Thinking About Time

The concept of rhythm in general has always captivated me in its ability to exist in every culture in one form or another. As expressed in the text, rhythm is described as having to do with the duration of sonic events in time – any succession of durations or in contrast, “a rhythm”, being a specific succession of durations such as a repetitive rhythm pattern. In any case rhythm can be viewed as a certain flow or groove used in music and dance. There is a certain swagger that must be encapsulated to grasp the understanding of the “musicking” taking place.

            Rhythm has a personality, a sense of movement as it guides a culture’s expression. Rhythm is the timing of events on a human scale of musical sounds and silences, of the steps of dance, or the meter of spoken language and poetry. We human beings exist in time and it is the organization of this time, whether in the realm of music, dance, language, or poetry, it avails the nuance of diversity as each culture has a different organization.  

            

Philosophy Response

Elliot:

“How does one encourage individual insight into the meaning and use of one’s own (or another person’s) “art”?

            In order to encourage one must possess the personal innate quality of having a sense of who he/she is as an educator as well as a musician. One key aspect of the music, as well as arts education, is making it meaningful to the students. If it does not take meaning with the educator first, how then could this insight be passed on to the student? Each educator should have a series of experiences that would ignite the passion of the hearts of the students. As educators, are main priority is not to relay information from text or indulge in the reading of consistent philosophies, however to engage the heart and mind of the student in a continuous balance of inspiration, wonderment, and inquiry concerning the given field. As it applies to the art/culture of one or another’s culture, it must be taken into consideration that it is not so much of the “how” but the “why” to what the art actually is. As explained, if art is used as cultural expression, one must understand the context in this expression and find means to be passionate about similarities as well as differences. Looking at art on a global, not just individual or cultural scale may develop a hunger and desire for wanting to know more about this concept of “art” or “culture”. As I close, I reinstate my claim that this inspiration must first begin with the educator, for passion inspires/ignites passion.

  

Reimer:

“A cultural context is a significant factor in forming human consciousness. Music, the arts, and cultural constructs, contribute to this process.”

            As discussed in class from the Wade reading of Thinking Musically, the idea of music not actually meaning “music” was contingent upon the context in the culture and atmosphere that the “music” is taking place. In order to understand the meaning of music, one must understand the cultural belief system in which this “music” is coming from. Arts advocate David Elliot suggest, music consists in four domains: a doer, a doing, what was done, and the context in which it was done. Without an understanding of the cultural context in which this “musicking” is happening, it would be difficult to determine the matter in what this thing called “music” actually is. I myself am allowing my mind to be open and finding new insights in music to positively change, alter, and shape my definition of what music actually is.