MUSC 103 Notes Week 1
(8/23/2022)
(8/24/2022)
Nonwestern Music
What is Music Appreciation?
Music as God’s Gift to all people
Easy example: when we worship God, what is typically involved with said worship?
Music. Part of pressing into the spirit is worshiping the Lord through song, and you
can’t do that without engaging with it by singing the song yourself. (This is in my
own words)
SOM Verse of the Year
-Reflects/expresses the world’s diversity.
-Each culture has it’s music practice.
Some have all 3 – folk, pop, & classical
Nonwestern music types tend to influence western music.
- This is especially true in the 20th century.
French composer Claude Debussy
British rocker George Harrison
Jazz artist John Coltrane
“ (4) I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.”
- Psalms 34:4 NLT
It is designed to heighten our appreciation of music by…
-…improving our listening skills.
-…broadening our understanding of how different elements of music work together. -…
exposing us to new styles and forms of music.
-…looking at music in a biblical world-view context.
Provides historical awareness of…
-…how music and musical taste has changed throughout the centuries.
-…how music from the past, as well as music from different cultures has influenced
our contemporary music.
Instruments
Improvisation
Voices
Oral Tradition
Music in Nonwestern Cultures
Characteristics of Nonwestern Music
It reflects it supporting culture.
- Frequently linked with religion, dance, and drama.
- Often used to communicate messages and relate traditions.
Frequently transmitted by oral tradition
- Many cultures do not use music notation. When they do, it often serves as a
record, not for teaching or performance.
Improvisation is frequently basic to the music.
-Singing usually main way of making music.
-Vocal approach, timbre, and techniques vary throughout the world.
Four types based upon sound production. These are…
- Membranophones: They have skin stretched over them.
- Chordophones: They have string(s) strung across them.
- Aerophones: The performer’s breath powers the instrument.
- Idiophones: The instrument’s body is the sound generator.
Style and application within culture causes particular types of instruments to dominate:
- Chordophones: The strings on these instruments allow greater flexibility of pitch.
- Idiophones/Membranophones: These “o-phones” put an emphasis on rhythm.
- Aerophones: These “o-phones” aid in outdoor performance.
Many nonwestern music types are monophonic.
Africa is divided into 2 parts: above and below the Sahara Desert.
Though sub-Saharan music is diverse, there are some similarities:
-
Nonwestern Instruments are influenced by geography and available
materials. Religion can (potentially) also influence Nonwestern
instrumentation.
Music permeates African-life through religion, entertainment, magic rituals, rites of
passageMusic is so interwoven into life that the abstract word “music” is not used by
many peoples.
Music, in African life, is closely associated with dancing in ceremonies, rituals, and
celebrations.
- Dancers frequently play and sing while dancing.
Music is a social activity in African-life; everyone joins in.
There is no musical notation in African-life: all of the music is passed by oral tradition.
Scales in Nonwestern music are often very different when compared to western musical
scales.
Many Nonwestern music types have very complex rhythms.
Example: A religion believes that an instrument, when played, has certain
spiritual powers.
- Above: Muslim, Arabic-speaking, music closely related to that of the Middle East.
- Below: Extremely diverse; many religions, cultures, and languages (over 700).
Complex rhythms and polyrhythms
- Percussive sounds
- Wide variety of instrumental ensembles
- Vocal music usually a soloist and responding chorus.
Sometimes accompanied by a drone (like a flat vocal tone, not like the machine.)
- Some culture use Heterophony (this means to say a method in which all instruments
perform same melody with different ornamentation)
Music in Society
.
Elements of African Music
Melody, rhythm, and texture
-
Music of Sub-Saharan Africa
Texture
Vocal Music
African Instruments
Idiophones
Rhythm and percussion
Membranophones
Aerophones and Chordophones
Complex rhythms and polyrhythms predominate.
Dancers choose to follow any of the various rhythms.
The human body can be used as an instrument.
Membranophones are used in many ceremonies and to pace work tasks.
This is the most common African instrument.
Most Idiophones are of indefinite pitch.
Xylophones are a favorite of these people, and they come in many sizes.
Vocal music has a wide variety of sounds, even within a single piece of music.
Percussion ostinato frequently accompanies singers.
Short musical phrases repeated to different words.
Textures of African Music are often homophonic or polyphonic.
African Music often involves the same melody being sung at many pitch levels.
Examples: Clapping, stamping, slapping thigh/chest
