Music and Us

 Hello people! It's crazy that this is the last blog for now. I had to rally think about what music I personally listen to for this blog. I tried to sort my playlist and see how many different cultures it encompasses and honestly its only like three...  So, I definitely need to do some more expanding of the ole pallet. Specifically for this blog, I really racked my brain to think of music from different cultures that I have listened to that I really find interesting or what speaks to my soul. So I will start off with a piece of music that reflects on my culture. 

As some people know, I am Jewish, I grew up in a Messianic Jewish household. I was more connected to the Christian aspect of this so I am somewhat disconnected from my culture in terms of language and some traditional aspects. However, One song that really speaks to me on a spiritual level is Avinu Malkeinu, it translates to, "our Father, our King". It is a prayer that can be used during certain holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur,  and is a beloved part of the liturgy. I wish we could have at least brushed over Jewish music because there are similarities to Arabic music. The text used that was set to music is ancient however there is a more contemporary arrangement of the music that I hold dear to my heart and it is sung by Barbara Streisand.

The next selection of music is from Brazil and is a blend of Samba and Jazz. Bossa Nova music can get me out of any bad mood. It developed as a new trend in the 50s and has since developed and thrived as a popular genre of music. It is composed of complex harmonic structure and syncopated rhythms. Themes of Bossa Nova include romance, longing, the tranquility of the beach life in brazil, and leisure. I haven't always known or appreciated Bossa Nova but of course what introduced me to the genre was The Girl From Ipanema, However that is not the song I'll be sharing. My current favorite Bossa piece is Desafinado done by João Gilberto and Stan Getz. Its such a relaxing song and the vocals are so smooth that I could listen to it at any point in my life and it would fit. 

Of course at this point I'm racking my brain to think of another culture and I thought of my favorite artist right now, Laufey. She is Icelandic and Chinese and she grew up in Iceland and America. She is fluent in Icelandic and often will include some in her music. She is very conscious of being in touch with her culture and she wrote a song about when she moved from Iceland and was afraid she would be disconnected from her culture. She talks of how she misses her homeland and the cold breeze on her cheeks on the black sandy beach, and how she left to chase a dream. She definitely succeeded. While it is not completely written in Icelandic, I'd say it perfectly captures her story and her struggles with her identity and her culture. I would definitely call this a modern Icelandic piece and it is one of my favorites. I wish we could have studied some Icelandic music because they have such a beautiful culture. 

Ok, lastly I definitely have to go over to China and showcase their Chines Opera or as they call it Xiqu, which blends song, music, and dance. It is a very rich art form, for some it may take some getting used to the sound but I feel like that applies to any art form that you are just learning about. I think I was introduced to this art form like three or four years ago when I got curious and was looking up the classical singing styles in different cultures. I was intrigued to hear a voice that sounded very much like an Urhu. Their voices are so melodic and have such a unique timbre that is definitely not heard in the western world. I would have loved if there was time to go over traditional Chinese music because their culture is so rich and their history is so deep, and we don't hear much about their customs. Now I don't have any favorite performances or pieces but here is a video that I came across while making this blog. You don't have to watch the whole thing, but at least watch till she sings and notice how little her mouth moves. Also I hope you enjoy their traditional costumes and mesmerizing dance moves as much as I do.

We live in our own little worlds and often times we are so focused on getting through the day without horribly failing that we don't take time to learn about other world and cultures around us. We have this access to the internet that brings other continents to our desktop. I hope I can continue to research and learn about all the different types of music and I hope you all can as well! Thank you for taking this brief but challenging journey with me through all these blogs! Byeeeeee.