Boethius Essays - Musicology, Music Theory, Philosophy Of Music

Boethius Throughout history, every society has searched for some way to express its feelings and beliefs. Music has been an integral part of virtually every culture, so it is quite natural for people to have written about this subject. More literature has survived than actual music, which leaves modern scholars with the job of translating, interpreting, and trying to understand the writings of people prior to modern musical notation. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius wrote and translated many books on subjects he felt were important to the education of future generations. Of particular interest is his book, The Fundamentals of Music (De institutione musica). Even though this book is no longer used as a basis for music education, it has had a lasting impact on music history and theory. Boethius was born either in or around Rome sometime around the year 480 AD. His father died when he was only seven, and he was taken in and raised by one of the wealthiest aristocrats of the time, Symmachus. Boethius received an exceptional education, married Symmachus's daughter, and led an esteemed career as a politician, writer, and scholar until he was imprisoned and executed in 524. ?Boethius's works may be divided into four categories, in chronological order: didactic works, treatises on the mathematical disciplines; the logical works, in essence translations or commentaries on Aristotle, Cicero, and Porphyry; the theological treatises, works expounding orthodox Christian doctrine by the philosophical method; and the Consolation of Philosophy, a purely philosophical treatise written in prison.?1 It is the first category, which deals with the mathematical disciplines, that contains his Fundamentals of Music. At the time Boethius wrote these books, music was considered one of the mathematical subjects, along with arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy. ?Boethius described these disciplines as the Quadrivium, the fourfold path to the knowledge of ?essences'- things unaffected by material substance.2? The fact that music was considered one of the mathematical disciplines is interesting to modern people, since it is now considered part of the arts, and on nearly the opposite end of the spectrum from math. Math is now considered strict, predetermined, rigid, and structured, while music is expressive, emotional, and subjective. However, people of the time assumed that the study of music would be limited to the mathematical characteristics of harmonic proportions. In this respect, music does have many characteristics that can be related to math, and it was on these observations that Boethius based a large part of his Fundamentals of Music. Some people have stated that Boethius's five books on music are merely translations of works by Pythagoras. This could not be true, because Pythagoras left no writings. ?But they are based on a strong tradition and on the work of later members of the Pythagorean school; from his education by his father-in-law Symmachus and in Athens Boethius was well acquainted with these, and it is evident from his writings that he was firmly convinced of the system's validity.3? A large section of Fundamentals of Music deals with musical instruments. Boethius outlines the development of the tetrachord and other instruments, and describes their relationships to mythological gods and astronomy. Boethius also wrote about the Greek beliefs in various modes having different impacts on human beings and their emotions. This was a primitive, but very intuitive and brilliant observation on the effect music can have on man. Pythgoreans believed, as did Boethius, that different modes had different results. Some modes ?induce sleep, while others ?purge ?the stupor and confusion of sleep' when they woke up.4? People of Pythagoras's time or of Boethius's era lacked the notation or knowledge of melodic movement to pinpoint exactly what qualities of each mode evoked specific feelings. However, the observations made were giant steps in the proper direction. Though much of Boethius's writing on music seems to be built on Pythagorean theories and observations, many of Boethius's ideas and notions seem to be original and are somewhat close to modern beliefs. ? Some of them are so close that the metaphors he uses are still quoted in textbooks on physics or harmony in use today.5? Boethius's observances on sound and hearing were centuries ahead of his time. He theorized about the motion of sound and sound waves, and ?one of these is the classic comparison of a wave of sound with the wave caused in water by a stone dropped into a pond.6? This theory could have been aided by Greek theories, but even so, all knowledge is built on previous knowledge, and Boethius's theory is

The Effects Music Distraction upon Reading Efficiency Essays

The Effects Music Distraction upon Reading Efficiency Essays The Effects Music Distraction upon Reading Efficiency Essay The Effects Music Distraction upon Reading Efficiency Essay This experiment investigated the effects of music distraction upon reading efficiency, as measured by the score on a comprehension test and the amount of text read. It was hypothesised that the non-distracted group will score higher than the distracted group. Sixteen participants were given 15 min. to read a 6-pages text and were subsequently given a comprehension test on their reading. It was found that the no distraction condition scored higher than the music distraction condition and the non-distracted group also read more amount of text than the distracted group. Introduction Modern life is noisy. Walking down the streets, we hear traffic roaring, factory machines clattering. And when we finally get back home, we cannot help but turn on the radio. In fact, many students even choose to listen to music while studying. Research has shown that auditory distraction interferes with reading comprehension.  The aim of Fendricks experiment (1937), for instance, was to measure the difference in reading efficiency when college students were asked to study a selected assignment in the classroom with and without distraction by radio music. Fendrick used the matched subject design: the two experimental groups being equated with respect to chronological age and average scores on a test of intelligence. One hundred and twenty-two participants were given 30 min. to study a 12-page mimeographed chapter from a psychology textbook. While the control group worked under quiet conditions, music from phonograph records (semi classical) was used as distractor for the experimental group. Subsequently, they were given 15 min. to complete a 60-item true-false test on the contents of the chapter, they were also asked to indicate the number of pages they had read. Sixty-one students formed the control group and sixty-students composed the experimental group. It was found that although the average comprehension scores were higher for the non-distracted group, the distracted participants read a greater amount of material. It is therefore the aim of this experiment to see if music distraction will deter reading efficiency, measured in how much they have read and their scores on the comprehension test. Following Fendricks experiment, it is hypothesized that participants under the music distraction condition will score lower than those without distraction. Method  Design  This experiment was an independent design experiment with one level of the independent variable assigned to each experimental group. The independent variable was the music distraction condition or the no distraction condition assigned to the participants, and the dependent variable was their score on the comprehension test as well as how much they could read. Participants were randomly assigned to the distraction or non-distraction condition, with an equal number of females and males in each group. For control purpose, an equal number of participants who reported that they usually study with the radio on and those who reported that they did not were also assigned to each group. All participants had passed three college English courses but had never had a Psychology course before. Participants  Sixteen naive participants, eight males and eight females, from 18 to 21 years old were chosen conveniently to participate voluntary in this experiment. All participants signed a consent form (see Appendix I) in which they were informed that the research investigated reading efficiency, assured confidentiality and will be given a feedback regarding the researchs outcome.  Materials  6-pages on personality disorders and dissociative disorders taken from a psychology textbook The pictures and graphs were removed (see Appendix II and References). Comprehension test (see Appendix III and References)  Discman with earphones and disc (see References)  Stopwatch  Pen or Pencil  Procedure  All participants were tested individually in a quiet environment such as the library or a quiet room. Using the stopwatch, the participants were allowed 15 min. to read the 6-pages text. Those in the distracted group had to wear the earphones and listen to instrumental music (see References), they were told to adjust the volume so that they could hear the music at a comfortable level. In the non-distracted group, participants also wore the earphones but no music was played. After 15-min period, the participants removed their earphones and were given 10 min. to complete the comprehension test.

Devolution ( public law ) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Devolution ( public law ) - Essay Example 2005), has made clear that the government’s proposal to introduce a drink ban on public transport would help curb alcohol-related disorder alongside a range of other measures. With 23,000 incidents of alcohol-fuelled violence each week with relevant elevated alcohol consumption trends (Leifman, 2001), the agency has proposed that existing laws are enforced to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related violence on the streets and on public transportation. England’s objective of reducing harm caused by alcohol misuse is recognised and focuses on the prevention, minimisation and management of the harms caused by alcohol misuse. These measures addressed in its objectives aims to identify alcohol misuse and the enforcement of existing powers against crime and disorder and promotion of responsible drinking. Under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (CDA98) and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) the partnership of both agencies are held responsible in the consideration of crime and disorder issues in their own core activities that improve safety and security in local neighborhoods. Criminal Justice Boards and Youth Offending and the Drug and Alcohol Action Teams shall be a voluntary forum for coordination of local priorities. They are tasked to bring together the key local agencies with an interest in reducing the harms caused by alcohol misuse: the health service, the criminal justice system and the local authority. With support of the Scottish Executive for a complete ban in on alcohol consumption in public places, (The Herald, July 19, 2006) the proposal, has spawned public outburst. Festivities organizers and popular across Wales and Scotland and gaming grounds personnel rallied against the ban with arguments pointed out that such is breach on human rights while legislative proposals control the sale and purchase of alcohol (Scotland Bill on Alcohol). It is apparent that Scottish culture towards drinking in a study (SSA, 2004) has

Current Social Worker Law in the USA Research Paper

Current Social Worker Law in the USA - Research Paper Example Abstinence from saying anything cannot be construed as permission for participating in research. Therefore, it becomes necessary for valid and categorical consent. So, under Title 45, Section 46. 402; it is believed that for the purpose of this section, â€Å"Guardian means an individual who is authorized under applicable State or local law to consent on behalf of a child to general medical care.† (Public welfare, 2010, para.6). The main implications of this law are that children should not be forcibly made focused in research studies without their knowledge or consent. Since most young people themselves are not aware of the complexities and rigors of research studies, the consent of their parents/guardians is needed before their services. They are utilized for research studies of any kind. It is believed that the Heath and Human Services must approve and /or provide funds for research which are inline with the recommendations and directives of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and also complies with the provisions found in Title 45, Section 46; Subsections 409. It is believed that the consistent and robust resources that are available are in terms of IRB approval for determination of IRB that research has been reviewed and may be carried out at an institution according to the directives and policies of the IRB as the governing body, whose instructions need to be carried out. Besides, it is the IRB that m ust assume major responsibility for ensuring the enforcement of rights and privileges available to children under various sub provisions of Title 45, Section 46.

Cogs in the great machine Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cogs in the great machine - Coursework Example The business became unbalanced as skilled workers were replaced by the unskilled immigrants during industrialization, pay decreased, workforce was downsized. The Conflict Theory is focused on the ways in which society is divided and unequal. The struggle for power and resources, force and domination lead to division and inequality according to this theory. By manipulating the Conflict Theory, the executives effectively took control, gaining power and resources within government. The executives divided themselves from their workers in favor of more money and provided low cost competition. Using force, they banded together and drove out smaller businesses, dominating the industry. There was a struggle for the American worker to maintain jobs. The skilled American worker was replaced with cheap unskilled immigrants who would work for less than satisfactory wages and work environment. The chapter discussed how the workforce within the meat packing industry was affected. Many jobs were lost as the industry downsized and removed the need for skilled labor. Pay was decreased and American citizens were replaced by cheaper unskilled immigrant labor. Workers wandered from one slaughterhouse to another, working short term due to poor working environments. The Interaction Theory is concerned with how society is experienced by those living within it.

The People of Rajasthan

The People of Rajasthan When this magnificent beauty Rajasthan entails into our minds, the very first visual of this grand state comes with the images of iridescent lights and a wide variety of energetic folk dances and enthusiastic music it also reminds us of the desert- stretches, the forts, palaces, the mighty warriors, and royal robes of the rajas and maharajas. Thinking of this princely state also memorises us through the magnificent beauty which is established through the architectural wonders of havelis. The word Rajasthan literary means the abode of kings. Its pre-independence name Rajputana meant the homeland of -the mighty Rajputs. An energetic and a vibrant state where royal glory and tradition meets the colors of this world, contradicting the vast area of desserts and sand lies a perfect blend of people, culture, tradition, music, architecture, cuisine all in one pot. Rajasthans vast ocean of sand is contradictory to the colourful and vibrant culture and tradition it possesses. Growing generatio ns have seen their cultivated culture of music, art and dance through ages. A vast and wonder-laced state with treasures more sublime than those of fable, the Land of the Kings paints a bold image People of Rajasthan There is always an inadequate knowledge of the place without knowing its people. Rajasthan is an anthropological mixture of people who come from varied variety of ethnic, economic, religious, social and cultural background. In the ancient times the caste of the person determined their profession. As times have changed it slowly has adopted a birth based caste system. Many caste and sub-caste reside in this grand state of Rajasthan. The warriors of the clan are the Hindu Rajput constitute major portion of the residents of Rajasthan. The Brahmins and the vaishya also form a part of it. The population also consists of the muslims, Sikhs ,jains and sindhis. Major portion of the livelihood of the tribes like Jat, Gurjar, Mali arises from agricultural based activities. Other are free to choose their profession by will. The dresses and the ornaments used and worn by the folks are greatly influenced by their caste, economic status, climate profession and also history. Culture of Rajasthan Music and folk dances of Rajasthan The living soul of the people lies in there folk music and dance which also add a glamour in their hard lives. People in this state are very fun loving and energetic. They have highly cultivated classical and folk dances which have been a part of their culture for growing generations now. Folk music flourished due to the kings of Rajputana who embodied music in their courts. The music constitutes different flavours of folk music, the hymns and prayers in praise of the Lord, the magnificent stories of the chivalry of the mighty Rajput emperors, the local folk dances and songs in praise of the rain God. The vibrant gay colours of the attire totally contradict to the backdrop of the plain coloured desert and invoke the feeling of engaging in the dance. All the traditionally based old dance forms are still practiced religiously. Some of the peculiar dance forms are kaibelia dance, Ghoomar dance, Chari dance, Kacchi -Ghodi , fire dance and terah taai. Other types of dances are enforsed during different occasions. Art and Craft of Rajasthan This state is well known for textiles, semi precious stones, handicrafts, traditional and colourful art. The local furniture has complex carving and bright colour. There are many prints like block prints, tie and die prints which are the major products which are exported from Rajasthan. The blue pottery in Jaipur is particularly famous all over the world. We are aware of how much this beautiful state has to offer to tourists. We have however chosen something very different and rare for our DIP research  project. We all know that havelis are architectural monuments built by the rich merchants and traders to show off their wealth, and built by the well  to do families in the 17th and 18th century to protect themselves from the extreme climatic conditions, in the region known as Shekhawati. In the semi arid dessert regions of Shekhawati, the day would be boiling hot and the nights would be as cold as freezing ice. The land and its people This region of Shekhawati lies roughly between Jaipur, Delhi and Bikaner in the state of Rajasthan. There is little of industrialization that takes place in this region and farming is poor. Some families leave this region due to failure in financial gains, but they return back to their birthplace: either for retirement or to settle down again. Among the few of them that return are the Rajputs, the Shekhawats (whose ancestor gave its name to this land). The Shekhawati region, unlike most other parts of Rajasthan was never a single kingdom; it remained a loosely held conderation of feudal principalities. The Shekhawati land, is known for its frescos. What sets this region completely apart are the eye-striking beautifully made frescos. This part of the desert was once a part of Aryavat, the land of the Aryans who spread too a great extent to the northern part of our country. Aryans, were the community that composed their sacred texts, the oldest in the world, which are the VEDAS here. It would also be interesting to know that archaeologists have found remains of sites contemporary with the Indus Valley civilization dating all the way back to 200 BC. Our topic for this research project is: Comparative study of architecture of Havelis and their impact on society today. This topic of the architecture of havelis has indeed interested us as a group and we would love to explore this aspect of Rajasthan. It has a massive huge number of ancient havelis situated in the region of Shekhawati, where we plan to visit and study and carry out an  analysis of the different havelis The comparative study will be based on the  Architecture of the haveli The interior (frescos, murals, paintings, inscriptions The exterior (sculptures, doorways, bhaitak -seating area, hathi pol-entrances The way it has been constructed (Muslim, Hindu , Brahmin, Rajput) If the Haveli has been constructed keeping in mind the Vaastu (which will not be the same for the havelis that are owned by a different caste If the haveli has been constructed according to the climatic changes The materials that were used to construct the havelis According to us, this topic has a lot to offer to us because each one of us in the group have been interested in the tiny minute details of   havelis. Havelis do differ from one another on a very huge scale even though they are not always thought of as the same kind. Where we plan to go, which havelis? We first plan to visit an area known as Fatehpur. This town is well known for its really high quality of frescos. The havelis we plan to study here are: Gopiram Jalam haveli. Nand lal Devra haveli. Jagannath Singhania haveli. Our next town of visit will be a region known as Nawalgarh. A town where one can witness a mix of Rajput and European architecture. The havelis we do wish to analyze in this region are: Radheshyam Murarka haveli. Pannalal Mansingka haveli. This brings us to an interesting question, what exactly are Havelis? Haveli as a term used commonly has its named derived from a long traced back Arabic origin of the word `hawoleh meaning partition.   a related word `hawaleh has a slightly different meaning which is `all round or `round about. Through the ages the word havelis has taken  different forms. Though for Persian it had the same meaning as the word hawaleh but with the mughals arriving the word havelis changed into being a partition to a piece of land (this is very similar to the word estate whcich is used in the English language). Since the beginning of the origin of the havelis its definition is only limited to the physical characteristics which makes it inadequate. So far the  closest definition of the word haveli is given by the prince of Whales museum, Mumbai. A havelis generally means a mansion. But in totality, it  symbolizes generation who articulated their life style that includes architecture, customs and manners, `of course arts, crafts and music. The  havelis however are the official residences of umraos, princes, thakurs and others such as dhabhai, purohit and sethji who were given a special  status by the rana. Havelis has an official recognition The term HAVELI is an essentially north Indian concept, and the Persian term implies an enclosed space. The havelis were not just built for residential purposes. Their construction increased on a massive scale, because they were in a way known as objects of self-esteem, in a race to score against each other. They got more lavish and they also borrowed elements of Indo-Saracenic architecture that was standing out among the principal British settlements. Havelis in Rajasthan was primarily developed in 16th century to differentiate their life style from common people. The 2 broad classifications of  havelis in Rajasthan were- Rajput havelis and Marwari havelis while the other havelis were mainly based on the caste and occupation. Accordingly  there were havelis of the Brahmin caste, Muslim havelis, and havelis of other Hindu sub castes. A basic identification of havelis in any medieval  town of Rajasthan is possible by identifying the original owner, his official status, architecture, paintings on the walls of the havelis, sculptures  interiors, etc;  

Essay --

â€Å"Trust is only a five letter word but it can be misused in so many ways.† I am glad to be here today with you in what will impact many lives of teenagers and their families. What I’m explaining about is sexual abuse in teenagers. Nearly 1.5 million high schools students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year. Let’s stop abuse! How can America change? How well these changes improve lives of teenagers? Sexual Abuse is pressuring a human into a sexual activity. Ages between sixteen and twenty-four are most likely to get abuse. These teens who gets sexual abuse is from their former or current relationship. When someone is abuse they are too scared to tell anyone. About 46 % of rapes and sexual assaults are reported to the police.When girls are raped they are taking immediately to medical assistance, but some girls are not taking to see medical assistance because they are scared to take tests like pregnancy test and to find any sexually transmitted diseases. But when a boy or girl don’t go to ER right away is because they don’t want to tell but if yo...