Music and Religion & Comments no. 2

Your blog topic for Monday, January 12, is “Music and Religion.” As we talked about Native American music last week we frequently brought up different ways in which the music and religion of that Music-Culture interact. We discovered that the music and the religion of Native Americans are closely intertwined—song creation is attributed to the Deities, performers will act out the part of Deities (Yeibichai) when singing some of the songs for various ceremonies, and the songs are a most important means of transmitting religious ideas from generation to generation. We also discussed the ways in which stylistic traits of their music can be traced back to their religion—an importance on the cyclic-ness of Nature is reflected in the ubiquitous repetitive format of their songs. These are just a few ways that we discussed the intersection of music and religion in the world of Native America.

As we go through our other Music-Cultures, we’ll frequently return to this music-religion link. First, though, I’d like you to think about the way that music and religion intersects in your own life. You should consider the music-religion link under two rather large umbrellas:

1. Use. How is music actually used in religion in your experience? And what is the purpose of that use? What sort of performing styles are expected, and are there any rules that should be followed? And stuff like that—the practical and practicing side of music and religion.

2. Aesthetics. In your experience, do the prevailing religions of your surroundings influence what is found aesthetically pleasing in music? Is there any way in which the values of those religions inherent in the way music is built or experienced?

Yes, I know, these are pretty huge ideas. I don’t really expect you to exploit every corner of this topic, but I do expect you to think about it at length before you start typing. I also realize that many of you have been linked to more than one religion over the course of your life, or, perhaps, have led a mostly-secular existence. Take the topic and run with it, and see what happens.

Given this topic, it will be especially important to use Tact at its best for your Comments on Tuesday, January 13. You’ll still need to leave at least four comments (more warms up my heart!), but you can leave them on any entries done since the last Comments day—Music and Movement, Cool Stuff no. 1, or Music and Religion. I was very, very pleased with your comments last week. Anyone want to organize a Bollywood night in Hartness?