日全食 - Total Solar Eclipse as seen from China
bazza
August 01, 2008, 08:51 PM posted in General Discussion
liansuo
August 02, 2008, 06:51 AMThank you, Bazza! My chance to view the event! However, what floored me was the effect of this cosmic drama shown accompanied with a piece by J.S.Bach. What does this make non-Western listeners feel? I (being European and having had exposure to this genre all my life) can almost hear the verbal message behind it, very culturally coloured, very ethnocentric and all in all almost impossibly confident in view of such cosmic drama--- That cannot be what those who chose the music meant, can it? What was it instead, I wonder?
changye
August 02, 2008, 08:18 AMHi liansuo,
European classical music is naturally less popular in Asian countries, Japan included, than in Western countries, but on the other hand, a lot of Asian people are familiar with some famous classical music, often without even knowing their names or composers, because those works are often used in TV programs, commercials, cell phone ringtones, and the background music.
In China, you find a lot of anthology albums at record shops. Please be noted that Chinese people love CDs of this kind very much, regardless of music genre. And it’s highly possible that the Chinese guy who uploaded the video happened to own an anthology CD of classical music, and then it happened to contain “Aria on the G string” and perhaps “Toccata and fugue in D minor”.
But don’t expect many Asian people to know “Johannes-Passion”, “Weihnachts Oratorium”, or “Die Kunst der Fugue”!
nitrox
August 02, 2008, 08:34 AMWhat software was this video made with ?
marcelbdt
August 02, 2008, 09:13 AMWhat if one twists Liansuo's question a bit : To a Western listener, Bach's music is tied to Christian religiosity. A large part of his works (but not this one in particular as far as I know) was written to be performed in church.
But today, many people in the West love the music, even though they are totally uninterested in religion.
Would a Chinese listener be aware of the link to religion? Would it matter?
changye
August 02, 2008, 12:36 PMHi marcelbdt,
Just imagine Western people enjoying watching Beijing Opera or Japanese Kabuki without knowing much about their cultural/historical background, and even without understanding what actors are saying. Thankfully, music is far more universal than them. I'm now writing this comment, with a glass of beer, listening to Mendelssohn Piano concerto No.2.
Guys, have a nice weekend!
liansuo
August 02, 2008, 01:13 PMChangye -- we were writing at the same time ...what is below was done before I read your last post!!
Changye, you do know that this was not a question asked out of ethnic snobbery but – like marcel’s – out of the fascination with cultural difference. It is as if you wondered whether I am bursting into tears for the right reasons during a bunraku performance – or what I am actually hearing when I watch Noh.
You know better than I do how rare or frequent Japanese experts on Western music are – but when you bump into one they are VERY expert ;) After I had written my post， I suddenly realized that Bach of all people has indeed composed music for an eclipse – and that is probably why you brought up the Johannes Passion!! But of course, if you love music even better than languages...
Re Marcel’s question --- that is very deep stuff, isn’t it? Almost as if one had to define religion first– as a specific emotional spectrum or psychological layer.
changye
August 01, 2008, 11:45 PMHi bazza,
Thank you for a nice video. I've never seen a total solar eclipse with my own eyes before, and I know I will have no chance to see it in the future as long as I live here. By the way, was there no "Diamond Ring" this time? Probably it is due to playing the video at high speed.