Blog #1: My Musical Culture

     Hello! My name is Sydney Caroline Owens and I am a student of Converse College's Diverse Cultures 2021 class. Raised in the south, I have always lived a quiet and rural life. Starting in middle school, I gradually collected a taste for a diverse array of music that will be delved into during this post. I currently own 6 instruments including the Flute (of which I have played for 6 years), piano (3 years), guitar, violin, ocarina, and ukulele. While playing in concert bands certainly had an impact on my music tastes, I have always been extremely drawn to classical/orchestral music ever since I was a young child (with a bias towards film and video game scores/soundtracks).

(In regards to the picture request for this class, a photo of me can be seen on the homepage as my icon) 

        Topic #1: Personal Music

    

    

      Since this category concerns my most important and personal music, I decided to include both studio and live examples (with songs on the left being studio/controlled recordings and the songs on the right being live/natural recordings with their own diverse soundscapes and limitations.) It was important to me to include both forms of the songs because not only do the 3 pieces above represent my love of music, but the rich cultural environment that each piece was composed in ( with Joe Hisaishi's music as a Japanese film score composer, and Yann Tiersen's French background and origins).

    While all four recordings are from film scores and/or compositions, the tone and melodies of each piece drastically differ from each other. For example, the live recording of Joe Hisashi's Princess Mononoke concert changes with the active scenarios within the movie, while Yann Tiersen's changes the movie's perspective and action directly through the music. Another aspect of musical comprehension for these pieces are the interpretations of their titles and soundscapes. One core example of this is Yann Tiersen's " La Noyée", which translates from French into "The Drowning". While this seems harsh, "drowning" can also be understood "asphyxiation by immersion", which when paired with the musical narrative explains the piece's immersive/entrancing composition and auditory experience.

       Topic #2: Quarantine Music

     

    Since quarantine I have noticed a large increase in nostalgic pop music both in my saved playlists and watch history. I believe this is largely due to the excited and rhythmic melodies that tend to heighten my mood regardless of the song's lyrics or tone. One great example of this is specifically Gwen Stefani/No Doubt's album "Tragic Kingdom". While both songs are from the same album, each offers a different rhythm and tone that pleases the ear in their own respective ways.

        Topic #3: Challenging Music

        Although this song does have a narrative and rhythm behind the music like my previous examples, the pitch as well as general vocals over the track remain unmoving to me. This could be due to the repetitive nature of the rhythm along with the lyrics. My tastes also focus on a progressively growing/building sound structure that is common with classical/pop music, which could also explain my disinterest. Regardless of my tastes, music in all its forms represent culture and self-expression and should be respected accordingly.