RE: Music and "politics"

[Joan D. Levin <jdlevin...>]

Yes, it was in the part about primary education -- the meters and words,
etc. that would help to produce good soldiers, etc. etc.  Thank you!
And I was thinking of this during the course of our discussion as to
whether you could easily "untie" those threads of music and politics.
Maybe a stretch, but it seems like such a strong association in so many
ways --

And there is something else.  A university biology teacher whose own
specialty is bird songs once told me that birds have two principal song
modes:  One is for mating (attracting mates, etc.,) and the second is
for territoriality (establishing territorial dominance, etc.)

This may be another stretch, but as I think about our songs I can't help
thinking how many songs from any culture are either about 1) some aspect
of mating (in the form of love songs, etc.)  or  2) some aspect of
territoriality (my country, my school, my religion, my home where the
buffalo roam, my shtetele, etc. etc.)

To the extent that song passes down an oral tradition in a rhythmic form
and so often treats functions that are found in brains that we may
regard as quite primitive (bird brains), I think we are looking at one
of the most powerful reflectors and shapers of cultures known to man.

This is one of the reasons I find Jewish music in general, and songs in
particular, so important, and so vital to promote.

Joan


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
[mailto:owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org] On Behalf Of Bob Wiener
Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2002 7:11 AM
To: World music from a Jewish slant
Subject: Re: Music and "politics"


The Republic (Jowett translation)
11. Primary Education of the Guardians:
Musical Accompaniment and Meter

Perhaps you're referring to the above section.

Bob

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joan D. Levin" <jdlevin (at) interaccess(dot)com>
To: "World music from a Jewish slant" <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2002 4:54 PM
Subject: RE: Music and "politics"


> To me this "thread" ties itself into knots as I consider what Plato
> said
> -- as I recall it was in The Republic -- (someone help me out here?)
> about the power of words set to rhythmic music to convey a message.







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