Exploring the World of Music

Music pervades almost every aspect of our lives from Muzak in the grocery aisles to the hip hop blaring from passing cars. Unfortunately, this saturation too often hides the importance and power of music in our lives. The Annenberg/CPB Project series, Exploring the World of Music, serves as a gentle reminder of the wide-ranging roles music plays in various cultures worldwide. Twelve programs delve into such fascinating topics as music's role in both personal and cultural memory, as well as exploring musical elements such as melody, harmony and rhythm. I watched the program on texture, which illustrated how voices and instruments work together to create a unique sound. Solo shakuhachi playing is offered as an example of monophony. Traditionally linked to Zen Buddhism, the long silences in this type of music are an integral part of its meditative quality. By way of contrast, Bosnian ganga singing, an example of polyphony, will undoubtedly strike many Western ears as nothing short of caterwauling (however, these singing groups which form in childhood really serve to promote and preserve a sense of community). Steel band music from Trinidad, Latin American salsa, Central Javanese gamelan, modern choral music from Australia and a Baroque piece by Vivaldi are also included in this painless lesson in music theory and world cultures. One musician rightly points out the spiritual element of music--how it unites and defines peoples the world over. Other titles in the series include: Rhythm, Melody, Harmony, Form: The Shape of Music and Music and Technology. Fascinating and uplifting, this series is highly recommended. (The series package includes a faculty guide and the right to duplicate one set of videos.) Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (V. Elliott)