Is music still true?

Is music still true? Is Music Still True? Authenticity is a major issue in popular music, and it also seems to verify the differences between ‘rock and ‘pop. To musicians, rock is the genre that has authenticity and is most trusted, while the pop genre tends to be more of a commercialized type of music, which most musicians today believe that the ‘pop music is about the glamour and the money. In the end it comes down to the listeners point of view. In this argument, authenticity is understood as ‘true to its origins. Some say that with the new technology today, its hard to make anything sound authentic. In some cases, for example Jack White from such bands as The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and The dead Weather, have stayed away from technology when it comes to the recording end. White also attempts to capture authenticity by using old instruments, to capture the essence of the old time sound. Like White, other artists as well find that the new technology today takes the ‘soul out of the music, as well as go far enough to use authentic old style instruments. Although some believe that you can use technology today to give it even more of a rich authentic sound. Most people believe that ‘soul is the key component to authenticity, while some believe that it is about reenacting the innovators of the past. Some believe that songs or artists can still have authentic meaning. One artists that has dealt with issues of authenticity was 60s folk star Bob Dylan. Dylans first electric album rainy day woman had a enormous impact on his fans. The fans were enraged at his desertion from the authentic folk roots that he was so well known for. He received some credit with the fact that his lyrics and song topics were still awarded as authentic. Dylans song were known to make a strong stand toward politics, and had simple lyrics but had complex understanding. Then there are artists like John Mayer, who keep to the authenticity on every level, but seems to add his own modern twist. Mayer is a well known blues guitarist who keeps to his ‘bluesy guitar riffs, but with a sound of a distorted guitar. Mayer at times has also been subjected to the ‘pop commercial genre, with his higher pitched voice and for his criticized lyrics. Artists like these prove that authenticity in music, does not mean that it has to be exactly like the origins it came from. Certain authors have pondered that this distinction may be misleading, but even so, have divided authenticity into several categories (Moore, 2002): first person authenticity, where original music is performed in a manner that makes the audience believe the music is authentic: that is, authentically created, and performed; and third person authenticity, where a performer of music succeeds in conveying the impression of having accurately conveyed the expression of an – absent – other (Moore, 2002). Authenticity is assumed, by many authors, to be inscribed to a musician or performer, yet this assumption is wholly wrong, in that authenticity is actually ascribed to musicians and performers. Authenticity, as a value, is something that must be constructed by each and every listener personally, according to their own response to the music in question. It is only after the listener sees the performance of the music by the musician, that they can begin to understand the musicians relationship to the piece, and their interpretation of the piece, and only then can the musician be said to have any authenticity. The following is based on this view of authenticity as an ascribed value. Eric Clapton and his music are used as an example by many authors on the subject of authenticity in music, and these discussions invariably fall into Moores (2002) second category of authenticity: third-person authenticity. Eric Clapton, a highly able and respected musician, gained a huge worldwide following in the 1960s for his interpretations and performances, solo and with his band, Cream. I say ‘interpretation as many of the songs that Clapton, and Cream performed, such as Crossroads, were not original songs, and were re-worked by Clapton. Crossroads was a song originally written and performed by the country blues star Robert Johnson (Moore, 2002). Johnson led a tragic life, dying early in mysterious circumstances, and living his life as a poor man, with only his guitar for comfort, on which he composed blues music, through which he explored his own life through distorting the sound of the instrument to provide an analogue for his own tortured soul (Moore, 2002). It is argued that, to a certain extent, when Clapton performed Crossroads, he did not authenticate Johnsons music by reinforcement, rather his interpretation of Johnsons song authenticated Claptons own musical presence (Moore, 2002). It was the appropriation of the ‘black blues tradition, of which Johnson was a part, which gave Clapton the material through which he constructed himself as an authentic performer (Moore, 2002). Claptons appropriation of the ‘black blues tradition was then cemented by his full discovery of this tradition, from BB King to Freddie and Albert King, from country blues through to Robert Johnson (Moore, 2002). This tracing of the origins of a practice back to the originator of the practice thus reinforces the tradition to the tracer: this phenomenon, and is well known in discussions of authenticity in popular music (Moore, 2002); this process is also necessarily circular, as Clapton was authenticated via his appropriation of Johnson, who was then authenticated by his appropriation by an artist he himself had a great deal of respect for (Moore, 2002), since only music that is worth acquiring will be appropriated. As Moore (2002) argues, Clapton conveyed the message ‘this is what it is like to be me to his audience, using the message ‘this is what it was like to be Johnson. Thus, authenticity of execution (Moore, 2002) arises when a performer succeeds in conveying the impression of accurately conveying the expression of an absent other (Moore, 2002), and Clapton is a particularly apt example of this third-person authenticity. Thus, during his performances of particular songs (for example, Crossroads) Clapton speaks the truth of his own situation, as during his performances, he can only convey his own particular expression of a particular song openly, honestly and therefore, truthfully. As to whether Clapton manages to convey the truth of the situation of absent others, this is a difficult one to answer. In order for an audience to believe that Clapton is conveying the truth of an absent other, the audience needs to know that Clapton has respect for that absent other, enough respect to have made a thorough study of the tradition to which that musician belonged, a study which allows Claptons interpretation of that particular piece of music to be authentic in the sense of being true to its origins. As to whether Clapton speaks the truth of his own culture and thereby represents present others when performing the music of absent others, this is an even more difficult point of discussion. This point needs to rely on a meaning for the word ‘culture in order to fully answer this question, and this is difficult. Can Clapton, a white man, from a white culture, ever delve deeply enough in to a tradition to be able to authentically convey music from an entirely different (‘black) culture? Cultural purists would argue not, but in todays multicultural society, the answer to this question is increasingly (and increasingly believably) likely to be yes, at least for white audiences, and for ‘blacks who agree with the idea, and principles, of cross-cultural artistic expression. However, it has to be recognized that there are certain tensions and resistance encountered in the process of cross-cultural appropriation of music, particularly in this case, as it concerns the black community, who see their musical heritage as something pure, a badge of identity entirely their own. This is entirely understandable, particularly in reference to appropriation of the blues tradition by whites, as blues is a black music, which arose out of unspeakable suppression and hardship at the hands of the white man. Tensions that arise from within the black community at the (mis)use of the blues tradition by whites should therefore be listened to, and could also be used as a lesson to learn from. A recent book by Todd Gitlin (2001) argues that we, as a society, are becoming so overwhelmed with information from the media, in so many varieties of the media, that we are becoming immune to its lure, and are even beginning to shy away from this media onslaught. It seems that one way people can avoid this media onslaught is to search out authentic performances from authentic musicians, as this would guarantee quality and purity of enjoyment. Authenticity of an artists like Clapton, really come down to the listeners and their opinion on whether or not the artists is authentic. Music has always been about the listeners, so they are the only ones who can really decide what is authentic. Most fans will say the authentic ones are the ones who ‘keep it real, which is just another way of saying keeping it true to the original genre. Which makes Authenticity in music a very long ongoing topic. There will always be those who say ‘he is to commercial for me and those who will think that that artists perfected and recreated a new side of the authentic origin. Artists, like Clapton, who appropriate music from other cultures, and who we can argue do this in a compassionate manner, are perhaps the guiding lights for many of todays media-overwhelmed generation; they serve, for many, as a good introduction to the traditions from which such music is drawn, from which point the interested can do their own research and discover the authentic music from which such adaptations are developed. Cross-cultural musical evolution can only be a process for good in terms of the development of music, as long as authenticity and the ‘donor culture are respected.

The Glass Menagerie: Existentialist Responsibilities Conveyed Through t

The story of a young Tennessee Williams is poetically portrayed through a 1945 Broadway Play, The Glass Menagerie. The main character, Tom Wingfield, lives in his family’s apartment with his mother, Amanda Wingfield, and sister, Laura Wingfield. Their father left the family, and he remains a silent character appearing as a portrait on the apartment wall. Throughout the seven scenes, the immaturity of each family member is revealed. In search of adventure, Tom has dreams of being a writer and wishes to leave his family and factory job, like his father, to join the Merchant Marines. Laura lets her disability, a braced leg, hinder her finding a job or a husband, while Amanda stays in denial of her children’s failure by living in the past with her â€Å"gentlemen callers.† Tom’s main responsibilities, created by Amanda, are to take care of Laura and the family. Amanda and Tom are constantly fighting about their different views of what they wish the futur e to bring. To cope with his problems, every night Tom ventures off to probably a bar, gets drunk, and then tells his family he was at the movies ("Plot Summary: The Glass Menagerie"). Williams tries to express a personal struggle about trying to leave his family with out feeling guilt (John Lahr) through fictional characters paralleling his family. These struggles are seen as failed responsibilities in the view of an existentialist. The responsibility of being an existentialist is conveyed through Tennessee Williams’ autobiographical character Tom and his failed responsibilities, guilt of the past, and denial of reality in The Glass Menagerie. The play takes place during the Great Depression in the 1930s, but America was in World War II when Williams wrote the play. The ... ...ge. "Sartre's Philosophy through 1945: Phenomenology and Ontology." Jean-Paul Sartre. Boston: Twayne, 1983. 36-38. Print. Clinton, Craig. â€Å"The Glass Menagerie: Tennessee Williams." The Facts on File Companion to American Drama. Ed. Jackson R. Bryer and Mary C. Hartig. New York: Facts on File, 2004. 178. Print. Crowell, Steven. "Existentialism." The Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.Winter 2010. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. "Existentialism-A Philosophy." AllAboutPhilosophy.org. AllAboutPhilosophy.org, 2012. Web. 03 May 2012. The Glass Menagerie. Drama for Students. Ed. David Galens and Lynn Spampinato. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale Research, 1998. Print. Lahr, John. "Telling It Like It Isn’t." The New Yorker. 06 May 2010. Web. 2 May 2012. "Plot Summary: The Glass Menagerie." DISCovering Authors. Detroit: Gale, 2003.Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 17 Apr. 2012.

Graduation Speech

First of all, I would like to thank you all for coming to our graduation. What this ceremony is, is a celebration of a major accomplishment in our lives, the accomplishment of achieving an education. For many of us it has taken a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get here, so today is our reward for the long hours we devoted to reading, writing, and researching, for the stress of taking difficult tests, and for the difficulties we have had to overcome. Though this ceremony recognizes OUR efforts in this accomplishment, it also recognizes and pays homage to the dedication of our parents. Today is the return on the work they invested in us through patient teaching and parenting. We would not have been able to accomplish this much without their help. Their guidance has allowed us to grow into men and woman of character, capable of doing great things. This ceremony is also both an end, and a beginning. It is the end of childhood, of a period of growing and maturing. But, it is also the beginning of a new chapter in our lives, one that is full of the promise of what we may accomplish. While I have the time I want to address the accomplishments of the past as well as the promise and potential of the future. Graduating is our accomplishment, but we wouldn’t have made it here if it wasn’t for the heroic efforts of our parents. They are the ones who chose to add to their titles of parent, homemaker, and provider, the title of teacher, and with that the responsibility of educating us. They voluntarily took on this extra responsibility, because they felt that personally seeing to our education was best for us, so at the expense of their free time, and perhaps just a bit of their sanity, they decided to home school us. It was this dedication to giving us the best education possible that has brought us here. Whenever we struggled in school, whenever we didn’t understand, they did what it took to help us learn, usually, that meant spending even more of the precious little free time they had not already sacrificed to homeschooling, to teaching and relearning every subject that they hated to do when they were in school. When we were frustrated and on the verge of throwing our textbooks across the room, they where the ones who came and spoke the encouraging words that motivated us to overcome whatever trouble we encountered. As our teachers, they taught us much, but as our parents they taught us even more. Along with giving us lessons in math and science, they have constantly taught us lessons in values. By their example, we have learned to walk with integrity and faith, showing character in all that we do. They have shown us that there is no limit to what we can accomplish when we work diligently and patiently. These values will stay with us longer than anything else that we have learned. No matter where we go, no matter what we do, they will be there to help guide us. With graduation ends our journey through high school. For many of us, it’s been a long, rough road to get here. Difficulties have come in the form of poor health and injury. Some of us have struggled financially, and all of us have faced the pressure of difficult classes. These trials have not made us bitter, they have not crushed our spirit, but they have helped shape us. Often it turns out that difficulty, strife, and stress are ingredients of strength, for instance steel is one of the most reliable and durable materials known to man. To make steel, iron ore is heated to a temperature of over one-thousand degrees Celsius, but because of that incredible heat, it becomes strong. It can then be made into almost anything: bridges, skyscrapers, ships, airplanes, tools, machines, even works of art. From the incredible heat it is subjected to, it gains the strength that allows it to be used to anything. The challenges we have faced have strengthened us like the heat strengthens steel. From our adversity, we have learned to overcome, to meet hardship with hard work, hopelessness with faith, and to be unyielding in all of our values. Now we stand here, as adults preparing to walk out into the world, ready to shape our future, and no matter what path we take in life I know that we will never forget the life lessons that have been taught to us, they will enable us to be successful in all of our endeavors. We are ready to become students with an open mind and a hunger for knowledge, pursuing truth with the aid of the wisdom and discernment impressed upon us by our parent’s teachings, or to become workers ready to excel at our jobs because of the examples set before us in diligence and discipline by our parents and role models. Yes, for us the future looks bright! Graduation Speech First of all, I would like to thank you all for coming to our graduation. What this ceremony is, is a celebration of a major accomplishment in our lives, the accomplishment of achieving an education. For many of us it has taken a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get here, so today is our reward for the long hours we devoted to reading, writing, and researching, for the stress of taking difficult tests, and for the difficulties we have had to overcome. Though this ceremony recognizes OUR efforts in this accomplishment, it also recognizes and pays homage to the dedication of our parents. Today is the return on the work they invested in us through patient teaching and parenting. We would not have been able to accomplish this much without their help. Their guidance has allowed us to grow into men and woman of character, capable of doing great things. This ceremony is also both an end, and a beginning. It is the end of childhood, of a period of growing and maturing. But, it is also the beginning of a new chapter in our lives, one that is full of the promise of what we may accomplish. While I have the time I want to address the accomplishments of the past as well as the promise and potential of the future. Graduating is our accomplishment, but we wouldn’t have made it here if it wasn’t for the heroic efforts of our parents. They are the ones who chose to add to their titles of parent, homemaker, and provider, the title of teacher, and with that the responsibility of educating us. They voluntarily took on this extra responsibility, because they felt that personally seeing to our education was best for us, so at the expense of their free time, and perhaps just a bit of their sanity, they decided to home school us. It was this dedication to giving us the best education possible that has brought us here. Whenever we struggled in school, whenever we didn’t understand, they did what it took to help us learn, usually, that meant spending even more of the precious little free time they had not already sacrificed to homeschooling, to teaching and relearning every subject that they hated to do when they were in school. When we were frustrated and on the verge of throwing our textbooks across the room, they where the ones who came and spoke the encouraging words that motivated us to overcome whatever trouble we encountered. As our teachers, they taught us much, but as our parents they taught us even more. Along with giving us lessons in math and science, they have constantly taught us lessons in values. By their example, we have learned to walk with integrity and faith, showing character in all that we do. They have shown us that there is no limit to what we can accomplish when we work diligently and patiently. These values will stay with us longer than anything else that we have learned. No matter where we go, no matter what we do, they will be there to help guide us. With graduation ends our journey through high school. For many of us, it’s been a long, rough road to get here. Difficulties have come in the form of poor health and injury. Some of us have struggled financially, and all of us have faced the pressure of difficult classes. These trials have not made us bitter, they have not crushed our spirit, but they have helped shape us. Often it turns out that difficulty, strife, and stress are ingredients of strength, for instance steel is one of the most reliable and durable materials known to man. To make steel, iron ore is heated to a temperature of over one-thousand degrees Celsius, but because of that incredible heat, it becomes strong. It can then be made into almost anything: bridges, skyscrapers, ships, airplanes, tools, machines, even works of art. From the incredible heat it is subjected to, it gains the strength that allows it to be used to anything. The challenges we have faced have strengthened us like the heat strengthens steel. From our adversity, we have learned to overcome, to meet hardship with hard work, hopelessness with faith, and to be unyielding in all of our values. Now we stand here, as adults preparing to walk out into the world, ready to shape our future, and no matter what path we take in life I know that we will never forget the life lessons that have been taught to us, they will enable us to be successful in all of our endeavors. We are ready to become students with an open mind and a hunger for knowledge, pursuing truth with the aid of the wisdom and discernment impressed upon us by our parent’s teachings, or to become workers ready to excel at our jobs because of the examples set before us in diligence and discipline by our parents and role models. Yes, for us the future looks bright!

Essay on Revenge, Insanity, Murder Poe - 1335 Words

Ending in death most foul, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† and â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† feature revenge and a painstaking cruelty. Pushed to the point of insanity and retribution sought over trivialities, the narrators tell each story by their own personal account. The delivery of their confessions gives a chilling depth to the crimes they have committed and to the men themselves. Both men are motivated by their egos and their obsessions with their offenders. Prompted by their own delusions, each man seeks a violent vengeance against his opposition in the form of precise, premeditated homicide. Carefully, cautiously the Montresor plotted precisely how he would exact revenge upon Fortunato. Much time and great energy was devoted to this†¦show more content†¦Rather it is the old man’s that is so unsettling. Any time the eye looked upon him his. It is that eye by which he is consumed and that eye that sends him into madness. It pushes him to wish to never have to look upon, or be looked upon by, that eye again. His solution, in what seems a rational choice to him, is to kill the old man. With a similar precision as the Montresor took in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†, the man in â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† has devoted himself to the perfect method to dispatch the old man. The point of view each story is told from is a key factor to the unfolding of the events. Had they been told by an outside party rather than first hand from the men who committed the crimes, the depth of their insanity may not have been revealed. Recounted with a harsh callousness, Montresor never pauses or hesitates in his retelling. He speaks with an unnerving smoothness as if he were speaking of something far more innocuous than murder. Just the same, he would allow for no distraction from his plan. His cool manner lends itself to an eerie glimpse of his personality. No real regret is ascertainable, save for the very end when the Montresor tells us that his. The narrator of â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, however, confesses his crime with an edgy nervousness. His story is choppy and disruptive. His madness has a stronger sense of urgency. His remorse for the loss of the old man can beShow MoreRelated Motication for Premiditated Murder Essay1612 Words   |  7 Pagesp rincipal earned Poe his reputation as a principle innovator of the 19th century short fiction† (May). Edgar Allen Poe’s gruesome style of writing used connects him, and raises the social issue of motivation for murder within our jury trials. This is a widespread process of figuring out within a case in every country across the world. Motivation can be explained as the general desire to do something. â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart†, by Edgar Allen Poe deals with murder based on assumption of insanity. â€Å"The CaskRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s The Tell Tale Heart1538 Words   |  7 Pagesthat I am mad?† Poe wrote this line in his â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart,† and he very well could have been speaking about himself. Many generations have debated on whether or not Edgar Allen Poe was a mad. Reviewers and readers have looked at Poe’s work for nearly two centuries, trying to pick it apart and see if it’s the ramblings of a mad man or well pieced t ogether stories of a literary genius. It’s almost easy to see from the point of view of those that would go as far as to call Poe insane, becauseRead MoreAn Analysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s The Tell Tale Heart 1015 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Insane in the Membrane† Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most acclaimed short story writers of all time and is considered the father of the psychological thriller. He has achieved ever-lasting fame for his work in various fields of literature, from prose to verse. However, it is his Gothic narrative, in the short story realm he is greatest known for and is regarded as one of the foremost masters of horror that the United States has ever fashioned. The crucial component to these horror stories isRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe1575 Words   |  7 PagesIs there anything that someone could do to you that would cause you to commit murder? Could you get away with it? Montresor is the murderous narrator who has committed the perfect murder in just such a tale, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado.† Montresor plots and kills an unwary friend/foe during carnival time for motives that are unclear. The author of this tale, Edgar Allan Poe, influenced by his somewhat tragic life and one of the most influential Gothic writers, uses symbolism and irony to show the multitudeRead MoreWhen you think of the name Edgar Allan Poe, happiness is the farthest emotion from the mind. You1400 Words   |  6 PagesWhen you think of the name Edgar Allan Poe, happiness is the farthest emotion from the mind. You have a sense of melancholy, constantly reading about death, murders, and the thirst for revenge, and sometimes having feelings of suspense when reading about thrilling detective work. Poe is the reason that we have modern day mystery and horror stories. Without his brilliance, and obsession with such morbid occurrences, who knows when the era of suspense and horror would have begun? Despite his obviousRead MoreAnalysis Of Edgar Allen Poe s The Cask 1563 Words   |  7 PagesLiterature 10 November, 2015 Gothic Elements in Poe’s Captivating Stories Edgar Allen Poe can be described as a master of gothic literature. Poe enjoyed incorporating the gothic theme into his stories (â€Å"The Cask† 52). The free dictionary website describes gothicism as a style in fictional literature characterized by gloomy settings, violent or grotesque action, and a mood of decay, degeneration, and decadence. Edgar Allen Poe experienced many failures and disappointments throughout the course of his lifeRead More`` Cask Of Amontillado `` By Edgar Allen Poe1505 Words   |  7 PagesEdgar Allen Poe was a writer who sculpted every detail to create his desired â€Å"theme†. His short stories are mostly representing the murder of a character. The murderer, who is the narrator, explains the plan for the murder. The narrator destroys the humans around him through his destructive mind. The reason for the murder is revenge and hatred. In â€Å"Cask of Amontillado† and â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† Poe utilized â€Å"unreliable narrators,† he even created similarities between murder and victim to establish Read MoreRap Frog And The Tell Tale Heart928 Words   |  4 Pagesbeginning of the story. However, Hop-Frog’s internal aggression and insanity are ignited due to many extreme external factors such as the king’s abusive power and Trippetta’s humiliation. During the climactic scene, Hop-Frog declares that he can distinct the king and the ministers as beasts for inhumanely degrades him and Trippetta. His statement seems to be proving a point of justice and equality; conversely, his brutal murder of the king and the ministers opposes the idea of bringing justice. Hop-FrogRead MoreCompare and Contrast of the Cask of Amontillado and the Black Cat1556 Words   |  7 PagesToday I’ll be comparing the Narration of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† and â€Å"The Black Cat† by Edgar Allen Poe. Edgar Allen Poe is the author of many great pieces of literature, using his narrators to explain situations that are going on in their life. The narrators of The Cask of Amontillado and The Black Cat both lead characters love for man’s inhumanity to man and animals through horrific murders.   Ã‚  In The Cask of Amontillado, Montresor is the narrator. He begins by describing very crypticallyRead MoreRole of Realism in Edagar Allan Poe ´s The Tell Tale Heart and The Cask of Amortillado1014 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Tell Tale Heart† and â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† written by Edgar Allan Poe are dark short stories relevant to murder, revenge, and mystery. Poe writes both stories in a Gothic style in order to deal with ideas of realism. One may ask were the murders and punishments justifiable in either short story? One may also ask did Poe accurately depict realism in each story? Realism, defined as a technique in literature that accurately represents everyday life, is questioned in Poe’s works: â€Å"The Tell Tale