Music of the world's peoples MIDTERM

Powerful Symbol

- Africa is the birthplace of humankind - Serves as a symbol of empowerment for those whose ancestral home it is. - A place of belonging - Can be romanticized both positively and negatively. - It becomes a psychic space as well as a physical space. - Can be viewed symbolically, psychologically, spiritually and geographically.

War Dance

- Akbekar was originally performed as a war dance - The slow section was played before going to battle to inspire and energize the soldiers. - The fast section was played after the battle and would often have variations that told stories of the battle, communicating events to those who were not there.

Homeland and Diaspora

- Author visited a Palestinian poet and played archival recordings of Arabic musicians in the United States - Recordings of alternate ways of presenting culture can meet the needs of the localized communities, serving to disseminate the music culture to new audiences and participants as well as providing a connection to the homeland for many who have been displaced. - In many cases, people don't know that the music has travelled with them.

identity

- Based on numerous factors - Not on the concept of race, which Locke calls a "bogus concept". - Factors such as gender, age, kinship, place, language, religion, and work. - Ethnic group identities are only used in contrast with other ethnic groups or tribes.

Chinese Folk Music

- Before technology singing played an integral role in everyday events such as courting, funerals and child care. - Work songs: shan'ge refers to outdoor songs for agricultural work, flirting and courting. - Young people used to spend a lot of time working on the fields and this kind of singing made their time more enjoyable.

Beiguan

- Beiguan ensemble: a band of wind and percussion players, perform outdoor ritual music, usually at funerals and temple festivities. - Emanates a muscular self-confidence that perfectly matches its outdoor setting (Stock 2018) - Musicians memorize vast amounts of material by singing it first - Listen: Seven Inch Lotus, singing version and instrumental version

Beijing Opera: versatile

- Cannot be considered "classical music", even though it can be found in elite settings. - Often it is performed in folk settings for birthday parties, religious anniversaries, funerals, agricultural rites etc. - Opera has gone in and out of favour depending on the governing power at various times. - In some ways the style has been declining, however there has been some use of the opera elements in modern films such as Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in 2000.

Tribal Music

- Connection to spiritual health or life-cycle celebrations - Tense nasal vocal production - Strophic (verse) forms that interweave short melodic and rhythmic motifs - Canadian Tribal music (women) Inuit throat singer - Usually game between two women - Short rhythmic breathing patterns - Voiced and unvoiced sounds through inhalation and exhalation - Hocketing - Game is to try to outpace or last longer than the other, ends in laughter

Intertribal Music

- Describes genres and practices that are widely dispersed and shared among a number of different Native groups and communities across North America. - Example Powwow - Unison singing usually by men accompanied by the big drum - Women usually have roles as backup singers - High tense vocal production, descending melodic lines, rhythmic displacement between the melody and the drumbeat, call and response structure.

Contemporary Music (indigenous)

- Diverse and has a wide appeal to listeners of various musical genres. - Indigenous musicians have been influenced by non-indigenous music, creating their own works in other musical styles and genres. - Includes instruments such as fiddles, accordions, guitars, keyboards, drums and electronic sounds.

Instruments (indigenous)

- Drums rattles and flutes are often hand made from materials found in the local environment. - Instruments are often considered animate objects and are treated respectfully and given offerings of sacred plants. - They often are adorned with special symbols and colours.

Regionalism

- Even though we live in a globalized world, some ways of life still differ according to region: Speech, food, music, etc. - Sometimes the areas are quite small such as the Motown sound of Detroit, Cape Breton fiddling, etc. - Example: The sound of Motown YouTube video

The music

- Ewe Music (Ghana - traditional Atsiagbekor) - Shona Music (Zimbabwe - traditional mbira and contemporary Chimerenga) - Music of the Forest People (BaAka - Central African republic)

Instruments of Atsiagbekor

- Gankogui (bell) - Axatse (rattle) - Kagan (stick drum) - Kidi (Stick drum) - Kroboto (stick drum) - Totodzi (stick drum) - Atsimevu (lead drum)

Soundscape

- Important in our thinking about music and culture - Term is coined by Canadian Composer and naturalist R. Murray Schafer (b.1933) - The world around us is full of sound....and active or deep listening can reveal a texture of sounds both human and non-human: soundscape

Form/Structure

- In music we look for the organization of rhythm, melody and harmony: arrangement of instruments, movements of a piece, orders of solos in jazz, theme and variations, lyrics in blues, structures of verse/chorus in popular music, call and response.

Generation and gender

- In some culture music is organized and categorized by gender age. Men of the Deeps - funny coal mining music video - Schools, church, social groups, games, hobby groups. - In Western societies, there are fewer gender lines drawn in styles and genres of music than in the past, but in some more traditional societies this is still very clear. Example: Men of the Deeps video

Globalization

- In the 1980s and 1990s, there was a rise in the interest of World Music throughout the globe. - Traditional local artists of many cultures were supported and produced by recording labels such as Pete Gabriel's Real World Label

Mbira

- Is a plucked idiophone (or lamellaphone) - Very important traditional instrument; almost seen as a friend of those who play it. - This music has two interlocking parts and several styles of singing. - connect those living with the spirits of the ancestors. - The mbira music played an important role in the war of liberation. - Listen: Nhemamussasa

Pleasure vs Function

- Is music only for pleasure? Can it be for function as well? Ex.: Video from Ghana of people singing while pulling on a net together from 9am - 1pm out of the water, this is music in my opinion but it also has a function to keep them busy and keep them working hard.

Ofra Haza

- Israeli based theatre performer and musician (1957-2000), her music became part of several North American films. - Text in Hebrew and Arabic - "heaven is attentive even when men are not" (Listen to song) - Voice accompanied by instrumental chamber ensemble including violin and oboe, as well as household objects used as percussion reflecting a time of musical repression/

Diaspora and Fusion Music China

- Large Chinese diaspora - Most notable in Taiwan and Singapore - These areas sometimes contain music that no longer exists on the mainland, and in other cases, has given rise to new forms of fusion musics.

Ewe music

- Live in Ghana and Togo - Originally come from Nigeria and Benin (migrated through war etc)

North American Indigenous Music

- Lots of percussion - Predominance of monophonic, unison, or solo singing - Frequent use of vocables (sounds do not have referential meaning, help define patterns of repetition) - Larger musical forms that contain shorter rhythmic phrases - Subtle changes (not always obvious or quick) in melody, rhythm, phrase structure, vocal timbre - Music genres are closely related to function: specific ceremonies

African Music

- Many ethnic groups (tribes), nations, kingdoms and languages exist. The music of Africa has had and continues to have a profound effect on music around the world.

Social Role

- Mbira music plays an important social role - Contributes to the fact that it is a fairly stable repertoire over centuries. - Each side of the instrument is playing polyrhythms and then when heard together is quite complex.

Melody

- Melodies can be harmonized but singing a part different from the melody - Sometimes simultaneously which is called chords

Silk Road

- Much of the connection to the Arab world came about because of trading along the Sahara caravan routes as early as the 8th C - Silk, spices, camels - Strong connection with some of Southern Europe as well, particularly an area of Spain which was known as Andalusia. - Due to the religious conquests, Andalusian traditions came back to North Africa and heavily influenced those styles.

The 3:2 Thing

- Much of the music of Sub-Saharan Africa plays with two pulses that occur simultaneously. - Westerners refer to this as polyrhythm although many Africans may experience it as a tapestry of sound.

Music-Culture Model

- Music and affective experience: What instruments do we hear? Texture? How does it make you feel? - Performance and performers: Who are the performers, what're they doing, stage setup, where is it. - Time and space, memory/history: where, what time and age. - Audience and community: Who's the audience, what's the community like?

Leisure

- Music as a recreational leisure activity is an important part of many cultures. - Many social groups have a musical component, providing solidarity among members. - Extra-curricular activities such as band, hip hop classes, community music opportunities. (choir, chamber music, drumming, ukulele)

Silk and Bamboo Music

- Music called Jiangnan Sizhu - Originates in the Shanghai region - Silk string instruments and bamboo wind instruments are prominent. - It used to be played by professionals at weddings. - Now known as amateur music and played by groups of friends in tea shops - Professional musicians were held in low esteem before the 20th century. - Now people want to play but not be considered "professional" - Listen: musicians in Huxin Tea Shop

Religion

- Music has accompanied religion in many cultures for thousands of years. It often serves a role in how aspects of the religion are carried out or in attempted conversion of people to a specific religion. - Example: Mother Vernon Oliver Prince (Medley)

Marginal preservation

- Music in the homeland changes but the music in the diaspora can preserve certain styles

Chinese Music for entertainment

- No notation was found - But there were pictures in the tomb of performance contexts - Confirms the presence of music for entertainment (not just ritual) - The bells have a physical impact on the body and their reverberation can be seen as a supernatural sound: a bridge to the "otherworldly"

Music Culture Components: Material culture of music

- Objects that can be seen, held, felt and used - Instruments, books, scores, recordings, recording devices, costumes - They identify a certain object

Tea Shop Performance

- People sit around a table and play with each other - Very informal, people are chatting, smoking ,and drinking tea, there is turn taking in the music.

Beijing Opera

- Performer needs to be: good actress, excellent vocal power, be able to act through "evocative use of stance and gesture" - This heroine figure has become popular in film culture as well - Up to the 20th C opera troupes were migratory and so props were simple, even though make-up and scenery were rich. - Professionals who took part in opera performances admired for their skill but they held low status. - Many performers engaged in prostitution. - Officials condemned performances as "rowdy occasions that encouraged gambling and debauchery"

Characteristics of Chinese Opera

- Popular entertainment form used in rites of passage, family celebrations, at fairgrounds and in specially built theatres. - Singers re-used families of tunes from one opera to another - Performers acted according to set role types, each of which had its own convections - Key skills for a performer included singing, recitation, movement/gestures to communicate an idea, acrobatics.

Beiguan Community

- Regard each other as brothers - Also consider what they do as a serious art - Usually each ensemble has one or two senior members that act as teachers in order to maintain high standards. - Watch: Taiwanese Beiguan ensemble on youtube (Music in Keelung, Taiwan)

Chinese Popular music

- Remerged in mainland China in the last 35 years after two generations of absence - Strong music industry roots in Hong Kong and Taiwan - Now a major force exporting popular music to much of the rest of Asia and worldwide

China Politics and Language

- Rich and complex history - Political boundaries have shifted from one military ruled nation state to several self-governing states throughout history. - Language also has followed a similar path. - Today, younger Han people speak the national language of Mandarin Chinese, along with some local dialects, most are tonal, which impacts the music.

Chinese instrumental ensembles

- Rich and long tradition of instrumental ensembles - Paintings, court records, other archeological findings show us many details about these ensembles. - Tombs of a Marquis uncovered in 1977 Included a full set of instruments buried with him around the 5th C B.C.E. - A case of "conspicuous consumption"

Shona Mbira Music

- Shona is an ethnic group based in central and southern Africa, primarily in Zimbabwe (formerly known as Rhodesia) but also Botswana.

Music Culture Components: Repertoires

- Six areas to consider: - Style, genre, texts, composition, transmission and movement

The word "music" is not universal.

- Some cultures have different categories of songs, instruments and even dance but they may not use one word "music" to describe them all. - Some cultures might not use western words like melody, harmony, rhythm etc. - This might even open up new ways of thinking about the music that you are already familiar with.

Commodified Music

- Some music in some cultures is directly connected to function in the society (funeral rites, weddings etc.) much of the music the world in in contact with is "disembodied" - that is, the listener does not feel or see the presence of the performer or the performance context. - The music is the same each time it is heard. - The internet and the mp3 format have had a major influence on this global shift in experience. - The role may be still somewhat active i.e. the person downloads the music, edits it, arranges it on a playlist etc. but not in the original context of the creation of the music.

Arab - Religion and music

- Some people think muslims don't approve of music, this is not true. Only extremist. Group prayer is often accompanied by instruments and singing. - Call to prayer (happens 5 times a day), not considered music but it is musical. Phrases separated by long pauses. Each phrase becomes longer and more ornamented.

Winnie Hsin

- Taiwan artist 1994, hit "Scent: was very popular and won music prizes. - Emphasis on emotions from a broken relationship - More personal style of music that countered the government sponsored campaigns against "spiritual pollution" - The song's style made it perfect for Karaoke, which helped to popularize it across China. - Created more space for female musicians

Parts of Africa

- The Southern part of Africa has a strong vocal component - The East has singing and many string instruments - Central and West Africa has a lot of drumming - Dance seems to be everywhere around the continent - These differences are partly due to landscapes - The history of African music reveals strong influences from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. As Locke says, sailors, soldiers, traders and travelers have brought their instruments, repertories and ideas to Africa.

Ottoman and European colonialism

- The adoption of Western notation and instruments blending with the theories of musical modes and rhythms fave this region a distinct and somewhat unified style of music - European colonialism overlapped and followed the Ottoman empire and affected other Arabic communities. - Because of these foreign occupying powers, no single court or national styles developed, rather musical traditions were more fluid between regions.

Technology

- The rise of technology has given agency to people who want to curate their own playlists, edit music and even compose on laptops, keyboards, etc.

China Philosophy and Religion

- They are intertwined in Chinese culture - Confucianism advocates good government and taking care of others who come after you, in a fixed hierarchical system - Daoism encourages self-preservation and cutting ties with the larger world - Daoism combined with some folk religions and ancestor worship - Buddhism came to china from India, advocates humans are imperfect but through religious practice and self-development they can be better people. - These philosophies and religions have interacted at certain points with various styles of government in the various locations, with a long tradition of authoritarian government.

Chimurenga Music (liberation)

- Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited started as a rock band - Later Mapfumo writing songs with lyrics criticizing the white Rhodesian government. - Since none of them spoke Shona language Mapfumo's songs became very popular before the government knew what was happening. - Mapfumo mimicked the sounds and the melodies of the mbira with his guitar, making sure the songs were powerful and connecting to the sense of identity of the Shona.

China Rural/Urban

- Today 54% of the population is urban - Generation ago 75% of people worked on the land, with their focus on family and village life. - The nation has undergone a rapid and significant urbanization and industrialization.

Tarab

- Translates to Ecstasy or Enchantment. Refers to the desirable state of emotion that is produced by the musicians and experienced by the audience. - This is at the very heart of Arabic music culture. Tarab culture, audiences and musicians expect performances to be inspired and inspiring. Interesting contrast to Western Classical Music.

Songs (indigenous)

- Two sources of songs: those created and composed by individuals, and those received by an individual in a dream or vision. - Specific singing roles are often assigned to men and women. - Songs are generally passed on through oral transmission although advances in technology have provided other, quicker means for sharing songs.

Characteristics of African Music

- Usually happens as part of social life and not for its own sake - Music is one of many kinds of artistic expression in performance (dance, drama, clapping, visual impact of cloth etc) - Shares features with music found in Europe and the Middle East (also America) - Usually encourages participation and engagement - Music is a skill acquired as one grows up in society (enculturation) but also for some, is taught in a rigorous apprenticeship model

Music Culture Components: Activities

- Who performs, when and in what settings? - Does the culture consider music only for trained musicians or can anyone participate> - Is the music presentional or participatory? - Context: Khalid American R&B aged 20 example

Social Music (Indigenous)

- often consists of songs accompanied by drums and rattles - accompanies stylized dances Closely tied to traditions of specific communities

Ceremonial Music (indigenous)

- sweat lodges, sun dances, and other ceremonies - Primarily vocal music with percussive accompaniment - Certain songs are sung to correspond with particular elements of a ceremony and may only be performed in that setting.

Powwow: Competitions

- where people travel a circuit to compete for prizes and money - Often take place in urban centers.

Growth and Development

1970s - aboriginal programming from various organizations supported communities and government funding. Radio stations emerged that were owned by indigenous. 1990s - Aboriginal people start owning their own music studios 1998 - beginning of aboriginal top 10 playlist on a station in Manitoba that has grown continuously and now includes a top 40 playlist from across North America. There are now many canadian events including Indigenous Music Awards, Aboriginal Music Week, events on parliament hill, etc. In the states, Native American

Concentric Circle Model

A diagram used to break down & explain social structure of music (feeling/audience/performer/community).

music culture

A group's total involvement with music: ideas, actions, institutions, material objects—everything that has to do with music.

red (tribe)

Contemporary music group that uses their music to counter the appropriation, subjugation and diminishment of aboriginal people in popular culture.

Characteristics of Arab Music

Dates back to the 8th century - Arab countries never developed their own national music due to the ottoman Empire - Heterophony is a common texture (one melody played by several, all ornamenting differently) - Economic destruction is having an irreversible effect on Arab music. - Ud, Quanun, Buzuq, Nay (like a flute), Riqq (like a tambourine), Darbuka

Arab Music Instruments

Drums, frame drums, flutes, double reed instruments, plucked and bowed lutes, and are relatively transportable.

Music-Culture Perspectives:

How does it make you feel? Who is the performer(s)? Who is the audience? Time/History of the music? What community is the music surrounding? Additional: Strange sounding? Is it notated? How does it compare to other cultures?

Structural arrangement

Important aspect of the way music is organized It is key to understanding how different cultures organize music.

Open Ears and Open Minds

Learning to listen to music all over the world fosters an open ear and an open mind

Biases

Listeners throughout the world have biases based on the music they know and like/don't like.

What is music?

Music is something people make from sounds and silences 1. Making or producing sounds that they call music 2. Creating cultural domains made up of ideas and activities they consider music.

Maghrib

North of the Sahara desert. More in common with the Mediterranean and Western Asia.

polyphonic

Several melodic lines interweave (Bach, Louis Armstrong, gamelan)

Sub-Saharan Africa

South of the Sahara. A lot of contact with Europe and America through commerce, colonization and the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Heterophonic

Texture in which two or more voices (or parts) elaborate the same melody simultaneously, often the result of improvisation.

Ethnomusicology

The study of all music through particular perspectives.

soundscape ecology

The study of sounds in a specific environment.

Rhythm & Meter: rhythm

Time relation between sounds

Rhythm & Meter: Polymeter

Two different meter types heard at once

Homophonic

Two or more voices but one dominates. This is a typical of many styles of folk and popular music throughout the world.

Rhythm & meter: Meter

When pulse is grouped, this is called meter

Rhythm & Meter: Polyrhythm

When two different patterns are regularly heard when producing shifting downbeats

Agbekor

means "clear life" or Atsiagbekor (styles of Agbekor) - Comprised of stick drumming ostinato with a complex lead drum part overtop, which directs the dancers' choreography - Singing accompanies the piece in call and response style - Non-hierarchical governing system of clans and chiefs is also reflected in the music, as you will see. - Every part is important

Powwow: Community

smaller traditional powwows that emphasize community - Involving food and focusing on friendship - Often take place on summer weekends and provide opportunities for people to travel to reconnect with family and friends. - New songs and dance movements are introduced each summer.

Monophonic

solo or in unison

Rhythm & meter: Pulse

the underlying steady beat of a piece of music

Tanya Tagaq

• Throat singer • Won Polaris Music Prize in 2014, Animism • Album is very political, taking aim at the oil industry and its supporters for causing environmental damage.