Response Journal
Karen Siegel
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Our lesson planning class listened to a recording of Tibetan music. This was performed by the monks of the monasteries and lasted for about 20 minutes. In the beginning, the chant began with a single monk singing about a 3-note range in the low register. It was very repetative. Gradually, other monks joined in the chanting and throughout you could hear them exiting and reentering and different moments. As the chanting progressed the melodic line became more inticate and more musical, i.e. going up a scale, dynamics. In trying to determine the latter melodic line it seemed to be about 9 tones with about 9 beats or pulses. There was no harmony and the pitches of the singers was noticeably lower than western music is accustomed to.
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One young questioner raised the issue of the apparent lack of opportunity for personal creativity in Tibetan art. His question illustrates the challenge this type of encounter can present to western aesthetic assumptions. This challenge provides opportunities for dialog and an impetus for further study and growth. |
