Variable Assignment #6 – Olly Wilson Black Music as An Art Form PDF

Preview

Summary

Download Variable Assignment #6 – Olly Wilson Black Music as An Art Form PDF

Description

MUH3055 African American Heritage of Music Scott Swan Variable Assignment #6 – Olly Wilson “Black Music as An Art Form” Make sure to use the Word document “Black Music as an Art Form – Revised and Edited” for this assignment. I do not recommend the full text Pdf version for reasons explained in the Module Six Instructions. I include the full text Pdf for your library or if you want to read the full article. Section 1 Prompts/Questions – corresponds to Section 1 in the “Black Music as an Art Form – Revised and Edited” 1. In 75-100 words: summarize in your own understanding and words – the historical difference between Western and African conceptions of ‘art’. - The African conception of art is that it is more than just the act of creating something. It is not just painting or making music but the act of our everyday life. The utilitarian function meaning all in one, its not something we can distinctly set out to do but just something that happens. On the contrast, the Western conception of art is specifically something we set out to do. We purposely paint or make music in hopes that it will be put on display and receive recognition. 2. Address one of the following two prompts a. In 75-100 words: do you think Wilson’s explanation of the Western difference between the concepts of entertainment and art has influenced the perceptions of black music? - Yes, I do believe that the concepts of entertainment and art has had an influence on the perceptions of black music. Art according to Wilson is more than just something to look at but something that requires active involvement from the audience and on lookers. It is something where our senses need to get involved and engaged. Whereas entertainment is just something that we react to subconsciously and doesn’t necessarily need our active involvement. So when we actively are involved in listening to black music we can hear and understand the actual concepts and history in the music instead of just passively listening to it. b. In 75-100 words: thinking about a favorite African American artist/musician, does Wilson’s explanations of the difference between Western and African conceptions of art change the way you listen to/think about the artist/musician. Please provide an example - I definitely think Wilsons explanation has made me change the way I listen to any music. I usually just passively listen to a song and sing along not really thinking about what its about or anything about it. However, now I think more about the lyrics and the reasoning. I also think about the beats and rhythms in the music more and what genres they relate to and why it might be that way. 3. Reading the diaries of white Americans in the early 19th century (early 1800s), the writers always commented on the importance of music in the lives of slaves, but they also made statements that slaves created no works of art and no musical compositions, which led them (incorrectly) to believe that slaves were not as intelligent or as creative as white, European Americans. a. In 75-100 words: explain how the different understandings of ‘art’ would have contributed to a lack of understanding and appreciation of the creative expressions of slaves. 1

MUH3055 African American Heritage of Music Scott Swan - The perceptions of art were extremely different when it came to European American and slaves. During that time period they did not agree on most things so the perception on what was art was not any different. The slaves were considered unintelligent and uncreative just because the European Americans did not understand their art. When in reality it was just because they both had different opinions on what are was and what it was considered art. Return to “Black Music as an Art Form” read the last paragraph in Section 1. Now open the handout “The Music of Slave Societies” and read the entire handout. Now open the following videos and watch them in the order I provide here:     

Postal Worker – Ghana - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dw47fZLpSw Women Farmers Singing – Ghana - https://www.youtube.com/watch? time_continue=1&v=-iB0B8J-yxE Lightning- Long John – African American Prison Chain Gang https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G5KtQynWvc African American Railroad Gandydancers - https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=c1O2X890tig Gandy Dancers mini-documentary - https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=nIMBOEWOTMA

4. In 100-150 words: address the following questions in one short paragraph. a. How useful are the Western categories of ‘art’ and ‘entertainment’ in describing what you see/hear in these videos? b. How useful is the Western category ‘music’ in describing what you see/hear? In other words, which came first, the music or the work? Or can/should you separate them? Should I even be asking this question? - The Western categories of ‘art’ and ‘entertainment’ are very insightful when it comes to describing what you see and hear in the videos above. When using ‘art’ to describe music or a painting it allows one to see it through a realistic model which is considered the highest form. It is how you are able to see the difference between pieces and songs. When using ‘entertainment’ you look at the painting or song a little less closely just kind of passing by it with no emotions or thought attached. The ‘art’ perspective evokes emotions and feelings whereas the ‘entertainment perspective just catches your eye. Altogether, these definitions allow you to figure out which comes first the work or the art in the above videos. I believe the work came first and then it slowly developed into the music. However, I do not see the point in separating them because the work always develops into something else. 5. Return to Olly Wilson’s statement – and my explanation of that statement - in the last paragraph in Section 1: “One important consideration of a work’s artistic worth is the measure of its functional efficacy [(‘functional efficacy’ means ‘how well does the creative expression allow you to do your work, get through the day, deal with an unbearable situation’, etc.)]”. c. 50-75 words: does what you see in the first four videos help explain the idea of the “functional efficacy” as a measure of its “artistic worth”? Why or why not. - What I saw in the first four videos does in fact help explain the idea of “functional efficacy” as a measure of its ‘artistic worth’. It shows that the work is indeed put in 2

MUH3055 African American Heritage of Music Scott Swan first and then later on it progressed into art as a part of the work process. The feelings and emotions evoked is what allows it to be considered art and the creative expression is just apart of the work. d. 75-100 words: go back and review the Gandy Dancers mini-documentary. Address the following two questions: i. Do you see how the workers derive artistic and aesthetic pleasure from the ability to sing while working? ii. Do you think this fits the conception of ‘art’ from an African perspective? Why or why not. - When looking back on the mini-documentary I do see how the workers derive artistic and aesthetic pleasure from the ability to sing while working. Not only is it a form of entertainment but it helped motivate and push them to get through the work day. Work is not always fun so adding something that is enjoyable like singing gives them something to look forward to when they were not necessarily doing something they wanted to do. I do think it fits the ‘African’ perspective of ‘art’ because it is the workers way to express themselves. They are not merely doing it for entertainment although that it part of it, they are expressing how they feel. Section 2 Prompts/Questions - corresponds to Section 1 in the “Black Music as an Art Form” excerpts 1. Read the entire Section 2. 2. 120-150 words: Olly Wilson states that the “duality of African American culture” is also evident in the music. He says that two kinds of black musical “traditions” exist in America. Write a small paragraph that addresses the following prompts: a. Identify the two musical traditions. b. To what degree does each tradition contain West African and/or European influences? c. What styles of music does Wilson identify with each tradition? d. How do you think the Three Impulses fit into these two musical traditions? Describe how they fit. (I am pushing you to extrapolate on this, to think critical and convergently. Do your best, but give it considerable thought - Two different black traditions make up the “duality of African American culture”. One tradition is the initial expression of the popular music of the later 18th century and earlier 19th century. The other tradition is the actual tradition of sharing concepts and ideas from West African American music and African American music. The concept of sharing tradition eventually makes them grow larger and more relatable especially to European Americans. Although both of these traditions we relevant at different time points they both explain how music evolves during that duration of time. I think the three impulses can fit into these two traditions because they are brought out during different hard times and during specific eras which both of these traditions comply with. Sharing history and ideas can easily be related back to the impulses because that what they are all about. Learning from the past and defining how you are going to make the future a better place. 3. 75-100 words: Re-read the last paragraph. Wilson talks specifically about Gospel music here. Would you agree that this paragraph also describes the Gospel Impulse; and, if you removed references to God or the afterlife, that it then would describe the Blues Impulse? Please explain why or why not. 3

MUH3055 African American Heritage of Music Scott Swan - I believe that Gospel music and the Gospel impulse go hand in hand. The emphasis is on reaching for the higher power and aspiring for a better future. The collaboration of faith and community is relevant in both and an emphasis is put on praising. I believe if you take that aspect out its more so the blues because you are not looking as much towards the happiness of what the future could hold but more so just thinking about the past. 4. Now, read “(Re)conceptualizing ‘African American’” by Scott Swan. Briefly summarize the following concepts/questions in 50-75 words. Use the following questions to guide your summary – you are not obligated to use these questions or to answer them directly. Use them only as a guide. a. Why is the term African American problematic as it relates to black musics? b. Explain in your words the process of creolization as it relates to African American culture. - The term “African American” is problematic when relating it to black music because it is not directly reflecting the creative process that took place. It is also problematic because it doesn’t really look at the expressive process either. These processes were so greatly influenced by politics and race as well as sociocultural factors that it kind of just discredits all that they went through. - The process of Creolization as it relates to African American culture is the process in which different people create a cultural trajectory unlike any other. This can be related to African Americans because they in fact were shaped by the cultures present around them like European Americans. The mixing of traditions and cultures aided in creating new ones. 5. Look at the heuristic/visual on page three and create this visual either by computer or hand drawn. I want you to map/chart the following onto your heuristic/visual. This can be a point on the chart, a range, a large circle, etc. Most important is that you provide a visual representation of how you think the following map onto the heuristic/visual. a. Go back to question #2. Thinking about Wilson’s descriptions of African and European influences on black musical traditions, how would you ‘map’ or chart the two different types of black musical tradition onto this visual? - The chart would have to look something like a Venn diagram because one side of the chart has to represent West African American music traditions whereas the other side represents the European American traditions. The middle section represents how the traditions both share some of the same qualities yet can stand alone on their own. b. How would you map the Three Impulses onto this chart? - I think you could add more circles to the Venn Diagram to fully see how each pulse relates to each tradition and how they all intertwine with each other. c. To the best of your ability, please map the following onto the heuristic/visual, keeping in mind that for musical styles, you may need to represent a range rather than a single point. i. African American composer/musician who performs in the European Classical tradition ii. Gospel/Jazz iii. Funk/Soul iv. R&B v. Rap/Hip-Hop 4

MUH3055 African American Heritage of Music Scott Swan vi. An Electric Blues Musician vii. African American Pop Artist

5...