The Bible and Music

In the beginning of class, we started out by briefly talking about The Exodus and Moses. Following this discussion, we were asked our view on poetry and why it is so appealing to listeners around the world. We broke it down by mentioning varying components like rhyme and consistency. One of the main reasons I read poetry is because I enjoy the simplicity of the work in most poems I read and it is easier to follow along. Poems that display stories seem to connect more with me and I can depict the theme/meanings in a deeper way. We followed the idea of poetry by looking at the song “Wade in the Water.” This song has connection to the Exodus, yet some of these connections are often misunderstood.

Listening to different pieces of Arnold Schoenberg, I noted the variety of instruments that he implements in his music and what intensity it brings. Schoenberg is known for breaking the musical scale and even leaving out the third act in Moses und Aron, like I mentioned last post. Some of Schoenberg’s music was compelled by his imagination and he produced a song that was designed for a silent film scene. I listened to a portion of Moses und Aron before class today and there were sounds that were very interesting to me. We listened to a part of Die Jakobsleiter in class and some of his melody was similar to Moses und Aron.