Traditional music vs. international music
Traditional music vs. international music
A group of fans swear by traditional music of the country and feel that it is more important & should be preserved. The other group is a die hard fan of international music and feels that it is more useful as it is heard all over the world.
Which group do you agree with more? Why?
Music is an integral part of one’s existence. Music has evolved over the past decades and today there are countless number of genres of music in the world. It is however, difficult to say which music is better as it is a matter of personal choice. Broadly, every nation recognises two types of music - traditional music and international music. Both of these forms have their own charm.
While, traditional music has roots embedded into one’s culture and helps them to know better about their country and their foundations, international music on the other hand helps them to learn about other countries. Traditional music is easier to listen and enjoy, but sometimes due to converging cultures in the world, people may find a good change and freshness in International music.
One of the side effects of Westernization is the fact that there is a huge percolation of western culture into our own. Whether it is a shift from traditional salwar kameez to denims, from vada pao to burger, West has sure taken a toll on Indian youth. Likewise, Indian youth are attracted towards western music in a big way. Pop and hard core rock are very popular amongst them. Also, with the advent of channels like MTV and Channel V, the popularity of International music is increasing in India.
At the same time, Indian classical music is also creating a niche for itself in the West. Melody and rhythm are the common grounds for both Indian and Western classical music. Tabla, tanpura and harmonium – the vital instruments of the Indian classical music are gaining lot of importance in the west as well.
So, we can say that the World is converging as far as the music is concerned. Various pop albums involve both English and Hindi music, popularly known as “Fusion” and is one of the most popular forms of music in the world today.
To conclude, I would like to say that both the forms of music – Traditional and International are equally important. As long as a music form is able to give pleasure to its listener apart from providing mental relaxation, it is good and should be enjoyed without judging it as traditional or international music. However, at the same time it is the responsibility of the nation that its traditional forms of music prevail and are not lost in this Globalized era. This is the role of the Government, to ensure adequate steps are taken like competitions etc to prevent the traditional music from becoming extinct.
Discussion
- RE: Traditional music vs. international music -Teena Bhatia (08/26/14)
- Hazrat Inayat Khan said, "He who knows the secret of the sound knows the mystery of the whole universe." Beautiful Quote!! Music is the soul of love and togetherness. It has got a power to connect the people from different culture in one single rhythm. Even if the language is unknown people dance to the tunes of music and feel the emotions hidden in the lyrics. Such is the power of music. A spiritual feeling that connects the whole world cannot be divided into further categories of traditional music or international music. There can never be any cultural hierarchy in music.
The essence of music is same, only the choice of music differs! No form of music can be compared as inferior or superior to each other. The preferences and tastes of music differ from person to person. Some like rock music, some like instrumental music and some like traditional music. In any case, it doesn’t indicate that any form of music is bad. Yeah, it is possible that in the rush of fashion, sometimes youngsters just like to show their fake preference towards the international music.
Music also reflects the personality of a person. People try to connect with the lyrics with their own life. And, it is the main factor which decides the choice of music. No one can change the music tastes of other person. The liking for the music emerges from the deep self.
It is irrelevant to compare the traditional music and the international music. Both are the different forms of music with their own identity and charm. People need music only to feel happy and contented. And, any music that fulfills the objective is the best form of music. Explore the options, enrich your inner self and give the space to grow as an individual. Don’t measure the importance of music because people, who do, really don’t understand the real meaning of music.
