UNIT 1. WORLDWIDE MUSIC

Ethnomusicology studies traditional music from different cultures.

Characteristics of traditional music:

* It’s anonymous* It’s transmitted orally* It’s usually collective* It’s functional

AFRICA

NORTH OF AFRICA

Countries: The Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya), Egypt and Sudan.

Characteristics:

Monorhythmic music Monophonic texture Most of the music is vocal, a capella Instruments: Darbuka ( drum)

Zorna (wind instrument) Rabab (violin) Ud (lute)

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Darbuka Zorna Rabâb Úd

BLACK AFRICA

Characteristics:

Ritual music (work, celebrations…) Collective music. Call-response / soloist-group structure Polyrhythmic music Instruments: Drums

Sanza (made of metal bars) Kora (string instrument)

Tambor parlante Sanza Kora

Black African music exerted a great influence on jazz, Latin and Caribbean music.

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ASIA

CHINA

Characteristics:

Use of pentatonic scales Simple and repetitive melodies, with slight variations. Instruments are made of different materials, like silk (string instruments)

as the erhu, bamboo (flutes –paixiao-, sheng -mouth organ), metal (gong), skin (drums)

Erhu Sheng Paixiao

Theatrical forms:

Chinese opera (Beijing opera) Shadow theatre

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JAPAN

Japanese music is similar to Chinese. It uses pentatonic scales and similar instruments.

Gagaku: It’s court music. It’s also the instrumental group which plays this music.

Theatrical music: Nöh (religious) Kabuki (burlesque)

Instruments: Similar to Chinese. Eg. Shamisen (string instrument played by geishas), koto.

Koto Shamisen

INDIA

Hindu music sounds to us as if it were a little bit “out of tune”.

Characteristics:

Intervals smaller than a half-step are used. They use a rhythm system made up of rhythm patterns called talas. They use a melody system based on ragas (groups of sounds and

melodies associated with certain emotional states) Instruments: Sitar and tambura (string )

Tabla (drums)

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Sitar Tabla Tambura

INDONESIA

Gamelan: instrumental group made up of gongs, metallophones of various sizes, flutes, drums and other instruments.

Gamelan

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LATIN AMERICA

ALTIPLANO

Countries: North of Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador

Dance: Carnavalito Instruments: Flutes (quena and sikuri)

Charango and cuatro (similar to the guitar)

Charangos Quena Cuatro

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SOUTH AMERICA

ARGENTINA

Tango:

It was born in the 19th century Binary form, 4 time signature. 4 Instruments: double bass, piano, violins, bandoneon. Composers: Carlos Gardel (Por una cabeza), Astor Piazzolla

(Libertango, Oblivion)

Bandoneon. A. Piazzolla

BRAZIL

African, Portuguese and Amerindian influences.

Genres

Samba Bossa nova: fussion of jazz and Brazilian music

Composers: Joao Gilberto, A. Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes (La chica de Ipanema)

COLOMBIA

Dance: Cumbia

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VENEZUELA

Instruments: Harp Famous songs: Alma llanera

Harp

CENTRAL AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

MEXICO

Rancheras Corrido (La cucaracha) Performers: Mariachis ( guitar, violins, trumpets, guitarrón) Titles: La Bamba, Cielito lindo…

Mariachis

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Dance: merengue Singer: Juan Luis Guerra

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CUBA AND CARIBBEAN

Son Rumba cubana Habanera Salsa Bolero. Los Panchos

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