12 tone eq in other cultures

Sorry..wanted to put these quotes up earlier, but just located them.
In regards to the influence of Western culture in other parts of the
world, here goes....from the liner notes to "Masters of Turkish Music
Vol.2" (Rounder): "After the founding of the Republic of Turkey in 1923,
the formal teaching of classical Turkish music was forbidden for 53
years." Then, "According to Ataturk, Western classical music was the
music of modern civilization, and Turkish folk music was the true music
of the Turks." And, from Habib Hassan Touma's book "The Music of the
Arabs," he says: "Then a kind of cultural catastrophe took place. The
responsibility for this transition lay with a group of leading Arab
intellectuals who believed (and still believe today) that European
culture is superior to Arabian. As a result, they regarded their own
musical culture with disdain. It is because of these intellectuals that
one must search very long and hard in the Arab world today before
encountering the authentic music of the Arabs." Then, "Most Arabs
today, however, whatever their level of education might be, no longer
know true Arabian music." (p16)
Mother Jones mag had an excellent feature in the Feb 1999 issue
called "America, the brand," about how many countries around the globe
are trying their hardest to be like Americans. This phenomenon is no big
secret, and easy to see. Of course, it all started right here when the
Govt took Native American kids away from their families and educated
them in white schools, forbidding them to speak their own languages, and
trying to make them into white folks. There has long been a perception
among the European colonial types that everyone should be like Euro
folks, and of course, that extends into music in a profound way. There
was a great line in the movie "Gandhi," where a British officer says,
"But India IS British."..yikes. Thus, we're back to the Vietnamese muzak
version of spaghetti westerns. Of course, I think the world would be a
better place if each culture had been allowed to develop without such
attitudes...but, we'll never know now. And of course, cultural
influences are quite natural and healthy, when they happen in a peaceful
and unforced manner...but, when one nation dominates another, and forces
their values down the collective throats of the subjected people, this
is no good. Even without colonial dominance, however, crappy values can
be spread from country to country...when I try to watch the Mexican TV
station in Denver, it's a riot, because all I see are imitations of the
worst possible American shows...soaps, game shows, and lots of violence
and lunacy. Then, I just saw a show about Chile, where a gentleman was
explaining how Chile is now trying very hard to adopt the values of
rampant consumerism, with folks judging their value as humans on their
possessions, money, cars, etc. Makes me ill...
This all relates to music in a big way...along with
American/"Western" values, goes the music and 12eq scale...personally, I
am hoping for a big change in this attitude, before the whole world
becomes like one big Kmart...it isn't too far off...Hstick PS although
I am sorry to see Szanto leave the list, as you might expect, his
sentiments are very close to mine...I do enjoy the list, though, and I
will continue to absorb what I can...youse guys are a bunch of smart
folks, for the most part..HH

At 16:12 3/17/99 -0700, you wrote:
>From: Neil Haverstick <stick@uswest.net>
>
> Sorry..wanted to put these quotes up earlier, but just located them.
>In regards to the influence of Western culture in other parts of the
>world, here goes....from the liner notes to "Masters of Turkish Music
>Vol.2" (Rounder): "After the founding of the Republic of Turkey in 1923,
>the formal teaching of classical Turkish music was forbidden for 53
>years." Then, "According to Ataturk, Western classical music was the
>music of modern civilization, and Turkish folk music was the true music
>of the Turks." And, from Habib Hassan Touma's book "The Music of the
>Arabs," he says: "Then a kind of cultural catastrophe took place. The
>responsibility for this transition lay with a group of leading Arab
>intellectuals who believed (and still believe today) that European
>culture is superior to Arabian. As a result, they regarded their own
>musical culture with disdain. It is because of these intellectuals that
>one must search very long and hard in the Arab world today before
>encountering the authentic music of the Arabs." Then, "Most Arabs
>today, however, whatever their level of education might be, no longer
>know true Arabian music." (p16)
> Mother Jones mag had an excellent feature in the Feb 1999 issue
>called "America, the brand," about how many countries around the globe
>are trying their hardest to be like Americans. This phenomenon is no big
>secret, and easy to see. Of course, it all started right here when the
>Govt took Native American kids away from their families and educated
>them in white schools, forbidding them to speak their own languages, and
>trying to make them into white folks. There has long been a perception
>among the European colonial types that everyone should be like Euro
>folks, and of course, that extends into music in a profound way. There
>was a great line in the movie "Gandhi," where a British officer says,
>"But India IS British."..yikes. Thus, we're back to the Vietnamese muzak
>version of spaghetti westerns. Of course, I think the world would be a
>better place if each culture had been allowed to develop without such
>attitudes...but, we'll never know now. And of course, cultural
>influences are quite natural and healthy, when they happen in a peaceful
>and unforced manner...but, when one nation dominates another, and forces
>their values down the collective throats of the subjected people, this
>is no good. Even without colonial dominance, however, crappy values can
>be spread from country to country...when I try to watch the Mexican TV
>station in Denver, it's a riot, because all I see are imitations of the
>worst possible American shows...soaps, game shows, and lots of violence
>and lunacy. Then, I just saw a show about Chile, where a gentleman was
>explaining how Chile is now trying very hard to adopt the values of
>rampant consumerism, with folks judging their value as humans on their
>possessions, money, cars, etc. Makes me ill...
> This all relates to music in a big way...along with
>American/"Western" values, goes the music and 12eq scale...personally, I
>am hoping for a big change in this attitude, before the whole world
>becomes like one big Kmart...it isn't too far off...Hstick PS although
>I am sorry to see Szanto leave the list, as you might expect, his
>sentiments are very close to mine...I do enjoy the list, though, and I
>will continue to absorb what I can...youse guys are a bunch of smart
>folks, for the most part..HH
>
>
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Mr. Haverstick,

I whole heartedly endorse what you are saying. In particular I am in tune
with the last paragraph of your post. One small comment from my end,
teaching of Turkish music in the apprentice-master mode never stopped
despite political considerations that you have mentioned in your post.
Sincerely.
Dr. Can Akkoc
Alabama School of Mathematics and Science
1255 Dauphin Street
Mobile, AL 36604
USA

Phone: (334) 441-2126
Fax: (334) 441-3290
Web: http://199.20.31.100/GIFT/