HARMONIC STORIES | Zheng Yang | TEDxBrentwoodCollegeSchool

Evolution of Music Perception

• Ancient music, such as "Hurrian Hymn No. 6," was simple and served spiritual purposes, fostering community through worship.
• In the 18th century, composers like Bach developed complex harmonies and structures, focusing on mathematical precision and expressing emotions within a religious context.
• In the late 19th century, composers like Erik Satie challenged traditional music with works like "Gymnopédie No. 1," using unstable chords and creating a sense of reflection and introspection.
• Ravel's "Bolero," composed during his struggle with dementia, conveyed a sense of entrapment and frustration through repetitive rhythms and rising dynamics, communicating emotions without relying on harmonic progressions.
• Modern music perception involves personal experiences and emotions, connecting to harmonies in ways that composers of the past may not have intended.

Harmony in Music

• Harmony has psychotic qualities and structure.
• The speaker recommends listening to the full 15 minutes of Arrow to experience the feeling of harmony.
• The speaker discusses four examples of composers using harmony to tell stories in different ways:
  • Herheim used the rawest form of devotion.
  • B used intricate calculations.
  • SA used the meticulous choice of chords and phrasing.
  • V used perspective.

Conclusion

• There are millions of pieces of music composed by humans, each with its own intended meaning.
• The speaker encourages the audience to listen to music with a different attitude to discover more stories and perspectives.
• The speaker thanks the audience for coming to their TCH talk.