What we are hearing
By Mike Chunn
Some time ago, one Frederick H. Martens wrote – “Music considered as a historical influence, is primarily an emotional agent. Its influence is either directly exercised upon the senses, or, indirectly and by way of the feelings, on the mind. Sometimes it is an immediate influence, directly exercised; at others, it is the carrying medium for ideas, the fluid tonal amber in which these are vitalised and preserved. And the manner in which music makes its influence felt does not seem to have changed materially since the sub-men wandered about the earth myriads ago.”
I like this.
What we are hearing is – it all comes down to what’s in the grooves and what we feel when we hear it. The mechanics, science, disciplines etc that cause songs to be transmitted all rely on a pair of ears to hear them. Otherwise it fades to nothing.
That is the rub. Hence the structural architecture and designs and formulations of how human beings can bring a song to a pair of ears will be driven by an emotional premise in keeping with the most exciting and rewarding ways possible. It must move with the times.
Two blogs ago I focused on how recording songs needs to become an integral part of the music curriculum. It needs to be a defined form of notation . Well, resounding from the forward-thinking halls of the NZQA comes a welcome cry. Let me repeat it here.
Review of Music Level 2 achievement and unit standards, states:
"To meet the needs of all music students, additional standards have been developed at Level 2 to allow for more specialisation. It is proposed that there be a greater choice of standards at this level to cater for student needs and interests. The new alignment of standards, values and affirms both aural and written music cultures, and enables progression of skills, knowledge and understanding in the same aspects of music across all levels.
Students can progress seamlessly to Level 3 in each standard they successfully complete at Level 1. Thus, for example, the student who composes aurally is assessed alongside his/her peer who chooses to notate. Knowledge of different forms of visual representation, however, continues to be central to other progressions of standards."
What this says is – a legitimate form of notation of music and song is a recording. Viola! Hence NCEA assessments will start to allow a recording to be the form in which a songwriter or composer can submit a composition for assessment. It doesn’t have to be crotchets and quavers. In the same way that songwriters such as the Finn brothers, Jordan Luck, Barnaby Weir and so on offer their draft music/song to other players for absorption and feedback in recorded form – so to now can a student taking music at level 2. And with that sea change level 3 waits expectantly.
Can we go back to Mr Martens who opened this blog?
He said “Its (music) influence is either directly exercised upon the senses, or, indirectly and by way of the feelings, on the mind.”
The only true way for this to happen is for the music to be heard. While there is skill and comprehension in writing out a score of a song or composition, the “feelings” and sensorial response cannot be truly realised without a recording (or live performance of course).
Hence the NZQA in their contemporary awareness and common sense understanding of what really underpins the world of music – hearing it – the doors have been opened for recording to become a major focus in schools.
Now all we need is for all those schools who don’t have them - to get the recording studios fired up.
