Curated from the 27 pieces of music included in the Golden Record on the 1977 Voyager spacecraft:
- Track 5: Brandenburg Concerto by J. S. Bach
- Track 8: Alima Song
- Track 9: Australia Barnumbirr and Moikoi Song
- Track 10: El Casabel
- Track 11: Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry
- Track 13: Sokaku-Reibo
- Track 16: Chakrulo
- Track 17: Roncadoras and Drums
- Track 20: The Rite of Sprin
- Track 22: Symphony No. 5 by Beethoven
My criteria for this top 10 selection was very similar to the original selection parameters: to be as inclusive as possible. The songs I have chosen reflect musical languages from most continents around the world, as well as universal languages such as mathematics. I also believe the first 4 tracks are the most important (which were not included as options for choosing the top 10) because it represents the land and evolution of it- something that was already there before humans were present. The existence of humans only takes up less than 1% of the Earth’s history, so it seems more appropriate that the land be represented. My top 10 choices of songs would probably look very different in the 21st century, but would still be selected from the same criteria.
Hi Elizabeth,
After reviewing many Golden Record Curations done by others, it seems as though you, much like myself, put a lot of emphasis on inclusivity in your top 10 choices. It is truly interesting how a simple task such as creating a shorter song list from a longer one based on criteria and standards we set for ourselves to portray our species can be such a tedious process. I like what you say about your song choices looking different in the 21st century, however they’d still be selected using the same criteria and standards. This goes to show that as time passes our behaviours and ways of thinking derived from experiences stay with us.