Authenticity of Chinese Music

Rees does not think that the type of Naxi music that is played now in the Yunnan province is characteristic to the Naxi culture. Naxi music in the past was only played by a few people and had significant ritualistic meanings. Rees feels that tourism has wiped away this cultural significance that Naxi music once had. Performances are largely catered to the tourists. Commercialism calls for the same set of songs to be played over and over again for the new groups of people who come to see them. Because of this priority to mass market the music, the integrity of Naxi becomes lost. The way the music is experienced by tourists won’t be appreciated in the same way that it could be if fewer people knew about it. “Chinese-authored English literature” suggests that there is an attempt to market the music on a more global scale.

Scholars felt that authenticity was significantly lost from Chinese music because it incorporated Western elements of music. It took out the more “traditional” instruments of China and replaced them with the more Western instruments such as the flute and keyboard. The Chinese still consider it to be traditional music though since it is still a new form of music. It isn’t copying Western music directly. Rather it is fusing two styles of music together. Music, much like identity, exists on a continuum. It seems as though the scholars are trying to box Chinese music as consisting of only certain elements and nothing more or less. Mr. Fang, however, believes that music is being adapted and developed all the time. As the world becomes a greater global village, communities will find themselves being more and more influenced by outside cultures. I don’t think reinvention is something that can be considered fake. It builds itself on top of something else. Like all musicians, styles are derived from multiple people before them. Reinvention is an art form all on its own. I think when people tend to think of “traditional” they tend to think of it as being something old and not in heavy existence. For something to be “modern” it has to sound new and never been done before.

Gamelan Music Comparison

The most noteable things of difference for both videos is:

• Clothing
• Performance Space
• Instrument Usage

"Ratna Ayu" looks as though it is a ceremonial piece. The focus of the song is on the woman who is in the middle of the circle with the white sash extending from her dress. I think that perhaps it may be a wedding song. Since she is always the focal point throughout the song, she must be someone of significance. When she sits atop the interlocked umbrella-like props, it feels as though she is being given a rite of passage (perhaps marriage). Finally, at the end of the song when all the performers are filing out, the sash on the main woman's dress looks similar to the train on a wedding dress. She is lastly followed by 2 girls in the back who sort of seem like bridesmaids who would normally hold the bride's train (in a Western wedding). The dance arena is very small. The musicians lie on the perimeter of the arena while the dancers take up the majority of the floor. In "Gamelan Bali Nyepi" the dance arena seems small as well. There are no danceers in the number and everyone plays a kethuk. This song is performed all by men. Each person is equally spaced across the arena. This signifies that the kethuk must be a man's instrument. In "Ratna Ayu" the dancers are all women. The instruments used there are bonangs and gambang. The gambang appears to be a female instrument. It has the qualities of a xylophone and has a high pitch as well. The length of the song also suggests that it is a ceremonial piece of great significance. The other song maintains a rather consistent beat, and no one plays a different melody or harmony. This might be a song that has much repetition in a ritual sense. Finally, clothing is very ornate in "Ratna Ayu" as it usually is with most women. Attire consists of a long skirt, a boldly colored top, a headdress, and immaculate hair. The men in the other song are shirtless and have matching pants and headbands. If this song had more significance as a ceremonial song, I think the men would be dressed up a little more.

Making the Scene

I am a second generation Chinese-American. In terms of cultural practices, my family is very traditional as a whole. However, I have always found myself to be somewhat outside of that circle. Even though I do participate in those family traditions, if it weren’t for my parents, I most likely would not be doing them at all. In the past, we have gone to a couple of Chinese New Year festivals where we’ll watch the lion dances, fan dancing, Chinese opera singers, fireworks, and so forth. My aunt, at least from what I know, used to perform in Chinese opera when she was younger. When I was growing up, I would always hear opera music emanating from her kitchen walls whenever I was at my aunt’s house. To her, the pitches probably flowed through her mind and whisked her back onto the stage, but for me, the voice pitches were unbearable. I mostly considered that type of music to be very shrill to my ears. It is times like those where I have always felt like an outsider. I can’t understand the beauty and significance of certain Chinese practices because I have been so accultured to the western style of music. For most of my life, I have just appreciated Chinese music because it is a part of my ethnic identity, but I have never had any significant interest in it. However, as I get older, I am starting to see how much more I want to integrate my culture into my identity. In general, age induces a desire to gain a much more global perspective.

Clubbing is definitely an AWESOME example of an environment where music is the central element. In fact, sometimes just hearing a very upbeat song on the radio is reason enough for me to spontaneously throw on some clubbing gear and hit up Sunset. This was actually a topic of conversation between my friends and I just recently. There are many different kinds of clubs. Clubs can have themes throughout the week such as Asian Fridays or 80’s Night to promote the venue. The atmosphere can also depend on the quality of the DJ. Some prefer more remixes or straight tracks.

For me personally, my entire clubbing experience can be ruined by the music. I tend not to prefer techno music because I simply do not know how to dance to it. Hip-hop and R&B music is my cup of tea at a club. There generally is a consistent beat that I can move my body to. This is not to say that techno music does not keep beat either. Techno tends to exude a more fluid rhythm that changes many times throughout the course of the song. In short, the music makes the club.

My Musical History

Way back in the old school days, I used to play violin and flute. I began playing violin in 4th grade. I LOVED it! I always wanted to play a string instrument. I used to listen to Vanessa Mae, a talented violinist, who was known for playing the electric violin. I remember I was the first person in my class to be able to read sheet music without numbering the fingering of the individual notes. I was constantly duking it out with another girl who shall remain unnamed for the coveted 1st chair position. However, I always felt I was unfairly awarded the 2nd chair spot simply because the 1st chair had two older sisters who were previous students in my director's orchestra. No worries. In 6th grade, students had the option of joining band. I thought woodwinds were the prettiest sounding instruments so I picked flute. My older cousin also used to play flute so it seemed like an easy pick for me. I quit orchestra in 9th grade because our marching band, which I was a part of, was picked to go to peform in the Rose Bowl Parade to celebrate the millennium. I was so caught up in playing flute that I did not see the significance of being in orchestra anymore. By senior year, my flute and I parted our own separate ways. I felt that our symphonic band no longer possessed the same lustre it used to have several years ago. After the Rose Bowl, our program seemed to go downhill. Perhaps it was because I was a freshman when I went, but it never seemed like we could outdo the Rose Bowl experience or perform at the same caliber as we did back then.

Nowadays, my musical entertainment comes from bands I listen to for pure enjoyment. One of my favorite CDs of all time is "Give Up" by The Postal Service. The CDs I purchased (I bought them at the same time) was "Highway 61" and "The Time's a Changin'" by Bob Dylan. If it weren't for taking Soc 102 with Steve Sherwood in my sophomore year, I never would've been exposed to this type of 60's folk music. My favorite CD at the moment, however, is "Light Grenades" by Incubus. They are truly one of my favorite bands of all time. Their last CD "A Crow Left of the Murder" was fairly blah but this one has really made me nostalgic for old Incubus.

I actually have been interning in the interactive entertainment (video games) industry for the past year. I work specifically on the production side. Although I have not worked much with sound and music, I think it's interesting to take into consideration the genres and different song tracks that will be implemented into a video game. In my opinion, music is such a powerful player in the interactive experience. Choosing the right score or song can make a significant difference. I think it's also cool how we are seeing more music-inspired games out on the market such as Guitar Hero and Karaoke Revolution.

I am interested in taking ethno 5 because I want to expand my music knowledge repertoire. Initially, I did it for work-related reasons. I wanted to get a feel for different regions of music because I felt it could lend a more global perspective when I am playing through a video game. I potentially have the power to change the music that may be put into the game, so it only made sense to expand my music saaviness.