toodles

Every culture found across the globe has music deeply embeded in its culture. One idea that constantly comes to mind when thinking about all the cultures we studied is that non-western music seems so natural compared to what we're studying here at Converse. The acceptance of more raw, animalistic sounds is what we found in other cultures; some even desire a more rugged, less beautiful sound. This approach is very different from eveything we've been trained to do, but it's what I love most about ethnomusicology. It's almost as if we make a mockery of music. Like our work is just one big satire. Everything we do is exaggerated, overworked, and overstudied. Maybe this isn't exactly the case, but what I've seen of other countries' music helps me to play and interpret western music in a much more relaxed way. Music which is so natural and un-fixed makes my work seem stuffy and somewhat stuck-up, so this january I've taken a much freer approach to my practicing and rehearsals. We get so hung up over a single out of tune note, a honk from a clarinet, or a scratchy bow, but other cultures would welcome our errors as a natural part of the music making process. I think we have to be a little more forgiving in our practice so that we can actually enjoy what we're playing. I've found that studying foreign music is a great way to let one's nerves go.
Although I had this great realization, there's still one question that hasn't quite been answered by this class. Why is western music pretty much the only type of music which has delved so deep into the harmonic aspect of music. So many cultures lack complexity of harmony but have it in their melodies, rhythms or both. Why is it that only western music has explored harmony so heavily?