Things Better Left Unsaid

Sometimes I stare at the screen trying to think of something to write.

Usually there are a lot of ideas on my mind, but sometimes some things are better left unsaid.

Know what I mean?

In the same way there is some music that could better be left unwritten, unsung, and/or unplayed.

During every period of music there were composers who pushed the proverbial envelope in composition and in performance.

There was something always questionable at first, but as the ear grew accustomed to the sound it became more tolerable.

As my students and I explore musical eras of times past we will often comment about how raw, how incomplete, how unpleasant the music sounds.

I encourage them to describe it using the music vocabulary that they possess.

Often times it comes down to the fact that they are listening to 15th-, 16th-, 17th-, 18th-, 19th-, or 20th-century music with 21st century "ears" and expectations.

Expectations for melody, rhythm, harmony, tone colors, form, blend, dynamics.

This doesn't even begin to cover their expectations in regards to sound engineering.

I encourage them to be open-minded and to develop the understanding that the music we have today is directly influenced over the centuries by what has come before.

This being said.  I do not believe I will EVER understand or be able to develop a rationale for the music that is called "Screamo."  If the name isn't obvious enough, the following video will enlighten you.

[Make sure your speakers are on, but you may not want them up too loud.]

[Disclaimer: I cannot understand much of what is said in this video. I apologize in advance if you happen to hear something inappropriate. I didn't, but then I couldn't tell.]



I promise I tried to get the shortest video I could.

Oh, dear...see what happens when I don't have a specific topic.

*smile*

I imagine for some of you this was your first (and perhaps last) experience with screamo.

I wonder what the future societies will think of this.

Maybe it will disappear by then.

One can hope.
:)

There, I did succeed in sharing something new.