4Music in our life
.doc4. Music in our life
Music is an inseparable item of our world; the world of nervous breakdowns, continuous tension, competitive atmosphere. Music helps us to relax, to release tension, to buck ourselves up. Music reaches our inmost feelings, helps to express our thoughts, our mood. Music connects people of different walks of life. It unites people all over the world.
Great Britain has made an outstanding contribution to the development of world music, no it’s included in the treasury of European music.
The most important annual classical music festival makes up The Promenade Concert. It was fist conducted in London in 1894 by Sir Henry Wood. His aim was to popularize classical music and encourage youngsters to get to know the greatest masters of the classical repertory. It was held in informal atmosphere, the seats were cheap and the crowds flocked to attend.
The last night of the Proms is a special occasion. It’s become a British institution. The atmosphere is electric, people listen rapt. The Albert Hall is filled to capacity with thousands of people. One of the pieces traditionally played at the Last Night is “Pomp and Circumstance” written by E. Elgar. Under the title “Land of hope and glory” (Benson) it revived as an immensely patriotic hymn – a kind of alternative National Anthem.
Every season is attempted to give classical music mass appeal reaches new highs. The Proms is undoubtedly the longest lasting success in promoting classical music, though it’s not clear how far the social spread has broadened over the years. The general outline is as follows: the Promenaders are younger than other concert audiences, male outnumber female (the same balance of the sexes as the population as a whole). The Proms are broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and recorded highlights are featured on the World Service.
Alongside professional music, Britain has a long folk-music tradition. The most popular tunes were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth.
Scotland is represented by bagpipe bands, brass band is more characteristic of England. Music is always to be found in the village church where the choir sings the old hymns. In the pub one may meet a singer of old songs or a troupe of dancing Morris men.
It’s an open secret that the best choral music is to be found in Wales. Their bards were famous in the ancient world and they still meet every year at the “Eisteddfod world’s festival”.
London is one of acknowledged centers of classical music. Everyday English and international musicians perform in the concert halls and opera houses.
The London underground is one more place where music is flourishing. One may well come across young “buskers”. They look modern enough but don’t be mistakenly taken in people like them have been playing in the streets of Britain ever since history began.
As far as the music in Belarus concerns, we have long musical traditions that spring from Belarusian villages. Unfortunately nowadays our villages fall into decay. That’s why Belarusian traditions and Belarusian music are on the decline too. Today young generation prefer foreign music to Belarusian, there is hardly any Belarusian group that can figure prominently. Unfortunately abroad nobody knows any Belarusian group. That’s why in order to revive and to popularize Belarusian music, our president decided to promulgate some laws. And one of them concerns our radio stations. Today they broadcast 60% of Belarusian music on the radio. They organize a lot of concerts, festivals, music awards. And now we can admit the fact that people’s interest to music has increased. So we can say that the policy of our government is on the right track.