May 2010

Abstract on World Musics

It is difficult to compare the analyses on three places with cultural contexts embedded in their own entirely unique histories. However, there are several similar points of reference the analyses consider. For example, the musical transformations that occurred in China, Afghanistan, and Marseille were all associated to transformations of their concepts of identity. Chinese music was reconstructed as a powerful tool for psychologically defining the peoples national identity via political identity. Afghan music was forming an expression for a shared cultural identity via musical interaction between Afghans of different social groups. And the music of Marseille reflected partially on the freedom for the dynamics of cultural plenitude and personal identity formations via musical appropriation. One difficulty encountered through these observations is the question of whether the music-identity relation is utilised successfully in each given case. During transformations of identity, in all three cases, there are obstacles present.

This is also not taking into account whether or not the transformations themselves are worthwhile, morally and anthropologically. In China, many died in defiance of the Cultural Revolution, which includes the re-contextualisation of their musical traditions. In Afghanistan, the Mujahedeen and the Taliban responded with brutal force. And the consequence of Marseilles cultural amalgamations is the perceived detachment from the rest of France and lack of economic support, thus poverty.

May 2010 Ultimately, the musics people created were interdependent with the places economic and socio-political climates. For example, some of the most prominent Chinese composers during the early stages of the Maoist revolution would not have studied with renowned Communist composers in Russia [Hong 2009: 37-39 - see response paper 1] if the political agenda had been different, hypothetically, changing the musical characteristics of modern Chinese music as a consequence. Also, some of the hip-hop groups in Marseille would have had different lyrical, harmonic, and timbral content if they had not expressed their feelings about the hardship of living in the poorest city of France. However, as music plays a two-role, it attributed a cause as well as an effect. For example, the overwhelming popularity of the televised music talent competition and its social and cultural impact on the people would likely have a significant influence on the democratically structured political motives.

The analysis on the music of Marseille can in some ways be singled out in relation to the music of China and Afghanistan. This is because the other two analyses show a subjectively conscientious approach to creating music, partially in context of abstract motives such as pursuit of liberty. In Marseille, on the other hand, musical transformations happen seemingly for the sake of the process itself, albeit some artists particular expressions of personal views, as well as musics commercial implications. However, one motive that does not escape any of the three cases is music-driven societal unity, which, one could argue, is intrinsic in the act of musical interaction in any given case, whether in relation to a society or a small group of individuals.