ch. 1: music of small-scale societies Flashcards
mabo
dance form of the BaAka people
where do the BaAka people live
Central African Republic, a huge rainforest along the Congo River basin
when + how is mabo sung
before, during, and after hunts; accompanies dancing led by men but including women
vocables
nonlexical syllables (like i yay i oh)
what is BaAka society like, and how is that reflected in their music?
- egalitarian, no hierarchy -> everyone can sing, no one leads performance
- men start and lead the hunt but women help as well -> help w/ both the hunting and singing
- they own very few things -> they make temporary drums from rotting longs/animal skin, or borrow from villages
- yodeling and polyphony resemble forest sounds
polymeter
the simultaneous presence of two meters, such as the hand motions of BaAka people
inherent polyphony
an experience of polyphony that results from a monophonic line or part played by the drummers
ostinato
a short, repeating pattern
describe Tuva’s geography + population
- Tuva is a republic in south-central Russia on the northern border of Mongolia
- Tuvans speak a Turkic language
- they herd goats, sheep, yaks, and reindeer across the souther stepps of Siberia
describe Tuvan throat-singing / overtone singing
involves a single singer producing a drone pitch, and simultaneously using their mouths to amplify the set of overtones in the drone that results in the high-pitched melodies
Borbangnadyr
a genre of Tuvan throat singing associated with the sound of water
how does it work? (Borbangnadyr with Stream Water)
p. 26
how does it work (Bisengo Bwa Bole)
p. 21
how is the environment of Tuvan pastoralists connected to their music?
- environment has sounds of animals, rivers, wind, echoing caves and cliffs -> they mimic these sounds
- they make sounds to soothe their domesticated animals
- they believe the animals + things in environment have a spirit -> they sing to honor and appease the spirits
- they sing for fun and to entertain the spirits
- they sing songs ab their experiences in the natural world
where do the ‘Are’are people live?
the solomon islands; small villages in the interior mountains and near the coast; gained independence from Britain in 1978
panpipe
a type of flute that consists of a set of tubes of unequal length, each of which plays one pitch
what is an ‘Are’are panpipe ensemble called?
‘au tahana; consists of 4 panpipes, 2 small ones playing high pitches, 2 large one playing an octave lower
how does it work (“Pisi Ni Tootora”)
p. 31
octave
the interval between 2 pitches whose frequency of vibration has a ratio of 2:1
scale
the set of pitches in a melody arranged from low to high
heptatonic scale
7 pitches
interval
the distance b/w any 2 diff pitches
ritardando / ritard
slowing down
how does ‘Are’are society influence its music?
- sedentary horticulturalists, so they have time to make permanent musical instruments
- hierarchical social system -> hierarchical music specialists
what do the ‘Are’are call bamboo and musical instruments made of bamboo?
‘au
half step
the distance/interval b/w 2 adjacent keys on the piano
whole step
the distance/interval b/w every other key on the piano
who recorded the BaAka people singing “Bisengo Bwa Bole” and when?
- ethnomusicologist Michelle Kisliuk
- recorded in the 1980s
who sings “Borbangnadyr with Stream Water”, and where was it sung?
- Tuvan throat-singer Anatoli Kuular
- was sung along the banks of a river
who recorded the ‘Are’are panpipe ensemble and when?
- Hugo Zemp
- 1970s
what does “Pisi” mean?
it is the name of a sacred bush used to attract an abundance of people, food, and shell money. when this piece is played for a ritual feast, the musicians hope it will have this effect.
