Music and Traditions
Music and Traditions
Music and traditions have so much in common. As we recently learned in class, the people in the Andes Mountains use music for so many of their ceremonies and events. Music has a very special place in traditions, no matter what they may be.
One of the first music traditions that is meaningful for me is the National Anthem at the beginning of orchestra concerts. No, not at the soccer games and inaugurations, but at orchestra concerts. It's not just the orchestra though. When the audience spontaneously joins in and starts singing, I feel so empowered...like I know everyone in that room because we all have something in common: that we love our country and are proud to be Americans. There's just a triumphant quiet that comes over whole audience and something so beautiful about a national anthem. In many orchestras (not all, but quite a few), our US National Anthem is played at the start of the concert. I always love when they do this. The full sound of the orchestra and the public spontaneously joining in just enhances the meaning of the song so much for me. Below is a lovely orchestrated version of "The Star Spangled Banner."
Now you all must be feeling quite patriotic :)
Another tradition I want to mention is church music. I go to a church where we sing a lot of hymns and religious music. There is something so special about a group of people (like those singing a national anthem) that makes the message of the song really stand out and have more meaning. This hymn, "In Christ Alone" happens to be one of my favorites. It was released in 2002 by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. Getty and Townend are well-known writers of Christian hymns and contemporary worship songs. I have a lot of good memories of this song as one of my good friends, Anya (now also a freshman studying music at Furman University) played this for her high school senior recital. The message of this song is powerful, and it just gives me chills whenever I hear it.
...Especially when you have an AWESOME choir and group of musicians like Michael W. Smith with Nashville Recording Orchestra and Choir!
....done yet?
(I am going to assume you watched this)
Yay, great!!
One last tradition I am going to talk about:
Wedding music!
I know you have definitely cried at a wedding before, don't lie. A well chosen song can make all the difference and add a lot of heart. Music at weddings (whether during the ceremony or after) is common all over the world across all different cultures and countries. "Favorite songs" might be chosen by the couple, or dancing music played after.
'Cupid Shuffle takes a bow'
I have gone to many weddings over the years, but one of the things I especially love is after the ceremony when the bride dances with her dad. This is not always done, but when it is, I think it the absolute sweetest tradition. I have heard this particular song many times at weddings. This song is kind of special to me... Long story short, I took ballet lessons many years ago in a galaxy far, far away. It was during one of those adorable recitals where a group of 5 year olds wear pink and twirl around on stage. The tradition at the end was to have a dance where all the dads came up and danced with their daughters. This was probably the cutest part of the entire program, and I look back on it with such great memories. This song, "Cinderella" by Seven Curtis Chapman really brings me back to those memories with my dad whenever I hear it.
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I hope you all enjoyed reading!
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Until the next time, my good people...
Carrera
I would had never thought of the National Anthem being a tradition. Something that's played so much, just became a normal thing to us but in reality is a tradition for MANY things. Also, I've never heard the National Anthem being played by an orchestra and I can say it's the most beautiful version I've ever heard.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of the National Anthem being played before orchestra concerts, but it sounds really cool! It would be awesome if I could attend a concert that does partakes in that tradition. I also really love group singing because it makes me feel like I'm part of a greater whole. Speaking of, I remember singing the second song you listed in church when I was younger. One of my favorite parts of attending church was singing. I played Cinderella at a wedding last October, and it was really touching. I also did ballet when I was younger, and I feel like I remember dancing to the song too!
ReplyDeleteWow. I have only been to a handful of orchestra concerts, and I haven't heard the National Anthem played at them before. However, I have heard them live before sports events and on TV before sports events. That was a beautiful version of it. And goodness, the orchestra and choir doing "In Christ Alone" gave me chills. It's things like this that make me feel good about the world. I can remember listening to this when I was younger in church, and it is still so, so, so good. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWeddings are unique events to play at; you are either playing for someone or in the background, and I'm glad you got to experience where you actually got to participate in the music being played. I have a couple of songs like that for me since they were played at my parent's wedding, even though I wasn't born yet, I still have seen the wedding videos hundreds of times and have heard plenty of stories to have my own connections to certain songs.
ReplyDeleteThis blog was really fun to read! I love the memory you shared with your dad, I think it's awesome to have music that can remind you of a happy memory in your life! I also LOVED In Christ Alone, it's such a beautiful song and this video really captivates the feeling in it :)
ReplyDeleteHey Carrera, I really enjoyed reading your blog. It was very cool to learn that orchestras play the National Anthem when starting a concert. I have played for weddings before, and man, when I say it's always hard to fight the tears when the father-daughter dance happens.
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