Week 3 Questions

Week 3 Questions:

After watching both performances, I noticed that there were a good amount of similarities and differences between each despite the fact that they are playing the same style of music. For example, the first performance had female dancers in the center of the performance area with the musicians surrounding them. It was clear that throughout the Ratna Ayu performance that the dancers were meant to be focused on throughout. This is different, however, in the Gamelan Bali Nyepi performance, the musicians themselves are meant to be the center of the performance as they are oriented in a circular fashion without any dancers in the center. Along with this difference, the way that the music sounded also differed from performance to performance. For example, in the Ratna Ayu, the music almost seemed like it had more sectinos that constrasted each other. In the beginning of the performance, most of the musicians are playing and as a result the rhythms are faster. This changes in the middle of the dancer's performance in that the music becomes much more toned down from the beginning. All the musicians are continually playing however they are playing in unison in this section. At the end of this Ratna Ayu performance, the musicians once again start to play more complex lines. This contrast is not heard in the Gamelan Bali Nyepi performance in which the musicians who are surrounding each other seem to be maintaining the driving rhythm throughout. Also in the Gamelan Bali Nyepi performance, some of the musicians seemed to have some sort of shakers which created a distinct sound that was not heard in the Ratna Ayu performance.

Week 2 Questions

Week 2

Question #1: One instance in my life in which I was an insider but an outsider at the same time would probably have to be whenever I see my extended Irish family. Having grown up in California, I don't really relate to most of my relatives who are from Ireland. However, I am still an insider because they are my family and I am Irish like they are.
One way in which I accentuate my identity is probably in the fact that I read the Bible frequently. This accentuates my identity as a Christian. Another way that I accentuate my identity is through where I choose to be on a daily basis. For example, I choose to go to class and to sometimes go to Bible studies. The fact that I choose to go to class accentuates the fact that I am a student while the latter demonstrates my identity as a Christian. My identity is also reflected through the music of Irish people, which consists of jigs and various dance music. These are sometimes played and listened to in my family.

Question #2: Music is only part of many events such as being in a club or going to church. The music that is heard in a club is usally dance music which contains driving rhythms and beats which seem to propel people to move around and dance. In this case, the music is determining a certain state of mind that the listener should be in when they listen. This is contrasted, however, in a religious setting such as church. Normally in church, music is set up to organize the congregation to sing together. As a result, the music does not contain the driving beats is found in dance music at clubs but rather simple choral music which every one can sing. In each of these cases music is being used to bring people together whether by dancing or by choral singing.