William Chamberlain recently posted a question brought to his attention by a student: Why do I have to learn history? Dumbfounded, Mr. Chamberlain could not give a response. As a future music educator, I feel as though I have it rather easy. Pick a genre of music one enjoys. An individual would discover an item in a specific song that was derived from a work 100, 200, or even 500 years ago. Composers constructed melodies, rhythmic patterns, and harmonic progressions that have produced individuals favorite tunes. Interested in this topic, I researched and discovered a blog by the Dallas School of Music, DLP, that actually addressed this topic. As a performer, one must be able to interpret what the composer wrote and express it correctly to the audience. How would one accomplish that if the piece they are showcasing was written by a deceased musician? My response to that is they discover what was occurring in the composer's life. An example would be one of my favorite composers, Giuseppe Verdi. In one of his most popular operas, Nabucco (a story about the Jews as they were assaulted, conquered, and exiled from their homeland by the Babylonian king, Nabucco), the chorus of the Hebrews slaves, Va pensiero, was said to have been the anthem/cry of the Italian patriots seeking unification of their country during the Italian Revolution. Without knowing the background of events transpiring during Verdi's life, could one comprehend the anguish within the music?
Hey Victoria! I agree with you completely, and I like how you applied Mr. Chamberlain's question to your own future profession. It is very important for students to understand the background of most everything they learn about in school to gain a better appreciation for it. Great post!
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