1. Chapter Two Music as Culture

2. Cultural Foundations of Music Exploring Music & Culture  Many cultures throughout world with unwritten musical traditions  Scholars study both written and unwritten music traditions  How music and culture influence one another Toward a definition of culture  Culture can apply to any specific group within a society  Music culture – association of certain sounds with certain cultures

3. Elements of Music Regardless of cultural origin, all music shares several common elements:  Melody  Rhythm  Timbre (tam-bur), a.k.a. “tone color”  Pitch

4. Identifying Instrumental Timbres Each culture makes instruments out of natural materials of their region. Ethnomusicologist have classified all musical instruments based on how sound is produced:  Aerophones – a vibrating column of air  Idiophones – simple, solid instruments that are struck, scraped, or shaken  Membranophones – striking or rubbing a skin or membrane stretch across a resonating air chamber  Chordophones – striking, rubbing, or plucking a taut string or chord  Electrophones – generate sound from electricity

5. Identifying Instrumental Pitch Ranges Instruments range in audible pitch from very low to very high. Some have no discernable pitch. Usually affected by size of instrument  Longer the instrument, lower the sound.  Shorter the instrument, higher the sound.

6. Musical Categories Identification of musical style  The way music is written  Behavior/dress of musicians and audience  Social and cultural context Help us to better understand the culture that created the music Lead to a greater appreciation of the music

7. Traditional Music Sometimes called “Folk Music” Participatory music Closely tied to language, environment, & social customs of the people Oldest and most prevalent category Almost all societies or cultures have traditional music

8. Popular Music Primarily form of entertainment  Sometimes participatory Often have roots in classical or traditional music Not restricted to particular uses/settings. Commercial aspects of music

9. Classical Music Developed in many parts of the world, but not as widespread. Musicians tend to have formal training More refined, less spontaneous performances Audience participation not encouraged Originally associated with more educated and wealthier members of society

10. Traditional Music Cultures Mexico  Religious and social music were important to native Mexican cultures  Spaniards, Africans, and Carribean influences created mestizo culture  All musical forms use Spanish instruments  Veracruzan music performed on 4 instruments Arpa – 36-string harp (melody & bass) Requinto jarocho – 4-string guitar (melody) Jarana – thin guitar (rhythm & harmony) Six-string guitar (rhythm & harmony)  Traditional songs called sones jarochos

11. Traditional Music Cultures (cont.) Bali  Known for uniquely ritualistic forms of music, drama, & dance inspired by Hinduism  All citizens participate: male, female, & children  Gamelan is “gong-chime” orchestra throughout Indonesia & can have 25 performers or more Metallophones, gongs, cymbals, drums, flute, 2-stringed fiddle Men play in ensemble and women dance using difficult movements Relates to religious stories (no dance or drama without music)  Barong Dance – struggle between good and evil

12. Popular Music Cultures Motown (“motor city” - nickname for Detroit)  One of the most successful and influential music empires in the world  Founded by songwriter/producer Berry Gordy, Jr. Started Tamla Record Company in late 1950s in Detroit First hit was a song named “Money” Many hugely successful recording artists (Supremes, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Tempations, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, etc.)  New and distinctive style and influenced attitude and dress of the period  Helped propel African American artists into mainstream

13. Popular Music Cultures (cont.) Motown (cont.)  “Hit Ratio” of successful songs was almost 75% Weekly quality control meetings Staff to choose between sandwich and song  Cover – one musician’s playing or recording of a song made famous by another artist  Much Motown music simple, happy, up-tempo  Often meant for dancing

14. Classical Music Cultures Produced by many cultures throughout different historical periods Commonly associated with Europe between 1750 and 1830  Composers depended on system of patronage  Emerging middle class increased wealth and wanted to share the entertainment of the elite  Composers catered to tastes of middle class Theme & variation a very popular musical form of the era  Chamber music took place in smaller rooms in private homes for social gatherings and parties

15. Vocabulary Anthropologist – scholars who study the physical and cultural characteristics and social customss of a group of people Ethnomusicologist – scholars who study the music of different cultural groups Culture – the customs, beliefs, language, arts, and institutions of a group of people that are learned and transmitted within the group Music culture – the performance practices, means, traditions, uses, and beliefs about music of a group of people, either from a specific time or place Rhythm – the way beats or pulses are organized and subdivided Timbre – the distinct tonal quality of an instrument or voice, which is clearly identifiable by the ear Genre – a particular type of music with a distinctive form or sound

16. Vocabulary (cont.) Musical style – a form of expression within a musical genre Traditional music – informal music that develops within and is strongly associated with a cultural group or region Popular music – music intended for a wide audience, often featuring prominent melodies Classical music – a style of “art” music that stands apart from traditional or popular music Gamelan – a Balinese music ensemble, or performing group Chamber music – music written during the Classical Period for small ensembles