FORMAL CRITIQUE
This is my formal critique of the track “Alphabet Aerobics” by Blackalicious. This is a very interesting and unique hip-hop track. The emcee goes through the entire alphabet, devoting several bars at a time to words beginning with a specific letter. As he goes from A to Z, the tempo of the song also increases. I will be looking at the words used, how many syllables each word contains, and how this changes from beginning to end. I want to see how the increase in tempo increases the types of words Blackalicious uses. Throughout the entire song, each letter receives eight counts. The earlier letters have more leeway, for the tempo is slower and there is more time to use words of their choice. As a result, there are more fill-in words and conjunctions in the earlier letters. For instance:
Artificial amateurs, aren't at all amazing
Analytically, I assault, animate things
Broken barriers bounded by the bomb beat
Buildings are broken, basically I'm bombarding
A majority of the words do begin with A or B, but there are some smaller fill-in words here. Let’s move down the alphabet and take a look at the letter H:
Hit em high, hella height, historical
Hey holocaust hints hear 'em holler homeboy
As the tempo increases, and time reduces, Blackalicious begins taking out unnecessary words and conjunctions. He cuts right to the matter and gives us all of the words beginning with that specific letter, nothing more. I also wanted to see how he performed with the most obscure letters, including Q, X, Z. These lines obviously feature more fill-in words. However, he still manages to dig deep into his vocabulary, using words such as quantum, Xerox and zealots. The diction and rhythm of his raps also change as the tempo changes. Overall, he keeps a consistent flow throughout the piece, no matter how fast the tempo becomes. This is a masterful song that has such artistic depth and creativity. It is one of my favorite songs of all time.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
ECLECTIC ANALYSIS - NWA - Fuck the Police (MANDATORY ASSIGNMENT)
ECLECTIC ANALYSIS - FINAL ASSIGNMENT
For my Ecelctic Critique, I will be analyizing the NWA classic “Fuck The Police.” I believe that the historical context of this track is the most important element when analyzing any NWA track. It lays the main foundation of NWA’s powerful message. The track was written in Compton in 1988, one of the most turbulent years for the inner city. 1988 was a huge year for hip-hop - it featured the rise of NWA, Public Enemy, and Run DMC. Hip-hop began to develope a sense of cultural pride and confidence. While Public Enemy's socially conscious messages were more peaceful, NWA featured a more millitant style of expression and power. Call them the Malcolm X, while P.E was more along the lines of MLK. The beat's and compositions within the music of NWA were simple and raw, yet innovative, just like thier lyrics/overall message. The rawness and toughness of the composition has such a deep effect, for it really epitomized the era these young men lived in. The 80’s and 90’s in South Central LA/Compton/Oakland featured deep tension between African American’s and local law enforcement (most of the police were white). A listener who might not look into the historical context of “Fuck The Police” might mock the song for its vulgarity and excessive usage of inflammatory phrases/words. However, one must put themselves in the shoes of Dr. Dre, Eazy E, MC Ren, Ice Cube and the thousands of oppressed black youths in the ghettos of California.
After the riots in Watts in the Sixties, racial tensions were at a maximum. In fact, the reason why NWA recorded several tracks was because of police brutality committed against several members of the group. Dr. Dre and MC Ren were sitting on a porch with a beebee gun. When police saw this, they immediately threw both Dre and MC Ren to the ground, handcuffed and arrested them. After several hours of inappropriate questioning in the precinct, they were finally released. This incident, along with other racially-driven incidents in their community, led to the recording of many NWA tracks, including “Fuck the Police” and “Straight Outta Compton.” The group gave the inner city a true voice, one that fought back against law enforcement. Young black youth all across the country could relate to the harsh words of NWA. The high unemployment rates, alcoholism, drug abuse, racial profiling and murder eventually boiled over, when Rodney King was severely beaten by the LAPD. After the acquittal of the police officers, even though their actions were caught on tape, the infamous LA Riots took place. Los Angeles, along with other major cities, completely imploded. Violence, rioting and civil unrest ruled the streets. These circumstances really molded the messages NWA conveyed in their multi-platinum albums.
In fact, not only did inner city minorities associate with their tracks, but oppressed groups across the globe stood up for NWA. The oppressed citizens of Belgrade, Serbia played the track extensively on the radio. When it was banned, they played NWA songs for hours on end. The anger, violence, oppression and racism surrounding these young rappers spilled over into their music, especially in the track “Fuck the Police.”
The very beginning of the track starts off with a bang. Instantly, NWA begins to mock the judicial system of America with a parody skit:
Right about now NWA court is in full effect.
Judge Dre presiding in the case of NWA versus the police department.
Prosecuting attourneys are MC Ren Ice Cube and Eazy muthafuckin E.
Order order order. Ice Cube take the muthafuckin stand.
Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth
and nothin but the truth so help your black ass?
Why don't you tell everybody what the fuck you gotta say?
They flip the script and take the positions of the white attorneys and judges. This small and comical skit actually carries a deep meaning. For once, the members of NWA are empowering themselves. By acting as the oppressors, the rappers are portraying self-confidence, strength and the ability to stand up and fight back. No matter how down they get, the mock trial reminds them to keep the faith and fight back.
The first verse of the track is extremely powerful, and sums up the entire gist of the track. Ice Cube delivers the lyrics with a loud, bombastic voice that reminds us of the anger, power and strength of the young Black community. The following words leave my hair standing on edge as they blare through the speakers:
Fuck tha police
Comin straight from the underground
Young nigga got it bad cuz I'm brown
And not the other color so police think
They have the authority to kill a minority
Within these lines, every ounce of hatred is released. The cooped up resentment and feeling is spilling into the track. Ice Cube's dominant voice adds to the effect. The power is simply astounding here. Another small line got my attention:
We could go toe to toe in the middle of a cell
This is yet another sign of resentment. Ice Cube believes that Blacks are equal, if not greater than Whites, if they are given equal conditions. If you throw out history, Ice Cube wants to tell the police force that he could easily overpower them. Because of our society, however, many Black people will never get the chance to gain equality with Whites, even if they hold the power to do so within. Ice Cube is challenging racists and bigots to square up, man to man, to prove that he is just as powerful and strong as any man in soicety.
The problem is that stereotyping, racism and hatred keep them down to the ground, as Ice Cube proclaims:
Fuckin with me cuz I'm a teenager
With a little bit of gold and a pager
Searchin my car, lookin for the product
Thinkin every nigga is sellin narcotics
With these thoughts engraved in the minds of the LAPD, what chance to these young Black kids have? The only choice they do have is to stand up toe to toe, and fight back. This message oozes out of this track. Next up to the mic is the scrappy MC Ren, who continues Ice Cube's millitant message with utmost confidence. The beat hasn't changed at all in the background, but it's rawness and grit still pulsate through the speakers.
My favorite member of the group, Eazy E, step's up to the plate next. His high-pitched voice and relentless style can either annoy the hell out of you, or draw you in even closer. Personally, he was the game-changer in NWA. Behind his millitant lyrics lies subtle messages that make you think. For instance:
They put up my picture with silence
Cuz my identity by itself causes violence
A social message that millions debate about each year lies within these two lines. When he raps the lines, however, something just seems to click inside your head. There is an absolute fear of African-Americans on this planet. Years and years upon years of reckless behavior has resulted in this inate feeling. Can you help but wonder what you would do if you were stuck in the ghetto? Wouldn't you be pissed off? Looking for retribution against police officers and city officials? It really makes me think.
All in all, this is such a powerful song that rang as an anthem for oppressed people, period. Black, white, yellow - it didn't matter what color you were. If you have some sort of beef against the polie or government, this was your jam. While Public Enemy wrote "Fight the Power," another track filled with social messages, "Fuck the Police" cut through the BS to the heart of the matter. Is it raw, millitant and violent in nature? Sure. Are those good qualities? No. But the circumstances and historical data don't lie. In the right situation, anger is justified and even necessary. If you repeatedly beat the crap out of a cagted lion for hundreds of years, and then finally release him, what would it do? It would pounce on the first thing breathing. This is why, I believe, that this track is one of the most important songs of our generation.
For my Ecelctic Critique, I will be analyizing the NWA classic “Fuck The Police.” I believe that the historical context of this track is the most important element when analyzing any NWA track. It lays the main foundation of NWA’s powerful message. The track was written in Compton in 1988, one of the most turbulent years for the inner city. 1988 was a huge year for hip-hop - it featured the rise of NWA, Public Enemy, and Run DMC. Hip-hop began to develope a sense of cultural pride and confidence. While Public Enemy's socially conscious messages were more peaceful, NWA featured a more millitant style of expression and power. Call them the Malcolm X, while P.E was more along the lines of MLK. The beat's and compositions within the music of NWA were simple and raw, yet innovative, just like thier lyrics/overall message. The rawness and toughness of the composition has such a deep effect, for it really epitomized the era these young men lived in. The 80’s and 90’s in South Central LA/Compton/Oakland featured deep tension between African American’s and local law enforcement (most of the police were white). A listener who might not look into the historical context of “Fuck The Police” might mock the song for its vulgarity and excessive usage of inflammatory phrases/words. However, one must put themselves in the shoes of Dr. Dre, Eazy E, MC Ren, Ice Cube and the thousands of oppressed black youths in the ghettos of California.
After the riots in Watts in the Sixties, racial tensions were at a maximum. In fact, the reason why NWA recorded several tracks was because of police brutality committed against several members of the group. Dr. Dre and MC Ren were sitting on a porch with a beebee gun. When police saw this, they immediately threw both Dre and MC Ren to the ground, handcuffed and arrested them. After several hours of inappropriate questioning in the precinct, they were finally released. This incident, along with other racially-driven incidents in their community, led to the recording of many NWA tracks, including “Fuck the Police” and “Straight Outta Compton.” The group gave the inner city a true voice, one that fought back against law enforcement. Young black youth all across the country could relate to the harsh words of NWA. The high unemployment rates, alcoholism, drug abuse, racial profiling and murder eventually boiled over, when Rodney King was severely beaten by the LAPD. After the acquittal of the police officers, even though their actions were caught on tape, the infamous LA Riots took place. Los Angeles, along with other major cities, completely imploded. Violence, rioting and civil unrest ruled the streets. These circumstances really molded the messages NWA conveyed in their multi-platinum albums.
In fact, not only did inner city minorities associate with their tracks, but oppressed groups across the globe stood up for NWA. The oppressed citizens of Belgrade, Serbia played the track extensively on the radio. When it was banned, they played NWA songs for hours on end. The anger, violence, oppression and racism surrounding these young rappers spilled over into their music, especially in the track “Fuck the Police.”
The very beginning of the track starts off with a bang. Instantly, NWA begins to mock the judicial system of America with a parody skit:
Right about now NWA court is in full effect.
Judge Dre presiding in the case of NWA versus the police department.
Prosecuting attourneys are MC Ren Ice Cube and Eazy muthafuckin E.
Order order order. Ice Cube take the muthafuckin stand.
Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth
and nothin but the truth so help your black ass?
Why don't you tell everybody what the fuck you gotta say?
They flip the script and take the positions of the white attorneys and judges. This small and comical skit actually carries a deep meaning. For once, the members of NWA are empowering themselves. By acting as the oppressors, the rappers are portraying self-confidence, strength and the ability to stand up and fight back. No matter how down they get, the mock trial reminds them to keep the faith and fight back.
The first verse of the track is extremely powerful, and sums up the entire gist of the track. Ice Cube delivers the lyrics with a loud, bombastic voice that reminds us of the anger, power and strength of the young Black community. The following words leave my hair standing on edge as they blare through the speakers:
Fuck tha police
Comin straight from the underground
Young nigga got it bad cuz I'm brown
And not the other color so police think
They have the authority to kill a minority
Within these lines, every ounce of hatred is released. The cooped up resentment and feeling is spilling into the track. Ice Cube's dominant voice adds to the effect. The power is simply astounding here. Another small line got my attention:
We could go toe to toe in the middle of a cell
This is yet another sign of resentment. Ice Cube believes that Blacks are equal, if not greater than Whites, if they are given equal conditions. If you throw out history, Ice Cube wants to tell the police force that he could easily overpower them. Because of our society, however, many Black people will never get the chance to gain equality with Whites, even if they hold the power to do so within. Ice Cube is challenging racists and bigots to square up, man to man, to prove that he is just as powerful and strong as any man in soicety.
The problem is that stereotyping, racism and hatred keep them down to the ground, as Ice Cube proclaims:
Fuckin with me cuz I'm a teenager
With a little bit of gold and a pager
Searchin my car, lookin for the product
Thinkin every nigga is sellin narcotics
With these thoughts engraved in the minds of the LAPD, what chance to these young Black kids have? The only choice they do have is to stand up toe to toe, and fight back. This message oozes out of this track. Next up to the mic is the scrappy MC Ren, who continues Ice Cube's millitant message with utmost confidence. The beat hasn't changed at all in the background, but it's rawness and grit still pulsate through the speakers.
My favorite member of the group, Eazy E, step's up to the plate next. His high-pitched voice and relentless style can either annoy the hell out of you, or draw you in even closer. Personally, he was the game-changer in NWA. Behind his millitant lyrics lies subtle messages that make you think. For instance:
They put up my picture with silence
Cuz my identity by itself causes violence
A social message that millions debate about each year lies within these two lines. When he raps the lines, however, something just seems to click inside your head. There is an absolute fear of African-Americans on this planet. Years and years upon years of reckless behavior has resulted in this inate feeling. Can you help but wonder what you would do if you were stuck in the ghetto? Wouldn't you be pissed off? Looking for retribution against police officers and city officials? It really makes me think.
All in all, this is such a powerful song that rang as an anthem for oppressed people, period. Black, white, yellow - it didn't matter what color you were. If you have some sort of beef against the polie or government, this was your jam. While Public Enemy wrote "Fight the Power," another track filled with social messages, "Fuck the Police" cut through the BS to the heart of the matter. Is it raw, millitant and violent in nature? Sure. Are those good qualities? No. But the circumstances and historical data don't lie. In the right situation, anger is justified and even necessary. If you repeatedly beat the crap out of a cagted lion for hundreds of years, and then finally release him, what would it do? It would pounce on the first thing breathing. This is why, I believe, that this track is one of the most important songs of our generation.
FERRARA – PHENOMENOLOGY AS A TOOL FOR ANALYSIS
FERRARA – PHENOMENOLOGY AS A TOOL FOR ANALYSIS
In this chapter, Dr. Ferrara discusses how to use phenomenology to analyze music. Many people try to find the objective knowledge when trying to analyze music. This strenuous analysis basically overshadows the actual music, thus making it subordinate. However, phenomenological analysts believe in a different way of analyzing music. They argue that what one hears is affected by how one hears it. They also believe in the concept of Dasein, which was discussed earlier in the book by Dr. Ferrara. By putting together all of these methods, Dr. Ferrara claims that this can “bring a practical and transferable application of phenomenological method” for the analysis of music. Not all pieces can be analyzed using the typical methods of analysis. Dr. Ferrara takes a glance at the famous Poeme Electronique. The piece can’t be analyzed with typical techniques because it is atonal and extremely unique. Dr. Ferrara argues, however, that a phenomenological view of this piece can give a solid analysis. During his multiple listenings, he categorizes sounds and attempts to break down the piece into it’s simplest elements. All in all, the phenomenological style of analysis focuses on multiple forms of anaylsis and thought, and therefore is a great way of analyzing a piece.
REACTION
I really liked this chapter. Dr. Ferrara gave us an alternative way of analyzing a piece of music. In fact, this method seems to be more thorough and well-rounded. It ended up giving a deep analysis of a very obscure and unique piece like Poeme Electronique. Typical methods of analysis wouldn’t be nearly as effective. The next time I want to analyze a piece, I am going to give this method a try.
In this chapter, Dr. Ferrara discusses how to use phenomenology to analyze music. Many people try to find the objective knowledge when trying to analyze music. This strenuous analysis basically overshadows the actual music, thus making it subordinate. However, phenomenological analysts believe in a different way of analyzing music. They argue that what one hears is affected by how one hears it. They also believe in the concept of Dasein, which was discussed earlier in the book by Dr. Ferrara. By putting together all of these methods, Dr. Ferrara claims that this can “bring a practical and transferable application of phenomenological method” for the analysis of music. Not all pieces can be analyzed using the typical methods of analysis. Dr. Ferrara takes a glance at the famous Poeme Electronique. The piece can’t be analyzed with typical techniques because it is atonal and extremely unique. Dr. Ferrara argues, however, that a phenomenological view of this piece can give a solid analysis. During his multiple listenings, he categorizes sounds and attempts to break down the piece into it’s simplest elements. All in all, the phenomenological style of analysis focuses on multiple forms of anaylsis and thought, and therefore is a great way of analyzing a piece.
REACTION
I really liked this chapter. Dr. Ferrara gave us an alternative way of analyzing a piece of music. In fact, this method seems to be more thorough and well-rounded. It ended up giving a deep analysis of a very obscure and unique piece like Poeme Electronique. Typical methods of analysis wouldn’t be nearly as effective. The next time I want to analyze a piece, I am going to give this method a try.
DICKIE - CHAPTER 6
DICKIE – CHAPTER 6
In Chapter 6, Dickie discusses Aldrich’s theory on aesthetic perception. In Aldrich’s mind, the aesthetics of a work can be understood objectively, not subjectively when the work is shown in a specific fashion. He also argues that there are two types of perception: the ordinary and the aesthetic. Ordinary perception is used in science, not art. Dickie discusses his feelings about how an object can be perceived through a picture/diagram. The picture from above looks like a lampshade, and from below, looks like a tunnel. From this diagram, Dickie argues that there’s only one form of perception that leads to three aesthetic objects. Dickie seems to butt heads with Aldrich’s ideas and beliefs. In one example, Aldrich presents two objects that are seen as impressionistic: a skyline at sundown, and a snowflake. Dickie completely disagrees with this belief, and argues that focusing one’s eyes in a unique way does not justify one believing that the object has a special aesthetic mode of perception. He concludes the chapter by arguing that there is not a real justification for saying that a particular form of aesthetic perception exists for an object to reveal itself in. All in all, a very interesting chapter.
REACTION
This chapter was a very complex one. For one, Dickie and Aldrich seemed to butt heads constantly. Even though many high thinkers may have absurd and extremely left field ideas and thoughts, they still help contribute to the overall conversation/debate about the topic at hand. Dickie does make some valid points, as well. Like many other chapters in the book, I had to read it many times to simply scratch the surface. It will definitely sink in more over time.
In Chapter 6, Dickie discusses Aldrich’s theory on aesthetic perception. In Aldrich’s mind, the aesthetics of a work can be understood objectively, not subjectively when the work is shown in a specific fashion. He also argues that there are two types of perception: the ordinary and the aesthetic. Ordinary perception is used in science, not art. Dickie discusses his feelings about how an object can be perceived through a picture/diagram. The picture from above looks like a lampshade, and from below, looks like a tunnel. From this diagram, Dickie argues that there’s only one form of perception that leads to three aesthetic objects. Dickie seems to butt heads with Aldrich’s ideas and beliefs. In one example, Aldrich presents two objects that are seen as impressionistic: a skyline at sundown, and a snowflake. Dickie completely disagrees with this belief, and argues that focusing one’s eyes in a unique way does not justify one believing that the object has a special aesthetic mode of perception. He concludes the chapter by arguing that there is not a real justification for saying that a particular form of aesthetic perception exists for an object to reveal itself in. All in all, a very interesting chapter.
REACTION
This chapter was a very complex one. For one, Dickie and Aldrich seemed to butt heads constantly. Even though many high thinkers may have absurd and extremely left field ideas and thoughts, they still help contribute to the overall conversation/debate about the topic at hand. Dickie does make some valid points, as well. Like many other chapters in the book, I had to read it many times to simply scratch the surface. It will definitely sink in more over time.
Monday, April 13, 2009
FERRARA, CHAPTER 5, “HEIDEGGER’S PHILOSOPHY OF ART.”
FERRARA, CHAPTER 5, “HEIDEGGER’S PHILOSOPHY OF ART.”
In this section, I was drawn to several parts of the reading. I want to begin with the definition of the word “art,” which, in “The Origin of the Work of Art,” is said to be the origin of the artist who created the work. A piece of art, whether it is music, visual, sculpture, etc., is the origin of the artist, and the artist is also the origin of the work. I found this definition quite perplexing and deep. Now, where do we classify “art,” which has a ‘thingy’ element attached to it? Heidegger elaborates on three types of beings: Ready-to-hand, present-to-hand, and Dasein. The first category refers to the gadgets we use, or the equipment that is present in our everyday lives. The Present-to-hand category refers to things we classify as random ‘junk’ around us. The third category, Dasein, refers to the human existence. There are also three interpretations of what “things” are: Substance, Collection of Sensory Data, and Formed Matter. Heidegger goes on to elaborate on a Van Gogh painting to disprove these three characteristics. In the painting, entitles “Les Souliers,” Heidegger discusses the purpose of a pair of shoes in the painting. He says, “By revealing the being of the shoes, this work establishes the truth of shoes.” A truth in this world is hidden until it is exposed through art.
REACTION
This was one of the toughest reading’s I’ve had in a while during my time here at NYU. I had to read it over and over to get a vague idea of the concepts, and I’m still struggling to fully grasp Heidegger. Maybe that’s why he’s such a revered figure, because common minds find it tough to fully understand him. To me, the word “art” and concept behind the word can always be subjective. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to an individual’s definition of “art” and it’s expression through artwork. With that in mind, I can still agree with parts of his philosophies – that an artist is defined by his pieces, and his pieces are defined by the artist. I still can’t understand the end of the chapter, when Heidegger’s theories and philosophies about the World and the Earth are spelled out. I’m still in the process of re-reading those passages over and over again.
In this section, I was drawn to several parts of the reading. I want to begin with the definition of the word “art,” which, in “The Origin of the Work of Art,” is said to be the origin of the artist who created the work. A piece of art, whether it is music, visual, sculpture, etc., is the origin of the artist, and the artist is also the origin of the work. I found this definition quite perplexing and deep. Now, where do we classify “art,” which has a ‘thingy’ element attached to it? Heidegger elaborates on three types of beings: Ready-to-hand, present-to-hand, and Dasein. The first category refers to the gadgets we use, or the equipment that is present in our everyday lives. The Present-to-hand category refers to things we classify as random ‘junk’ around us. The third category, Dasein, refers to the human existence. There are also three interpretations of what “things” are: Substance, Collection of Sensory Data, and Formed Matter. Heidegger goes on to elaborate on a Van Gogh painting to disprove these three characteristics. In the painting, entitles “Les Souliers,” Heidegger discusses the purpose of a pair of shoes in the painting. He says, “By revealing the being of the shoes, this work establishes the truth of shoes.” A truth in this world is hidden until it is exposed through art.
REACTION
This was one of the toughest reading’s I’ve had in a while during my time here at NYU. I had to read it over and over to get a vague idea of the concepts, and I’m still struggling to fully grasp Heidegger. Maybe that’s why he’s such a revered figure, because common minds find it tough to fully understand him. To me, the word “art” and concept behind the word can always be subjective. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to an individual’s definition of “art” and it’s expression through artwork. With that in mind, I can still agree with parts of his philosophies – that an artist is defined by his pieces, and his pieces are defined by the artist. I still can’t understand the end of the chapter, when Heidegger’s theories and philosophies about the World and the Earth are spelled out. I’m still in the process of re-reading those passages over and over again.
Monday, April 6, 2009
CHAPTER 7 – An Eclectic Method for Sound, Form and Reference
SUMMARY
This chapter can almost serve as the cliff notes for Ferrara’s previous chapters in his book. We can finally see a summarized version of Ferrara’s eloquent and intricate, yet sometimes confusing lingo. This chapter actually really helped me to fully understand the topics and themes of Ferrara’s previous chapters. He describes the ten steps of the Eclectic Method:
Step One: Always use a framework, or historical context when analyzing a piece. Use dates, historical and cultural information surrounding those dates, social issues, and more.
Step Two: Listen to the piece with an open and free mind. Throw out any preferences or preconceptions, and fully grasp the piece with tolerance and open-mindedness.
Step Three: Observe the structural format of the piece, or syntax. This helps for one to further understand the full complexity of a piece.
Step Four: Referred to as sound-in-time, the listener must observe how he or she feels about the actual sound of the piece, not the structure or syntax.
Step Five: Referred to as a musical or textual representation, the listener can see what parts of a piece actually represent. Certain elements of the composition, syntax, or voicing can stand for certain themes, emotions or feelings. Each unique part of a piece serves to evoke a certain idea or theme.
Step Six: Referred to as virtual feeling, the listener strictly follows syntax and sound-in-time to see what feelings emerge from the piece.
Step Seven: The listener must fully explore the history, culture, society, religious contexts, etc. in which the piece was composed/written.
Step Eight: Go back to step two and repeat: perform another open listen, this time trying in the new information one has gathered. Basically, connect all the dots and listen again.
Step Nine: Referred to as a Performance Guide, this step allows for one to aid a performer with the overall comprehension of the piece. Since one has studied the in’s and out’s of the piece and its historical context, one can impart this knowledge on a performer to help improve the overall quality and feeling of the performance.
Step Ten: The Meta Critique! Basically, what are the strong points and weak points of the analysis presented? This wraps it up!
REACTION
Finally, a simplified system that I can understand! I did a little test to see if this ‘Eclectic Method’ really worked. I used both a classical piece and a new-age hip-hop track. Before listening, I thought about the historical and cultural contexts of both pieces. After an open-minded listening session (with an attempt to fully throw out all biases), I broke down the syntax of both pieces. I then went a little deeper, discussing what emotions and feelings were being evoked from different parts of the songs. After another listen to the tracks, I jotted down some notes to see if I had gained insight, knowledge and understanding about both tracks. Indeed, I found that this logical and methodological system really helped me to immerse myself within the music, whether it was classical or hip-hop. This system is fool-proof – it works on any genre of music! I find that very amazing. Kudos to Dr. Ferrara for summarizing this into a great chapter that we can all clearly understand.
This chapter can almost serve as the cliff notes for Ferrara’s previous chapters in his book. We can finally see a summarized version of Ferrara’s eloquent and intricate, yet sometimes confusing lingo. This chapter actually really helped me to fully understand the topics and themes of Ferrara’s previous chapters. He describes the ten steps of the Eclectic Method:
Step One: Always use a framework, or historical context when analyzing a piece. Use dates, historical and cultural information surrounding those dates, social issues, and more.
Step Two: Listen to the piece with an open and free mind. Throw out any preferences or preconceptions, and fully grasp the piece with tolerance and open-mindedness.
Step Three: Observe the structural format of the piece, or syntax. This helps for one to further understand the full complexity of a piece.
Step Four: Referred to as sound-in-time, the listener must observe how he or she feels about the actual sound of the piece, not the structure or syntax.
Step Five: Referred to as a musical or textual representation, the listener can see what parts of a piece actually represent. Certain elements of the composition, syntax, or voicing can stand for certain themes, emotions or feelings. Each unique part of a piece serves to evoke a certain idea or theme.
Step Six: Referred to as virtual feeling, the listener strictly follows syntax and sound-in-time to see what feelings emerge from the piece.
Step Seven: The listener must fully explore the history, culture, society, religious contexts, etc. in which the piece was composed/written.
Step Eight: Go back to step two and repeat: perform another open listen, this time trying in the new information one has gathered. Basically, connect all the dots and listen again.
Step Nine: Referred to as a Performance Guide, this step allows for one to aid a performer with the overall comprehension of the piece. Since one has studied the in’s and out’s of the piece and its historical context, one can impart this knowledge on a performer to help improve the overall quality and feeling of the performance.
Step Ten: The Meta Critique! Basically, what are the strong points and weak points of the analysis presented? This wraps it up!
REACTION
Finally, a simplified system that I can understand! I did a little test to see if this ‘Eclectic Method’ really worked. I used both a classical piece and a new-age hip-hop track. Before listening, I thought about the historical and cultural contexts of both pieces. After an open-minded listening session (with an attempt to fully throw out all biases), I broke down the syntax of both pieces. I then went a little deeper, discussing what emotions and feelings were being evoked from different parts of the songs. After another listen to the tracks, I jotted down some notes to see if I had gained insight, knowledge and understanding about both tracks. Indeed, I found that this logical and methodological system really helped me to immerse myself within the music, whether it was classical or hip-hop. This system is fool-proof – it works on any genre of music! I find that very amazing. Kudos to Dr. Ferrara for summarizing this into a great chapter that we can all clearly understand.
Monday, February 2, 2009
FERRARA, "INTRODUCTION" - Summary and Reaction
SUMMARY
REACTION
During my first read, all I could think was, “Damn, this dude is deep!” I’ve always admired Dr. Ferrara, especially after having him teach Music History III last semester. He has all the brains and talent in the world, yet he is a fun-loving, humble cat. Dr. Ferrara starts by explaining how music can be perceived based on the individual, or simply the degree of examination. I believe he wants his readers to combine a variety of methods to deeply analyze music. In the age of the internet, it is so easy to type in a few words and read hundreds of articles about a certain artists or song. This method of analysis only gives us a one-dimensional view of a piece that is essentially spoon-fed to us through the Internet. As a musician/observer, we must analyze any piece of music using several methods, including phenomenological methods, conventional methods and hermeneutic methods. By observing a piece through three different lights, we are able to fully grasp the essence of a piece on many levels.
REACTION
I bet most of the students have commented on how deep Dr. Ferrara’s wordplay is. I certainly agree with these students. He has one helluva gift. I certainly agree that we need to change the way we look at music. As a society, I believe our analysis of music has been watered down. A random song on the radio may evoke some emotion, but what makes the average person stop there? I’ve heard many people say, “Well, the beat’s great and it really makes me want to dance, so I love the song!” Hell, even I’m guilty of this feeling on occasion. We need to drive past that outer emotion and dig deep into the depth of a song. From this point on, I take an oath to step back and fully immerse myself into music. Whether it’s a legendary hit by the Beatles or a club banger by the Ying Yang Twins should not matter at all.
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