Music and Rites

There are quite a few rites in the life of an American teenager. First, there is birth. I do not think that music plays a huge role in our culture in regard to birth. No one really did anything, except my dad handed out pink bubble gum cigars. Now, later on in life, birthdays are celebrated using music. For one thing, there is the mandatory out of tune "Happy Birthday" singing at every birthday party. Turing sixteen is a huge deal in our culture, and a few songs have been made about that. At birthday parties, music is usually played in the background. Sometimes, the lucky kids can hire a band for their birthday parties (or in my case my friend's band played for my other friend's birthday). Usually, it is playing while kids are stumbling about playing "Pin the tale on the donkey". Another rite of passage for the American teenager is high school graduation, and the horrible listenings of "Pomp and Circumstance". I had a huge class, and we were almost all in tears after listening to that a million times. Next, is marriage. Now, music plays a huge role in marriage in our culture. There is the wedding ceremony music which is usually formal. At my cousin's wedding, there was a harpist and a pianist. Usually, there is the traditional wedding pieces that evey musician cringes when heard. "Pachabel's Canon"and "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" are just a couple. The most famous wedding song is "Here comes the bride" written by Felix Mendelsshon. The audience stands up when this is played. At the wedding reception, the music is usually less traditional. Typically, there is a DJ or a band. At my cousin's wedding, there was a rock band that my brother annoyed the drummer all night long. There is a dance between the bride and her father, then a first dance between the bride in her husband. Then, we all dance. Good times are had. Another rite is death. Funerals are how our cultures deals with death. In my life, I have gone to a few funerals. The funerals that belonged to my classmates were very different from the ones of older people. At the younger people's funerals, their favorite music was often played. Usually, people would sing hymns together to try to make sense of why a person could die so young. Music offers comfort. In an older person's funeral, its more along the lines of celebrating a full life. There is mourning, sure, but it has quite a different feel. For instance, my grandma did not really have any sad music at her funeral. It was more of her favorite hymns during life, and a celebration of how she touched people during her life.