08 / How the art of music was and is used in daily life:
Music , created either by the human voice or various instruments is an art form that is used as a subject of learning, as a means of earning a living, for personal pleasure. It is used to celebrate weddings or at funerals to celebrate the life of the dead. However, on occasion, irritation or annoyance has come from individuals or from religious or political quarters who felt that the music played did not advance their specific ideals. In other words music was frequently used way beyond its initial composition.
As an example, anthems occasionally included in the work melodies from dances or folk tunes. But very quickly this was perceived as not suitable for pious ears. Martin Luther, the religious reformer, is said to have reacted by stating” why should the devil have all the good tunes for himself.” To take this thought process even further, until fairly recently in South Africa the Dutch Reformed Church would not hire their church halls to a ballet teacher because dancing was considered a sin. Thus was not considered appropriate usage of the building.
Consider the following thought. Almost as soon as VIP’s enter the country, be they leading politicians, famous individuals or everyday tourists, which art form are they informed about? The music of the land! Why is this? It could be that the suggestion is a hint of one- up man ship by the host. Maybe it is a subtle way of implying the country or its people are civilized and sophisticated. Good as anything the guests have back home. Look at the social pages of newspapers and one will often see photographs taken at the opening of a new ballet, a first performance by a well known local violinist or pianist performing with the Philharmonic Orchestra.
Times change and today music is constantly used in a variety of ways. There are the modern anthems played to impress the country’s nationalist views. South Africa’s stirring national anthem refers to its official languages. This indicates pride as well as the hopeful unity of its diverse people. The Afrikaans folk song Sarie Marais which, it seems, was partly written during the South African War (1899-1901) then had a couple more verses added between 1914-1915 and in 1919. It is a song of fear, hope and longing and with definite political undertones. Who wrote it or was it an interpretation of an American song is not very clear. Other national music too either refers to or was written during political upheavals. Peter Tchaikovsky wrote the 1812 Overture in 1880 to commemorate the Russian defense of the motherland from the attempted invasion by Napoleon. Other pieces make pleas to the Almighty to defend a country or to save the king or queen of a country. All are in some way or other a form of power play.
More recently popular music has had a part in advertising a variety of events. The music of We are the Champions was made popular by the group Queen at sporting occasions. As was the glorious voice of Luciano Pavarotti when he sung, in 2006, Nessum dorma , from the opera Turandot by Puccini, at theWinter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. In 2003 he also sang at the 300th anniversary of the city of St Petersburg , Russia. During the 2010 Fifa World Cup held in South Africa, the traditional workers song Shosholoza (Go forward!) was belted out by local football fans as they tried very hard to encourage Bafana Bafana to win.
Music has been well used and ill used but as long as there are humans on earth its varieties will be heard.
