Rod Campbell and Sustainability

            Jeff Todd Titan posted on his blog “Sustainable Music” regarding a trip he took to China.  During the trip he visited the Qujiaying village where he attended a concert performance of Buddhist funeral music. Although in this particular instance the music was performed in a concert and not as part of an actual Buddhist funeral, this still serves as an example of the important theme of the identity of China being carried out through continued traditions. Performances such as this one Titon attended aid in sustaining the music and heritage of the Chinese culture. The discussion of identity in Lau’s book is closely related to the sustainability of music. The identity of a culture is in part formed by the music of that culture, and the identity of that culture would be lost in some part if not for the continued practice of its music, the sustaining of its music. In order for music to be sustained, in some respects it needs to have the flexibility to be altered. The use of improvisation as part of the music culture of South India, and of the music culture of Rod Campbell, enables each to further explore music, and thus to sustain it. Related to improvisation is the idea of intertextuality.  When a person improvises, he uses what he knows to create and add sound, or adapt to a situation.  In the case of Ataka, Kanjincho, and Men who Stepped on Tiger’s Tale, each was influenced by Tales of the Heike, and each continues to tell the story of the war each time it is viewed, sustaining the practice of telling the tale. Just as the examples regarding China, South India, and Japan sustainability, so does Rod Campbell.  His use of his knowledge of music and history in his performances, further sustains Celtic music and Celtic culture.