Can't sleep...yet again, so I thought I'd write a little blurb. Nem csinalok aludni nem jó tegnap este. Did not sleep very well last night, either, so I felt like I was in a fog all day. (And I probably just made up all that Hungarian...they are real words...probably wrong structure, though. Nem baj.
In music history today, we discussed Béla Bartók. Rather, Dina did. I was a little frustrated because I felt there was a lot of pieces missing from that puzzle. Perhaps, I am a little biased, having spent a semester studying in Central Europe and learning more about Hungarian history, culture, and musical roots. I will admit I did not study much of Bartók besides his Mikrokozmosz and folk research, but to study Kodály to study Bartók is and vice versa. They did so much of their work collaboratively, esp. in their folk music collecting. Of course, I was very much instructed in the "Kodályian" way. Also, I feel that to understand all of our musical roots, we ought to know exactly where it comes from. Not only should we study the music and the composers, but we should also study the political state/division of these countries through the ages. I mean, Hungary used to be HUGE, encompassing present day Hungary, Austria, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Czechoslovakia, Serbia, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, if I am not mistaken. It was, after all, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. With that in mind, Hungarian, or for that matter, Central and Eastern European musical roots go much deeper into the culture than seen at surface value. I guess I prefer a more thorough approach to learning. However, I could not very well challenge or question my professor's authority. That would have been crossing the wrong lines. And I know it is difficult to shove centuries of musical development into only a few months' curriculum, so somewhere shortcuts are going to be taken.
I also worked with my recital accompanist Barb today. Volt jól. It went well. She is great fun and very helpful. Recital hearing tomorrow at 1pm. (And I'm not sleeping and have to be up for class in the morning? ha! This ought to be interesting!) Thankfully, I'll have yoga right before then. Maybe calm the nerves a little. I am unusually feeling more anxiety than I ever expected about this. I love performing, but I suppose I still feel like everything is happening so suddenly. Sometimes, life just hits you fast. I think I am mostly nervous that my memory is going to fail me...it hasn't been so keen lately. We shall see...
Gratitude 72
I am thankful for my personal journal filled with randomness of my life. :)
Samantha,
ReplyDeleteI shall try to talk about your latest post in the order in which you have presented it to us. First, if I may be permitted to offer a piece of advice, do not worry about your grammar in Hungarian or in any language you are trying to learn (keep reading) so much as the words themselves. If the lexicon is retained first and foremost, the grammar and syntax will follow. This advice comes from a rather distinguished linguist (You do not have to worry; I am putting you into better hands than my own, though I am quite adept at learning languages myself.), Dr. Robert W. Blair. I would further add that the best way to improve your understanding of foreign syntax is to read in the foreign language as much as possible. I hope that helps you with your predicament.
Second, I quite enjoyed your paragraph on your musical history class concerning Bartok. I do not, as a rule, listen to much central European music simply because of a lack of product, although I have heard a good amount of Dvorak, who is arguably the most known of the central European composers. Perhaps you might educate us further about Bartok and Kodaly in things about them that are not generally known. I, too, prefer immersion into subjects.
As for your recital, I shall pray that it goes well for you. Keep faith in yourself an God that He can improve anything!
-Tyler.