Is Folk Music Just One Small Thing or One Huge Connection of Every Music Put Together?

This is the question I asked myself while reading Nettl's take on what folk music is. For many years of my life I've said folk music is just a whole bunch of people coming together and just playing their guitars just for fun. Little did I realize that folk music is more than that. I have come to realize that every kind of folk music. In my opinion, Folk music is music that sounds differently from other music that everyone knows about. It does not have to be simple like Nettl says in his essay.

How did music start? There had to be an origin somewhere. At the music started, there was no term for what music was but it was played by the people for religious reasons or just to have fun. If there was a term for what that kind of music it was, it would have been folk music. One can absolutely say the primitive music is folk music. Many people at the time when music started had only been not to entertain an audience but it was to bring people together to enjoy life. They found natural things that could make sound and where able to make it into music. When Nettl talks about cultivated music he believes that their is a distinction between it and folk music. As I think of it, I believe if a person wants to make music, then it should be able to be called folk music. What if a person did not make it for everyone to hear? That person may have wanted to show only a couple people, say for instance a church, a song that expresses something about that religion. Not everyone would want to hear that music. Folk music is not simple. There are many instruments that go into folk music. Whether it is a guitar, drums, synthesizer or the voice, it all has a factor into the music. Even if it the same beat played over and over in the song, the lyrics usually have a meaning of some sort that grabs the attention of people. Music has expanded to many different roots. Throughout history we have seen many different instruments add on to music and have changed what people listen too. Why can new music not be folk music? People like to listen to different kind of music but then becomes to mainstream in an instant. Everyday there is new music appearing out of nowhere and there is at least one person that can enjoy that kind of music. I understand what Nettl is trying to say how folk music is "changing through communal recreation" but there is always something different in every song that one produces or makes. In general, music does tell a story in song there is. In every kind of music, either the lyrics or the instruments that are playing seems to tell people a narrative. Folk music is also a participatory since everyone joins and helps each other make music. Sometimes Folk music can not just be made by one person. There are other instruments that are needed to be played. Especially when one is trying to get their message out in their song, they need help from other to make it "perfect." Nettl also points out that some "school songs and religious songs are passed on by oral tradition" is not a folklore. I fully agree with what Nettl says. When one person learns a song, and likes it, they want to teach others what they have learned. When people have children, they want to sing songs the children would like and be happy. This does not mean that it is folk because it is from a different generation, it means that it is  music that one can enjoy. 

Folk music is everyone's music. Everyone has their definition of folk music but my definition of folk music consist of every music ever made. Every music is different which makes it by the people and for the people. Everyone wants to create different music and they can with composing and producing different music. In this way one can say that folk music is every music created that has been ever made and is still being created.

Faculty Showcase Recital!

Today I went to see the Faculty Showcase Recital at the Hockett Family Recital Hall at Ithaca College. I came with low expectations when I went to see the Recital. Of course my mind changed quickly when I heard the first number. Mr. Charis Dimaras started out with a stupendous rendition of Piano Sonata with 4 selections of that piece of music. You could tell that he was into the music as he was playing it with so much passion. The next performance was from 2 gentlemen and a woman. One gentlemen, named Aaron Tindall played the tuba and the other gentlemen, named Alex Shuhan played the french horn. The woman, named Carolyn Grossmann, played the piano. Together they played a Suite for French Horn, Tuba, and Piano which involved 5 selections of music. Every instrument had a significant part to the selections of music no matter what tempo it had. They were able to not be on top of each other when the other had a solo part in them which I really enjoyed hearing. The Jazz quintet followed featuring the professors of jazz music, played two songs that they picked out for their students to study over the semester. They picked out Out of Nowhere and I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me. I do enjoy jazz when I hear, which I don't do often, but in this case I enjoyed both songs. The voice of Catherine Gale was amazing. She has the perfect voice for Jazz and she smashed both songs like it was nothing. I was really impressed with Nick Weiser who really felt the music in his fingers, he didn't even have to look at the piano to know what to play at all times. Afterwards, Nicholas DiEugenio and Nathan Hess played a couple preludes for the Violin and Piano from Dmitri Shostakovich and his friend who arranged the piece, Dmitri Tsyganov. At first I did not believe a violin and a piano could work together but they actually collaborated well. My favorite selection was the 15th Allegretto. I really do like music that moves quickly because you can feel the intensity that goes on between the violin and the piano. To finish the concert, or to be "The Desert" as John White put it, he and Conrad Alexander played children songs from Chick Corea. At first I thought it was going to be a whole bunch of nursery rhymes. In reality, it was a whole bunch of different beats and different notes that made the music interesting. The notes seemed to be played wrong but it worked out in the end of the song. I did recognize No. 9 Children Song but I could not remember were I have heard that song before and I've been cracking my head trying to figure out where that is from. Overall, I have an amazing experience listening to music played by the faculty of Ithaca College. I came out with a great impression of all the faculty and I hope I get to here them again in the future.

Porchfest 2012!

Amazing people, amazing weather, and not mention amazing music all were apart of this year's Porchfest in Ithaca. Porchfest was filled with people from the young to the old. There were different kind of bands all over the city. People went on their porches or on their lawns and played their kind of music. There were a distinction of alternative, bluegrass, folk, jazz and 80's soft rock. Some of the songs were mellow and some of the songs you can tap your feet to the beat. There were not that many folk music but there were a couple. One could easily tell the AAA cadence in most of the folk songs. There was one band named Five Mile Drive, who played many songs that I knew of and I could sing along too. One of the songs was Black Horse & the Cherry Tree. This singer was belting out her voice to the song and it raised the hair on my back. The guitarist would also add harmony parts to song, usually the harmony would be higher. I could really feel the guitars and the bass coming together as one. I was able to sing the harmony part as well but at the same I also forgot to pay attention to the cadences. But in all fairness I was having a lot of fun listening to music. Many people were enjoying the music as much as I was and many were having their time of their lives. What was great about the folk music, there were old people dancing to the rhythm of the music. It was really cute to see something like that. Overall I did enjoy my day at Porchfest with my friends. I am glad I was able to see the other side of Ithaca and celebrate what Ithaca can offer. 

Half Cadence, Imperfect Authentic Cadence, and Perfect Authentic Cadence all in one Song!

With its classic introduction, and change in song pattern Bibio creates a masterpiece of a work with synthesizers. This song has two songs in one. It bring modern music and classic european music together. The beginning takes us through old European times and makes me think I'm strolling down the streets of France on a Sunday afternoon. There are 3 beats per measure during the first half of the song. While listening to this part of the song, you will be able to tell the IAC is very continuous throughout but there are times when you will be able to hear the PAC. The melody is pretty continuous throughout this section. This could be also said for the second part of the song. The song then changes to 4 beats a measure and has an upbeat sound to it. The song now makes me feel that it is now modern France, yet you are still strolling down the streets on a Sunday afternoon. The IAC then changes to HC through the phrases. The PAC is still there as well. It was difficult to find what "sol" and "re" since I did not know what the key singnature was but I tried my best to find where "do." It is an interesting combination but Bibio makes perfectly in this song.

Jack Johnson-Better Together

One of my all time favorite songs is Better Together by Jack Johnson. It is such a mellow and upbeat song that creates a message of one person loving another person. It is actually a love song created by Jack Johnson for his wife. Not only using the 4/4 time, but the triplets are what makes the song live and healthy. Homophony is used throughout the song as Jack Johnson is singing the melody and guitar is playing chords behind him. There is a bass part and also a harmony part that brings the song together. The beginning starts out with a guitar solo and then brings in the vocals. There is no drum beat at the beginning of the song but once the chorus comes in, the drum starts, and it gives the song a whole new meaning. The song then goes through a bridge and then comes back for the ending to end off in a guitar solo. For me this song makes me joyful and makes me enjoy acoustic songs more than I actually do.