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.
Rhythm defiantly is a complex idea! That is why it is such an important concept to teach our students. I'm curious to see how you would explain this concept to your students. What kind of activities and cultures would you include to portray these "events".
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