Author: nolanspalding (Page 2 of 2)

Playing music from the past would only be ethically wrong if you claimed to have written it. To preserve my conscience, if I were to perform music from the past, I would find a way to communicate that the works performed were not my own. If you were to somehow claim the rights to the music you were performing nd profit from something you did not create, that would be ethically wrong, especially if you were unable to do the original works justice. If all music from the past was erased from existence, I would probably try to perform songs by some of my favourite bands such as the Beatles or Nirvana on my guitar, as those are the only songs I could remember completely. I could try to play some piano songs such as Chopin’s Nocturne in B flat minor Op.9 No.1, but I would most likely be unable to do it complete justice. I fully agree with the Nietzsche quote; I believe that unless you try your hardest to leave yourself out of the music you are performing, you will be unwittingly taking ownership of the music rather than leaving it in the past. I agree with the sentiment that you can only interpret the past with a present mindset, and you can never fully recapture it.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=chopin+nocturne+in+b-flat+minor&view=detail&mid=17754479B0EFB53652C917754479B0EFB53652C9&FORM=VIRE

Upon first listening, the first section (aria) of the 1955 recording has a much fuller sound than the 1981 recording. The 1981 recording is much quieter, and Gould plays the aria in a much more delicate fashion. However, the audio in the 1981 recording is much less compressed, meaning there is a larger dynamic range in this recording. Additionally, there is more reverb present in the 1955 recording, and the 1981 recording has much less echo.

1.

For the first item, I chose an audio (and video) clip of a young man and his friends in 1987 who walk around a 7-11, talking to the customers while filming their interactions.

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Secondly, I chose Chopin’s “Nocturne Op.9 No.2 in E flat major”, which is a widely recognized and relatively short piano piece.

3.

Finally, I included “I Feel Fine” by the Beatles, a pop song released in 1964. It is a very feel-good and catchy tune that can be compared to many popular songs that have been released following its creation.

I think my 3 selections would provide a positive impression of the world if an intelligent extra-terrestrial species were to find it. The 7-11 recording provides a good look at how humans interact with each other in the wild, as people were not used to being recorded in the 80’s, and they are simply having candid conversations. The Chopin Nocturne and the Beatles’ hit each sum up two very different eras and genres of music, and they are both very easy to digest and create a strong emotional response in the listener.

Throughout most of my life, I have engaged in art in the form of music. I began learning to play the piano at a young age (4 or 5), so music has been a big part of my life. It wasn’t until the last couple years that my interests have shifted towards the creation of art in the form of songwriting and drawing. There aren’t many things I own that I would consider powerful other than my fender acoustic guitar, because it was the first guitar I ever owned, let alone played. It also helps inspire me to write songs and explore new music. When I walk around my neighborhood, on the sidewalk, I notice the sounds of cars passing by most of all, and when I walk in the park near my house I notice the sounds of nature, such as squirrels rustling around in the trees or birds chirping. To me, the phrase “free time only works if you steal it” means that you cannot simply do nothing and call it free time, but you have to be doing something productive and letting your mind run free in the moment. I can relate to this, as when I am completely engrossed in a song that I am playing or even a menial task I am performing, it feels like true free time. My favourite section of the film is when Laskey talks about the theatrics of creating art, as I like the idea of turning the creation of art into an artwork itself.