Music is a significant part of world culture, without it our world would be much poorer. Musical culture is a means of personality formation, it educates the aesthetic perception of the world in a person, helps to cognize the world through emotions and associations with sounds. It is believed that music develops hearing and abstract thinking. Comprehension of sound harmony is as good for music as doing math. We will tell you about the formation and development of musical culture and why people need this art.
The concept
Music plays a special role in human life, since ancient times, sounds have fascinated people, plunged them into trance, helped express emotions and develop imagination. Wise people call music a mirror of the soul; it is a form of emotional cognition of the world. Therefore, musical culture begins to form at the dawn of the emergence of humanity. She accompanies our civilization from the very beginning. Today, the term "musical culture" is understood to mean the totality of musical values, the system of their functioning in society and the ways of their reproduction.
In speech, this term is used along with synonyms such as music or musical art. For an individual, musical culture is an integral part of general aesthetic education. It forms a person’s taste, his inner, individual culture. Cognition of this art form has a transformative effect on a person’s personality. Therefore, it is so important to master music from childhood, learn to understand and perceive it.
Theorists believe that musical culture is a complex complex whole, which includes the ability to navigate the styles, genres and directions of this art form, knowledge of the theory and aesthetics of music, taste, emotional responsiveness to melodies, and the ability to extract semantic content from sound. Also in this complex can include performing and writing skills. The famous philosopher and art theorist M.S. Kagan believed that musical culture can be distinguished by an individual dimension, i.e., the level of an individual person, her knowledge, skills in the field of this art, as well as the group level, which is tied to certain subcultures and age segments of society. In the latter case, the scientist talks about the musical education and development of children.
Music features
Such a complex and important phenomenon of art, like music, is extremely necessary for both an individual person and society as a whole. This art performs a number of social and psychological functions:
1. Formative. Music is involved in the development of the human personality. The formation of an individual’s musical culture affects its development, taste, and socialization.
2. Cognitive. Through sounds, people convey sensations, images, emotions. Music is a kind of reflection of the world.
3. Educational. Like any art, music is able to shape certain purely human qualities in people. It is not in vain that there is a point of view that the ability to listen and create music distinguishes a person from an animal.
4. Mobilizing and draft. Music can stimulate a person to action. It’s not in vain that there are marching melodies, labor songs that improve the activities of people and decorate it.
5. Aesthetic. Still, the most important function of art is the ability to give a person pleasure. Music gives emotions, fills people's lives with spiritual content and brings pure joy.
The structure of musical culture
As a social phenomenon and part of art, music is a complex formation. In a broad sense, in its structure there are:
1. Musical values produced and broadcast in society. This is the basis of musical culture, which ensures the continuity of historical eras. Values allow us to comprehend the essence of the world and society; they are spiritual and material and are realized in the form of musical images.
2. Different types of activities for the production, storage, broadcast, reproduction, perception of musical values and works.
3. Social institutions and institutions involved in various types of musical activity.
4. Individual people involved in the creation, distribution, performance of music.
In a narrower understanding of the composer D. Kabalevsky, musical culture is synonymous with the term "musical literacy." According to the musician, it manifests itself in the ability to perceive musical images, decode its contents, and distinguish good melodies from bad ones.
In another interpretation, the phenomenon under study is understood as a certain general property of a person, expressed in musical education and musical development. A person must possess a certain erudition, know a certain set of classical works that form his taste and aesthetic preferences.
Ancient World Music
The history of musical culture begins in ancient times. Unfortunately, from the very first civilizations there is no evidence of their music. Although it is obvious that musical accompaniment of rituals and rituals existed from the very first stages of the existence of human society. Scientists claim that music has existed for at least 50 thousand years. Documentary evidence of the existence of this art appears from the time of Ancient Egypt. Already at that time there was an extensive system of musical professions and instruments. Melodies and rhythms accompanied many types of human activity. At this time, a written form of recording music appeared, which allows us to judge its sound. From previous eras, only images and the remains of musical instruments have remained. In ancient Egypt, there was sacred music that accompanied the cult, as well as accompanying people in work and rest. During this period, listening music for aesthetic purposes first appears.
In the culture of ancient Greece, music reaches its highest development for this historical period. Various genres appear, instruments are improved, although vocal art predominates at this time, philosophical treatises are created that conceptualize the essence and purpose of music. In Greece, a musical theater first appears as a special kind of synthetic art. The Greeks well understood the power of the influence of music, its educational function, therefore, all free citizens of the country were engaged in this art.
Music of the Middle Ages
The establishment of Christianity in Europe significantly influenced the characteristics of musical culture. A huge layer of works appears, serving the institute of religion. This heritage is called sacred music. Almost every Catholic cathedral has organs, there is a choir in every temple, all of which makes music a part of the daily service of God. But as opposed to sacred music, a folk music culture is formed, in it is the carnival principle that M. Bakhtin wrote about. In the late Middle Ages secular professional music was formed, it was created and distributed by troubadours. Aristocracy and knights become customers and consumers of music, while neither church nor folk art suited them. So there is music that delights the hearing and entertains people.
Renaissance Music
With the overcoming of church influence on all aspects of life, they lead to the beginning of a new era. The ideals of this period are ancient examples, and therefore the era is called the Renaissance. At this time, the history of musical culture begins to develop mainly in the secular direction. During the Renaissance, new genres appeared such as madrigal, choral polyphony, chanson, and choral. During this period, national musical cultures were formed. Researchers talk about the emergence of Italian, Germanic, French and even Dutch music. The tool system in this historical period is also undergoing changes. If earlier the organ was the main one, now the strings are ahead of it, several types of viols appear. The genus of keyboards was also significantly enriched with new instruments: clavichords, harpsichord, and something that began to win the love of composers and artists.
Baroque music
During this period, music takes on a philosophical sound, becomes a special form of metaphysics, and melody takes on special significance. This time of great composers, during this period A. Vivaldi, I. Bach, G. Handel, T. Albinoni created. The Baroque era was marked by the emergence of such art as opera, also at this time oratorios, cantatas, toccates, fugues, sonatas and suites were first created. This is a time of discovery, the complication of musical forms. However, in the same period there is an increasing division of art into high and low. Folk music culture is separated and not allowed into what will be called classical music in the next era.
Music of classicism
Lush and excessive baroque gives way to strict and simple classicism. During this period, the art of musical culture is finally divided into high and low genres, canons are established for the main genres. Classical music has become the art of salons, aristocrats, it not only gives aesthetic pleasure, but also entertains the audience. This music has its own, new capital - Vienna. This period was marked by the appearance of such geniuses as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Haydn. In the era of classicism, the genre system of classical music is finally formed, such forms as a concert, a symphony appear, and a sonata is re-formed.
At the end of the 18th century, a style of romanticism was formed in classical music. It is represented by such composers as F. Schubert, N. Paganini, later romanticism was enriched by the names of F. Chopin, F. Mendelssohn, F. Liszt, G. Mahler, R. Strauss. In music, lyrics, melody, and rhythm begin to be appreciated. During this period, national composer schools were formed.
The end of the 19th century was marked by anticlassical sentiments in art. Impressionism, expressionism, neoclassicism, dodecafonia appear. The world is on the verge of a new era, and this is reflected in art.
20th century music
The new century begins with protest moods, music is also undergoing revolutionary changes. After the First World War, composers seek inspiration in the past, but want to give old forms a new sound. The time of experiments begins, the music becomes very diverse. Classical art is associated with such great composers as Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Bernstein, Glass, Rachmaninov. The concepts of atonality and aleatorics appear, which completely changes the idea of harmony and melody. During this period, democratic processes in musical culture are growing. There is pop and captures the attention of the general public, later there is such a protest musical movement as rock. Thus, a modern musical culture is formed, characterized by a multitude of styles and directions, a mixture of genres.
The current state of musical culture
At the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st century, music is undergoing a stage of commercialization, it is becoming a widely distributed product and this greatly reduces its quality. During this period, the capabilities of instruments expand significantly, electronic music and digital instruments appear with unprecedented expressive resources. Academic music is dominated by eclecticism and polystylism. Modern musical culture is a huge patchwork quilt, in which they find their place and avant-garde, and rock, and jazz, and neoclassical trends, and experimental art.
History of Russian folk music
The origins of Russian national music must be sought in the times of Ancient Russia. One can judge the trends of that period only by fragmentary information from written sources. In those days, ritual and everyday music was widespread. Since ancient times, there were professional musicians under the tsar, but the significance of folklore works was very great. The Russian people loved and could sing, the genre of household songs was the most popular. With the advent of Christianity, Russian musical culture was enriched with spiritual art. Church choral singing appears as a new vocal genre. However, for many centuries, traditional unanimous singing dominated in Russia. Only in the 17th century did the national tradition of polyphony take shape. Since that time, European music has come to Russia, with its genres and instruments, and the differentiation into folk and academic music begins.
However, folk music in Russia never gave up its positions, it became a source of inspiration for Russian composers and was very popular among ordinary people and the aristocracy. You can see that many classical composers turned to folk musical baggage. So, M. Glinka, N. Rimsky-Korsakov, A. Dargomyzhsky, I. Tchaikovsky widely used folklore motifs in their works. In the Soviet period, folklore music was widely in demand at the state level. After the collapse of the USSR, folklore music ceased to serve the ideology, but did not disappear, but took its own segment in the general musical culture of the country.
Russian classical music
Due to the fact that Orthodoxy has long banned the development of secular music, academic art is developing in Russia quite late. Starting from Ivan the Terrible, European musicians lived at the royal court, but there were no composers yet. Only in the 18th century did the Russian composer school begin to take shape. However, for a long time, the musicians were influenced by European art. A new era of musical culture in Russia begins with Mikhail Glinka, who is considered the first Russian composer. It was he who laid the foundations of Russian music, which drew themes and expressive means from folk art. This has become a national specific feature of Russian music. As in all spheres of life, the music developed the direction of Westerners and Slavophiles. The former included N. Rubinstein, A. Glazunov, the latter - composers of The Mighty Handful. However, in the end, the national idea won, and all Russian composers to varying degrees, but have folklore motifs.
The peak of the pre-revolutionary period of Russian music is considered to be the work of P.I. Tchaikovsky. At the beginning of the 20th century, revolutionary changes were reflected in musical culture. Composers experiment with forms and expressive means.
The third wave of Russian academic music is associated with the names of I. Stravinsky, D. Shostakovich, S. Prokofiev, A. Scriabin. The Soviet period was more a time for performers, not composers. Although outstanding creators appeared at this time: A. Schnittke, S. Gubaidulina. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, academic music in Russia almost completely went into performance.
Popular music
However, musical culture does not consist only of folk and academic music. In the 20th century, popular music occupies a full place in art, in particular jazz, rock and roll, and pop music. Traditionally, these directions are considered "low" in comparison with classical music. Popular music appears with the formation of popular culture, and it is designed to serve the aesthetic needs of the masses. Pop art today is closely intertwined with the concept of show business, this is not quite art, but industry. This type of musical production does not fulfill the educational and formative function inherent in art; this is precisely what gives theorists the opportunity to disregard pop music when considering the history of musical culture.
