Hi,
I have several new outlooks on music (I've been studying). One of them I call musical geography. I'm interested in how migration and political power influence the development of musical communities. More than that, I'm interested in how musical community construction transcends, or is limited by, "traditional" barriers such as language, politics, and geography.
This thread is created with the hope that an understanding of the music of Russia will help develop an understanding of the people of Russia. Through a geographical discussion of Russian music, hopefully we can explore the expansive diversity and the inventive creations that make such a rich musical environment. Several aspects of geography might not be obvious; Inernet connectivity and radio transmition are both powerful aspects of musical geography. Also, what is being broadcast compared to what is played at the local bar can be viewed as such. This concept has many possibilities.
If I may play the Marxist for a moment, "metal" is a product of capitalism. So are all genres of music. The very concept of a genre strips the meaning of the music in order to label it and sell it. People make their music from their immediate environment until a dominant industrial-political-religious machine forces them to conform and accept.
This is a fair argument. That basic approach has informed and inspired my interest in musical geography. Musical geography is a way of liberating music from its greed-soaked cage. It is a way of shifting discussion away from the market system toward something more critical where power relations and musical expression are more visible.
I confess that this thread relates to my scholarly research. My interests in this matter are long-term. I hope to spend years along the Volga exploring musical geography, although the Oxus seems to keep calling my name. I promise to be honest and fair.
Fundamentally, this thread is for the people of Russia to discuss any or all of what I've stated above.
Peace,
Kevin
I have several new outlooks on music (I've been studying). One of them I call musical geography. I'm interested in how migration and political power influence the development of musical communities. More than that, I'm interested in how musical community construction transcends, or is limited by, "traditional" barriers such as language, politics, and geography.
This thread is created with the hope that an understanding of the music of Russia will help develop an understanding of the people of Russia. Through a geographical discussion of Russian music, hopefully we can explore the expansive diversity and the inventive creations that make such a rich musical environment. Several aspects of geography might not be obvious; Inernet connectivity and radio transmition are both powerful aspects of musical geography. Also, what is being broadcast compared to what is played at the local bar can be viewed as such. This concept has many possibilities.
If I may play the Marxist for a moment, "metal" is a product of capitalism. So are all genres of music. The very concept of a genre strips the meaning of the music in order to label it and sell it. People make their music from their immediate environment until a dominant industrial-political-religious machine forces them to conform and accept.
This is a fair argument. That basic approach has informed and inspired my interest in musical geography. Musical geography is a way of liberating music from its greed-soaked cage. It is a way of shifting discussion away from the market system toward something more critical where power relations and musical expression are more visible.
I confess that this thread relates to my scholarly research. My interests in this matter are long-term. I hope to spend years along the Volga exploring musical geography, although the Oxus seems to keep calling my name. I promise to be honest and fair.
Fundamentally, this thread is for the people of Russia to discuss any or all of what I've stated above.
Peace,
Kevin
