Myth and music are the principal roots of drama. Myths always played an important role in human societies. They created a process of communication between people, in which some individuals shared with others their understanding of the world. That was achieved by offering a representation of the world and by giving it a plot, so that it would be interesting and familiar to the audience and not just a dry lesson. Music could play a similar role, communicating situations and emotions by sounds and harmony. In the western tradition, the first "tragedies" were myths which were danced and sung by a "chorus" at festivals in honour of Dionysus (God of Wine), in ancient Greece. The earliest presentations probably consisted of a chorus of men dancing in a ring, reciting or chanting some Greek myth while individual performers would stand on a rough wooden platform or cart. Spectators were seated on a hillside to view these early "plays". In the open-air, day-lit Greek theatre, the chorus was a practical necessity. It made the transitions between scenes, giving actors the chance to enter and leave the playing area, and even announced what characters those actors portrayed. But the function of the chorus goes beyond this. The choral odes, accompanied by dancing and music, were part of the entertainment itself. The chorus both commented on the events and participated in them, so that it was both involved in the action and detached from it. The instruments heard were the same ones that were used for all other kinds of musical activities, the aulos, a wind instrument with two pipes, percussion and string instruments as the lyre which also coloured musically the poems of epic poets like Homer. .
It was in 534 B.C. that perhaps the most important stage in the creation of drama was reached with Thespis, who invented an actor who conversed with the leader of the chorus, and by his reports of events occurring off the stage could provide the chorus with materials for fresh songs in new scenes.
"Music illuminates a person through and through. ... It was a prophetic vision of Shostakovich that uses unmusical means to tell the world about the coming tragedies, the years under Stalin's control, and deaths of millions of people. But the tragedy of the piece was too sharp. ... No matter how the music begins, it comes to a dead end. ... Why does this music sound so special? ...
As a result he is also connected with vitality and cycles and sponsors music and lyric poetry. ... This Dionysian complement was the spirit of music. Music is the universal form of art for Nietzsche, "above all else we regard folk music as a musical mirror of the world" (Nietzsche 33). ... The presence of Apollo and Dionysus can be seen in both music and poetry in a number of ways. ... The lyrical poem is Dionysian in its revels that grew out of the excitement of music. ...
Baroque & Enlightenment Music Baroque music was written from the year 1600-1750 and was similar to pre-era music in the way that musical emotion was tailored to give worship more magnetism. However, Baroque music was different in many ways because although the music was customized for churches, certain instruments and voices depending on there sound were objectives when the composers wrote the music. ... Another form of Baroque music is sonata. ... Similar to cantata, opera music was created to display vocal skills however; it combines drama based on ancient Greek tragedy with the emotion ...
Patriotic Themes in Country Music Country music has been popular is this country for years. There are various reasons as to why people listen to country music. ... In these times following the September 11th tragedy, it seems that country artists are incorporating more patriotic themes into their music. ... It seems that only after we endured such a tragedy did people want to start showing their patriotism. ... Of all the different types of music out there, it seems that country music has taken the biggest leap towards the patriotic phenomena. ...
I will attempt to briefly address a few of these theories proposed by philosophical giants such as Aristotle, Plato, and Confucius, while examining the role that music plays in Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music. Nietzsche's Birth of Tragedy is divided into two sections. The first fifteen chapters address the birth of Greek Tragedy which he believes took place upon the meeting of the Apollonian and the Dionysian world views. ... The preface of The Birth of Tragedy is written to Wagner but is also speaking to the reader. ... He is saying here that as me...
Music through the Times Music is so much more than just a form of entertainment. ... That is why music cannot be considered the direct cause of some tragedies that have occurred, the Columbine massacre for example. ... It was just not the type of music that would sell. Music played a different role than it does now. ... Music of the present is based on being the bad guy as opposed to the music of the past being based on having a good time. ...
More than half of all music videos contained some violent act or crime. ... When the issue of music as a contributing factor to the Littleton Tragedy was raised, a concert that was slated for the following week at red rocks amphitheatre in the foothills overlooking Denver for rock star Marilyn Manson was canceled. ... Music is created and used precisely because it does cause certain things. ... Music is aimed at and meant for emotions. ... Music is an influence, Music does cause actions. ...
Behind the Music: Influence on Teenagers In today's society, Rap and Rock are two very popular types of music among teenagers. This type of music appeals to teens not only because it coincides with the rebellion and frustration they feel towards society, but also because it is the most accepted music amongst their peers. While this type of music may seem harmless, research has shown that the messages that Rock and Rap music contain in their lyrics can have a huge negative impact on impressionable teens. ... For instance, investigations into the tragedy at...
Marilyn Manson along with another group by the name of KDFDM have been accused and blamed for having written songs that caused the tragedy at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. ... She stated, "In the coming days, we may find out more about the cause of this tragedy, but we do know that music does not drive teenagers to violent despair, nor does it put guns and weapons in the hands of children. It's too easy to make music a scapegoat" (The Music/Violence Connection 4). ... Music therapy is the use of music to help treat psychological or psychosocial disorders or illnesses. Th...
