A Look At Greek Lyric Poetry And John Cage Essay Example for Free

A Look At Greek Lyric Poetry And John Cage Essay Music goes beyond language barriers; it speaks no language but that of the heart. However, like all art forms it has tenets and principles as to what is good music and what is simply noise. How about when artists claim that their works are music when it seems that these are perceived to be avant garde, not the kind of music that dominates the cultural period and worse, does not come from tradition? This paper seeks to take a look at the music in Hellenistic Greece, in particular a lyric by one of its known muses, Sappho, with her only surviving complete work, Ode to Aphrodite, and compare it with what is considered to be experimental composition from John Cage, his 4’33†. Both pieces were meant to be performed – although how these are performed also raised questions. Ancient Greece is revered to be a center of learning, where arts and culture flourished. It was one of the places where the earliest treatises on the different art forms were written, and they were keen to what constituted good and bad art, giving raise even to debates as to what is the function of art. Plato was known to promote the arts that will inspire people’s thinking, not their emotions, for he considered human emotions a weakness, and also because during that time musical scales developed from the study of the harmony in the universe, the mathematical equations used by the Pythagoreans (Henderson, 1957). It was because of this that he did not approve of the poets’ lyrics, because it deviated from the musical modes they were used to and relied on what sounded good to the ear, making music became accessible to the people (Anderson, 1966). Sappho was one of those poets whose lyric poetry when sung communicated the love and sensuality it contained, as with her work Ode to Aphrodite, deviating from their traditionally highly mathematically composed melodies where people were supposed to be quiet and listen to rigidly, for her lyric love poems were made to be felt and inspire emotion. In this way, Sappho, and her contemporary poets at the time helped create a turn for Greek music. Like Sappho, John Cage contributed to music with his compositions, characterized as avant-garde especially his chance pieces. However, his work that challenged perceptions and definition of music is his notorious 4’33†, a piece where for four minutes and thirty-three seconds the orchestra plays nothing. John Cage wrote this piece when he realized that there will always be sound, and deliberately wrote â€Å"Tacet†, to instruct the musician not to play. What Cage wanted for the audience to hear was the different sounds that occur during the interval the piece is played – all the various sounds that one does not pay attention to because they listen to something else. This is different from silence, unless the figuratively the sound of silence, since Cage’s point was that there is always sound if one listens intently (Cage, 1973). Both Sappho and Cage’s music differed from one another in that Sappho was expressing herself through her poetry, while Cage was making the listener turn to his environment. Although created in different environment and cultures, both musical pieces can be interpreted in a personal way, making it a unique experience. Sappho’s Ode to Aphrodite can mean something else to a modern listener than it used to in ancient Greece, and of course Cage’s 4’33† would always conjure something unique for each individual. What this shows us is that although music is made in a certain era, it can transcend the boundaries of time as long as it resonates with what is human and universal, as an appreciation for the sounds around us and those that speak of love, and that although music is governed by principles of what makes it good, it will always be a matter of personal experience. SOURCES: Anderson, W. (1966). Ethos and Education in Greek Music. Cambridge, HUP. Cage, John. (1973). Silence: Lectures and Writings, Wesleyan Paperback. Henderson, Isobel (1957). Ancient Greek Music in The New Oxford History of Music, vol. 1: Ancient and Oriental Music, Oxford, Oxford University Press. http://homoecumenicus. com/ioannidis_ancient_greek_texts. htm, Accessed on June, 15, 2009. http://www. greylodge. org/occultreview/glor_013/433. htm , Accessed on June 15, 2009.

Liberation Thought and Bhakti-yoga Essay -- Liberation Ideology, Hind

Liberation is a prominent ideology well stressed throughout the formation and development of history Hinduism. In general, the religious school of Indian philosophy is multiform with different tendencies, but mostly focused on explaining critical issues such as the phenomenon of nature, the meaning of life, the source of human suffering, and the path, which is the way to help people liberation from the suffering of the life. Like any other ancient Indian religions’ thoughts, Hinduism also aims at the ultimate liberation. This is well expounded within its philosophies and practices. For Hinduism, the ultimate liberation is returning to Braham. According to Bhagavad Gita, there are three ways of practice that lead to liberation. ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬. These are janna-yoga (the way of knowledge), bhakti- yoga (the practice of devotion) and karma-yoga (the course of action). In other words, one can practice any of these methods to achieve union with God. This paper I will analyze some important aspects of bhakti-yoga and how it can lead one to attain ultimate liberation—return to Atman. In doing this investigation, I hope to help the reader broaden their knowledge on liberation in Hinduism. As Radhakrishnan says we may climb the mountain from different paths, but the view from the summit is identical for all. II. What does liberation means in Hinduism? The moksha word is often translated as salvation or liberation. In Longman Dictionary, liberation is defined as the act of freeing prisoners, a city, a country, etc. According to Hinduism, moksha, mukti from the cycle of suffering and rebirth (samsara) is the supreme goal of human existence. Much has been written about the nature and path of release. True liberation means freeing of an individ... ... to them, take care to bless them with Mukti also.† In other words, if one loves God and serves Him with wholeheartedly, he or she will be granted with moksha, liberation. Works Cited Embree, Ainslie Thomas, Stephen N Hay, and William Theodore De Bary. Sources of Indian Tradition. New York: Columbia University Press, 1988. Fort, Andrew O, and Patricia Y Mumme. Living Liberation in Hindu Thought. Albany, NY: State Univerasity of New York Press, 1996. Huyler, Stephen P. Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1999. Longman Dictionary of American English: A Dictionary for Learners of English. New York, N.Y.: Longman, 1983. Radhakrishnan, S. Indian Philosophy. New York: Macmillan, 1958. TyaÌ„giÌ„sÃŒ aÌ„nanda. Aphorisms on the Gospel of Divine Love; Or, NaÌ„rada Bhakti SuÌ„tras,. Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1967.

Michael Northrop

Michael Northrop is originally from Salisbury, Connecticut which is a very small town located in the Berkshire mountains. He says it was a great place to grow up to the age that he lived there. He would also part take in falling out of trees, shooting a BB gun at pop cans, and playing high school football as a kicker. After high school he left Salisbury and went to New York, New York to attend New York University (NYU). Once he finished at NYU he worked at both The World Almanac and Sports Illustrated Kids, here he was a senior editor for 8 years. The reason he may be a good writer is because from family lore, he may be related to Jonathan Swift, the man that wrote the famous book, Gulliver's Travels. Here are two more interesting facts about Michael and his life. He is surprisingly dyslexic and had to repeat the second grade. He also stepped on a yellow jacket nest and was stung by them approximately 75 times. He was also able to learn a black belt in karate.Michael, as stated earlier, was a senior editor at two news places, so he was already fond of writing so the transition was easy. He came to fame when his book TombQuest: Book of the Dead was on the New York's Times best sellers list for three weeks straight. Before this book though, he had a few other books such as Gentlemen in 2009 and Trapped in 2011. His most recent book, Polaris, got a comment from R.L. Stine, the author of the Goosebumps series. He said this, â€Å"The book is scary fun. Loved it!† This was a great honor coming from such an amazing author.All of his books are great for young adults and are very easy to get attached to. From his suspenseful books such as Surrounded by Sharks, to his thriller books, like Polaris, they all encapture you and draw you to read more and more about them. He is all around great author and will always be one of, if not, my favorite authors.

The American Dream - 727 Words

The American dream for minorities is a difficult to obtain goal because for minorities, everyday obstacles prevent them from obtaining this dream that was never meant for them. Despite the difficulties, there exists many instances throughout history of people from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds have fought for the simple right to be able to have the chance to reach that goal. Ironically, during one of the most devastating times in our nation’s history, historian James Truslow Adams coined the term â€Å"The American Dream†. The term American Dream is defined as the ideals of freedom, equality, and equal opportunity traditionally held to be available to every single American Citizen regardless of race, gender or sexual preference. My†¦show more content†¦There are many art forms that exist in the world but none that has left a lasting impact on the world like Jazz. Originating in the south, Jazz music was an art form that truly united many cultures all o ver the world. The category was born in New Orleans, Louisiana during the early 1900’s and best personified what the Black experience in America was like in an art form. Jazz music is musical conversation: a partly planned and partly spontaneous musical dialogue among the musicians who are performing it . The art form did more in visualizing the American dream than any other like it. The music made by jazz musicians is performed and enjoyed all over the world and has intertwined itself into nearly every cultural groups. Jazz was so influential that it had its own era called the Jazz age. The jazz age was the period in time beginning right after World War I and ended before the stock market crash of 1929. The age was one of flashy style and prosperity after a time of war. It also showcased what was seen as risquà © behavior considered during the time like flappers, prostitution and liquor consumption. But one of the most notable changes during the time was the adoption of Jaz z into cultures outside of the black community. It was turned into a pastime of sorts. The music was adapted to fit into ragtime dance and even ballroom dances where the upper echelon met and had a good time. Jazz music exploded onto the scene in a wayShow MoreRelatedImmigrants And The American Dream1362 Words   |  6 PagesImmigrants and the American Dream In the article â€Å"The American Dream†, by James Truslow Adams in The Sundance Reader book, he stated that the American dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. 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Self destruction, if you will†¦ Mr. Self Destruct Read MoreSuccess As One Of The American Dream1137 Words   |  5 PagesApril 2015 Success as One of The American Dream When we hear the word â€Å"success†, we often think of wealth and money. To some people, the embodiment of being success is earning a lot of money. In fact, the concept of success is primarily based on how much money a person earns. However, each person views the definition of success differently. One way to define success is something that has more to do with flash than it does with substance. John Wooden, an American basketball player and coach viewRead MoreJim Cullen And The American Dream2081 Words   |  9 Pages The American Dream, as defined by Cullen, is starting your goal off with a little and ending with more; it s like a business, you invest in it in order to gain more money. Usually, people will define the American Dream as being able to achieve your goal because everyone is offered opportunities. Cullen does acknowledge that people are born with different opportunities, so he talks about the good life. The good life describes different factors that determine your opportunities. Throughout the otherRead MoreFactors Influencing The American Dream1834 Words   |  8 Pagesindividual to succumb or to not succumb to the seductions of crime. These three factors are brilliantly portrayed in the television show, Breaking Bad and the novel, The Stick Up Kids. The American Dream is what many American citizens strive for. However, not all of those citizens are able to achieve the American Dream through a legal pathway. The reason an indivudal may not being able to do so is because of his or her background factors. It is important to note that background factors are a fractionRead MoreShark Tank And The American Dream1755 Words   |  8 PagesShark Tank and The American Dream The TV show Shark tank embodies everything the American dream represents. 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