I’ve been trying to define what holds this blog together. I care about fabric, clothing and the processes that bring them to me. I love music. Music is like fabric, and vice versa. I guess that’s it, then.
I added something to that effect to my “about” page, and almost immediately, my coworker Brittany starts playing a segment from WNYC’s Radio Lab called “Sound is Touch”, from a show called “Musical Language”…
The show explores the relationship between language and music. Intonation and music. Chinese tonality and pitch-perfection. Music and the mind. Soooooo well done.
This is the stuff I’m here for.
[singlepic=90,200,,,right]The part on Stravinsky reminded me of my first reaction to Beijing Opera. Since I first encountered it a few years ago, Beijing Opera has been hard for me to appreciate at any level, let alone watch for 3 hours. It still sounds either harsh or cartoonish to me, or cloying. As far as I can tell, this is by no means uncommon.
Now for the experimental portion of this blog: Today’s postsong is a selection of Beijing Opera—an aria from Xia Jia Bang called, appropriately, “Mental Battle”. Listen to it after you listen to the sections of the above Radio Lab piece on Chinese tonality, and then the section on Stravinsky. What am I missing about this music (besides not understanding classical Chinese)? Why can’t I parse it yet, musically? Do I just need to give it some time to sink in?
For anyone who’s learning Chinese, teaching Chinese, blogging about China, doing business in China, studying in China, or going to the Olympics in China, you may eventually find yourself staring at a colorful Tom and Jerry scene, with masked characters howling, and someone you need to impress is asking you what you think. You should be honest, but maybe you can train your ear a little so you honestly don’t hate it.
There may be a few parts I’m starting to like.
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