An aspect of language that I feel we have not discussed enough in class is its role in music. An article that I read that reminded me of this discussed the incorporation of Vietnamese, a tonal language, into a new opera production called Amelia. Because the opera includes a flashback scene in Vietnam, the composer wanted to respect the scene by having it authentically portrayed. It was interesting to read about how those involved with the opera dealt with this situation. At first, the composer felt limited because he could not use certain intervals for specific words, but as he grew more comfortable actually began to appreciate its musical merits as a tonal language. The most striking aspect of this opera was its fusion of Western music tradition with Eastern culture. I am curious to see how it is executed and whether the production can claim authenticity as both an opera and a showcase of the Vietnamese language.

Beyond this specific case lie other questions with regards to language's role in music. For example, can languages dictate the type of rhythms that are prevalent in a culture's music? Furthermore, how important is language in conveying the meaning of music? Music is not exclusively conveyed in a spoken manner, but does the use of language facilitate a person's access to the meaning of particular music? These are questions that I have because both music and language seem to form in response to certain needs of the people. For instance, it seems that spirituality and religion necessitated the creation of music and also the development of language. Thus, both music and language both seem to be pervasive elements of society so it would be interesting to observe how the two work together and form new notions that affect our lives.