HARMONIC STORIES | Zheng Yang | TEDxBrentwoodCollegeSchool

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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 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.

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.