Culture And Music
How do culture and music influence each other?
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calendarEducator since 2016
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Musical production, particularly in the United States, is directly impacted by cultural influences, particularly ethnic traditions. Music is often reflective of "the cultural melting pot."
The previous educator mentioned jazz which, along with blues, is a distinctly American art form. Jazz was born in New Orleans as a result of the intermingling of African and European musical traditions. Even country music—a form almost entirely associated with rural white America in our present day—has roots in Southern slave culture: it was slaves who entertained their masters with the banjo.
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calendarEducator since 2009
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Music is an expressive language of culture. It tells a story, expresses ideas and offers opinions and share emotions of life's experiences.
Music ties generations together. Before the written word, people, tribes, communities used music to tell stories, teach lessons, tell stories of the hunt, the battle, a victory, a defeat, medicine, a recipe, ritual, etc.
The culture, our times, any time, is reflected by the composer of the song. Think about the Big Band Era and it's grand sound and patriotic lyrics. This music reflects the American Culture of patriotism and era of World War Two.
Jazz and Blues, born in America, captures the flavors New Orleans, of the downtrodden as a result of hard economic times.
Slave songs reflect America's history of slavery, the toil it took on African American families, the pain, hardship and strong faith in God.
The songs of the 1950 burst with optimism of a culture the is booming with prosperity, post World War Two.
These are just a few examples.
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