Unit 9: Music and Cultural Identity
Ch.
North Indian Classical Music
Centuries old performance tradition linked to Hinduism
music passed down via oral tradition
apprenticeships
master players- pandits or ustad
repertories of motives and themes- not a piece of music
all memorized, no notation
Music System
Raga: series of pitches, projects mood, time of day
pitches for the organized melody
ascent sequences- aroha
descent sequences- avaroha
other
vadi- most important note
samavadi- 2nd most important note
pakad- essence of musical phrase
played on sitar
long neck plucked string instrument
Tala: complex rhythmic cycle; translation- clap
accompaniment to raga
hand drums
Drone: form of harmony; striking strings that sustain pitches
long necked, plucked string instrument
shruti box: bellows drone; electronic today
swarmandal- indian harp
Ravi Shankar(1920-2012)
one of the best known sitar players and teachers
apprenticeship system
taught his daughter and George Harrison
Raga Rock
influenced indian music in 1960 and 70s pop music
LG 33: Raga Bhimpalasi
improvised melodic elaborations
ascending and descending raga
form
introduction- alap (slow, unmetered, sitar alone)
2nd section- Gat (tabla enters, rhythmic cycle)
Ch.
Chinese Opera
leading form of entertainment in China for centuries
Beijing Opera
most prestigious
blend- music/mime/dance/costumes
themes- novels and politics
the story of the red lantern
based on 1958 novel- will be followers of revolution
heard on radio, film, live
singing styles and accompanying instruments very different from western opera
Ch.
Japanese Music
little contact with the West until 1854
US navy ended isolation
Japan adopted western elements
Echigo Jishi
1811
kabuki play
dance-drama
much style- costumes, makeup
story
kakubei- entertainer steals things while performing lion dance
2 versions presented
simple tune played on the shamisen
dance performance with drum and shamisen variations
LG
49:
52:
53:
Ch. 60
Mexican Modernism
Marachi ensembles a strong nationalist voice
Silvestre Revueltas
born in Durango
Studied composition in Mexico City
Love for mexican provincial music
highly flavored with folk elements, especially mariachi
band traditions
Homage to Frederico Garcia Lorca
1937
executed by a Facist firing squad
movement 3, Son
shifting meters moving between simple triple 3/4 and compound 6/8
evocative of mariachi ensembles
folk like melodies
prominent piano part and wind instrument focus
Ch 57 & 59
Modern American Nationalism
non convert traditions played a vital role in North American musical life in the late 1800s
patriotism is a part of national identity
compelling american sounds from attempts to integrate vernacular and serious music traditions
music from various parts of the country
Harlem Renaissance
1920s and 30s
harlem, NYC
growing sense of new black identity
looking to Africa for inspiration
seeking racial equality and black cultural pride
famous artists
sculptor richmond barthe
poet langston hughes
imitated rhythms of jazz
poet zora neale hurston
musicians duke ellington and william grant still
William Grant Still
grew up in Little Rock Arkansas
studied violin
arranger for radio and musical theater
studied composition with Varese
search for a modern American sound
1st symphony Afro American symphony, 1st symphony by african american composer to be performed by major American orchestra
1934- moved to LA, film and television scores
1949 opera- troubled island, 1st opera to be premiered by african american composer
Grant Stills suite for violin and piano
1943
established practices to evoke images of black americas artistic efforts
each movement based on a different artwork by african american artists
1, barthes african dancer
2, johnsons mother and child
3, savages gamin
all movements use modal harmonies and blues style melodies
last movement flashy
Charles Ives
born in CT
former Civil War bandleader
51:
Country Band March
1903
march for a wind band
complex mesh of tunes, mostly well known musical quotations from ives childhood
stimulates an amateur bands skills
out of tune notes
bad entrances
wrong notes
harshly dissonant
sense of humor
Aaron Copeland
born in Brooklyn
studied in paris
changed directions to populist style
popular beliefs and film score
investigated in the 1950s as communist
wide appeal and music useful in a variety of contexts
rooted primarily in appalachian and other anglo-american folk melodies
Appalachian spring
ballet suite in 7 sections
collaboration with martha graham
portrays a pioneer celebration
section 1- opening section of the suite evokes daybreak
slow and tranquil
polychordal- gentle dissonance
section 7
set of variations on the song simple gifts
shaker song
lots of changing tone colors