Cultural Seeds

The seeds of cultural aspects spread throughout the world rapidly budding into new genres. These ideas intertwine and meld to provide the arts of today. During the creation of new works artists revisit the traditional styles as well as works in other cultures to create a collage of rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic ideas. This explains the usage of a constant drum beat, high usage of percussive instruments, and groggly voices chosen over pure, rich tones. Those concepts were not comprehensible to me until now. I have a new understanding of music, even why rap is considered music. There are also basic recurring factors that are now noticeable in all cultures including our own. This includes the cyclic aspect of nature transmitted through music. This would also explain why Da Capa Arias were so popular because they complete a circle by returning to the beginning. Another aspect is the importance of a constant beat. This may or may not have a distinct meter, but a solid beat is present underneath a complex rythmic, harmonic, or melodic texture.

It is rather challenging to distinguish one specific topic that absolutely intrigues me since the whole diverse musical experience captured my attention. However, surprisingly enough, the one thing that stands in my mind the most is the gamelon. This is particularly surprising to me since my least favorite instruments are the drums. However, the unique sounds render a fascinating atmosphere. At the first listening, they sound like two year olds in the kitchen, but the second listening reveals the complex rhythmic and melodic configuration. Altogether, it does sound peaceful as if wind is gently caressing the wind chimes that ring throughout a meadow.
I also love the warm tones of wooden instruments especially wooden flutes, and love any opportunities to absorb the gentle sound. Wooden instruments are used more frequently as traditional instruments around the world.

This class has enticed me to go the library and diverge myself in the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. There are many countries that I would still like to learn more information, and it is impossible to cover everything about the world in one month. This class has also added another spark for an extreme interest in studying wooden flutes. Since these do not exist in the Northern American culture, I will have to study in a different country. Therefore, I will get to truly experience a different culture.

Full Circle - Back to the blog

Shehnai - Musical instrument of India from http://images.publicradio.org/content/2006/08/28/20060828_shehnai_3.jpg

http://indianraga.blogspot.com/

While rumpaging through the numerous websites on google, I found this website. It further indicates the usefulness of blogs. I would never have guessed that something so purtinent to our class would be on the same web server. On this webserver are clips of Indian players from the citar to the shehnai. I really enjoyed listening to the unique and rather calming shehnai maestro, Bismillah Khan. The instrument is truly unique to say the least and sounds quite like buzzing bees.

http://www.balibeyond.com/gamelanscales.html This is just a nice website to describe anythings one might want to know about gamelons.

Although it takes a few seconds to download. This website shows a few clips of people making gamelan instruments. It also ends with a nice set of fancy feet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5rmfevpUhw Rhythm of the gamelan makers provides even more information with music constantly in the background. You can view the workers put the metal into a furnace or heated mound and pound away at the metal while a narrator describes the process. A very interesting video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s0Hx20qJKo&feature=related

Just for a laugh: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/793793/funny_japanese_guys_lip_sync_to_instruments

koto: Japanese string instrument from http://home.t03.itscom.net/koto/image/koto.jpg/

Rice's Recital

Condoleezza Rice gives piano recital for the Queen

Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, gave a piano recital for the Queen yesterday during her visit to Buckingham Palace.
Dr Rice performed music by Johannes Brahms accompanied on violin by Louise Shackleton, the wife of David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary. Three members of the London Symphony Orchestra offered backing to the high-profile duo.
Afterwards, the Queen presented Dr Rice with a recording of the performance as a gift.
America’s most senior diplomat is a classically trained pianist who had expressed a wish to play at the palace. She was making her final trip to Britain before President-elect Barack Obama takes office next month.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5272739.ece A video of this performance is available for viewing on this website and another artile on this topic with more pictures is below:
www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/arts/music/09tomm.html?ex=1302235200&en=9b7986206bf57c24&ei=508...

This article expresses the importance of music within the political realm. Condaoleezza Rice utilizes a concert as a means for keeping peaceful tithes. This can be viewed as a gift or as a communication expressing terms beyond verbal or written languages. This exists because of music's intense ability to affect a person's mood. Aristotle and the doctrine of ethos stated this true fact years ago. This power has been recognized by numerous officials since that time causing priests and dictators to ban certain "devilish" music. (Oh dear not Parallel Octaves!) Their grand fear was that music would be utilized as a tool to retaliate against the powerful magistrates. Indeed, music can summon strength in individuals to surge into battle or heal a deep wound. On the opposite side of the spectrum, music has the innate capability to calm an individual into a peaceful aura. This atmosphere was probably created with the concert by Rice as well as excitement.

This performance was given as a gift to honor the relationship that the U.S., represented by Rice, has with England, represented by the Queen. Music has often been used as gifts to show the appreciation of a person’s visit and concern. Rice had a previous experience with this having been given the small guitar on one of her visits to Equador, even though it might have been confiscated. Even if music is not given as a gift, it often accompanies political gatherings such as the Inaugural presented today or any of their previous campaigning outings. Many large business meetings hire musicians to play in the back ground, as I did with my high school orchestra on a few occasions. On a side noted, even NBC’s tune (M6) is known by almost all (especially useful for aural skills). One could therefore gather from this evidence that there is a very heavy tie between politics and music as both encompass our culture.

Running with scissors?

While perusing the internet, I happened to come upon this fascinating website absolutely perfect for anyone intereesting in travelling to Peru or simply learning about the Peruvian culture. Apart from providing a travel guide of the different areas of Peru, it also describe Peruvian music, festival, folk music, and gastronomy. (Here cuy otherwise known as guinea pig and ají chili pepper stand as the essence of the Andes cooking).

http://www.perutravels.net/peru-travel-guide/art-music-zampo%C3%B1a-zampona.htm

One of the very interesting Peruvian Dances is none ofher than the favorite Scissors Dance which negotes all teaching we learned at an early stage to not dance or run with scissors. The danza de las tijeras as it is also called it viewed as a complex ritual where men display great leaps of dexterity with complex series of gymnastic manuevers to the harp and violin. The website goes on to describe how "these fakir-like stunts, called atipanakuy, include sword-swallowing, sticking pins through their facial skin, eating insects, toads and snakes. The main instrument played to accompany the dance is the pair of scissors, made up of two independent sheets of metal around 25 cm long and which together for the shape of a pair of round-edged scissors. The dance is performed at its best in Ayacucho, Apurímac, Arequipa, the Ica highlands, Huancavelica and Lima." I found this absolutely fascinating and somewhat urking.

Another Peruvian Dance is entitled the Sikuri which includes martial rythms performed by groupes in large circles around zampona musicians. Like the previous dance, it embodies the complementary and harmonious relationship of nature. In the accompanent, just one group of flautists can only play half the notes, which means the other group must to complete the melody. I have never heard about this limitations of melody although it is close to the hocket process. Again, it appearred quite interesting.

Apart from the zampona, charanga, and quena, this website describes yet another more bizare Afro-Peruvian instruments called the Quijada. The Quijada is literally the lower jawbone of a donkey or horse. A percussive instrument is created by hitting the bone with a stick while firmly holding it in the other hand. The rather unique sound is produced by the rattling molars located in the jawbone and amplified by the animal's bone structure.

http://www.mideastweb.org/culture/middle_east_instruments.htm

Travelling onto the other side of the world, this website has some great pictures and descriptions of middle eastern instruments which Matt may have used for his presentation.

http://growabrain.typepad.com/growabrain/music_from_the_middle_east/index.html

Last but not least this website describes some middle eastern musicians and music stylists with useful clips and headings.

Graduation, Parades, and Bagpipes

Rite: A set form for conducting a ceremony; literage of a chuch; or a ceremonial act or action.

Certain pieces have been heard by every individual during their lifetime, and surprisingly enough I am not talking about any by the Beetles or Elvis. Instead, I refer to pomp and circumstance and other processional songs replayed every year at graduation, welcoming ceremonies, etc. For musicians, the first thing that comes to mind is probably tired lips and heavy fingers from repeating the song only twenty times. However, it has much more significance for people walking down the aisle. At my high school graduation, I felt truly relieved and thrilled allowing the music to sink in with the realization that I had actually completed a large section of my life. The moment would not have been the same without the music symbolizing this important achievement. At the same, I was sad not to be playing in the cramped area of the aisle to the left immediately in front of the stage. However, we were still required to sing in the choir. It would have been quite easy to spot me as I was the only person in the choir not wearing black, because this would not be a morbid day. This day signified the end of a new beginning, and that ideal was real for me the moment I heard the strings begin the processional.

Just as we marched down the aisle, I can also remember marching down the cold street in the Christmas Parade of 2000. This was my first and only experience of marching band. It is also a loose association of rites following a ceremonial procedure to celebrate a holiday. However, every year most towns and cities celebrate this tradition with a parade full of floats, horses, and marching bands or band in this instance. Although, this was a very small parade, the bigger ones that I viewed on TV often have music which accompanied the floats. In fact, I couldn’t imagine a parade without music which pulls the ensemble together. Again this incorporates music that everyone should recognize regardless of their religion. These parades bring the community together for hundreds hover before the street each here to lift there spirits. The music in this instance really formulates the joyous atmosphere of this occasion.

Another joyous occasion and stereotypical rite are weddings. I can only remember one of the three weddings I have attended. I can remember two things being only about 12 yrs old at the time. The first is the bride floating down the aisle holding roses in a cleared glass arena of a botanical garden. The second is a bagpiper playing on a cement patio nearby playing before the wedding and after while we stood in line to receive the food. The music was fascinating and unique to hear the unique melodious screech. The only other time, I remember hearing the bagpipes was at my Grandpa’s funeral. Therefore, I associate bagpipes with weddings and funeral rituals. Perhaps, not the instrument that one would expect as most choose strings. However, this instrument surely has a unique flare.

In our culture, music surrounds us during our day no matter where we might be: eating, shopping, church, etc. Therefore, the main question should not be the importance of music, but which type of music is associated with what occasion. The type of music elevates the circumstance for a tear jerking wedding, funeral, graduation, or seeing a family member march in their first parade.

Religious Forethought

Gentle tendrils wrap around the inner heart encapsing the body with dynamic waves of sound. They flow compassionaltely through the body's streams. The senses are awakened and heightened by the vibrant music. Okay, so it's not quite that dramatic, but music does have an innate power to charm and enthrall listeners. Depending on the type of music, it soothes or rouses a person's thoughts to formulate a gentle dream or intense protest. Because of these majestic qualities, music in many cultures is intwined with communicating to the spirits or gods. In otherwords, it comes directly from our soul, or unknown realm of the human body. It can be a very powerful tool in this sense and others. For me, music has a grand effect on my emotions or subconscious. A sad tune will cause me to feel sad or depressed in a matter of seconds. Music is my life because of these fantastic qualities.
This blog is extremely challenging for me because I am not associated with any specific religious context nor can I remember any specific religious experience. I have heard religious songs but treat them as one would a Bach cantata. Therefore music for me is simply to enrouse pleasing and moving experiences. The genre selections is primarily determined by my own expectations. I tend to lean to more classical and instrumental roots, but am extremely excited about this class allowing to push my bubble to appreciate other types of music. Therefore, if anyone has any suggestions of an amazing new piece, those would be greatly appreciated.

Intersting!

After searching the web for African flutes, I found myself slightly dissapointed. I could not find any decent pictures, but I did find this website with a free recording of african flutes. The sound of the wooden flute is much warmer and soft than metal. The timbre is quite unique and amazing. I greatly enjoy listening to suttle tones and melodies of the flutes. http://www.goodnoise.com/album/Various-Artists-African-Flutes-Gambia-MP3-Download/11004418.html

Continuing my search for pictures of African instruments, I found the website below. On here it has a picture and brief description of the Akadinda which looked similiar to an instrument shown by Dr. Weeks. It appears to resemebe our modern day marimba. It can be played by up to six people simultaneously who sit on opposite sides of each other. The instrument is popular with the Baganda people of Uganda. Other instruments are displayed on this website such as the nyanga pan pipes and xhosa uhadi bows.
http://www.kalimba.co.za/african%20instruments.htm

I was much more successful with Native American flutes. The first picture below is the one that I like the most because it shows a variety of wooden flutes. All have only six open holes with a bump right before their head. The second picture interested me because of the combination of instruments within the same picture and the artistic carved wooden bird nodule more appearent on this flute. Here both a woden recorder like instrument in grouped with pan flute like instruments as well as a thumb bell which true name I am slightly confused about having seen several names. However, I was not expecting this to be with Native Americans but rather just with Africa. I find the connection of musical instruments with cultures quite distant to be quite a fascinating discovery.



http://www.reikiforharmony.com.au/Images/Flutes_in_stand.jpg

http://www.guitarsam.com/mideast_pix/pf181.jpg