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1) Compare the controversy around Hendrix’s performance and Fergie’s performance. What was similar or different to how people reacted immediately afterward?
The controversy of Hendrix’s performance differed from Fergie’s performance. It was similar since they performed a song that symbolizes compassion for the struggles soldiers have to face, and for the commemoration of the burning of the White House. Both people were trying to show their sense of pride for America. But their situations as stated above were different in some ways. Hendrix’s performance was looked upon as more ceremonious. He performed at seven in the morning in Woodstock, which was more of a serious setting. On the other hand, Fergie performed at an NBA game which is more of a place for fun. Hendrix also used a thirty second improvisation of percussive disruptions and Banshee-like screams, whereas Fergie would just raise her vocals to a higher pitch.
2) Why was Hendrix’s performance considered political, while Fergie’s was thought of as a failure? What kind of impact did the different settings/social context have?
Hendrix’s performance was considered political because of the circumstances he was under. Firstly, he was a Vietnam veteran himself so he had more of an authority to sing the National Anthem. It was also performed during the years of the Vietnam war. It was more of a serious and sentimental time. Whereas Fergie’s performance took place at a time of peace, and was looked upon as more flashy than proper. She was more scandalous and used higher vocals. Not to say her voice seems strained, and an article commented on the players laughing in the background. The different settings and social contexts determined how dignified the event was. It also shows how much pride people have towards their country by the maturity shown in the performances.
3) Why did Koutev and Zapatista draw on folk music of their country?
Koutev is an example of Bulgarian folk music. By using different dance rhythms, they were able to spread their political message about propaganda, and the government they are under.
The Zapatista movement was in Mexico, and was formed for the purpose of opposing NAFTA. They opposed it because NAFTA led to mass income differences and inequality in their economic standing. Music in the Zapatista included adopting a mexican song to spread their message about their struggles and spread political messages in the lyrics. Through their lyrics they were able to talk about their nationality, and helping their people.
4) What political power did it give them?
Through folk music, people who followed Koutev and Zapatsita were able to gain political power. They were given the ability to raise awareness, that changed people’s perspectives, and how they treated their peers. For the first time, the truth came out about their corrupt government. NAFTA did not seem as great as it sounded. In reality, people were struggling and the only way they could release the truth and seek help, was through folk music.
5) Why do you think the ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall?
The Berlin Wall created in 1961 by the German Democratic Republic, divided West Berlin from the surrounding East Germany. In 1989, political changes in Eastern Europe and civil unrest in Germany put pressure on the East German government to be more lenient with their regulations on travel to West Germany. The final movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was chosen to celebrate this occasion, because it was a symbol of freedom for the Germans. The symphony also includes a poem about joy that Germans could very easily relate to now.
6) Is there a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy, or did Bernstein and the performers invent a new political message that wasn’t there before?
I feel as if there was a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy. When one thinks of democracy, usually the idea of freedom comes to mind since the people get to have a say in the government. Ode to Joy, is a tune about peace against war and desperation. These two ideas are connected because it suggests the idea of people working together to achieve peace. Everyone has to contribute and look at everyone as one, if we as a society want a world without religious persecution and discrimination. Only unification can solve this problem.
I agree Hendrix’s performance was considered to be political because of his background. Him being a veteran made it easy for a political motive to be seen. Whereas Fergie doesn’t have that connection and her changes were centered around her voice
Hi! I totally agree that Hendrix’s was considered political because of the setting. In many situations, the setting of the event sets the tone. In addition, the history of the performer plays a big role. Hendrix was a Vietnam war veteran which added the political feeling to his performance. Fergie, on the other hand, was not a veteran and was performing at a NBA game which was less serious. It sounded from her voice that she may have been making fun of or changing the traditional tune.
Lecture 1: Both performances gained a lot of attention for many reasons. The performances were both done in a setting of the audience enjoying themselves. The difference is that Fergie gained controversy because of the way she sang the song. People made memes and laughed at the way that she was pronouncing words and her tone overall. However, Hendrix gained attention because people felt his performance was related to politics. The controversy he faced was more serious than Fergie’s controversy.
Fergie’s performance was considered a failure because of the way she sounded. People felt as though she could have done a lot better but just messed up. Her performance was done at the NBA game and it resulted in people laughing and making jokes about it. Hendrix’s performance was considered a political statement because he was a veteran so he had a deeper connection to this song. Also, the timing of the song made his performance seem very political. Not to mention his additions to the song were very different than Fergies change of her voice.
Lecture 2:Folk music is considered the music of the people. So by using folk music of their country they were able to reach many people. The music allowed them to spread awareness and send a message. This gave political power to them by allowing them to share their perspective. It gave them the opportunity to send a message and for the people to hear it.
Lecture 3:I think that this was used to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall because it included the Ode to joy”. This was something that they were feeling at this moment so it matched the occasion. There is a political connection between Western democracy and the Ode to joy. The Ode to joy is about uniting the people and coming together. This follows the message of democracy which is that the people get to have a say. So both fit together and it would make sense that they are connected.
I also agree with your opinion that ode to joy is about the unification of people, and in this sense, from both sides of Germany that were once divided by the wall. That democracy is the voice of the people, and this type of government can be used to achieve what the people want in their lives.
I agree with what you stated about the political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy. I too think that freedom is something that helped to unite people together and allows people to have a democracy and a say. Great post
Hey! I liked how you mentioned unity in relation to democracy. When a nation is a democracy, people come together because their voices are heard and people can agree with one another. Although this can sometimes lead to a disagreement, overall in the case of the Berlin Wall, people were feeling joy and Beethoven’s ninth symphony helped express that.
I agree with your opinion that Hendrix’s controversy was more serious than Fergie’s controversy, as Fergie was just laughed at for a couple weeks after the incident, while Hendrix’s Woodstock performance is still talked about to this day. I also agree with Ode to Joy being about the unification of people, and how it represents democracy.
Lecture 1: Fergie’s wasn’t seen as political due to the awkwardness of the time and place she chose to perform the national anthem, which was considered more frivolous than anything. It could be seen as someone wanting to draw attention to one’s self and looking to be headlines the next day. She probably had the right mindset, but it didn’t come out the way she expected it to. The setting of the performance, at an NBA game, where songs that are usually more upbeat are played to up tensions, but the national anthem at such a place? We aren’t at war, and although it is something to be proud of, it definitely wasn’t the right place to sing it, especially if she wasn’t going to use her full expertise for the performance, letting people down seemed to be the common reaction of it afterwards. Hendrick’s performance had more of an impact on the audience, especially, considering the setting of Woodstock, and he combined reverence and pride for his country during a time of war to bring a little light to their day. Even fifty years later, people still comment upon the day, still in awe at the performance, unlike Fergie’s.
Lecture 2: Koutev and Zapatista drew on their country’s folk music because of the deep roots that ran throughout their respective countries. With it came strong nationalism, both in Bulgaria and in Mexico. They knew it would unite their country’s people, to fight for what is rightfully their’s, during a time of political opposition against their government’s propaganda which had been dividing their country. It gave them the chance to speak out through music, and reach the people whose eyes were blinded by the government, to see that their situation was different than what they had been taught and ordered to believe. They could change their dire straits and see themselves out into a new country, one that better suited their ideals. Music is a universal language, and folk music for them showed the way to victory.
Lecture 3: I think the ninth symphony was chosen because it was an accurate representation of what the German people were feeling around that time. When the Berlin Wall fell, it was seen as a sign of changing times, things were moving back where they used to be, normalcy was being restored, and they wanted to celebrate the reunification of split Germany. Their friends, their families, everyone was overwhelmed with the feeling of being able to easily walk back and forth from the border, they would never take for granted, but it was long overdue. I don’t think that Bernstein and the performers invented a new political message because it’s something that’s been within political protest for a while. There is a connection between Ode to Joy and Western democracy because democracy is when the people are in charge of the decisions through representatives, and Ode to Joy’s lyrics such as “all people become brothers…be embraced millions!” show how unity can be achieved against all odds.
I respectfully disagree with your comment that an NBA all-star game is “not the place” to sing the national anthem. It has been a tradition for over a century. It began as a way for the people to show their patriotism and remains that way. Usually, famous artist are asked to perform it at these games.
I like and agree with how you mentioned that Hendrick combined reverence and pride for his country to bring a little light to their day. The audience at that time did not think that way so I think it is an interesting point made!
I also respectfully disagree that the national anthem being performed at places such as NBA games is common and a tradition. Like said usually famous people perform to most likely draw more attention.
1)The controversy behind Hendrix’s performance was the way he played it and people thought he played it in an unorthodox way. Hendrix said ” I thought it was beautiful”, the people didn’t seem to think so. A lot of people were offended that he would use such sound, and even sen this hate mail. But he did it to imitate the sound of the Vietnam war and the way he imagined. It was the late 60s going into the 70s, the way he sang it turned from controversial to political because it was such an eye opener. Fergie performed it at the NBA All-Star game in 2018 and received a similar kind of backlash for trying to sing it in a different way. Since it has so much political meaning and is usually performed in a traditional way. So when she sang it it was done in a a very risky way, with a raspy voice. People were embarrassed for her and disappointed in that rendition of the national anthem. This was song in 2018 and we’ve heard so many different ways of it being sung but people just didn’t really enjoy it because of how she sang it, not her best and it was embarrassing . Unlike Hendrix’s intentional at a different setting since it was done in a political way.
2) Koutev and Zapatista drew on folk music because when traslated (volkslied) it means “peoples song”, it was the traditional music of the community and its people. Filip Koutev created the genre of Bulgarian “concert folk music” in an attempt to preserve the dying for traditions. He was putting the music of his people in the concert hall, giving it power. It gave Koutev and his people a voice and power through the music, its lyrics and dance. The Zapatista movement was a movement done to protect the Mexican farmers that were vulnerable in their community. The name specifically coming from Emiliano Zapata, the hero of the Mexican revolution. They wrote songs as a message and talk about the connection between the people, the past and their fight against exploitation. Like Koutev, it gave them a voice for them to stand for the working people, it is meant to send a message.
3)Beethovens ninth symphony, also known as the ode to joy was chosen to be performed at the fall of the German wall to celebrate the brotherhood and unity of men now that the wall is down. It represented the freedom and joy people felt. Bernstein and the performers more so connected the idea of democracy as the lyrics brought out a feeling of relief and unit in the people
I agree with you comment that “Ode to Joy”represented the freedom and joy people felt during that time. The song itself sang about the unity of people the brotherhood which I thought was significant because it showed the importance of it as well.
LECTURE 1: The controversy around Hendrix’s performance of the National Anthem and the controversy surrounding Fergie’s performance were both similar and different in ways. Hendrix’s performance was considered to be seen as disrespectful and a form of political protest because it was performed during the peak of the Vietnam War. Unlike the original way the anthem is performed, Hendric performed the song in a completely different jazzlike melody with no singing and only instruments. Fergie’s performance also received criticism and mockery in that people thought it was completely embarrassing and that she should have never performed it. The similarity between Hendrix’s performance and Fergie’s performance was that both performed the national anthem in their own different ways that was not seen in a good light by the public.
In my opinion, Hendrix’s performance was considered political because of the time and place of his performance. He performed during 1969 when it was the peak of the Vietnam War. Fergie’s performance, on the other hand, was thought of as a failure because she performed it in a way that completely ruined the original song in an unexpected way that people did not think she sang the song well. Rather, people thought her whole performance was embarrassing and it became a topic of mockery. She also performed the song at the 2018 All Star NBA game where it was a normal time period unlike when Hendrix performed the song.
LECTURE 2: Koutev and the Zapatista Movement drew on folk music of their country because it helped spread the political message around and get people to be aware of what was going on. It gave people political power in that they were able to have a say and express themselves through the use of music.
LECTURE 3: I think the Ninth Symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall because it includes “Ode to Joy” which sings about the brotherhood of the men. It also seems to represent some kind of symbol of freedom and the feelings of the people there at the moment. I think there is a political connection between Western Democracy and the Ode to Joy because it shows the meaning and significance of unity among people.
I like how you brought up the Vietnam war, when I was writing mine I didn’t think of the setting it took place in. Now that you mention it, the time and place place a crucial role in why Hendrix’s performance was deemed more political than Fergie’s.
1. Hendrix and fergie similarity and difference to how people reacted
Regarding Henrix performance you could see from the audience that they were enjoying his version of the star spangled banner. While Fergie’s performance was mocked by the audience and was viewed as embarrassing. One similarity these two shared was the fact that they put their own spin to the star spangled banner and made it into a version they thought fit them best. However, the difference between them was that Fergie’s version was a failure and not what the audience had in mind.
2. Why was Hendrix considered political and Fergie as a failure
Hendrix’s performance was deemed political because although he played it non traditionally, he set his mind straight and told the people that he is an american. In the interview, he said it was beautiful and didn’t see playing the way he did was unorthodox. While Fergie’s version was mocked and second hand embarrassed because she didn’t show that Americanism Hendrix did. She sang the song very seductively and not very politically, confusing the listeners.
3. Why did Koutev and Zapatista draw on their folk music
Koutev and Zapatista drew on Folk music because they were able to spread their message through music. Koutev is an example of Bulgarian folk music and they use different dance rhythms. They used folk music for political purposes like exposing their government of propaganda. In addition, Zapatista also drew on folk music due to political reasons. To be more specific, they were fighting against the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Movement) which was an agreement amongst American companies and Meican companies to exchange goods easily. However, it was bad for the Mexican economy.
4. What political power did it give them
The political power it gave Koutev and Zapatista was audience awareness. Through folk music they were able to spread the word about how corrupt their government really was and was able to shine light on what was really happening behind closed doors. Although NAFTA might have sounded like a good idea, it was actually a huge disadvantage and downfall for the Mexican economy, so being able to spread awareness through folk music gave them political power.
5. Why do you think the ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall?
I think it was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin wall because after fighting for so long the Germans finally got to have freedom. It is known that the ninth symphony was a symbol of freedom.
6. Is there a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy, or did Bernstein and the performers invent a new political message that wasn’t there before?
In my opinion, there is a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy because the first thing when I think about democracy is freedom. We have the right to vote and speech. While ode to joy does represent joy, it also represents people coming together, uniting form all over the world. Since not just one person can achieve the freedom of people, a bunch of people must unite to achieve this goal. Therefore, there is a political connection between the Western democracy and Ode to Joy.
I agree with your ideas. I really liked how you emphasized how the Koutev and Zapatista had audience awareness this showed how corrupt their government really was. I also how you mentioned how the agreement was made between American and Mexican companies to make the exchanges a lot easier.
I agree with the way you brought out your ideas. I also really liked the way you showed a good understanding about an economy that not many talk about which is the Mexican economy, It would’ve been nice to hear a little bit more about Koutev and Zapatista. But I think you overall did a really good explanation of the ideas that you had to bring out. Amazing job!!
1.Compare the controversy around Hendrix’s performance of the National Anthem to the controversy surrounding Fergie’s performance. What was similar or different to how people reacted immediately afterward?
The national anthem, known as “The Star Spangled Banner” is a very important song with political meaning. It was written by Francis Scott Key in the war of 1812 which was when the British fought and attacked the US after the revolutionary war. But, they did not succeed and our flag is still standing.Fergie performed this song at an NBA game. The national anthem is a very serious and political song and she sang it in a more concert type of way. Most people who perform the song, sing it in the same tone and tune but Fergie performed it very differently. She added different notes and sounded very strained. She sounded very out of it or tired. She got a very unexpected response. Many people made fun of it and found it very embarrassing. The players and audience even laughed at her about the performance. On the other hand, Hendrix’s performance is radically different. He performed it at Woodstock in 1969. He performed this in a very “unorthodox” and jazz type of way. There was no singing, just instruments. Many people found this very political and unorthodox. He did not find this political as he was a Vietnam veteran.
2. In your opinion, why was Hendrix’s performance considered political while Fergie’s was thought of as a failure? What impact did the different setting/social context have?
I think Hendrix’s performance was considered more political because he was a Vietnam veteran and it took place at Woodstock. In addition, 1969 was a time when there was an important switch in time from the hippie times to the more violent times. Fergie’s was considered a failure because she did not perform like usual. She hit most of the correct notes but her voice sounded off and strained which made it a failure. In addition, the NBA usually has a performer perform the anthem and it always sounds similar but she did not sound like the usual performers.
3.Why did Koutev and the Zapatista Movement draw on folk music of their country?
Koutev originated in Bulgaria, Europe. This part of Europe was very chaotic. There was one large country known as Yugoslavia containing all of these tiny countries. These ethnic groups want to feel unique. The folk music genre was created by Koutev, an individual, he wanted to save the dying folk traditions done in the villages and move into concert halls. He did this to show how great the traditions and music were. Additionally, he wanted to elevate the music. It spread the word of their nation and the government they were under.
The Zapatista movement originated in Mexico as a political movement to fight NAFTA. NAFTA was a trade agreement that made it easier for companies to exchange goods and services at a cheap cost between Mexico and the US. This caused a lot of economic struggles for Mexico. The Zapatista movement, led by a fictional character named Subcomandante Marcos, was made to help the people who needed help most.This music was used to not only help their nation, but every vulnerable person in different nations. The music was used to spread the message of the struggles in Mexico.
4.What political power did it give them?
Koutev included a lot of pro government messages in his music. The folk music was used as a start point for political music. It was the music of his people because it was connected to this nation politically. It helped raise awareness for his nation. The Zapatista movement gave the political power to the people to get across the harms of NAFTA. It also brought an awareness to everyone on how corrupt the government was.
5.Why do you think the ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall?
This piece of music was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall because the two parts of Berlin, Germany were now free. It was unhappy for them to be separated. Now that they are free they are happy and have a democracy. They are now free and they are closer to normalcy. In addition the ninth symphony is called Ode to Joy which is similar to the feelings people had during the fall of the Berlin Wall.
6.Is there a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy, or did Bernstein and the performers invent a new political message that wasn’t there before?
I think there was a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy. Freedom is oftentimes connected to the word joy. When someone is free, they often feel happy and joyful. In addition, democracy brings freedom and joy as that means they are not as tightly controlled and have a say. Ode to Joy is about peace and joining together. Ode to Joy and Western democracy both involve being happy, having a say and being more free.
I like how you pointed out in Fergie’s performance the way she sang it saying, “she sang it in a more concert type of way”. I feel the way an artists performs can be sensed by audience members. They can tell if a song was sung as a “show” or “performance” or if it was sung out of reverence and respect.
1. Compare the controversy around Hendrix’s performance of the National Anthem to the controversy surrounding Fergie’s performance. What was similar or different to how people reacted immediately afterward?
a. Both performances caused a controversial backlash from the public. Hendrix’s performance was seen as disrespectful and as a political protest (relating to the Vietnam war which was happening at the time). People thought it did not honor the country’s patriotism especially as such a pressing time. Fergie’s performance was also seen as disrespectful so much so she needed to apologize for it.
2. In your opinion, why was Hendrix’s performance considered political while Fergie’s was thought of as a failure? What kind of impact did the different settings/social context have?
a. Hendrix’s was considered political because of the timing it came out. When the Vietnam war was going on he decided to sing this song in this way during a musical festival. I think Fergie’s was not seen as political because of the time she sang it where there wasn’t large scale controversial wars happening at the time. I feel like her performance was seen as more stylistic. The way she sang it also could have been interpreted as “tired” or “distasteful” while there was no singing at Hendrix’s performance.
3. Why did Koutev and Zapatista draw on their folk music of their country? What political power did it give them?
a. Koutev and Zapatista drew on their folk music to create a sense of unity in their music. The songs had purpose because it was derived from the nations roots and impactful for many. The folk song as proposed a narrative that people were familiar with. In some shape or form.
4. Why do you think the ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall? Is there a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy, or did Bernstein and the performers invent a new political message that wasn’t there before?
a. I think it was chosen to because it represented unity amongst people despite divisions among them. This song was not intended to be political, but I do believe that it was used for that purpose. The connecting factor between Western democracy and Ode to Joy was the theme of freedom. This idea was shaped into a purpose during a critical time in history.
I agree with your explanation of the political controversies associated with the performances of the national anthem. I definitely do also think gender and race plays a big role (as well as social context) in the way people were reacting to the performances.
I agree on how you stated Fergie’s performance wasn’t seen as political because it was more because of stylistic choices. As I had stated in my post how it was more of a failure because of the unnecessary notes that weren’t done well.
1) Compare the controversy around Hendrix’s performance of the national anthem to the controversy surrounding Fergie’s performance. What was similar or different to how people reacted immediately afterwards?
Fergie’s performance of the national anthem was seen more as an embarrassment to the artist as opposed to a political issue. In her performance, her voice sounded very strained and she added some different elements to the song that usually aren’t performed for this piece. Many people, including audience members and basketball players laughed during her performance, as they mostly thought it was strange and embarrassing song choices for her. Contrasted to Hendrix’s performance, he was called out for playing in an “unorthodox way,” as he played the anthem only with instruments (his guitar mainly, with no singing) and the anthem sounded more like a rock band with pizzazz and a lot of improvisation. He claimed that he just played it because he’s “American” and he didn’t find anything wrong with his version of the anthem.
2) In your opinion, why was Hendrix’s performance considered political while Fergie’s was thought of as a failure? What kind of impact did the different settings/social context have?
I think Hendrix’s performance was considered political because his performance took place in Woodstock in 1969. I think at this time, people doing things against society were still considered new. The national anthem was always something sacred, and at this time it was a hard time for Americans as the Vietnam war was taking place. Hendrix changing the anthem so much made others believe that he was making a gesture to the war since, and this was considered disrespectful. Fergie’s on the other hand was taking place at a NBA all star game when no wars or political issues were currently taking place. Her changing up the anthem just seemed more as an embarrassing act for her as there was no real reason for her to change it up in that interesting way.
3) Why did Koutev and Zapatista draw on folk music from their country? What political power did it give them?
It was an attempt to preserve and elevate the music of their people. By having their own form of music, that helped ethnic groups feel unique. Additionally, Koutev wanted to save the folk music as it was dying out and he wanted to maintain it. Zapastista wanted to help other nations that were more helpless, as well as his own. He wanted to use the music as a way to make the hardships that they experienced in Mexico known to others, as they were fighting against NAFTA (North American Free Trade Movement). This gave them political power as they were able to spread their messages and convey their feelings and emotions through music. This was a way for them to show the truth to everyone and not feed into what the government was saying.
4) Why do you think the ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall? Is there a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy, or did Bernstein and the performers invent a new political message that wasn’t there before?
I think the ninth symphony (Ode to Joy) was chosen because of the freedom that the two parts of Germany got from being seperated, which ultimately led them to having a lot of joy. They were able to establish a democracy and be towards the steps of having a normal civilization with unity. I think there is a political connection between Western Democracy and the Ode to Joy because of the overarching theme of freedom. Freedom is something that civilizations crave, and ultimately freedom is linked with joy and happiness, as well as having a say for what they believe in.
I agree that Fergies performance was more embarrassing than a political issue. People were criticizing her vocal skills and talent rather than anything else. She was criticized for a long period of time in the media after this event took place.
1) Fergie put her own type of twist on the national anthem. I feel like she made herself look like a fool because she added so many elements that aren’t necessarily used when performing this piece. This performance was definitely not made for her. She embarrassed herself and ended up apologizing for her singing. It’s supposed to be sung in a political and powerful way instead of singing it as if she was at her own concert. Even though she sang this at an NBA all-star game, she should’ve taken it more seriously. However, Hendrix’s performance included a more “unorthodox”. Hendrix in his interview seemed to not be political at all, especially being a Vietnam Veteran. He performed at 7 am in Woodstock. His performance included very loud instruments and no voice. A lot of people were shocked by his performance and many are still in awe today.
2) In my opinion, Hendrix’s performance was considered political while Fergie’s was thought of failure since Hendrix is an actual Vietnam Veteran and Fergie is a pop singer. When Hendrix performed this at a musical festival at Woodstock, it was around the time of the Vietnam War and it seemed very powerful even though it ended up being disrespectful. On the other hand, Fergie performed this at an arena to sing at the start of the game. It seemed like she performed to just do it, rather than understand how meaningful and political our national anthem really is. She had her own way of singing it and many celebrities were laughing at her performance.
3) Koutev and the Zapatista Movement drew on the folk music of their country because the song was adopted to spread the message and the corrido. In Bulgaria, this type of music was very important to their culture and traditions. They used their music to get through tough times and to show that music has a say to emphasize how powerful it really is. When the Zapatistas were fighting against the North American Free Trade Agreement it led to problems in the Mexican economy. This music helped showed those types of struggles in Mexico. This helped give them the political power to speak through music. They were able to show and tell others how they feel, what they’re going through, and most importantly express their needs.
4) I think the Ninth Symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall to represent how the Germans were actually feeling at the time. It showed how the two parts of German got separated which led to the “Ode to Joy”. This represented the freedom they felt and how happy they were to gain all of it. There was a political connection between Western democracy and the Ode to Joy because there was a better connection in order to bring peace and finally have things worked out. It was their new political message to show that things are alright and getting better.
Hi! I agree with most of your opinions, you explained the meaning behind each music thoroughly. I mostly enjoyed your explanation for the Folk music in the Zapatista Movement and completely agree they were trying to bring life to their way of living.
1. Compare the controversy around Hendrix’s performance of the National Anthem to the controversy surrounding Fergie’s performance. What was similar or different to how people reacted immediately afterward?
Fergie’s presentation of the national anthem was considered more to be a humiliation to the artist himself rather than a policy driven issue. In her presentation, her voice sounded extremely stressed and she added some different components to the melody that normally aren’t performed for this piece. Numerous individuals, including crowd individuals and athletes giggled during her presentation, as they generally thought it was weird and humiliating melody decisions for her. Unlike Hendrix’s presentation, he was called out for playing in a strange way because the majority was his guitar playing and not him really singing.
2. In your opinion, why was Hendrix’s performance considered political while Fergie’s was thought of as a failure? What kind of impact did the different settings/social context have?
Hendrix’s was viewed as political because of the planning that he came up with including the time he decided it was right to bring it out. At the point when the Vietnam war was going on he chose to sing this tune along these lines during a melodic celebration. Fergie’s was not seen as political due to the time she sang it where there wasn’t wars occurring at that point. Fergie’s presentation was viewed as increasingly elaborate. The manner in which she sang it additionally could have been showed as “offensive” while there was no singing at Hendrix’s performance.
3. Why did Koutev and Zapatista draw on their folk music of their country? What political power did it give them?
Koutev and Zapatista expanded their music to make a feeling of ‘togetherness’ in their music. The melodies had direction since it was gotten from the countries deep parts and significant for most. The folk song itself had proposed a story itself that individuals knew about.
4. Why do you think the ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall? Is there a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy, or did Bernstein and the performers invent a new political message that wasn’t there before?
The ninth symphony (Ode to Joy) was picked due to the opportunity that the two pieces of Germany got from being separated. Which at last drove them to having a ton of bliss. They had the option to set up a majority rule government and count towards the means of having a typical human progress with ‘togetherness.’ I think there is a political association between Western Democracy and the Ode to Joy because of the topic of opportunity. Opportunity/Freedom is something that developments absolutely crave for and what our society struggles to still have.
I like and agree with what you said about Fergie’s performance. It was because of how badly she performed the song rather than the political climate at the time.
1. Both performs had their own controversy. Hendrix’s performance was considered controversial due to the time in history when he performed it. He had also performed it in a different style. Fergie’s performance on the other hand was controversial due to how poorly she had performed the song. They both did their own versions of the songs.
2. Hendrix’s performance was considered political because was the time and the Vietnam war. While Fergie’s was a failure because of how badly she had performed the song. People expected more of her and she had done so poorly. The social context of Hendrix’s performance very much impacted the response that the audience had, while the setting of Fergie’s performance had impacted hers.
3. They drew on folk music because of the fact that folk music brings people together and reaches a lot of people. It was easy to spread the messages that they wanted with the music.
4. The folk music gave them political power by letting them share political ideas that they believed in and were able to voice their opinions on said politics.
5. The ninth symphony was picked due to the fact that it was able to capture the emotions felt by the Germans at the time of the fall of the Berlin Wall. It was used to celebrate the fact that the wall was down.
6. There definitely was a political connection between the Western democracy and Ode to Joy. Both embody the idea of people coming together.
1. The controversy between both performances was both similar and different. Both performances were criticized by the style or way they played the national anthem regardless of the intentions both performances were very unusual and unexpected. As for Hendrix’s performance, his controversy arose because it was believed to be a political act and found disrespectful but for Fergie, the performance wasn’t disrespectful but humorous. The audiences reacted differently as well for Hendrix’s many were confused and stood in silence afterward. In Fergie’s performance, the audience was rather cheerful and holding back laughter.
2. Hendrix’s performance was considered political because of the social context behind the performance. The Vietnam war had a lot of controversy at the time and many didn’t support it with this in mind Hendrix’s performance can be interpreted as a political statement. On the other hand, Fergie’s performance was thought of as a failure because her voice was not at its best she performed it before an NBA game which is tradition so her performance was viewed as a norm.
3. Folk music was used by both Koutev and the Zapatistas to have representation. By using music from their country they are expressing their culture and political needs. For Koutev he revamped folk music in Bulgaria and used it to promote their government. The Zapatista Movement used folk music to get their political ideas across to a government that didn’t want to listen. The music explained their side and the hardships they go through because of NAFTA.
4. Through folk music, both were able to gain political power. Their creditability was raised and represented their country with their views.
5. I believe the Ninth Symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall because of its lyrics and the social context behind the Berlin Wall. The wall was created as a way to divide Berlin and this song represents the unison and joy that came when the Berlin Wall fell. Germans easily could relate to the poem and represented its newly found freedom.
6. There had been a political connection between Western Democracy and Ode to Joy before Bernstein. As we know because of the lecture Beethoven was an advocate for equality and freedom and created the Ninth Symphony in the representation of these ideals. These are qualities are seen in democracy, therefore the Ode to Joy was already a symbol for democracy.
Music & Nation
1. When looking at the controversy of both performances of the same song it is very important to look at the people behind the performance. It is evident that Hendrix’s performance was looked at as a political issue because of his race and the social context (period in history) that they are in at the time. Hendrix’s was looked at as if he was disrespecting or stepping away from the nationalistic emotions that come from the national anthem. When analyzing Fergie’s performance it was looked down because it seemed to me like she was unprepared/ un-rehearsed. Although now singers sing the national anthem to their liking when performing before some type of sporting event Fergie’s performance was messy and disorganized.
2. I believe that Koutev & Zapasita movement drew on folk music as an advantage in order to spread their ideas that would play off of their nationalistic belief’s. Koutev originated from Bulgaria and Zapatista movement originated in Mexico both genre’s call upon the people’s likes and dislikes in order to make them feel more empowered (especially politically).
3. The ninth symphony was chosen to express the emotional relief that the German citizens were feeling at the time as well as the social contexts associated with that time period. The wall was created to separate and divide Berlin and the song represents the freedom and unity felt once it was taken down
I agree with you! I really liked how you wanted to talk about the emotional relief they had, as written in number 3. Describing the role empathy works in regards to helping get a deeper picture of the expression that is being communicated and reading that helps to give a sense of being happy and calmer after the German wall fell.
I agree that the ninth symphony was used to express the emotional relief of the citizen because after the wall was taken down people were free and the song was a representation of the freedom they acquired. I also liked how you described the performance on how Hendrix’s performance was looked as a political issue as to where Fergie’s performance was just her messing up. Nice answer on the movement as well!
1) Compare the controversy around Hendrix’s performance and Fergie’s performance. What was similar or different to how people reacted immediately afterward?
Both performances attracted a lot of attention because of the situation behind them. One where Fergie’s performance is done in a spot for entertainment and the other done with the meaning to protest the war. Both sides received hate initially due to the difference in sound from the original track causing many to call those actions disgraceful or even laugh at it. Hendrix’s performance was seen as disrespectful due to him changing up the performance into a jazz-like performance. Fergie’s performance was also disliked due to the fact that they saw it as embarrassing due to her performing it as if she was at a concert. The similarity was that both received backlash initially but in the end, Hendrix’s version was respected by many while others feel as if Fergie just wasn’t trying her best.
2) Why was Hendrix’s performance considered political, while Fergie’s was thought of as a failure? What kind of impact did the different settings/social context have?
Hendrix’s performance was considered political because of the time period they were in. Hendrix’s performance was during the time of the Vietnam War so the timing was needed to remind people of their pride. Also, Hendrix was a veteran so he was a bit closer to the national anthem in a sense. Fergie’s was said to be a failure because people thought she was mocking the anthem and also her voice seemed very forced.
3) Why did the Koutev and Zapatista Movement draw on folk music of their country?
Koutev and Zapatista drew on folk music of their country because it was a method to help spread their message. The Zapatista movement drew on this music due to political reasons, such as fighting NAFTA which was a trade agreement that made it easier to exchange goods between the United States and Mexico. This trade agreement was not beneficial for Mexico as it caused struggles in the economy. The music was used to spread awareness of the struggles that were going on. Koutev wished to spread his tradition and attempted to keep it from dying. Used to spread the word of the situation that was going on in his nation.
4)What political power did it give them?
It gave them the power to speak through music. They were granted the ability to spread the message to people and tell them the truth of the propaganda. It let people know the harm that NAFTA was causing for Mexico’s economy and raise awareness of his nation.
5)Why do you think the ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall?
I believe that the ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall because it represented the unification of the people despite the borders between them. Ode to Joy was created and it represents the happiness that the people felt when they finally obtained freedom. It was a message to the people telling them that everything was finally over and will be getting better from here on out.
6) Is there a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy, or did Bernstein and the performers invent a new political message that wasn’t there before?
There is a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy because the song was about uniting people, coming together. Democracy is about being together and having a say the song’s meaning was just that.
I liked how thoroughly you correlated the songs to the different aspects of the culture or situation, in terms of war and their dilemma. There are different moments that I also agree with like when the songs are forming a connection because of a similar topic which is political based on those topics.
1) Compare the controversy around Hendrix’s performance and Fergie’s performance. What was similar or different to how people reacted immediately afterward?
– It was similar because this song is really powerful and is a reflection of the soldiers struggles. The national anthem is a patriotic musical component which evokes and brings back traditions, the struggles of its citizens, recognized as the official national song by a nation’s government. The manner in which such songs were performed is what brought much controversy. Her voice sounded highly strained in Fergie’s delivery, and she applied to the melody several separate elements that are not usually done for this piece. Hendrix’s performance only performed the anthem with instruments mostly with his guitar. There wasn’t singing involved and the anthem sounded more like a rock due to only instruments being used. It didn’t seem too bad, but it was better still than the sound of Fergie.
2) Why was Hendrix’s performance considered political, while Fergie’s was thought of as a failure? What kind of impact did the different settings/social context have?
– The performance of Hendrix was known as political because it was sung during the Vietnam wars. It helped to recognize the importance and help to realize the situations under which this was sung. Also, he himself was a veteran, making clear what sort of relation he might have with the anthem. Whereas Fergie was seen as a failure, because Fergie’s voice sounded off, as it just didn’t fit well.
3) Why did Koutev and Zapatista draw on folk music from their country? What political power did it give them?
Koutev and the Zapatista party relied on their country’s folk music as it helped to pass the nationalist discourse and make people aware of what was happening. It also shifted the views of the people and they also used their music to get through difficult times. It brought people political influence so that they could have a voice and express themselves through music. The melody sounded more like a dancing song, keeping them motivated and not giving up.
4) Why do you think the ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall? Is there a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy, or did Bernstein and the performers invent a new political message that wasn’t there before?
– Bernstein and the performers more closely linked the notion of independence as the songs evoked a feeling of relaxation and solidarity among the people. The ode to happiness, was selected to be played at the collapse of the German wall to honor man’s brotherhood and peace. This reflects the notion of people coming together to bring about peace. Unification solved this issue.
1. Compare Hendrix’s and Fergie’s performance. Similar/ difference with how people reacted?
Both of their performances were unique since they both put a spin on such a well known and present song to the way they believed fit. The main difference would have been that Fergie sang the song while Hendrix sang it through his guitar. The setting as well was a difference. Fergie performed during a major sporting event which usual is more of a fun and relaxed setting. Hendrix on the other hand performed at Woodstock during a more oppressing time in history.
2. Why was Hendrix performance considered more political while Fergie was thought of as a failure… impact on the different setting/ social context?
In my opinion the reason that Hendrix’s performance was seen as more political in relation to Fegie’s is because of the time period that he was in, which was during the Vietnam war. While Fergie’s performance took place at an NBA game and was seen as a failure because she sang the song like never before and seems to have less emotion tied to it but rather enjoy the publicity from singing at such a well known event.
3. Why did the Kouvet and the Zapatista movement draw on folk music of their country? What political power did it give them?
Both Kouvet and the Zapatista drew folk music from their country because it spread awareness to the people as to what was going on. The music itself was a very important message. The political power that was gained from the music was to connect the people and were able to expose the truth of what was actually going on and spread awareness. This was to probably lean toward making a change or some kind of alteration in a better direction.
4. Why was the ninth symphony chosen to celebrate the fall of the wall?
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the wall because it was a symbol of freedom for the germans. This music was a description in a way of how the Germans were feeling at the time, free.
5. Is there a political connection between western democracy and Ode to Joy or did Bernstein and the performers invent a new political message that wasn’t there?
In my opinion there is a political connection between the western democracy and Ode to joy. This is because there was a similar idea of freedom. There was peace brought to the people during a rough time. The political message was always there.
1). Compare the controversy around Hendrix’s performance and Fergie’s performance. What was similar or different to how people reacted immediately afterward?
The controversy around Fergie’s performance was she wasn’t traditional when she sang and she was trying to do fancy runs. She was confident and was trying to impress people rather than being sincere. People didn’t like it so they started posting it on social media and making a joke out of it. Hendrix’s performance people thought that his was politically based because they were at work at the time. People enjoyed his performance. Both performances happened in a public setting like an NBA game or Woodstock.
2) Why was Hendrix’s performance considered political, while Fergie’s was thought of as a failure? What kind of impact did the different settings/social context have?
Hendrix’s performance was considered political because he had a personal connection to his nation because he fought for it. He sounded sincere when he was singing. Fergie just wanted to entertain the crowd. The impact the setting had was an NBA game seems more of an entertainment environment than Woodstock.
3) Why did Koutev and Zapatista draw on their folk music? What political power did it give them?
Koutev and Zapatista were able to draw on folk music because it was able to bring people together. They were able to spread the ideas they had through their music. The political power it gave them was it was able to push their political viewpoints on them. People will start to agree with them while listening to their music.
4). Why do you think the ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall? Is there a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy, or did Bernstein and the performers invent a new political message that wasn’t there before?
The ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall because the song is supposed to bring joy and happiness to people. It helped unify the people after the Berlin Wall because the people were divided since they’ve been separated for so long. There is a political connection between democracy and Ode to Joy because Democracy is all about hearing what everyone is saying and coming to an agreement.
I agree with your view of the Symphony, it served as a way to show that the people that were once physically separated are no longer, and are now one nation.
1. Both of these performances were very controversial, but for different reasons. Hendrix’s performance came during the peak of the Vietnam War, which many Americans did not support, and was criticized afterwards for being political due to Hendrix’s own past, with him being a veteran. Fergie’s performance was more comical and embarrassing, as you can see multiple NBA holding back laughter during the performance and she was mocked for weeks afterwards for over-embellishing and trying to do too much with her performance. However, there are some similarities in their iterations too. Hendrix’s performance was unorthodox due to pauses with guitar riffs, added sounds that simulated war, and other noticeable differences from the traditional rendition. Fergie’s performance was unorthodox due to how she sung the anthem, with her voice sounding strange and completely off, so her performance was widely considered a failure.
2. Koutev and Zapatista drew on folk music in their countries in order to unite their nations, under different causes. Koutev tried to preserve the dying folk sound in Bulgaria, so he united all the Bulgarian sounds and refined it, while including pro-democracy messages in his songs. Zapatista used folk music to explain how NAFTA would have ruined the Mexican economy and further exaggerate inequality problems, and how it was unfair to the indigenous people who would’ve lost their lands under the agreement.
3. I think Ninth Symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall because it perfectly represents the joy that Germans felt after the wall was broken down, and it was unified for the first time in decades. There was a political connection already between Western democracy and Ode to Joy, as it represented the freedom and unification that would exist after the wall didn’t exist anymore.
1)Both performances were considered controversial but for different reasonings. Hendrix’s performance was seen as a political performance, and many took it as disrespect. Many were shocked and confused by what they saw. On the other hand, fergies performance was seen as poorly performed and many took humor to react to it. Social media became flooded with memes and jokes surrounding her performance. Fergies performance reactions were more joyful whereas Hendrix’s were more quiet and confused.
2) The social context was what made Hendrix’s performance controversial. During this time, there was a lot of controversy about the vietnam war and some people misinterpreted his performance to have political meaning. Fergies performance was considered a failure because many believed her vocal skills were not as talented as past performances. Fergie did not meet fans expectations during her performance
3) Folk music was used to represent culture and political beliefs while reaching many people. Their message was able to be portrayed and spread through folk music. Koutev used folk music to promote the government in Bulgaria. The Zapatista movement used it to reach the government with their different political beliefs.
4) Folk music gave them the opportunity to spread their political ideas and make their voice heard. Also, they received credibility and became known for their messages and beliefs.
5) The social context of the Berlin Wall along with the Ninth Symphony lyrics is why it was chosen to celebrate the wall. This piece represents the emotions of the Germs felt during this time, and the joy that came with the wall falling and ending the division of Berlin. The new freedom was celebrated and the emotions were portrayed.
6) Both pieces represent groups of people coming together as one. They were representations of democracy and had a connection with each other.
1. In both performances there was controversy surrounding it, however these ways differ. For the Hendrix performance it was seen as controversial due to the time of the Vietnam War which many Americans opposed and himself being a veteran plus the way he did it, thus was seen as something poliwhich msny found disrespectful. For Fergie’s performance many saw it as a joke and had made memes out of it, because the way it was sung was unexpected and unusual to the point where it was embarrassing.
2. Hendrix’s performance is seen more as more political because of the time of the war and of his pat of being a veteran and his connection. Fergie’s performance was seen more as a failure because during her performance she had done a lot of unnecessary notes and was doing more then what was needed, so just the way she sang was unusual.
3. Koutev and Zepatista drew on folk music in their countries in order to spread awareness and unite people together. Through the Music they were able to help others know what was occurring and listen to the message of what was going on with the Mexican economy. The song itself also allow a sense of comfort and hope.
4. The ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall becuthe music represents the emotion of joy the people felt after it fell and the freedom gained.
5. I believe there is a connection to democracy and Ode to Joy because both discuss the topic of unity and freedom.
1) Compare the controversy around Hendrix’s performance and Fergie’s performance. What was similar or different to how people reacted immediately afterward?
Both performances I think formed a lot of hate and controversy because of Hendrix’s performance being politically for protesting a war and Fergie’s for entertainment. There was a lot of hate because of the difference in the sound from the original track and disliked because of changing up the genre or in Fergie’s performance it was performed poorly. It was similar because they both received hate for their performances but the differences is that Fergie’s performance was nonchalantly poor.
2) Why was Hendrix’s performance considered political, while Fergie’s was thought of as a failure? What kind of impact did the different settings/social context have?
Hendrix’s performance was considered political because he is a veteran at wartime, during the vietnam war and the song reminded people about that war while Fergie’s song was more mocking and doing it for the attention and not sincere.
3) Why did the Koutev and Zapatista Movement draw on folk music of their country?
Koutev and Zapatista drew on folk music of their country because it was a method to help spread their message. The Zapatista movement drew on this music due to political reasons, such as fighting NAFTA which was a trade agreement that made it easier to exchange goods between the United States and Mexico. This trade agreement was not beneficial for Mexico as it caused struggles in the economy. The music was used to spread awareness of the struggles that were going on. Koutev wished to spread his tradition and attempted to keep it from dying. Used to spread the word of the situation that was going on in his nation.
4)What political power did it give them?
The ability to communicate through a song gives them political power which allows them to spread their message and give their take on the situation, basically a propaganda through music.
5)Why do you think the ninth symphony was chosen to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall?
I think that the song celebrated the fall of the Berlin wall because it represented the bonding between the borders and that it was chosen to band them together as one.
6) Is there a political connection between Western democracy and Ode to Joy, or did Bernstein and the performers invent a new political message that wasn’t there before?
There is a political connection between the two because they both talk about unification and freedom which are both political topics which means they both form a connection with different point of views and origins.
Koutev and Zapatista drew on folk music of their country. I believe they did this in order to connect to the most people possible. As folk is a very popular genre, many can relate and might like it, making the messages delivered more memorable. The songs made them popular, giving them the power to spread ideas and messages. This benefited greatly the people, who can be informed of how corrupt their government was.
The separation of Germany was symbolized by the Berlin Wall. The people on the east wanted to escape and go to the more prosperous west side. The fall of the wall must’ve sparked feelings of patriotism for the Germans, meaning that the ninth symphony makes sense as it sounds like German folk music, them celebrating with their culture. In addition to this, many of the lyrics refer to reuniting and has a happy message with them. This can be seen when it says, “All men become brothers”.