I have learned so much in the Music in Diverse Cultures class. If I had to choose one thing to share that I thought was intriguing, it would have to be the music in Mt. Cotacachi. I probably knew the least about that culture before the class started. It seems that their culture has the least connections with our society today. The music was very unique, especially the timbre and pitch of the female voice. It was also interesting how the golpeador hits the bass of the harp while the arpero plays. I really think that everything about this culture is unique and interesting.
While studying the many different cultures, I have realized that the music I listen to in my own culture is actually a syncretism of many different cultures. This makes sense, when we refer to America as being the melting pot.
This class has inspired me to learn more about a lot of things. I am interested in looking into more contemporary groups that play authentic instruments from their culture. I am also looking forward to learning more about individual instruments from different cultures, such as, the thumb piano, singing bowls, and gamelans. I also think that the Erhu is amazing, because the performers are able to get so many different pitches out of one string.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Cool Stuff #1: Fri. Jan. 21
This is a really interesting video! The instrument being played is an ancient harp called a kugo. It originated in Mesopotamia and spread across Asia. Notice how it sits on her lap, unlike the harp we are use to seeing, which is much bigger than the person playing it.
Cool Stuff #2: Fri. Jan. 21
The following video is of a man playing Tibetan Singing Bowls and a gong. These come from Asia, and I, along with others, find the sound to be very relaxing. I hope you enjoy!
Cool Stuff #3: Fri. Jan. 21
The following video is a clip from one of George Harrison's lessons with Ravi Shankar. This is definitely relevant to class because it they are playing the sitar, and because it gives us an idea of how instruments are taught by being passed down instead of by instructions or music written on paper. It also shows that even George Harrison had to work at learning to play an instrument. We are not alone! :)
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Music and Family
I chose to interview both my Granny Gail and Papa Bennie, on my mom's side of the family. I interviewed my granny first, and my papa last. The interviews took place in separate rooms, so their answers were not skewed by one another.
When asked what kind of music she listened to growing up, my Granny Gail replied that she did not remember listening to a lot of music when she was a young child, but as a teenager she enjoyed listening to Big Band and the music of the 50's. She also said that she usually listened to music in the afternoons, during quiet time, using a record player. When it came to dancing, she said that they used to Shag. When I asked her what her parents and/or teachers thought about the music she listened to, she said, "I imagine they liked it. They never said anything different." She also said that she enjoyed singing in church and that the environment was worshipful. She answered that she simply liked the sound of the music and that she enjoyed it, when asked why she liked the music she did. She also said that she did not necessarily turn to a certain genre due to life experiences, and she was never exposed to music outside of her own culture.
My Papa Bennie said that he listened to gospel music as a child. After I pried a little bit more about the music he listened to, he said that he liked to listen to Country music as a teenager. The technology he used to listen to music was the radio. Papa said that he did not experience a lot of dancing until he got into college, where people would go to parties to go dancing. He experienced music at church and at home, and he sang in the Glee Club at school. His parents approved of the music that he listened to and sang. When I asked him about why he chose to listen to certain types of music, he explained that as he got older he still enjoys listening to Country music, but that he likes Gospel a bit more, and sometimes Classical music.
I think that both of my grandparents got strangely shy while I was interviewing them, especially my Papa Bennie. He did not tell me this in the actual interview, but he has shared with me before, that he once went to a Little Richard concert at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. The concert he attended took place during the time of segregation. He had to sit in the balcony, along with the other white people, while the black people were allowed to dance on the main floor. I wanted to share this information because I thought it was significantly different from what occurs at concerts today. I also realize that Little Richard is not a Gospel singer or a Country singer, so I am really not sure how valid this interview was.
When asked what kind of music she listened to growing up, my Granny Gail replied that she did not remember listening to a lot of music when she was a young child, but as a teenager she enjoyed listening to Big Band and the music of the 50's. She also said that she usually listened to music in the afternoons, during quiet time, using a record player. When it came to dancing, she said that they used to Shag. When I asked her what her parents and/or teachers thought about the music she listened to, she said, "I imagine they liked it. They never said anything different." She also said that she enjoyed singing in church and that the environment was worshipful. She answered that she simply liked the sound of the music and that she enjoyed it, when asked why she liked the music she did. She also said that she did not necessarily turn to a certain genre due to life experiences, and she was never exposed to music outside of her own culture.
My Papa Bennie said that he listened to gospel music as a child. After I pried a little bit more about the music he listened to, he said that he liked to listen to Country music as a teenager. The technology he used to listen to music was the radio. Papa said that he did not experience a lot of dancing until he got into college, where people would go to parties to go dancing. He experienced music at church and at home, and he sang in the Glee Club at school. His parents approved of the music that he listened to and sang. When I asked him about why he chose to listen to certain types of music, he explained that as he got older he still enjoys listening to Country music, but that he likes Gospel a bit more, and sometimes Classical music.
I think that both of my grandparents got strangely shy while I was interviewing them, especially my Papa Bennie. He did not tell me this in the actual interview, but he has shared with me before, that he once went to a Little Richard concert at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. The concert he attended took place during the time of segregation. He had to sit in the balcony, along with the other white people, while the black people were allowed to dance on the main floor. I wanted to share this information because I thought it was significantly different from what occurs at concerts today. I also realize that Little Richard is not a Gospel singer or a Country singer, so I am really not sure how valid this interview was.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Niños cantan en quechua - pampa de la quinua - Ayacucho
This young girl is from Ayacucho, which is in Peru. I thought this video was very interesting because we have not heard a lot of children singing in the examples used in the book. This young girl, along with the other young children, who I assume is her younger siblings, have probably heard this song many times growing up, or has been taught the song in some sort of class setting. The girl seems very excited to be singing the song in front of the camera. As she begins to sing she seems to concentrate more and more on what she is singing. When the two boys come on the scene, she sort of looks annoyed with them, but seems to already know that the show must go on.
Faccha Huayras-Inti Raymi (San Juanito)
I truly enjoyed watching this video. This is an authentic San Juanito. The people in this video are wearing authentic costumes. In the book, it discusses that the men and women wear blue and white. The men, wearing white pants and a blue poncho, and the women wearing a white blouse and a blue skirt. I began to giggle at the end of the video because the musicians began to carry on about the dancers. I thought the traditional dance was very nice. I only wish I knew exactly what it was about. I had trouble determining whether the dancer in head-to-toe costume of bright colors was good or bad. I think he was good. The website that is listed on the video at the beginning and the end is for a group that is going around the world recording authentic music of different cultures around the world.
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