World music: read summary and listening response
AL0610
MUSCchapter9.docxJingmeng Li
MUSC 1080
Chapter 9
11/11/2019
Chapter 9 is talking about the different countries in Europe. Bulgaria borders Turkey and the Black-sea on the southeast and east and is at the furthest end of Southeast Europe. The Bulgarians were originally an agricultural nation and had a colorful culture that created Europe’s most vibrant music. After industrialization, the aspects of their music reformulated. Music was used to symbolize the power and unity of their state. Bulgarian women’s choral singing is very attractive to many and has become one of the most prevalent facets of world music. The music sounds so forceful and has an unusual tonal quality; it is open-throated yet pinched. The singers are divided into two groups; one group performing a low drone and melody while the other performs the melody, rising as high as an octave. They alternate uniquely with sounds of ululations in between which together harmonize and make the Bulgarian music very unique and spectacular. Greece was largely influenced by the conqueror and modern Greece, especially in the north; which is greatly displayed in its architecture and musical instruments. The typical religious singing of the Greek Orthodox Church, which is also called the Byzantine Rite. The music is sung by voices alone, the low drone underscores the higher melodic line that carries the text.Flamenco was born in Andalusia South region of Spain. Flamenco originally featured the voice alone in a form known as cante which is divided into three forms deep, intermediate and light. The guitar became the standard accompanying instrument which created harmony in the music. Modern flamenco is frequently performed on the concert stage where the ideal setting is a juerga, where everyone participates with clapping and shouting known as jaleo. Artists such as Paco de Lucia and Gipsy Kings have helped to widen the flamenco. It uses one of the world's most virtuosic of guitar styles. The guitar accompanies the vocalist. The key feature of flamenco singing is the heavy use of melisma which has an emotional effect. Handclapping and finger clapping are used to create a thick rhythmic density that heightens the tension of the music. The highland bagpipes were heard at funerals or festivals. The features of the bagpipe performances are highly ornamented melody which is sustained with drone pitches. In site 6, we come across the hurdy-gurdy which sounds more like the bagpipes. It is sound emanates from four strings and sometimes three strings which makes the hurdy-gurdy to be classified as a chordophone.
I chose the song called "I knew I could fly" by Our Native Daughters https://folkways.si.edu/artists/our-native-daughters. this song is by women of color who formed a string band which was only falsely presumed to be a white man's domain in the past. The main instrument used in this song is a guitar perfectly harmonized by four sensational voices. This music from this band honestly made me emotional. The women have soft vocals with both high and low notes. Other instruments used were the banjos (5-string and minstrel), a clarinet, fiddle, and a tenor banjo. I feel like these women know how to play these instruments well since it is easier to harmonize vocals with the instrumentals when you can play them yourself. This song is so calm and cool I could play it all day since it's the kind of music that relaxes my mind and helps me meditate.
REFERENCES
