Self-expression through music

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Miscellanea FrOM THE standpoint ot artistic insight, the art of music is the most creative, most direct, and most ex pressive. The poet pours out his feelings through beautiful verses; the sculp tor, through the use of his chisel and hammer, creates his ideal form or figure; the painter, with brush and canvas, uses color to interpret his sense of beauty; the dancer uses rhythm of music and dance-steps in presenting his theme, but the musi cian, particularly the composer, combines beauty of verse, form, rhythm, color, and other factors in order to express himself. By musician, we mean the com poser, or the interpreter, or the listener, as long as their aim is mu sic — its beauty and its truth. How does each one of them suc ceed in expressing himself through the art of music? The Composer. What, after all, do we listen for when we listen to a composer? ls_ it the rhythm, the melody, the form, or the tone-color that he infuses into his musical composition? Yes, all these. Moreover, we also apprehend the creative musi cian himself. His work is an em bodiment of the fullest and deepest expression of himself as a man, of his experiences as a fellow being. His personality may be streaked with frailties, (no one is perfect!) but whatever is fine in his music comes also from whatever is fine in himself as a man. by PETE MONTERO Every artist's work is, of course, an expression of himself, but none so direct as the creative musician's. The Interpreter. The middleman in music is the interpreter. No doubt, so many of us, if not all, at one time or another, interpret music either by the use of our voice or by some musical instruments. Unfortunately, however, when we try to interpret, our general tendency is to imitate — we fail to use our own musical intelligence. By imitation, a per son never really interprets, unless perhaps some emotional or physical The Author excitation accompanies the act of interpreting. We are trying to drive home the point that an interpreter should use mind and heart in order to succeed in transferring his thoughts, moods, and emotions to other people. In performing a piece of music, the interpreter does not stick im movably to the notes and modula tions set down by the composer. There is also a creative interpre tation in which a piece is expressed according to the way the interpreter understands it, and according to the emotional appeal of the music to him. With these things in mind, the interpreter expresses himself successfully. The Listener. We all belong to this great group, but, characteriz ing various types of listeners will probably help us understand better how we can express ourselves by listening to music. The first class of listeners, that to which our younger generation belongs, consists of the "foot-listen ers", who hear music with their feet. To them, a few unorganized tones sounded rhythmically, mean music; that is, if the rhythm is enough to stir their feet to execute dance steps. It is only too obvious how these foot-listeners may be likened to the Indian war-dancers. In time, the foot-listeners advance to become "heart-listeners" who respond emotionally and physically to music. When the heart-listeners hear music, the mood and emotion suggested by the music is aroused in them. The third group consists of "head-listeners" the most advanced of them all. Head-listeners create a A Neighborly Approach ... (Continued from page 13) The State can help these child ren very much. Unfortunately, it has failed to enact legislation to safeguard the rights of these child ren to a good home, to proper care, to education, and to respect. When we meet a beggar and we hand out a few centavos, we feel we have done enough. But that is the least that we can do. In the United States a new system of co operation is widely practiced. If a neighbor discovers that the family next door is in need, he goes to one of the agencies of the commu nity and reports the situation. The agency sends a visitor to study the family situation. If the father is out of work, the visitor will procure another position for him. Or it may be that some of the members of the family are sick. Not only will the visitor attempt to provide immediate relief in the form of fuel, groceries, and medical assistance, but he will also seek to remove the cause of the unfortunate condition. The vi sitor in this system is the most im portant character because he is the very person who sees the actual situation of the indigent family. Hence, there is great stress on neigh borly intercourse. The visitors are on guard to prevent them from sink ing into unbearable misery. This system has three advantages. First, the poor family develops an inti mate relationship with the visitor. Second, it has a good moral effect on the poor, bringing them into con tact with higher standards. And finally, it shows the rich the actual conditions under which the poor live. # situation when listening to music. They consider the composer's theme and the interpreter's mood. However, the real music-lover whether he is the composer, the interpreter, or the listener, combines all three. Music is not for the in tellect alone; it appeals equally to the feet, to the heart, to the head, which means physically, emotion ally, and intellectually. Finally, Music as an art is both creative and interpretative. The thoughts, moods, and emotions of an artist are conveyed to his fellow men, like literature, in true and beautiful terms. In endeavoring to be true, the composer, the interpreter, and the listener give their own hon est selves — their deepest thoughts and tenderest feelings that ennoble our humanity and uphold the ideals of the sublime art of Music. # Page 14 THE CAROLINIAN

Date

1959

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

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