[Harp-L] Re: music in other cultures/NotMuchHarpContent!



Rick Dempster wrote:

I was expecting a response something like your's. Yes,
I am aware that 'old world' music moves on, and in some cases moves as
fast as does the change in the US. I would have to go to some length to
support my original contention; that musical change happens faster in
the US than in other places, but I still think it is broadly true, and I
would even argue that the trends emanating from the US influence,
directly an indirectly, the rate and sometimes content of that change.

I think you'd have to run logic circles to find any decent way of making that case. The rate of change in other cultures since the 20th century is dramatic, and the wealth of examples which completely and utterly refute your claim is quite impressive: Brasil, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Mali, Senegal, all of India (we could pick regions, but for the example this works), China, Japan, all of Europe, Mexico...do I need to continue or can I stop with those I know somewhat well before doing more research. Look at what music was being played in these places in the beginning of the 20th century. Then take a look every twenty years. Compare that to the US and I think you'll see a generally similar rate of change (each will have a different specific rate, of course, but the overall rate will be quite similar).


As to American influence--of course there has been great American influence, but that is to be expected considering the dominant role the US played in the last century, in political, social and technological arenas. That doesn't mean the US was changing faster, just that other cultures had to deal with US culture more than US culture had to deal with say African cultures. Still, we do see significant cross-pollination into the US from several cultures (Brasil, Cuba, Jamaica, to name three off the top of my head). But, in terms of the changes mostly they are internally driven, and driven by the same forces as in the US: the massive explosion of media and transportation technology. Never underestimate the importance of radio and records to musical change in the 20th century--and throughout the 20th century.

                 I think the Dixieland example is different to say, an
oud player in southeast Turkestan (sorry;being satirical here to cover
my general ignorance)

Perhaps the best rule when ignorant of something is to not say anything. The oud is not an instrument commonly found in the Central Asian areas which are usually referred to as Turkestan. They tend to prefer long-necked lutes for plucked strings, similar to neighbors in Iran and Afghanistan.


I believe nostalgia to be more of a phenomenon of
developed western countries. You might find someone in a village culture
playing with an awareness to keep alive a tradition, but it could be
argued that that is a different thing to somebody in LA playing Cigago
Blues, or Chicago jazz for that matter.

I'd love to know why you believe this to be the case. There is plenty of what might be termed nostalgia in films from most countries that have anything to do with the past. China is not Western, but many Chinese movies show nostalgia--same for India and Iran. None of these three is really "developed" either. And this nostalgia goes back for decades.


Besides, there is a distinct difference between nostalgia and attempts to keep traditions alive. Many dixieland players might be nostalgic, but other groups are anything but. The same is true in most cultures: there are those who like older styles for nostalgia purposes, and those who want to keep them alive from a tradition standpoint.



 ()()    JR "Bulldogge" Ross
()  ()   & Snuffy, too:)
`----'







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