting, glass arts as well as photography (Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University 1).
Conclusion
My experience in the Cantor museum was exciting as I had the opportunity to view the striking artifacts. These included Rodin Sculpture Garden and Papua New Guinea sculpture garden, among others. The view included 20 bronzes, 50 Rodin works as well as provision of varied viewing positions during the night. In addition, I visited its cool cafe, which overlooks the sculpture garden as well as the grounds. The sitting arrangement in that cafe allows for both open and indoor viewing of the sculpture Garden. In essence, the visit was exciting, luxurious, and overwhelming (Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University 1).
Work Cited
Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University. “Exhibitions”. Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. 2011. Web.
The rapid technological progress that has swept the entire world and has been spurring the development of business and art alike has introduced new and fascinating options for communicating ideas. However, while the unique properties of each media type are aspirational enough when considered separately, it is their functioning in unison that leads to the most exciting outcomes and inspirational experiences. The phenomenon of intermedia, which represents an intersectional approach toward using different media types for conveying a message, has gained quite popularity in art, allowing for new, inspirational methods of artistic expressivity.
Main body
However, technological innovations are not the only drivers behind intermedia development. A more in-depth exploration of the contemporary issues in intermedia will reveal the necessity to search for new ways of making music by finding new ideas in the ordinary. For instance, eliciting melody from the items that do not fall under the umbrella of musical instruments has been a trend in intermedia for a while. A recent experiment made by David Byrne, a famous American musician and one of the pioneers in using analog sampling as the means of discovering new means of expression in music, is an accurate representation of intermedia (Byrne 00:00:14). As the artist explains in his video “Playing the Building,” “I realized that you could turn the space into a musical instrument” (“David Byrne: Playing the Building” 00:00:23-00:00:27). While the idea of using space as the means of making music sound differently is far from being new, the representation of space as a musical instrument itself is an astounding concept that deserves to be listed as one of the major contributions to the development of intermedia and its introduction into the realm of music.
The idea of bold and adventurous exploration of the opportunities that different perspectives on music as an art form provide is quite inspirational, as decades of experiments in the specified realm have shown. In his article “Noises of the Avant-Garde,” Kahn posits that the subversion of tropes and the endeavor at challenging the expectations of listeners have always been the starting point of important changes in music and the emergence of new and inspiring genres, artists, and their creations. For instance, the concept of noise as a seemingly disruptive notion that is traditionally juxtaposed to the concept of melody and harmony in music has allowed prompting a change in European music, in general (Kahn, p. 46). Remarkably, the described approach transcends even the notion of intermedia since noise as a concoction of unrelated sounds is typically seen as a chaotic phenomenon that has nothing to do with music (Kahn, p. 45). However, according to Kahn, the decision to work with the material that seemed to be the least appropriate for creating art helped to convey the intended message of the pliability of artistic forms in the most accurate and effective manner possible (Kahn, p. 47). Thus, the notion of intermedia as the constant search for the opportunities of new means of reflecting reality through different tools represents a crucial artistic struggle that artists face currently.
As a part of his reflection on the nature of music, Kahn introduces another interesting idea that can be used as the starting point for reinforcing the influence of intermedia in art. Specifically, the author mentions that music can be compared to the creation of simultaneous poetry, which was particularly important in the development of the Dadaist movement (Kahn, p. 46). Thus, the author creates the platform for the principles of intermedia to be developed since his statement allows concluding that different forms of art and, thus, a new form of art can be built on the intersection of different types of representing reality, such as poetry and music.
The observed trend of locating new methods of producing sound raises the question of whether the described attempts can be seen as valid explorations of opportunities in music or a pointless fad that may disappear within the next few years and will be looked at with a mixture of amusement and confusion. Indeed, some of the experiments that are made for the shock value rather than in an honest attempt at studying the opportunities for music can be seen as passionless and rather artificial. However, when looking deeper into the nature of intermedia as the method of combining different experiences to produce new impressions and elicit new emotions, one will realize that it will ultimately produce a new approach toward understanding music. By focusing on the experiences that music as an art form provides, the artists that use intermedia create universal tools for multidimensional, cross-cultural communication and knowledge sharing. Thus, with the introduction of intermedia, music not only serves an aesthetic purpose but also performs a communicative function by bridging the gap between cultures and generations.
The existence of experimental music can be seen as one of the prime examples of intermedia having established itself in the realm of modern culture. While the notion of experimental music is quite stretchy and may incorporate any attempts at subverting the tropes of the genre, the specific focus on the available options of changing the perception of the sound can be agreed upon as the key definition of the subject matter. Experimental music represents the quintessence of intermedia as the material for creating art since it seeks to combine seemingly incompatible elements to produce a new sound (Kahn, p. 136). Moreover, experimental music embodies the very essence of intermedia since it strives not only to mix different types of media to create a musical piece but also encourages the further exploration of how the idea of combining these elements of intermedia emerged in the first place (Kahn, p. 137). Therefore, while seemingly chaotic, the concept of experimentation with intermedia in music resides on the foundations of harmony and the history of music development. On further inspection, the specified idea seems quite reasonable since it is important to learn the essential rules of composing music or creating any other art piece before subverting these rules to stir the audience’s enthusiasm and shock them into paying closer attention to an art piece. Affecting music drastically and allowing composers to create distinguished artworks that change the very landscape of art, intermedia in music has been an important element for changing the status quo and examining the further directions for the art of music-making to evolve.
While intermedia might seem as a relatively new and, therefore, completely uninhibited method of creating art, the specified notion incorporates inherent issues that could use extensive research and profound analysis. Being a highly diverse notion, the concept of intermedia can be approached from a wide array of perspectives, the cultural one being the main source of concern. Specifically, with the introduction of intermedia into the realm of art, premises for the development of the trend of cultural appropriation may emerge (Byrne 00:00:28). In order to ensure that the culture of the people belonging to the minority should not suffer and be appropriated by the dominant one, it will be necessary to draw clear lines in the use of intermedia as the tool of reinforcing the cultural status quo and the method of subverting the existing stereotypes.
However, while seemingly being on the surface with its message concerning art being used not to harm those that are already too vulnerable, the idea of abstaining from the cultural appropriation in intermedia is not only been barely impossible to attain but also quite pointless. Since cultural appropriation as accepted is neutral in its nature, with the appropriation of dominant cultures not representing any threats to any demographics, the line between a harmful misuse of the markers of a particular culture and the clever integration thereof in an intermedia piece becomes quite difficult to recognize. The observed problem can be discussed from the perspective of the idea of audiences being given the freedom to interpret art pieces in a way that is deemed as reasonable to them having become an important trend in a current artistic environment (DeLaure and Fink, p. 14). Indeed, with the death of the author having become an integral part of modern popular culture, experiencing an art piece without any cultural baggage and taking it at its face value seems innocent and justified enough to be acknowledged as a viable point of view on the use of the elements of different cultures in intermedia (DeLaure and Fink, p. 17). Nonetheless, the lack of background knowledge about the types of media represented in the target intermedia piece may lead to the failure to recognize the instance of an aspect of a particular culture being appropriated to create an intermedia piece.
The lack of control over the cultural elements being borrowed and appropriated from specific cultures to create an intermedia piece may lead to significant confrontations based on cross-cultural misunderstandings. The described situation is directly opposite to the desirable idea of change launched across the globe to bring representatives of different cultures, ethnicities, and races together to create and consume art in the way that would allow for uninhibited sharing of knowledge and experience, thus enriching cultures and creating an artistic lingua franca. Therefore, the introduction of ethical standards into the context of intermedia should be seen as a possible way of addressing the issue in question and avoiding explosive conflicts that may ultimately lead to long-time grudges held by one culture against another.
At the same time, the introduction of the cultural perspective into the notion of intermedia opens a plethora of opportunities for communicating crucial ideas through music. With the integration of different cultural notions and ideas into the process of creating music, one will be able to build the lingua franca in the art that will elicit emotions and encourage contemplations in every listener. It would be a mistake to claim that certain intermedia art pieces will appeal to every audience and be unanimously understood and interpreted equally accurately by everyone. On the contrary, due to the differences in cultural perspectives, the same art piece can contain entirely contradictory meanings for the representatives of different cultures. However, with the use of intermedia as the means of creating visual shorthand for specific ideas and a combination of several cultures into a single entity, intermedia can become the tool for spurring the cross-cultural dialogue. The creation of intermedia may encourage one to explore how elements of different cultures can coexist in the context of a single artwork. In addition, the collision of different cultural standpoints regarding the interpretation of a specific intermedia piece is expected to galvanize the process of cross-cultural communication. Therefore, the issue of cultural intersectionality is one of the major themes that deserve to be explored further. Therefore, from the cultural standpoint, intermedia remains a neutral force that can be exploited with both good and bad intentions.
The creation of intersectional art that will incorporate different types of media, in turn, can be seen as an attempt to locate the.limits to the current state of artistic imagination. However, the boundaries to how creative people can be seen to stretch far too wide to be explored in the nearest future. Among some of the most impressive examples of how art can be reinterpreted and reintroduced into the present-day environment, where audiences have become far too sophisticated to be satisfied with the reiteration of the old tropes, is the study of the power of silence. Remarkably, the idea of using silence as the extension of opportunities in creating music is not as new as one might think. In his research, Cage speculated on the concept of using music as a means of conveying an emotional message to his audience, thus introducing it to the notion of intermedia at its barest and simplest. However, in his interpretation of the role that silence played in music, Cage noticed that there was the direct necessity to subvert the stereotypes of silence being one of the elements of music and had to be viewed as inseparable from the rest of the performance. In his musical experiments, Cage stated that the delusion concerning silence being merely juxtaposition to sound entails the following:
One enters an anechoic chamber, as silent as technologically possible in 1951, to discover that one hears two sounds of one’s own unintentional making the situation one is clearly in is not objective (sound-silence), but rather subjective (sounds only), those intended and those others (so-called silence) not intended. (Cage, pp. 13-14)
Thus, the author emphasizes that the dichotomy of sound and silence as the means of measuring musical pieces appears to be more valid than the juxtaposition of silence as the actual absence of any artistic elements to the concept of sound. Instead, Cage convinces his audience that a sound should not be seen as a thing in itself but, rather, as a tool that can be used along with silence to purport a particular idea ad create a meaningful art piece. Thus, the author prompts his audience to see silence as another tool that can be interwoven into the fabric of a musical piece to represent a structure, a rhythm, and the music that tells a story.
The opportunity to use intermedia as an intersectional tool is also preserved in the traditional approaches toward constructing a narrative, namely, in literature. According to Pinder, the incorporation of the spatial perspective into the art of writing is another form of intermedia that allows delivering outstanding results and helps to create the art pieces that will speak to everyone due to the universality of the symbols used in them. Remarkably, the consideration of architecture and infrastructure as the representations of a specific form of art allows for the introduction of a unique social perspective into the realm of artistic thinking. The process of urbanization and the toll that it has on smaller communities is rarely represented in art, which means that the incorporation of the perspective that Pinder suggests is an important change in the artistic trends. Specifically, the focus on the gentrification of rural environments and the focus on the urbanization of cities as the process that erases a range of unique cultures and identities needs to be explored as an important social concern (Pinder, p. 7). Intermedia, in turn, can be utilized to draw the attention of bystanders to the problem at hand and encourage an action aimed at improving the current status quo.
Moreover, the significance of technological progress and the weight that IT and ICT tools have added to the development of intermedia as an artistic tool should not be forgotten. In an interview with Garth Paine, the latter postulates that the integration of digital media into people’s lives helps to revolutionize the way in which people see the world around them. The observed change is especially true for the recent groundbreaking concerns of virtual and augmented realities (VR and AR). According to Paine, the specified tools will allow managing the spatial perception of reality, thus helping the audience to experience music and sound, in general, in an entirely different way than they would in a traditional setting: “It allows me to spatialize the sound across the whole audience” (“Garth Paine »Future Perfect« | inSonic 2018: Algorithmic Spaces” 00:03:03-00:03:04).
Conclusion
Providing new opportunities for expression and helping viewers to engage with artists on multiple levels, the creation of intermedia opens an array of new areas of further exploration. However, the application of intermedia as an artistic tool and the method of constructing new meanings, conveying new ideas, and representing reality in a new way implies facing multiple challenges. Intermedia has offered a plethora of options for artists to connect to audiences on multiple levels and introduce a multicultural perspective into their art pieces. Therefore, the furthering of the cross-cultural dialogue needs to be seen as one of the crucial positive outcomes of intermedia being introduced into the realm of art. Cultural issues and especially the threat of cultural appropriation have always been present in the context of art due to the lack of dialogue that could help to address the specified concerns and focus on knowledge and experience sharing. The use of intermedia may assist in connecting cultures and encouraging the global cross-cultural dialogue by representing the art pieces that will contain the elements that will be universally understood by the representatives of multiple cultures. In addition, the focus on intermedia as a tool for artistic expression will prompt the dialogue about the way in which people perceive reality and the methods that can be used to change the perspective and introduce innovative concepts to general audiences. Despite the presence of several questionable issues in intermedia, especially the ones concerning cultural appropriation and misrepresentation of other cultures, the general change that the medium in question is expected to entail generally positive outcomes.
References
Cage, John. Silence: Lectures and Writings. Wesleyan University Press, 2011.
Theatre and artworks associated with it are essential in forming cultural life. Plays, most of the time, are divided into certain parts, and it allows following the text, and it also makes it easier for a reader to percept. Ruined is not an exception, so it contains some regular structural components. Sometimes, the action slows down, but then it becomes more dynamic. Thus, this piece includes scenes of stasis, as well as moments of intrusion.
Main body
It is crucial to define the stasis and see where it is in Ruined. According to Ball (1983), stasis is characterized by the absence of action and occurs when there is nothing unusual happening. In this play, the relatively slow part is when a reader learns about life in Mama’s house. There are some interactions between the main characters and the surrounding environment, but the motion is still quite slow. Then, intrusion – a significant change – comes with the simultaneously arising conflicts that change the routine of the bar, as well as the lives of people. The girls start rebelling, and the governmental army gets in an argument with Mama. It is important to note that a notion of change is quite remarkable in this piece, as Buckner names it an “activist drama” in the U.S. culture (p. 16). Salima’s death finalizes the motion of change, and that leads to the new direction of the plot. New stasis takes place when a reader contemplates Mama getting back to her regular life.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this play allows evaluating all stages of action development. The plot is interesting, as it gets more and more intriguing until the very end of the piece. It provides a unique insight into the existing issues and keeps readers engaged in reading the text and finding out the outcomes. The structure contributes to the process and helps to understand the main idea.
Works Cited
Ball, David. Backwards & Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays. Southern Illinois University Press, 1983.
Buckner, Jocelyn L. A Critical Companion to Lynn Nottage. Routledge, 2016.
Music has always been an integral part of the life of individuals and society. Today, there is a genre for everyone, ranging from pop and rock to electronic and hip-hop music. Classical music, rooted in the 18th century, remains universally accepted and enjoyed all around the world by people of different ages and backgrounds. Vocal music of that era, despite being ages old, still has a great influence on people’s lives and their perception of music as a whole.
Main body
For a better understanding of the deep meaning behind the vocal music of the classical era, it might be necessary to examine that particular time period and its distinguishing features. The year 1740 is considered to be a starting point in the history of musical classicism, the so-called Age of Enlightenment. It was a relatively short period of 50 years, influential enough so that the term “classical music” is often used to refer to long-standing musical traditions in general (DK, 2018). Frederick the Great became the King of Prussia, while Maria Theresa became the leader of the Austrian Empire. The Napoleonic Wars, followed by the beginning of the industrial revolution, transformed the minds of people across Europe (Zaslaw, 1989). Traditional baroque compositions could no longer satisfy the tastes of new demanding listeners. Aristocratic patronage was progressively replaced with a bourgeois audience.
The vocal music evolved as well to cater to the tastes of freshly empowered members of the middle class. Comic opera, called opera comique in France and ballad opera in England, introduced everyday characters, humorous subjects, and happy endings in musical history. This new style of opera was overwhelmingly successful in Italy, and conquered other parts of Europe, becoming the most popular vocal genre of the time. Such fascination with music was not surprising because people felt ‘disgust with daily life’ and tried to escape reality through the world of an opera house (Zaslaw, 1989, p. 5).
For the first time in the history of music, opera became international. “From Ljubljana to London, from Lisbon to St. Petersburg, opera houses were staffed with Italian composers, instrumentalists, and singers” (Zaslaw, 1989, p. 5). Musicians of all sorts and origins worked together to create harmonious masterpieces indulging the audience’s ears. In attempts to accommodate to the mixed audience, opera composers allowed different styles to co-exist and influence each other. Further expansion of the urban population led to the appearance of large venues supported by ticket sales to the public, as opposed to smaller concert halls and opera houses catering to the more affluent upper classes (Zaslaw, 1989). That moment might be registered as the turning point in the history of music, vocal, in particular, creating the musical environment as it is known today.
After a journey to the history of vocal music, it might be logical to analyze its influence on the modern world and society. While many people still enjoy listening to the music of the classical period, admiring its beauty and expression of the voice and melody, the real role of it is much more prominent and complicated. Historical examples mentioned above help illustrate that point of view.
First of all, the Age of Enlightenment changed our perception of music with its creation of iconic genres and compositions that are now considered classical models that should be followed. Musicians and listeners alike distribute and apply the precious knowledge of the classics to their everyday lives. Even the popular songs we hear every day are often created with the inspiration or fundamental principles and basics from the era of Enlightenment. Therefore, classical vocal music provides listeners with a system of values that they can use to appreciate modern music.
Second of all, the 18th century brought the gift of opera and music in general to the public. It was the privilege of the rich and influential to enjoy the great classical masterpieces. This situation, however, changed when large venues, selling tickets at affordable prices, became popular. The glory of music became available to everyone, both listeners and performers. Amateur singers had a chance to demonstrate their diverse talents in front of the audience, breaking the old rules and creating new ones. Thanks to classical music, humanity can enjoy the stunning variety of genres to listen to today.
Finally, during that particular period, it became apparent that music is a perfect tool for coping with psychological problems and a way to improve one’s mental health. The issue of daily stress is not new, as it got evident when urbanization started widely in different parts of the world. Listening to the passionate voices of opera singers, for example, lets people unwind and take a load of responsibility off their minds. With the help of classical vocal music, modern people might see music in general as a way to maintain psychological health.
Conclusion
All in all, vocal music of the classical period might be underrated or overlooked by a common listener. However, there is no denial of its significance to the formation of a value system that modern people apply to their everyday experiences with music. Its influence might have ‘enlightened’ the audience and the musicians, helping them understand the deep meaning of music and its complexity. Classical opera, in particular, let us regard music as a safe place for everyone to escape the trouble, despair, and hardships of daily life.
References
DK. (2018). The classical music book: Big ideas simply explained. New York, NY: Penguin.
Zaslaw, N. (Ed.). (1989). The classical era: Volume 5: From the 1740s to the end of the 18th century. London, UK: Macmillan.
The musical or artistic preferences of a person are not likely to change due to some unexpected event. However, it can certainly produce a strong impression on an individual if he/she can appreciate the skills and techniques used by composers or performers. In this paper, I would like to speak about a chance musical encounter that took place in the shop where my friend decided to purchase a guitar. I agreed to go to this store because I usually enjoy looking at various musical instruments.
However, I did not expect anything special from this minor trip. Yet, this encounter did help me to learn more about the beauty of music and its various forms. This is the main argument that I can make.
When we were walking in one of the departments, we heard a person who was playing flamenco. At that time, I did not know the exact name of this musical genre. Only later I learned it is a variant of the folk music in Spain and many Latin American countries. He was also purchasing a guitar, and this three-minute performance was an attempt to test this musical instrument. Yet, it is also possible that this person also wanted to showcase his skills, which were worth showcasing.
To a great extent, this music can evoke the image of a breathtaking dance in which one almost becomes oblivious of the surrounding world. Moreover, this melody makes a person more emancipated and confident. It is one of the effects that can be identified. This experience is one of the reasons why my attention was attracted to this composition. At that moment, I did not want the melody to stop. I did not expect to listen to such a performance even in a shop where people buy musical instruments.
On the whole, this music enables a person to recollect those moments when he/she does not have to think about the daily routine or minor problems that can upset an individual. It is another impact that this composition produces on a person. To a great extent, flamenco is a kind of music that helps an individual feel a sense of freedom. In my opinion, this sensation can be valued by every listener even if he/she does not take interest in Spanish folk music. It is the main reason why flamenco should not be disregarded by people who want to learn more about different genres or styles. I believe that this experience is very fulfilling.
Moreover, my attention was also attracted to the virtuosity of the player. I have seldom seen a person who could so skillfully achieve agility and very subtle tone colors. It seemed to me that he could effortlessly change tempo, rhythm, and tone. However, this ease is usually achieved through long years of training. By looking at this performance, one can feel admiration for the excellence attained by a musician. It is one of the sensations that I experienced while watching and listening to this performance.
Another important aspect is that this performance had the elements of improvisation, and it is impossible to find the records of the musical composition. It is the thing that I regret very much. In my view, a person, who wants to become skillful at playing guitar, should pay attention to flamenco because, in this way, one can learn more about different techniques that distinguish a virtuoso from an average guitar player. So, this musical encounter proved to be of great value to me.
Certainly, this musical encounter did not make me an avid fan of flamenco music. Nevertheless, I did try to learn more about Spanish folk music, and some of the melodies that I came across were enjoyable. Moreover, this chance encounter encouraged me to gain a better idea about various guitar-playing techniques that are used in flamenco. Some of them can be incorporated into other musical genres that are not related to flamenco. So, to some degree, this performance increased my knowledge of music. I can certainly say that I did not regret going to the shop because I was rewarded with several captivating moments that cannot be easily forgotten.
Overall, this discussion suggests that a person should be open to new ideas, genres, or techniques to discover beauty. Such a perception of music or art, in general, is much more enriching. Moreover, this outlook is critical for the professional development of a musician. The performance that has been described in this paper is one of the events that can widen the musical outlook of a person. This is one of the main arguments that can be put forward. Yet, I can still say that chance musical encounters can profoundly affect a person, only if he/she is confronted with something innovative or flawless otherwise such events are more likely to go unnoticed. The situation examined in this paper is only an exception, but not a rule. This is one of the issues that should be kept in mind.