The world of music - Topic - Common Talk Weekly

The world of music
December 24, 2003

There is a world of music out there! What we hear on the radio or see on TV is only a small part of all the wonderful music that is waiting for us.

Music is more than just sound—it is a way of thinking! When we listen to music， sing and dance， or play an instrument， we are also becoming better thinkers. Musical intelligence is one of our eight human intelligences. We can also learn languages from songs and chants.

Least essential music of 2003

Andrea, from Singapore, is a freelance web designer and writer. More often than not she is a grumpy person who stays at home in front of her computer and is always hungry.

来自新加坡，为自由撰稿人，网络设计者。

Have you ever read The Onion? No? Well, you should. It is one of the funniest satirical newspapers in the universe. Equally indispensable is their A.V. Club section. As a round up of 2003, they’ve published The Least Essential Albums（唱片） of 2003.

Among the luminaries（名人） receiving this dubious honor are Dave Gahan, lately of moody rock band Depeche Mode (“essentially a CD-length challenge to stay awake as Gahan struggles through 10 original songs, apparently while under heavy sedation”), former Van Halen star David Lee Roth (“he continues to behave like an ADD-addled teenager”), and even actor Russell Crowe’s band, 30 Odd Foot of Grunts (“Crowe proves to be a phenomenally（非凡的） wussy singer-songwriter”).

Now that we know what not to buy, I would like to nominate a few favorite albums as Essential Buys— this may expose me as the most un-hip twenty-something in Xiamen, but I have to be true to myself:

Some Devil, Dave Matthews. His voice melts me like butter. Rock does not get any sexier than Dave Matthews.

Slow Motion Daydream, Everclear. Volvo Driving Soccer Mom is the only reason anyone would ever need to buy this album.

Encore, Russell Watson. This album was actually released in late 2002, but who’s counting? Another man whose voice sends a chill through my body, but that could just be the weather.

Surviving musical isolation

Tony Hale,comes from New Zealand. Having lived in Xiamen for one year, he is now an English teacher. He wanted to come back China after he first visited for three weeks in China.

英语教师，来自新西兰，在厦居住已一年。

Photo by Yao Fan

My escape from humdrum（单调） is music, guitar playing to be precise. For over 40 years I have performed and taught, presented workshops and recorded in the studio. My inspiration is mainly American: guitar stylists like James Taylor and ragtime transcriptions have challenged my finger picking while I also relish flat picking Celtic-derived American fiddle tunes. These single note sequences, passable when played solo, become exhilarating in ensemble, say with a bluegrass band, and this is my favourite setting. In fact I wrote a thesis on bluegrass music when studying for a master’s degree in the US many years ago!

In Xiamen I am as culturally and musically removed from my inspiration as can be imagined; no fellow bluegrass musicians with whom to jam, discuss experiences or share CD listening. So how do I cope? Well, I’ve set the goal of returning home as a more proficient guitar player. Two videos of experts help—Tony Rice, a professional and an American amateur we filmed in New Zealand. Last X'mas I treated myself to a Tony Rice instruction DVD. All contain slowed down sections to assist my learning. Merrily I slave away. Sometimes it is easy, mostly it is hard.

So I have changed tack. Taking a break from learning new tunes I now practise scales, major and minor, up and down the guitar neck, at once building strength in my left little finger and the confidence to tackle new tunes. Now, I can play scales with my eyes shut, well sometimes, relying on what is called muscle memory. At its most refined level my understanding of the guitar becomes innate and then my playing soars, as I focus on expression instead of worrying about accuracy.

I do miss that special cultural contact with musicians who actually understand the music I play. And so I look forward to the future reuniting with musical colleagues in New Zealand. Meanwhile, I take advantage of the time out opportunity that this lovely island is affording me.

An account of music

Karsten Pruehss, moved from Germany to Xiamen in 1998. Having graduated from Xiamen International School in 2003, he currently studies Chinese at the Overseas Education College of Xiamen University.

德国男孩，现在厦大进修。

Since the very beginning of civilization, music was an integral（不可或缺的） part of society. Used mainly for communication and coordination during battles or hunting sessions, music soon became more than a tool of making your thoughts known. Music became an art. With the evolution of this new art, the demand for better sounding and more sophisticated instruments also increased.

During an era now known as the Renaissance（文艺复兴） in Europe, both the art of making music and the craft to produce the necessary instruments were at its best. Large orchestras became a necessary component of many forms of entertainment.

Since that period, the face of music has changed several times. During the “roaring 20’s” in America, music became faster and some of the earliest forms of rock ’n roll started.

Up until today, a multitude（众多） of musical styles have arisen ranging from classical over Gothic to hip hop. And just like during the Renaissance, the advancement of technology led to a new, evermore popular style of music, Techno.

Since its appearance during the 80’s, this style has split into several sub-styles such as Trance, Acid, Rave, and recently: Bastard Pop, a mixture of old or even classical music with Pop and hip-hop songs and fast beats.

The popularity of these styles is displayed at events like the Love Parade in Berlin, Germany, where up to one million people flock to the capital to be part of one of the biggest rave parties in the world. What new styles of music will form in the future is hard to predict, but it is certain that as technology advances, so will music.