Bell Ringer 9/10/12 What makes Classical music so different from traditional and popular music? Give an example of each type of music.

Chapter 2 Section 2.3 Traditional Music Cultures

Mexico Traditional musical styles and genres are often associated with specific cultures or areas. Some cultures have musical expressions so distinctive that they are immediately recognizable. This section talks about Mexico and Bali and their contributions to the music community.

Mexico This is a country with many different regions. The official language of Mexico is Spanish. For many centuries, music has played a central role in the lives of the Mexican people. The Spanish introduced a rich musical heritage, including a wide variety of music and instruments. Enslaved Africans and Caribbean immigrants also influenced Mexican music.

Music of Mexico The legacy of the past has been reworked through centuries of creativity. The result is regional musical forms that are at once different but yet similar. Each region produces its own unique musical forms and compositions. All use Spanish instruments such as a folk harp, violin, and guitar-type instruments.

Music of Mexico Mexicans use music to celebrate baptisms, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, funerals, civic ceremonies, and religious holidays. The people often join in with the musicians and sing along. They tend to burst out with enthusiastic yells, laughter, clapping, and dancing.

Music of Mexico Now listen to the song “La Bamba.” Clap the rhythm with bass notes.

Bali Bali is a province of the Republic of Indonesia. One thousand of Indonesia’s 13,000 islands are home to 180 million people, making the country the world’s fifth most populous. The Balinese people are known for their uniquely ritualistic forms of music, drama, and dance. All children learn to dance and sing both in and out of school.

Bali Nearly everyone in Bali is an artist- a sculptor, painter, dancer, or musician. After a busy day working in the rice fields, the men gather in the late afternoon to practice gamelan music. Gamelan- Balinese music ensemble, or performing group

Music of Bali The term, which is generically applied to “gone-chime” orchestras throughout Indonesia, is central to Balinese music. There are different types of gamelan ensembles on the island. Some have 25 members or more in the ensemble.

Music of Bali Males take up gamelan instruments when they are young and learn to play “by ear” from the older men. Females often take up weaving and dancing. Both young men and women dance with the gamelan when they have mastered the difficult movements the music is meant to accompany. The dances relate to stories often taken from religion.

The Barong Dance There is no dance or drama in Bali without music. One of the most popular dance dramas is the story of Barong and Rangda, also know as the Barong Dance. rangda-balinese-two-opposites/ rangda-balinese-two-opposites/

Listening Now listen to the Overture to the Barong Dance (Balinese Gamelan) Does the tempo change? Can you detect two different moods? What instrument leads the group?