TRADITION, AUTHENTICITY, AND CONTEXT The validity of these ideas in a post-modern world.

RECAP. OF TRADITION  Culture is flexible, tradition is not.  Classical music and Japanese Gagaku music are rooted in tradition.  Jazz and Indian raga are cultural, and more able to be changed.  Static Tradition vs. Constant Flux as a continuum to measure the stylistic freedom of these forms.  The method of transmission has much to do with the continuum.

RECAP. OF AUTHENTICITY  “The quality of being genuine, being true to oneself” (Socrates)  A personally chosen self, as opposed to one’s public or heard identity (Kierkegaard)  In music Authentically has been strongly associated with “historically correct”  Should these terms be combined? (page 48 quote 1)

AUTHENTICITY 5 WAYS  Which ones do we do? Which ones do we ignore?  Following ancient scores or canon  Using period ensembles (tuning too)  Re-creating the setting where and when the music was heard  Using historically informed technique to play or sing  Aiming at sincerity of expression, capture the essence of the style  Reconstructed vs. New Identity

CONTEXT  Do you need to listen to music in it’s original context only for it to make sense?  Is it possible to listen to music of other cultures without this context?  Is it better to recreate a context that people may not understand, or make it more relatable for the performers and listeners?  “Origianal” Context vs. Recontextualization

POSTMODERNISM  We live in a globalized and postmodern world.  Societies have been united and divided by the internet and global communication in ways that will take decades to fully realize.  Writing Baroque music is socially acceptable now as it was in the 1600’s  So is writing authentic 1980’s Chip Tunes and Circus Punk.  What might this mean for us as educators in regards to authenticity and tradition?