Category: Music

Learning is a process inherently known by every human being, it is something each person does throughout their life, regardless of their desire to do so. An ability to walk, speak, and interact with others are all kinds of behaviors people have to learn to progress, to be able to survive on their own someday. Learning is most extensively done in families and educational institutions, which give young individuals the ability to understand the world around them and gain the necessary skills to improve themselves. College is one of the later steps in the education process, the one that allows people to harness specific subjects and be able to use them in a more professional capacity.

There are a variety of factors that can affect the learning process, both in negative and positive capacities. Each person has to find a set of stimuli that allow them to best gain knowledge and utilize it in the future. Music is said to have a large influence n the way people learn and absorb information, with some seeing it as a benefit to their education experience, while others can consider it a hindrance. This essay aims to take a further look into how music affects the learning process, and understand the positive and negative effects of its use. The paper will consider the effects of music on college-level studies, on the performance of children and the elderly.

The Effects of Music on Studying

Music is often cited as an effective way to help one study, due to a variety of effects it can have on the human brain. Music has been proven to decrease exhaustion and tiredness in students. Soothing tunes can be used to alleviate blood pressure and decrease the heart rate in people. In terms of studying, the attitude towards the process is also important to consider (The Benefits of Studying with Music 2019). Music can aid in alleviating the pressure and anxiety associated with education, which in turn improves ones mood, wellbeing, and concentration. Another great benefit of music is its ability to improve focus and concentration, which would allow a person to study for longer amounts of time and absorb more information (The Benefits of Studying with Music 2019).

There are certain downsides to playing music while studying, and they need to be discussed as well. Certain kinds of music can, alternatively, draw the attention of a person away from their task and toward listening, which decreases focus (Gentle, 2019). Loud music can also cause a distracting effect as it drowns out the thoughts of the person. A less obvious drawback of music and studying is that, much like any other activity, it can be formed into a habit which makes studying harder without music (Gentle, 2019). This occurrence can present an issue when music is unavailable, for example during a test.

Effects on the Brain

It is a widely known fact that the brain is divided into two hemispheres, each responsible for its own kinds of activity, and active during different activities. The left part of the brain is regarded to be responsible for logical and analytical thinking, while the right resides over imagination and creativity. Due to the varied nature of human activity, only one of the hemispheres is usually active during a particular task, which limits a persons ability to engage with it in a nuanced fashion. Music, however, has a limited capacity to activate both halves of the brain (Jun, 2019). This can help to increase ones memory and improve learning.

Music stimulates different areas of the brain, and they differ depending on what kind of engagement with music a person is having. In the case of listening, cochlear nuclei, the brain stem, and the cerebellum are activated, which are responsible for sensory processing and receiving information (Jun, 2019). Listening to the lyrics also activates the language centers of the brain, which try to understand the words being sung in the song. Listening to music has been associated with some structural changes to the brains learning capability, which saw it improve the auditory and motor complexes (Jun, 2019).

Increased ability to created auditory imagery was similarly connected with a persons habits of listening to music. Another research connected with the effects of music on a persons brain ability has shown that it has lead to an increase in cognitive thinking. The cognitive performance increase was correlated with faster task completion and an increased amount of correct answers to questions. The thing to note, however, is that the improvement was caused primarily by the improvement of a persons mood due to pleasant music, meaning that listening to music a person enjoys is most crucial.

Effects on different demographics

Music also has an interesting effect on other demographics, not only on adolescent people and college students. In older people, the use of music has been shown to have a therapeutic effect in some cases. The music can provide elderly people with stress relief and improvements to their cognitive performance (Rodriguez, 2018). Research from the American Music Therapy Association has shown that musical treatment can be used to relieve stress and improve the general well-being of patients with Alzheimers (Rodriguez, 2018). The therapy can be utilized in various ways, including listening sessions, sing-alongs, and the creation of specific playlists (Rodriguez, 2018).

Music, as noted previously, can significantly affect a persons mood and feelings in a particular situation, which can be used to evoke previous experiences and memories, positive encounters or to generally sway the mood to a proffered state. The use of music can be further interconnected with exercise, which allows promoting physical wellness in the elderly. For children, music can similarly be quite beneficial. During early development, it can accelerate brain growth and help the child develop in areas of language and reading. Furthermore, music has a positive effect on other spheres of childhood development, including skills necessary to attend school, motor skills, social behavior, and literacy (Children and Music: Benefits of Music in Child Development).

Exposing children to music helps the body and the mind work together, which means that they have a better capacity for coordinated activity and understanding (Children and Music: Benefits of Music in Child Development). Both dance and music contextualize and make understanding words easier for children, which allows them to learn and utilize them more effectively. Moving to music also gives a young child a method of self-expression and the development of memory.

References

Children and Music: Benefits of Music in Child Development. 

Rodriguez, J. (2018). The Benefits of Music for Elderly Adults. Griswold Home Care. 

The Benefits of Studying with Music. Florida National University. (2019). 

Jun, P. (2019). Music, Rhythm, and the Brain. Brain World. 

Gentle, S. (2019). Is Listening to Music While Studying A Good Idea? Onrec. 

Background

The Renaissance era (1400-1600) refers to the period that marked the revitalization of art and rebirth of music. Musicians and artists of this time composed and performed style of music that was different from that of the medieval era due to the influence of the ancient Rome Greece classical models.

Research studies point out that music in the medieval era was stricter while that of the Renaissance, due to general philosophy, flourished and exhibited individualism and difference in terms of artistic freedom (Vaubel, 2005). This essay explores the characteristics and impacts of music during the renaissance era.

Humanism

To begin with, it is imperative to mention that humanism is a philosophical term affirming individuals responsibility and ability in life to lead ethical lives and have freedom and aspirations to achieve good for themselves and the greater humanity. This philosophy is driven by compassion, hopefulness and also inspired by art. Moreover, it is informed by science and has a rationale that is based on dignity and beliefs on human beings (Vaubel, 2005).

Earlier on in the middle ages, social and political power was held by the Catholic Church and as such influenced the kind of music played to sacred topics. However, lack of supernaturalism found in humanism prompted the invention, development, and addition of value to the culture and experience of human beings through scientific methods and reliance upon intelligence and reason.

Impact on music

Renaissance era was dominated by church music that was contrapuntal, counterpoint and had a polyphonic texture. The choral polyphony church music was made up of monophonic and homophonic parts and was meant to be sung without instruments (Vaubel, 2005). Besides church music, secular music was also performed and composed during this period.

Earlier on before rebirth, the kind of music played was restricted and lacked a humanistic approach that moved the hearts and minds of listeners. Humanism transformed the music of renaissance period from frustrating middle-age music to one that is ideal and full of rhetorical eloquence. The stylistic change of this music sprang from musical humanism that was seen by how composers related music and words.

Additionally, humanism created in renaissance music, an imitative counterpoint. This was an art that was used by the Burgundian and French composers. Unlike church music that was strict in patterns, humanism created room for using the same note patterns for music (Vaubel, 2005). Additionally, it impacted on church music by creating a change on how praise and worship songs were sung in the church.

The impact of reformation from humanism spread from breakoff movements that included Calvinism, Anglicanism, and Lutheranism to the Roman Catholic Church music led by a German priest called Martin Luther who led reforms in music (Vaubel, 2005). As a result, simpler melodies were introduced in the Catholic Church.

Moreover, as earlier indicated, church music in the renaissance period was mostly acapella. Due to humanism, the church began using musical instruments. By mid-1500s, the use of organ, keyboard instruments such as harpsichord and clavichord as well as brass instruments took center stage. Additionally, for the accompaniment of instrumental music and singing, the lute was extensively used.

Examples of music from the Renaissance

Secular music

It is imperative to note that secular music played during the Renaissance period was divided into two categories that included instrumental and vocal music. The madrigals were examples of secular vocal music. They were sung acapella. In comparison, Italian madrigals were highly sophisticated than English madrigal in terms of intellectual poetry seen in their lofty metaphors.

English madrigals followed fa la syllables. An example of secular vocal music was the madrigal by John Farmer called Fair Phyllis that was composed of acapella and polyphonic pieces that tended to alternate between polyphony and homophony (Vaubel, 2005).

Instrumental secular music was made up of a popular genre of dance. The pattern of dance done during a performance at courts engaged the use of intricate steps. An example of dance music was by Michael Praetorius called The Three Dances from Terpsichore (Vaubel, 2005).

Church music

Church music in the renaissance era was harmonious and laced with texture. They included the mass and motet. The latter was sacred and had five movements such as Agnus Dei, Sanctus, Credo, Gloria, and Kyrie. One of the famous composers of church music in the renaissance period was Palestrina.

An example of a motet is Ave Maria sung by Josquin des Prez. Renaissance church music was performed in courts of noblemen, in academies, churches, and private houses. They were composed in Latin with religious texts.

Both church and secular music were made unique in the sense that musicians and artists of this time composed and performed style of music different from that of the medieval era exhibited individualism and artistic freedom.

Transitioning from Renaissance into the Baroque era

With humanism, composers and musicians developed loads of interest in Rome and Greece ancient cultures. As such, musicians such as the Florentina Camerata group sang texts and wrote monody dramas related to the mythology of the Romans and the Greeks. Their songs had back up made from harmonies played in the background accompanying melody from a singer.

In this music, harmonic instruments such as a keyboard and a cello for bass were used. These drama songs spread into the Baroque era and were later known as opera. Opera was important in the Baroque era since it played a key role in Greek drama shows. Intellectuals from Italy were interested in ancient Greek drama and therefore, they depended on opera music to recapture its spirit.

Opera music blended well with the homophonic music style by using poetic melody to attract the concentration of listeners. It was during the Baroque era that orchestra evolved. It came from a combination of vocal and operatic music. The first great opera music in that era was called Orfeo and was played by Claudio Monteverdi in 1607 (Vaubel, 2005).

The birth of opera was a fulfillment of extreme affections in Baroque music. Melodic freedom due to humanism was shown by the way musicians displayed their emotions. It is imperative to note that music in that era moved the hearts of listeners, composers, and instrumentalists and caused them to freely express their emotions. It was during this time that the modal system of the Renaissance period was replaced by a tonal system of the Baroque era.

Research studies indicate that the antique style music, famously known as Renaissance music, required academic training to gain singing and composing skills. The music style in the Baroque era had new concepts that did not require training. It was a different concept from that which existed during the Renaisthe dance era.

Learning how to express words and emotions in that new concept was spontaneous. Musicians and composers doing secular and church music in Baroque e era mixed stile modern with style antics to make it interesting. The counterpoint art that had dominated the Renaissance period crossed into Barthe one era and reached its peak after being oriented harmonically by Bach.

During this time, Baroques music was considered contrapuntal. However, Baroque music took a new turn and adopted new styles such as Basso Continuo and Stile Concertato. With these styles, a keyboard and a bassoon were used to play music. The harmony was filled in with the keyboard while the written parts were performed using the bassoon, cello or the viola da gamba (Vaubel, 2005).

Stile Concerto involved a concept whereby an ensemble and a group of performers played music in opposition. Finally, it is also imperative to note that the Baroque era marked the first time in history when dynamics and tempo were used in music. Tempo involved styles such as presto and allegro while piano and forte formed the dynamics.

Reference

Vaubel, R. (2005). The role of competition in the rise of Baroque and renaissance music. Journal of Cultural Economics, 29(4), 277-297.

Did you know that during Romantic Era, piano music was used to express emotions? Or that composers used to incorporate folk stories into music? Sounds interesting? Then, keep reading to learn more about early and late Romantic Period music!

Romantic Period Music: Essay Introduction

The 19th century marked a remarkable era in classical music, which is commonly referred to as the Romantic Era. Music of this era was characterized by Nationalism, Expression, and Exoticism (Charlton & Hickok, 2008). Romantic music composers had to strictly adhere to tonality and close attachment to poetry and painting (Charlton & Hickok, 2008).

Romantic Era Music: Essay Main Body

Romantic music was rich in tone color and emotion (Dorak, 2005). The first part of this paper presents a discussion of a song, Erlkönig by Schubert, which was composed during the Romantic period. Erlkönig is lied based on Goethes narrative poem Der Erlkönig. The song has got many characteristics that exemplify Romantic Era music.

First, Erlkönig is an art song composed for a solo voice and a piano. It has strong elements of nationalism and exoticism. Schubert adopted the lyrics from Der Erlkönig, a poem based on the German fork tales narrating the story of the king of the elves.

The use of a piano as an equal player in the song brings out the concept of instrumental music of the Romantic era (Charlton & Hickok, 2008). The combination of voice and instrument exemplify the Romantic era expression of emotion. Besides, Schubert used a piano and voice to portray the expressive tone color of Romantic-era music.

The piano follows the storyline of the music while the solo voice narrates the story (Dorak, 2005). Tonal color is enhanced by the contrasts and merging between the piano part and the voice. Another important element of Schuberts Erlkönig, which exemplify music of the Romantic era, is its colorful harmony portraying differences in characters.

For instance, he used clashing dissonance to suggest the childs terror (Dorak, 2005). Lastly, this music has an expanded range of dynamics, pitch, and tempo that characterizes Romantic music. The pitch rises steadily as the story unfolds and builds to climax after which it slows down as the story ends when the horse and rider finally get home.

Some contemporary songs still exemplify these characteristics, though at a limited extent. In this regard, I will discuss a song titled If Youre Reading This by Tim McGraw. The song can be accessed at youtube through the following link. If Youre Reading This is country music based on the story of a soldier writing to his family to express his wishes after his death.

Though a modern composition, this song has some characteristics of Romantic music. Just like the same way music was used in the Romantic era to express ones feelings about a subject or convey a message, Tim McGraw uses this song to pay tribute to families of soldiers who perished in the war in Iraqi.

The lyrics of the song narrate the message in the form of a letter that was supposedly written by a soldier before his death to his family expressing his wishes. Tim McGraw expresses emotion in the song through his touching vocals, which is characteristic of Romantic music (Charlton & Hickok, 2008).

Besides, the song has some elements of nationalism as it suggests the experiences of American soldiers dying in peacekeeping missions. The rich tonal color expressed through sparse instrumentation, slow tempo, and strong vocals is clear characteristics of Romantic music (Charlton & Hickok, 2008).

However, this song exemplifies some characteristics different from Romantic music. If Youre Reading This, does not have any element of exoticism that depicts Romantic music. Unlike Romantic music in which instruments are used as an equal player in the song, Tim McGraw only uses instruments as accompaniments in his music.

The emotion, as well as the storyline of the song, is expressed through his lyrics and vocals, which through differences in pitch suggest the emotion of the song. A Romantic composer would have incorporated instrumentation to create a colorful tone of emotion.

Romantic Period Music: Essay Conclusion

Romantic era music has distinct features, such as slow tempo, rich tonal color, etc. These characteristics make it one of the most memorable eras of music and art in general.

References

Charlton, K. & Hickok, R. (2008). Experience music (2^nd ed.). New York City: McGraw- Hill College.

Dorak, M. T. (2005). Romantic (period) music. Web.

When West Side Story burst upon the Broadway stage in 1957 it was the most unique musical of its time, bringing together a wide array of musical genres with different cultural roots to enhance a modern version of Romeo and Juliet with wonderfully blended orchestration and an inspired choreography. Following the frantic changes of the 1920s, George and Ira Gershwin presented Porgy and Bess as a folk opera, and introduced jazz and blues done with full orchestra as a viable modern classical music. By the 1940s, Hollywood was looking for more upbeat music and took on the more standard ballad and chorale styles for the many musicals produced between 1940 and 1960. West Side Story was a huge departure in musical style, using the classical Shakespearian tale of Romeo and Juliet with a very contemporary and culturally loaded score and a modern interpretation of the classic love story. The Herald review of opening night in Sydney, Australia illustrates the way in which the tension spilled over the footlights and excited the audience:

The thrust and jab of its movement, the pace and rattling excitement of its delivery were of a quality to leave any spectator limp with exhausted tension& From the moment that the rival gangs of Jets and Sharks shrug themselves into action at the beginning of the first act the stage is rarely at peace from stealthy tension, explosive gaiety, and acrobatic pummelling. (25) (Card 18).

The score is energetic and exciting, totally descriptive of the action and representational of the times and the cultures within the story. More than this, the musical score on its own almost tells the story. In Shakespeares tale the clash lies between two feuding families. Bernstein, Sondheim and Laurents took this to a much higher level when they created a clash of cultures, treating each as the warring Montagues and Capulets. In New Yorks Hells Kitchen of the 1950s, life was ruled by a number of gangs, as was so for many American inner cities. Cultural groups of the times in large cities would congregate into separate areas, preserving, yet isolating, their particular cultures. The Sharks represent the Puerto Rican culture, while the Jets represent middle American culture, with an emphasis on Irish and Italian, since these were well represented in New York City.

Bernsteins musical score fits this definition all the way through as he creates and combines a musical tapestry from several different styles and then recombines them in different ways all through the play. The musical uses more than the story to promote the theme. While many musicals simply incorporated music to tell part of the story and to set the mood, and preparinge the audience for action, the music of West Side Story did much more: it provided an expression of the story in its metaphorical (symbolic) battle of sound and musical style. This is uniquely suitable for the grand theme, since music is a very tangible part of every world culture. While some critics were sceptical about the combination of folk and classical genres in the music and choreography for West Side Story(23), others were excited by these very same experiments. (Card 18).

The jazz rhythms of the Jets music is sharply American, drawing on past American culture, including black sources for variations on Jazz stylings. The masterful orchestration and vocalizations of Cool are a wonderful example of Jazz at its best. Beginning with the very subtle sounds of snapping fingers, and the counterpoint of the opposing theme of the very lyrical organ measures. Adding a very well done stylized modern jazz dance reminisvcentreminiscent of the classic French Apache dancing completed the rich experience which totally involved the audience. Cool is not a song that makes people sing along. It is a marvelously complex showpiece which involves the audience completely, but passively as enthralled listeners. There are mixed rhythms of the snapping sequences with the quietly sung cool lines contrasting with the lyrical organ melody, and punctuated by the muted horns as the dancers progress among the darkened buildings and alleyways. During the performance the piece rises to full orchestra and chorus and then fades back to quiet jazz, ending finally with the same finger-snapping with which it began.

Cool does more than present the theme of being cool (a new street word of the time idomatic to the American culture). The words describe the reigning culture of New York City teen-age and gang life, echoing that of many American inner cities, while setting them apart from the establishment. The music sets a mood of expectation in its blending of melody, harmony and counterpoint and its mixture of pure percussion, male voices and full orchestra. It is thematic of the entire Jets group, even more so than the Jets Song, as they (the Jets) have bound together in a common cause to control territory, in lieu of accomplishment of anything else, since they deem this idea hopeless for most of them. Membership in the group is the highest aim of most of these characters. This group of rebels against society find safety in conforming internally to a pattern of non-conformance externally. In addition to the statements it makes, this song and its music set the stage for failure. The final rumble, which ends in tragedy has everyone losing their ability to be cool.

The opposing cultural theme for the Sharks is best presented in the song America, as the rhythms and orchestration are decidedly Latin and very much a hot dance piece, exploring the themes of Latin dance, which was considered to be sexually charged and a little naughty for the times. (Miller, Jack A ,1961) The guys of the Jets may voice their racial prejudice, but they openly find the Puerto Rican women sexually thrilling. The words of the song tell us of the problems of being Puerto Rican in 1950s New York City and the music is an exciting representation of Latin dance music.

Other music in West Side Story shows us the difference between the cultures, such as the Latin Mambo challenge dance in the gym and the Jets Song theme for the American group, but the Tonight Quintet expresses the overall theme of the musical, in showing how the music of the two cultures can be most beautifully blended and how the hopes and dreams of the various singers are expressed in their songs. The idea that these two cultures can learn to live together peacefully and even complement each other is the central theme of this collage of canon of music. It is one of the most masterfully created blendings of music and style ever done for stage.

Bernstein masterfully combined the two musical styles of Puerto Rican culture and American Jazz with his wonderful ability to score powerful symphonic music. Leonard Bernsteins talent and imagination have brought him to the highest places in at least two musical worlds-the world of the Broadway musical, and the world of the concert stage. (Bernstein 401) Bernstein used melody and musical themes to create a panorama of sound against which this classic story is told. The words of the songs add depth and meaning to the marvelous tapestry of orchestral magic. The music is both representational of the clashing cultures and a metaphor for the hope for the future. Bernstein has taken different styles and orchestration with complex rhythms and painted a sound play, while Sondheim added the lyrics to point to all the various plot points and characterizations of the script. This musical, which was a complete departure from anything done before on the stage, was a completely flowing sound-scape for the actors to dance across as they told their stories. (Gold 2007) Shakespeare would likely marvel at what has been done here with his classic love story.

This is what my peer review had to say about my paper:

The thesis seems to be missing, or I could not find it, but it did not hurt from understanding the topic of the paper. Whenever your thesis is in the introduction, make it standout to let the reader know exactly what the topic of the paper is. CAN YOU UNDERLINE THE THESIS STATEMENT, IF YOU ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL PAPER THAT YOU SENT. IF NOT, INCLUDE ONE FOR ME. My peer review also said.In the first paragraph you introduced some artist with only their last names, when first introducing a person use their full name and give them an intro., so the reader actually knows who these guys are. Some ideas were unclear in the body paragraphs but with fixing grammatical errors and rephrasing a few ideas those unclear ideas will become well developed and add great innovations to your paper. The conclusion paragraph could be better at bringing the paper together at the end. The fact that you ended with a citation is odd and unfinished. Ending the paper with your own idea is my suggestion for that. Some ideas to remember from the guidelines for this paper is to include a brief summary of how your topic relates to the course syllabus or our text book. Also, you have filler material sometimes or unnecessary wording so refer to the actually paper. Musical analysis could be more prominent in this paper, using musical terminology. Remember to review the research guidelines to have everything our professor is looking for in the paper.

My instructions: I would like for you to revise the paper as much as possible from what the peer review suggested, if it helps my paper and not degraded it. I would definitely need a THESIS STATEMENT included in the paper, underlined. I also need you to include more MUSICAL TERMINOLOGY. The rest of the suggestions is up to you to decide if it needs to be revise or not. Please absolutely include what I capitalize in my instructions.

Thank you.

References

Bernstein, Leonard. Whatever Happened to That Great Symphony. Perspectives on Music. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1963. 401-412.

Card, Amanda. The Great Articulation of the Inarticulate: Reading the Jazz Body in Australian and American Popular Culture in the 1960s. Journal of Australian Studies (1998): 18.

Gehring, Wes D., ed. Handbook of American Film Genres. New York: Greenwood Press, 1988. Miller, Jack A , 1961, Modern Jazz Dance Midwest, Dance Magazine, 1961, p 68.

Gold, Sylviane. On Broadway: When West Side Story Opened 50 Years Ago, Dance on Broadway Changed Forever. but What Became of Its Legacy?. Dance Magazine Aug. 2007: 78+.

Lunden, Jeff and Simon, Scott, 2007, A Place for US: 50 Years of West Side Story, Web.

Santoro, Gene. Highway 61 Revisited: The Tangled Roots of American Jazz, Blues, and Country Music. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Shakespeare, William, 1977, Romeo and Juliet, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Cresta House, London, England.

Music is a form of art created via the medium of sound and comprised of an variety of components which include pitch (harmony, melody), rhythm (meter, tempo) and sonic qualities such as texture and timber. Culture and social context are the essentials that determine or constitute how music is defined, created, performed and valued. According to French musi-cologist /semiotician Jean-Jacques Nattiez:

the border between music and noise is always culturally defined-which implies that, even within a single society, this border does not always pass through the same place; in short, there is rarely a consensus&By all accounts there is no single or intercultural universal concept defining what music might be, except that it is sound through time (Nattiez).

No matter how it is defined or interpreted, music plays vital role in the lives of people throughout the world. Like all forms of art, its importance and value lies in the fact that is encompasses a holistic experience  physically, mentally, and spiritually.

The Republic of India is the second most populated country in the world and the seventh largest geographical area. A multitude of ethnic groups with distinct cultural traditions, languages, and dialects comprise the South Asia subcontinent and such a factor is reflective in the music. Rabindranath Tagore, profound Indian-Bengali polymath of the late19^th/early 20^th centuries and credited with having transformed/reshaped Indian literature as well as music, described music as the purest form of art that arises from the inner soul and is based on life experiences (Indie-Music). Indian music  an infusion of traditional/classical genres as well as popular, folk, and R& B genres  was and continues to be a vital source cultural expression, religious inspiration, and pure entertainment in the lives of the Indian people. Carnatic and Hindustani music primarily comprise classical/ traditional Indian music. Divinely orientated and mirroring Persian as well as Islamic influences, both genres emphasize instrumentation but is vocal centric. Carnatic is primarily associated with southern India while Hindustani the northern part of the country. Bhavageete, Lavani, Bhangra, Dandiya, Rajasthani, , Kolata, and a host of other forms constitute Indian folk music which unlike the classical forms is dance orientated and usually performed on non-crafted instruments made from readily available material (bamboo, coconut shells, pots, etc.). Rich and diverse, Indian folk music is utilized for special occasions and educational purposes (Courtney).

The trends of modern Indian music include Indi-pop, dance music, and Rock & Metal emblematic of Western influences. Rooted in Indian traditional/classical and folk music, a music genre indicative of Indian music changing with the times is Filmi  popular Indian music specifically written and performed for Indian cinema. Cinema/film industry has become a very conspicuous form of mass entertainment since the inception of the 20^th century. The Golden Age of Indian cinema (1940s-60s) commenced with Indias independence (Gokulsing). It is through Film music that Modern Indian music finds its most popular expression stated acclaimed Hindi, Malayalam, and Bengali composer/playwright/poet  Salil Chowdhury (Chowdhury). Chowdhury was a master multi-instrumentalist and one of Indias most prodigious composers ever. Indian cinema covers a broad/vast spectrum: however, it is often incorrectly associated solely with one element of the film industry  Bollywood. An informal expression used to describe the Hindi-language film industry in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), Bollywood is a linguistic mixture/portmanteau of the words Bombay and the pinnacle city of the American film industry, Hollywood (Corliss). Suffice to say, music/Filmi music is the common thread throughout diverse Indian cinema. Accompanied by plush costumes and scenery, numerous melodramatic plotlines, and extraordinary choreography, Filmi music helps accentuate the rich and lavish nature/context of Indian cinema. The lyrics are beautiful, poetic, and contribute to Filmi musics appeal throughout the Indian Diaspora and the world at large.

Generally composed by the films musical director, Filmi music is performed by playback singers. Film musical directorship reached its pinnacle in the 1940s due notable music directors such as Pankaj Mullick, Naushad, and S. Rajeswara. In the 50s and 60s, the elevation continued with composer such as Shankar Jaikishan, S.D. Burman, Madan Mohan, Roshan, Vasant Desai and a host of others. A greater infusion of Western flavor in Filmi music came about in the 1960s and 70s, a key transitional period in Indian film. The duos Nadeem-Shravan and Jatin-Lalit along with R.D. Burman were the progenitors of this infusion followed by Ilaiyaraaja and Raveendran  prominent composers/directors in the 70s and 80s. From the 1990s to the present the major musical innovators include Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, A.R. Rahman, Vishal-Shekhar, Yuvan Shankar Raja, and Harria Jayaraj. A unique and essential element of Indian cinema, playback singers pre-records the songs for the actors/actresses to lip-sync. Playback singers receive wide public admiration and garner fame/popularity equal to actors, directors, and musical directors. In most cases they are classically trained but their repertoire can be versatile (Radhika). Kundan Lal Saigal, Pankaj Mullick, Parul Ghosh, and Geeta Dutta are just a few among a cadre acclaimed singers that have brought notoriety to the profession.

Music serves as a form of individual as well as communal creative expression and mirrors the soul of a person and the multi-faced aspects of a people/culture. Filmi and other diverse genres of Indian music are indicative of this aspect. Chowdhury accurately summarized and prophesied the impact of Indian music when he stated:

The sources of Indian music are endless and its potentials are without limit. In the past Indian music obtained its inspiration and its ingredients from generations of inherited popular and classical music, as well as from western music. Today, as nations have achieved a much greater degree of closeness and cultural exchange has become so much easier, the opportunity for Indian music to disseminate widely and to expand its vision presents itself (Chowdhury).

As Indian music evolves it will continue to have an indelible and profound influence on its people in the country, throughout the Diaspora and the international community for years to come.

Bibliography

Carnatic music. In Encyclopedia Britannica (2007), from Encyclopedia Britannica Online Chowdhury, Salil. Evolution in Modern Indian Music. Published in Sangeetika magazine, 1st Year Puja Issue (1959). Translated from the Bengali original. Web.

Corliss, Richard. Horray for Bollywood! Time Magazine: 1996. Web.

Courtney, David. Indian Folk Music. Web.

Gokulsing, Moti K., K. Gokulsing, Wimal Dissanayake (2004), Indian Popular Cinema: A Narrative of Cultural Change, Trentham Books, p. 17.

Indie-Music. Web.

McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 2: Latin & North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific, pp 6369. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books

Nattiez, Jean-Jacques. Music and Discourse: Toward a Semiology of Music, Translated by Carol Abate. (Musicologie générale et sémiologue, 1987 (1990), 47-48, 55.

Rajamani, Radhika. Realising a dream. The Hindu: (2003). Web.

Composers have always aspired to the new and unknown. In any era, some musicians kept up with the times and, under the influence of new art trends, revealed and invented their ways through musical means of expression. Expressionism in music is a reflection of the human soul. Expressionism rejects any traditions, classical forms of musical composition, tonalities, and other formal restrictions of styles (Classicism, Romanticism, Rococo) in music, and this is its main distinguishing feature. However, this becomes the main problem of perception of this music for an inexperienced listener.

The music of the Impressionists is just as poetic but more expressive. Impressionism in music was manifested by the desire to convey the composers mood and emotions, which are certain symbols for himself and listeners (Carrasco, 2020). If one compares it with impressionistic painting, which sought to display an impression, then music in the style of impressionism sought to impress listeners with the help of symbols acquiring meaning, subtle psychological nuances. It is the desire to convey the subjective impression of the author. The widespread use of dissonances, unusual timbres and consonances becomes important (Carrasco, 2020). Melodism fades into the background for the sake of harmonic sounds of the ninth chords, quarto-quint sequences, sudden dissonances.

During the period of transition from tonality to atonality and the discovery of a composition with twelve tones correlated only with each other, many were convinced that large musical forms could be realized only by focusing on texts. Since it was the point that gave the work completeness and internal continuity. Thus, after the collapse of the tradition, the main category was the concept of musical logic (Carrasco, 2020). In addition, the first deputy of the tonality was a return to an even older tradition: justification of the musical process as an embodiment of the text and not as a development from its internal resources. Thus, the use of complex techniques such as dodecaphony makes this musics perception a very complex process. Most listeners get used to the fact that classical music has a strict sequence and a clear structure. It also uses euphonious chords and their variations. Expressionist and Impressionist music is characterized by many non-standard solutions used to convey the inner state of the composer. However, the validity of using a particular musical technique requires some preparation from the listener.

Reference

Carrasco, C. (2020). The unlike pair: Impressionism, expressionism, and critical reception of Schoenbergs and Schrekers chamber symphonies. Journal of Musicology, 37(2), 158196. Web.

Introduction

Some issues need to be discussed in relation to MP3 and other Cyber related wars. Music is a foremost fabric that reaches its audience through many forms. Nonetheless, Mp3 is one of the forms. However, there are debatable concerns about consumption, distribution, revolution, copyright, promotion, and economic perceptive from consumers and cosmopolitan distributors.

Key Words: mp3, cyber, and internet.

Controversial issues concerning music distribution

The music industry has in the recent past stumbled upon pressing issues about music distribution, internet access, and utilization of music. The subject of music copyright and the music industry as a property has been the center of focus (Dobie 204). Notably, the internet has been the center spot in integrating music into the globe. That is, it has correlated well the broad-based distributors and the needy customers in various standpoints. It has enabled the ingenious artists to create, promote, and disseminate their own music, as well as discovering new ways of consuming and interacting with music (Dobie 204). Clearly, there is a positive influence from the internet. However, there is a cancerous problem brought about by the internet itself. Here, the record companies have lost control over the copying and distribution of their recordings in the online environment (Dobie 204). This has made the financial status of these companies realize poor profits. Thus, a clear war is evident.

Illustrious companies like Sony, BMG, Warners, EMI, and Universal are the money-spinning firms that monopolize the music industry. They have invested heavily in producing, recording, promoting, and distributing fine music records. Contrary to expectations, it has led to dissatisfaction when piracy makes them realize low income. These multinational firms have authentic permission to distribute and make copies of music. Conversely, the internet has been a tool that has defrauded the functional importance of these firms. This piracy or recopying is enhanced by the use of CDs and software that support the burning of copied music. This has been handled by the creation of copyright procedures that seek to authenticate music in terms of standards and online censorship. Recent developments have steamed up the surveillance. As a result, the pirates in cyberspace have a hard time outwitting the firms. Although there is still room for consultation between governments and cyber owners to fully combat this genie.

Initially, the internet was used by the military to convey scientific and technical information but the entertainment industry has now brought the internet closer to the common man! This is by the advent of MP3 in miniaturization technology (Dobie 205). This has enabled the non-monetary-oriented consumers to receive information and music free of charge at the expense of the artistes investment. The files are now in digital form and not analog. The main ideology of mp3 was to enable the access of music in small minuscule form rather than a voluminous analog format. This has considerably enabled the transfer of information very quickly. This mp3 miniaturization process was targeted to transcend and decentralize the gift economy as an intellectual commodity as described by Babrook and focus on sharing the music and exchanging information through inter-person connection (Dobie 205). The forming of mp3.com was to enable consumers to rip music. This was enhanced by the use of recent innovations adapted by Napster and peer-to-peer services (P2P). This was mainly to embrace the network technology, culture, and ethos to meet customers taste and preference (Dobie 206).

Authorization of music

Despite the fact that leading companies have lost in this battle against non-monetary file transfer, there has been some level of authorization. This revolution has been vital in sharing music on the internet via selected websites. Amateur music and semi-professional music singles have been shared and authorized by MP3.com.

The authorization of free music sharing has been encoded through Usenet and distributed to subscribers online. This largely used internet traffic has led to legal changes to P2P systems. Hence, they created a high market trend in accessing music files. Around 2001, Kazaa and another site called Poisoned were launched to efficiently use fast track network in routing music files (Steinmetz 4).

Therefore, this free music download has been prestigious in some ways. Certain artists have made themselves popular and very successful when they share their music freely at considerably low prices. Although it opens debate about quality issues but some artists have been elevated reasonably and become significant. Examples of these artists are David Bowie and Pete Townsend (Dobie 207). Although it is wrong to share music in this format, the anti-piracy and copyright department has to induce severity terms in Intellectual Property Rights.

Also, this free downloading or access of music has been authorized by the Voluntary Collective Licensing of Music Files Act. Such an authorization not only benefits the artists named above but also the large community of worldwide music fans. This Act has various terms and conditions which the prospective consumers need to comply with before using the respective music websites.

Copyright

In the 1976 Copyright Act Section 106, copyright is a legitimate right granted by law to own, reproduce, control, and sell copies of musical compositions for a period of time. This time is usually around 60-70 years after the demise of the artist. The archives of the work can be an intangible form or any other different format of storage and production (Clarke 38).

Various governments have addressed the issue concerning copyright and have made considerable efforts in curbing copyright crimes. Copyright laws have been formulated under a corporation called Intellectual Property Rights. The corporation has made these prominent firms have the supremacy. It has cleverly extended to the market by making two or three firms merge and hence securing copyright of music. Examples of these firms are AOL and Warner. Their set objective is to advance the progress of the Science sector and various useful Arts. This has been jeopardized and standard legalization is essential.

This corporation has incorporated the Patent rights of musicians and producing companies. Also, the Trademark labels used to differentiate productions are part and parcel of the procedure. There are also the Industrial Design labels of various artists and respective firms. Lastly, there is the incorporation of important Trade Secrets of music production. The corporation brought up these ideas to combat the proliferation of pirated music. To enable curbing the vice, the corporation has enacted and legalized different firms to identify musical works and compositions appropriately. There are different categories of musical compositions that these firms deal with. For example, the Sound recordings category and Musical performances have different legislation and laws regarding litigation (Shoolman 3).

The most important areas that these firms endorsed by the corporation deal with are; the lyrics of the musical pieces, the format of music composition adapted by the producer or artiste, a definite form of song production, and artist protection. The premise of copyrighting music is based on the production of music, reproduction in various forms e.g., iTunes, mp3, mp4 or CD and DVD. It also includes the distribution of music to the customer and publishing musical compositions. There are reforms made by this global corporation in litigation and impeding unauthorized access to e-music. This is done by making a tight oligopoly market situation. This supremacy is extended to the market by two or three firms that have merged and secured the copyright of music. This will reduce tedious procedures in legalizing artists music where proof is given in form of a certificate of copyright ownership (Clarke 104).

Future Promotion

There are precise rudiments that can bring sevenfold promotion effects in the music industry in the future. Although the music industry has been faced with much schmoozing of P2P and unauthorized file sharing there is still hope to revolutionize this industry. To promote music to the audience, a favorable model can be formed which allows the distribution, promotion, and globally publicizing artistes music. To promote the music industry a friendly approach should be adopted to tackle piracy. For example, to increase sales of music singles, a promoter may opt for the internet and disregard CD production. A minimum charge of $1 can entice buyers to access the song over a million times. This will make artists reconsider the exploitation and ownership of music at the expense of an eager market that eyes new music that is cheaper than purchasing a CD. Because online sharing of music has been the order of the day, a High-Speed music download system should be enhanced and quality improvement should be looked into.

Apart from the reasons stated above, copyright seems to be the best approach that will enhance the protection of the music industry and make it flourish. Intellectual Property Rights has the mandate to face the various strands of traditional music activities that are emerging and rampant. The first emergent strand is to provide a legitimate market for major label copyrighted recordings (Dobie 212). This will justify artists enjoying their rights in music promotion and distribution. The corporation should have a level eye on the recent development of online and offline customer outlets. Uncouth innovations like Napsters and Music-Net should have legal proceedings that will adhere to the protection of the artist and the customer. The second obligation by this corporation in the future should work towards the illegal market that targets key music trade names. Appropriate legal conduct should address demeaning music file transfer and protect the artist by the legislation discussed above. And lastly, it should focus on the legal market that targets less interested consumers (Dobie 212). When these values are adopted, an excellent promotion will have a reconnaissance effect in the music industry in the near future.

Personal View

My personal perception about the Music industry and the dangers posed by the internet is in agreement with the authors argument. Professor Plume mentions in his article that various prominent firms have been suing and putting the general public in dilemma. The public is the main source of income for the artists and their producers, but the firms are proposing that the very customers are thieves! This enormous propaganda has made the firms have retrogressive and dwindling income due to the negative outlook of the general public (Plume 3). The future has unknown developments thus the firms should be more inventive and creative rather than concentrating on tarnishing the reputation of the loyal public and being authoritative. Ali suggests that these prominent companies should look at their heft losses than threatening almost 261 people who would have posed as diligent customers (2).

Works Cited

Ali, Ruhina. Music industry. Chicago Tribune. 2003. Web.

Clarke, Richard. Cyber War. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2010. Print.

Dobie, Ian. The music industry versus the Internet: MP3 and other cyber music wars. Web Studies. Ed. Horsley, Ross and Gauntlett, David. New York, NY: Bloomsbury, 2004. 204- 212. Print.

Plume, Emeritus. The Music Industrys raise to throne. Music Article. 2010. Web.

Shoolman, Justine. How Do I Copyright Music? The Simple Steps to Protect Your Work.

Ezine Article. 2004. Web.

Steinmetz, Ralf and Wehrle, Klaus. Peer-to-Peer Systems and Applications. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 3485. 2001. Web.

The contemporary entertainment world is mostly covered by music from renown artists all over the world such as Michael Jackson, Ja Rule, 50 Cent, Rihanna, Shakira, Celline Dion among others. Places of entertainment such as the discotheques or clubs play the role airing music from these artists to listeners. Moreover, the competing companies lay commercial adverts of powerful artists in the strategic places in our cities or air them on TV to sell their products or send a message concerning a particular issue such as the importance of conserving our environment. The works of the artists in the music they produce covers a lot of what happens in our modern society in areas such as culture, religion, politics, economics, racism, gender, sexuality, drug abuse, corruption and crime activities. This paper intends to show how 50 Cents music reinforces the stereotypes in the form of race, gender and sexuality.

A stereotype is an idea or image strongly and extensively held concerning a given person or object. These ideas would be in terms of race, gender, faith, region et cetera. It is clear and arguable that the society views African Americans as violent people who would mercilessly kill each other without caring. They are depicted to be gun totting hooligans who enjoy being against the law. This perception is reinforced by 50 Cent, one of the most successful African American rap music artists. The works found in 50 Cent lyrics like Someone Gotta Die Tonight show the elements of violence in the manner in which he states how he is going to kill the Negros he explains how he will load his AK 47 gun, arm himself with the knife in the hand in the operation of killing the negros whom he mentions in the lyrics without fearing any authority. This stereotypes the Negros in the sense that they can only be dealt with through such harsh means and no other means can be used to address the issues affecting them. It is also clear that the blacks in the white society seems to be very violent and to encounter them violent measures must be followed hence this gives a suspicious view against such individuals in the white society who are treated with due respect to a higher degree while neglecting the engross. element cultivates the gap in terms of the relationship in the society whereby animosity can be done to people who are looked upon and the relevant authority may neglect the issues affecting such groups of the people who might be minorities or major contributors to various sectors of the society. Thus the media can turn a blind eye on such people whenever they are mistreated violently or they may be shown how they are mistreated in other medium creating an impression or a perception on how other people view them (Hughes, 2003).

Given his great success in music, 50 cent acts as a model to which several young people would love to emulate. His lifestyle and way of life is a source of envy from several young people. Consequently, they would do anything to live like him. Stereotyping is reinforced on the issue of violence whereby his advert for the movie get rich or die trying was placed near the gate of a school. The analysis of the commercial billboard showed that the rapper was holding the microphone in one hand while the other hand was holding the gun. This shows a clear indication of his glorification of crime and murder. Holding a microphone in one hand and a gun in the other simply shows that the rapper is not just a singer but also a gun totting gangster. Those children trying to emulate his lifestyle will always believe that to as successful as fifty cent; you dont just become a rapper but also ensure that you have a gun to blow of other peoples heads. In that advert about his movie titled Get Rich or Die Trying created a lot of controversy basing on fact that it was placed near the school and as it should be understood that students believe that education is the key to success. Therefore when they view such artist explaining on how to get rich by trying is an encouragement but the way he holds the gun in the hand creates an element of getting rich through violent means thus for those students who may not succeed in their education may opt to carry out criminal activities in order to sustain their livelihood through violent means because they may think that their celebrities accumulated his richness through that means hence threatening the security of their countries. The reality is that 50 cents had nine incidences of gun shot from various gangster groups from various places where his crew team had gone to perform their work. But 50 Cents wears bullet proof for his safety (Gamboa, 2004).

Violence is further depicted in fifty cents lyrics in the songs that act as sound tracks of the same movie. In one of the songs, many men, fifty cent explains that many men wish to see him dead. But then his response to the death wishes in the same song is,

And niggas trying to take my life away
I put a hole in a nigga for fucking with me
My back on the wall, now you gon see
Better watch how you talk, when you talk about me
Cause Ill come and take your life away (lyrics A to Z, 2010).

This offers a clear depiction of violence and a form of life where fucking with someones life is signing a death sentence.

Moreover the issue of racial disparity is stereotyped is reinforced in the rap music in the sense that the lyrics by 50 Cents titled Somebody Gotta Die Tonight the master piece stereotypes on the African Americans whom he refers to as niggaz were going to be shot by him by the use of the machine guns and the lyrics openly shows that the niggaz deserve to be killed since it is not the first time they have undergone such incidence.They are viewed as the people who should never deserve respect hence even they are called shit which is abusive language and whenever other races looks at them they think that such negros lack self esteem thus increasing the reinforcement of stereotyping concerning racial stereotypes. The blacks dominated in the music but the whites who perform very little are much more focused. Considering that the rap industry is marked by very few white artists, it drives the point home that violence depicted in rap music is an innate character of African Americans (Gamboa, 2004).

It is stereotypically believed that African Americans are poverty stricken people who can only afford to live in ghettos. The African American artists are shown how they live their lives in the ghettos or their lives in the streets hence the outside community are misconceived and therefore begin to question themselves where these stereotyping from the about the race began to be reinforced. Incidence shows that rapping in white enabled Eminem to make higher sales from the music he recorded which he confessed that if it was not so the sales could be low. To add to that most fans were interested in the raps by blacks only because of the skill of the artists shown otherwise they still bear in mind that white rappers have higher standards thus intensifying the reinforcement of the stereotyping other races (Gamboa, 2004).

Next, it is clear that young African American women are stereotyped to sex objects that deserve no respect. They were created as tools of pleasure for men who can afford them. Although this is a stereotypical conception, the lyrics in rap music tend to drive the young girls into believing this and hence accepting the status quo. Rap music has affected the sexuality of the young girls or ladies who end up being used by the artists thereby undermining women who end up engaging into early sexual lives. The rapping team of 50 Cent uses women whose dressing codes are alarming hence the young girls and boys character is influenced hence their behavior in terms of sex is affected. In addition the women are simply being used as the sexual objects by the men whose objectives are endless hence to succeed in their rap music women must be used at the fore front to achieve the required results therefore the teenagers who are highly keen on music from such rappers adopt certain roles from such artists which may not be applicable to their culture or religion thus causing culture conflict in the society from which they come or contradicting the family values established by their parents. Lyrics to the song Thug Love is a clear depiction of how women are degraded in rap music. The artist uses the language that sexually degrades the women as mere sexual objects and mistreats the women while making love. For instance in that master piece he says that when her lover comes home he would tie her on the bedpost while caressing her. The media shows the music of 50 Cent in many instances and in such music the women and the men are conceptualized in very different forms hence creating the gender stereotypes (Gamboa, 2004).

Furthermore, the music video clips and various lyrics tend to differentiate how women are being used by men as being powerful in the society in terms of the wealth they possess. The social class they associate with, the expensive vehicles they drive and the deals they make among the men themselves make women follow them. It becomes stereotypical that men are the rich gender. Women only need to stick to the most powerful men in order to elevate their economic status. It is this way that the society adopts the stereotypes basing on what the rappers relay their lyrics in their master piece of work in the form of the music they play. To add more the works by the rapper like 50 Cent clearly shows that women are tools for the men to use when they are involved in the dangerous deals such as drug trafficking. Women are depicted as baits to corrupt the authority that might stand on their way which in the end may hinder them from accomplishing the mission set by the men behind the deal. After the deal is over the women are only given less returns or they may be given sex as the return of their output by the men like for instance in the lyrics of 50Cents featuring Robin Thickle titled Cocaine the lyrics highlights how the artists are discussing how they got the cocaine from Columbia and how each two men are sniffing it although the police are not far away from the scenes. After that the lyrics further discusses how they will make sex with her after the deal is completed this indicates that women are being degraded by the male in terms of gender and sexuality in the sense that men are being shown as being aggressive, strong, manipulative in the manner in which they handle the issues facing them in order to gain what they desire in life while the women are seen as the weaker people who lack the spirit of aggressiveness and can only handle the matters that are not strenuous such as sex.These reinforces the sexuality stereotyping from the community by the people who watch the music. Artists construct their art work with such themes which finally end up in the media industries such as MTV which shows the rap music containing such elements where the women or a particular gender are shown with undermining music videos showing the women being used as the tools to enrich their male counter part as being the stronger gender by them acquiring the status that elevate them while assigning the roles that disrespect the women by viewing them as being weak. This is a clear example of gender stereotyping (Browne, 2003).

In conclusion, it should be clear that the works of art, like for the case of 50 Cent in this paper can easily reinforce stereotypical ideas. The way with which an artist deals with the issues of the gender, sexuality and race affects his audience or his consumers who may embrace the elements of violent means to acquire quick wealth which may threaten the security of the community. On the sexuality younger people may change their behavior such as beginning sexual activities at tender age due to their stereotypical beliefs reinforced and influenced by the works of the artist. It can also justify conceptions of races and gender. Major contributions in the arts industry may be of higher standards or low standards depending on the stereotyped beliefs. Finally, sex and gender as shown in the works indicates that women are the objects used by men to achieve what they aspire. This depicts a stereotypical perception in terms of gender.

Reference List

Browne, D. (2003). Money Talks: it aint anything But a G Thing for Rapper 50 Cent, Whos Looking to Get Rich or Die Tryin with the Help of Eminem, Entertainment Weekly, p.148.

Gamboa, G. (2004) Rap music reaches a crossroads. Newsday, pp.17-19

Hughes, Z. (2003). The 9 lives of 50 Cent: Rap star survives shootings, stabbing and death Threats. Ebony, pp. 5253.  Web.

Lyrics A to Z. Fifty Cent lyrics. Web.

If you want to learn about some secrets of show business, you need to watch the brilliant musical 42nd Street. This musical was written by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble in 1980. The production under consideration was performed by the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts in 2013 (SOTA Music, 2013). This famous play is set in the times of the Great Depression and focuses on the attempt of Julian, a notorious director, to stage a musical that could bring him fame and wealth.

The play starts with an audition for the new show where Peggy, a young and talented girl, wants to participate. Dorothy, a former prima donna with doubtful dancing abilities, is also on the show because Julian wants to get her lovers money to fund the play. He also thinks Dorothy would attract more viewers due to her past. Dorothy has a conflict with Peggy as the prima believes the young actress has an affair with the man she truly loves, which is not true. Later, Dorothy, due to Peggys being rather clumsy, is injured and cannot star in the play. Julian fires Peggy and is desperate, and decides to cancel the show, while people in the show tell him about Peggys talent and her ability to perform instead of Dorothy. Eventually, Dorothy performs becoming a new star while Julian is happy and sad about his show and his love for Peggy.

Atmosphere

The overall atmosphere of the performance was realistic, entertaining, and engaging. The scenery was appropriate and created the impression of Broadway of the 1930s. The costumes looked similar to the clothes of that time, which contributed to the development of the necessary tone. The lighting was used to the fullest as the necessary emphasis was placed on the necessary parts. The cast made viewers engaged by their movements and facial expressions. The music was stunning, but the sound was not always perfect, but it did not spoil the impression. At times, Peggys and Billys singing was not heard, but a possible negative emotion regarding this never emerged as the performers used their bodies to enhance the effect of their singing. Their emotions and movements were priceless.

Technical Evaluation

The technical aspects of the musical were appropriate and of quite high quality. As mentioned above, the scenery was instrumental in recreating the atmosphere of a musical show of the 1930s. The setting was not rich in detail, but they managed to use the key items and objects, such as café furniture or the dressing room. The use of the two-floor scenery was very effective and added even more action and life to the performance. The costumes were not completely perfect as many of the items seemed rather modern, but the overall tone of the target period was present. Makeup was better as the fashion and style of the 1930s were recreated. The most remarkable technical aspect was the lighting that was utilized to the fullest because it highlighted the characters emotions perfectly well.

Acting Evaluation

As far as acting is concerned, it was good although some singing could be improved. All the actors worked together in a well-established ensemble to tell the story rather than play their part. Some actors performance was not highly professional or believable. This was mainly true to secondary characters. However, it is necessary to remember that actors are students so their performance was adequate.

Since the musical was concerned with Broadway, performers were emotional and very explicit. Some may regard the performance as overplay, but I enjoyed the exaggerated tones and emotions. Dorothy was a true star of the production in question as the actress managed to create a lively and unforgettable archetypical prima donna. She was hilarious and multifaceted at the same time when it came to the scenes with her beloved.

Directorial Evaluation

The production under analysis can be seen as a directorial success because everything was balanced appropriately. All the production aspects contributed to the creation of the world where the show must go on and it never stops. The directors concepts and interpretation were true to what the playwright intended. The directors interpretations were similar to mine, so I was completely satisfied with the directorial work.

Personal Opinion

I loved the production of this famous musical although I understood that many performers were not highly professional. However, leading actors and actresses were majestic and professional. The acting was one of the aspects that stroke me more than the others, so I would like to concentrate on this component. Dorothy was the brightest star of the show and a typical prima donna. The actress managed to create a character who is hilarious, mean, pathetic at times, but loveable, and deep. Her every appearance was anticipated and made the play more entertaining and filled with emotion.

The performance of the actress and this very character are the major reasons to see this production and enjoy a modern recreation of a story from the distant past. I highly recommend everyone to see this production irrespective of their possible acquaintance with the musical 42nd Street. If you watched older productions, you will appreciate the modern and even young tone of the play. If you have not seen any productions of the musical, you will enjoy it and have a clear view of what the play looked like decades ago.

References

SOTA Music. (2013). 42nd Street  the complete musical. Youtube.

History of Music

From the past to now, music has played a very important part in our everyday life. There are two types of music: traditional music and modern music. Every country has its own culture. The cultural scene of each country plays an important part in the traditional music of that particular country. Meanwhile, modern music is what people often hear nowadays, such as pop, rock, and jazz music. The era of music started with the Medieval and then continued with the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Early Romantic, and Romantic eras, and finally, the 20th Century Great War Years.

Moreover, moving back to the past history of music, its emergence could represent language and also written words. The development of music started with natural background sounds, such as the sound of ocean waves, the singing of birds, and so forth. This music period ended with the emergence of writing. Listening to music helps people to de-stress and escape from the bustling reality because music acts as entertainment. For example, listening to soothing music will make a person feel peaceful. Music does not only help to release stress, but it also plays an important role in movies. Music helps to highlight all the important scenes and necessary moments of a movie. It will also affect the mood of the audience and create a sense of anticipation.

History of advertisement

In the past history, advertising was mainly published in printed form, such as newspapers, magazines, and so on. These forms of advertisement will only show words and information. In contrast, music advertising has emerged in recent years in such a way that it is modernized and present in the form of electronic. For example, application advertisements, cinema advertisements, radio advertisements, and others.

In recent music, advertising has been defined as the use of background music with or without lyrics, and therefore, it can act as a tool to affect someone’s mood and emotions. The use of background music in advertising not only influences the mood of people but also allows them to express their current emotional states. In the aspect of business, music advertising is crucial as it can produce a more attractive product advertisement and be able to target more market consumers to purchase their particular product.

Ever since electronic media have evolved, music has started to play an important role in advertising. In the past, advertisements only appeared in newspapers and other printed media, which were not accompanied by music. This also shows that advertising with music used in media like radio advertisements, television advertisements, cinema advertisements, and such has increased the effectiveness of the message being portrayed to the public.

Body paragraph

First of all, most people are more inclined to listen to TV than watch TV. They will only look at the screen when they hear something that is interesting and catchy. In addition, music sets the tone for the images. Music is an emotional connection, and the most important thing is that it represents an instinctive reaction. Even without a direct dialogue, we can emotionally combine the experience of the audience with our creativity. Every advertisement is an emotional creation.

Besides that, the music that plays in the advertisement will affect the way viewers perceive the brand in different ways and at different levels. A good advertisement can attract more people to watch it. For example, some company put their advertisement on famous platforms like YouTube and Facebook, and if the advertisement selects the right music based on the content of the advertisement, people will tend to watch the whole video without skipping it.

Music that is appropriately included in an advertisement not only helps to attract a bigger audience but it will also helps to make a long-lasting impression so that the audience will remember it forever and associate with that brand. According to the message or product being advertised, the music used can help to bring out a psychological message to either prompt users to feel a certain way or to be more interested in the product being advertised. As a result, the advertisement with background music would be able to capture a larger amount of audience and expand its reach and message.

In addition, incorporating music into an advertisement helps to construct an emotional connection between audiences and the brand. This is due to the fact that music has a psychological effect on the way we humans process information and think. Moreover, including music in an advertisement can help sync rhythm and beat with the advertisement itself, creating a much more captivating experience for audiences. For instance, someone who is able to relate to the music that is synced up to the video advertisement will feel a better connection to the message or product advertised.

Therefore, it is evident that including music in advertisements is able to further fortify the efficiency of reaching the audience on a more personal level. Moreover, music plays an integral role in improving the reach and impression of the advertisement. With the strategic incorporation of music in advertisements, the quality of the advertisement will automatically be elevated to a whole new level.

To give you an idea, there is one thing in common between the big companies that have succeeded in the business world, that is, they added the element of music to their advertisements so that the audience who see them feel the same and have a greater interest in their products.
Furthermore, music is often used as an accompaniment in advertisements due to its ability to enhance the audience’s arousal and effect of the advertisement. One of the many reasons why music is so important in the advertising field is due to the fact that music will trigger people’s emotions and leave a deeper impression in the viewer’s mind subconsciously. A good advertisement with good music will tend to stick in the audience’s mind for a longer period of time.

While an advertisement is played, viewers receive various stimuli from visual and auditory sources; in plain sight, the stimulus from the visual source would seem to be a much more impactful tool to spread the message across or prompt the audience to purchase a product. However, many people fail to realize that the music in the background actually helps to deepen the impression of the advertisement being portrayed to the viewers. Music is received by the auditory cortices of the brain.

This process involuntarily involves the memory center of the brain. Therefore, including music in an advertisement not only enhances the quality of the advertisement but also helps to plant a lasting impression of the advertisement subconsciously. This phenomenon is similar to how a song or tune gets stuck in one’s for a long time. Evidently, the use of music is a scientifically proven way to enhance the effect of an advertisement; this is why brands that are striving to build a reputation or are trying to push a product should definitely invest in developing an advertisement that has an appropriately curated soundtrack as to maximize their efforts.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, music does play an important role in the advertisement, and if an advertisement goes without music, it would not be able to send out the message of the advertisement to the public even though they have an attractive storyline. Music in the advertisements does influence a consumer’s purchase behavior. There is much research on music in advertising, and there is a positive result and solid proof that music is the key to advertisement. Music in advertisements allows consumers to search for more information about the brand and product and share it with other friends.

References:

1. Music Archive. (2009). The History of Music. Retrieved from https://www.musicarcades.com/history_of_music.html
2. MacDonald, L., & Bianchi, C. (2011). Music in Advertising: An Analytical Synthesis of the Literature and Avenues for Future Research. Academy of Marketing Science Review, 2011(10), 1-16. Retrieved from https://www.amsreview.org/articles/macdonald10-2011.pdf
3. North, A. C., & Hargreaves, D. J. (2008). The Effect of Music on Affective Responses to Advertising. Journal of Advertising, 37(4), 25-34. https://doi.org/10.2753/JOA0091-3367370403
4. Leung, X. Y., Zhong, L., & Li, Z. (2015). The Role of Music in Advertising: How Background Music Influences Consumers’ Responses to Ads. Journal of Advertising Research, 55(4), 436-449. https://doi.org/10.2501/JAR-2015-022
5. Zander, M. F., & Konecnik, M. (2008). The Effect of Background Music in Retail: Does Gender Matter? Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 15(5), 399-409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2008.04.003