The contradictions and conflicts in society and hierarchy always inspire the development and appearance of aggressive and innovative art, especially in music. Taking music from black people as an example, most of it originated from the rebels and segregation, especially jazz and blues. With improvisation and breaking down beats and melody, it became a strong and direct tool for expressing people’s voices and perspectives. These are not only emotional outcry and catharsis, but also a method for political resistance.
Apart from this, Chinese traditional music is also a manifestation of class and hierarchy. Everyone is taught that only royal music serves for the higher class is noble. Others are only debauched and inferior. However, the folk music is still a sign of human and farmers’ voices. Because of the lyrics of folk music, it contain people’s attitudes towards the emperor and political practices.
Taking a Chinese traditional music opera called Bai Mao Nv as an example, it is a newly modernized opera in the 20th century. But it originated from a story in the Han Dynasty. This opera exposes the resistance and repression of the farmers by the landlord class through the conflict between Yang Bailao and Huang Shiren, and reinforces the narrative of class antagonism through folk music. According to this, repression and conflict are always a good stimulus and catalyst for excellent art performance and work.
Leave a Reply