Key Terms Flashcards
Mariachi
Latin American ensemble originally from Mexico; traditionally features a variety of guitars as well as two or more of each of the following: violins, vihuela, guitarron, trumpets
Gamelan
percussion-dominated ensemble prevalent in several regions of Indonesia
Ethnomusicology
field of study that uses sociological and musicological research methods to study the world’s music
Syncretism
the blending and merging of two or more cultures into a distinctive new culture
Fieldwork
research situation in which a participant-observer is immersed in the culture being studied
Matriarchy
a family or society dominated or ruled by women
Lifecycle rituals
community events that celebrate important rites of passage such as birth, puberty, marriage, and death
Throat singing
type of singing in which the singer creates more than one pitch at a time by manipulating the vocal resonance of the mouth as well as manipulating the throat
Inuit
the traditional culture of the Arctic tundra
Katajjaq
Inuit throat singing, performed by two people
Day of the Dead
a holiday of Mexican origin where families and friends pray for relatives and friends who have died
Catrina
female skeleton image associated with Day of the Dead celebrations; originated from an etching by Mexican printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada
Matrilineal
tracing ancestral descent through the maternal line
Primary Source
an artifact that provides firsthand accounts of historical events or subjects; letters, diaries, and original music manuscripts are examples
Diaspora
a scattered population with a common geographical origin
Polyrhythmic
simultaneous use of two or more distinct rhythms
Akan
ethnic group of West Africa
Fetish Priestess
a woman who serves as a medium between the spirit world and the living
Dipo
Eastern Ghanaian puberty festival for girls
Diva
widely celebrated female singer
Folk Music
music created and transmitted “by the people, in contrast with popular and art music styles created by specialists
Xhosa
Bantu ethnic group of South Africa; also references the language of the Xhosa people
Apartheid
government-enforced system of racial segregation in South Africa (1948-1994)
Tonal language
language in which pitch changes the meaning of a word
Art Music
music created by a culturally respected individual, often associated with conveying a specific artistic idea; sometimes called “classical: music
Tarab
the trance-like ecstatic state achieved through music performance; associated with Arabic music
Quranic Recitation
oral recitation of the Quran/Koran performed in a chant-like manner; considered prayer, not “music”
Quran/Koran
the sacred text of Islam
Qasida
Arabic praise poetry with a fixed, formal structure
Mode
a systematic musical pattern used to govern composition of melodies or rhythms; a scale is one type of mode
Maqamat (sing. maqam)
a general term for an Arabic melodic mode; many specific modes exist
Neoclassical
the revival of a Classical style from a previous artistic period
Takht
small Egyptian instrumental ensemble used for art music performances; features four or five men on traditional instruments
Firqa
large European-inspired Egyptian instrumental ensemble of up to 28 performers that includes a bowed violin section
Iqa’at (sing. Iqa)
a general term for an Arabic rhythmic mode; many specific modes exist
Yoruba
ethnic group originating in Nigeria and Benin
Fon
ethnic group originating in Nigeria and Benin
Samburu
ethnic group related to the Maasai of northern Kenya
Ululation
high-pitched vocal sound with a rapid movement of the uvula and tongue, performed by women to express emotion; traditionally used in the Middle East and parts of Africa, often for lifecycle rituals
Taiko
ancient Japanese drumming tradition that combines music and the martial arts
Shintoism
indigenous religion of Japan
Case Study
research method that focuses on collection and presentation of detailed information about a particular person or small group; research using this technique
is not intended for generalization
Kolisha
“the voice of woman”; a belief in Orthodox Judaism that women must not sing in the presence of men due to the potential to distract men in prayer
Okomfo/Akomfu
priest or priestess in the Akan tribal religion
Call and Response
a musical form where or more musicians perform a musical phrase or statement (the call), and another soloist or group answers with another phrase or statement (the response)
Griot
West African musician-historian
Blues Scale
in Western terms, a major scale with flatted third, fifth, and seventh tones
Pentatonic
a five-tone melodic system
Modal
music that is based on modes (sequences of whole and half steps) other than major or minor
Melisma
a succession of multiple pitches sung on a single syllable
Syncretism
the blending and merging of two or more distinct cultures into a distinctive new culture
Field Cry/Field Holler
improvised monophonic song with flexible pitch and rhythm, sung by workers in the fields
Spiritual
religious music of black Americans that originated in time of slavery
Great Migration
mass movement of Souther black Americans to Northern cities in the early decades of the 20th century
Gospel
black religious music that emerged in urban centers during the early decades of the 20th century
Sanctified Church
an umbrella term for a number of black Baptist and Pentecostal churches
Vamp
a repeated musical accompaniment common in jazz, gospel, soul, and musical theater; usually outlines a single harmony or harmonic progression over which a soloist improvises
Barrelhouse-style
piano blues style that combined rag-inspired melodies with boogie-woogie bass lines
Boogie-woogie
piano style that emerged in the 1930s; featured syncopated melody against driving, repeated bass figure
Race Record
music industry term for recordings of black artists that were primarily marketed to black consumers
Rural Blues
blues that originated in the rural South; accompanied with acoustic guitar or simple stringed instrument such as a diddly-bow
Classic Blues
blues that emerged in urban centers in the 1920s; often accompanied by piano and drums
Cover
recording made by an artist that replicates the recording of a previous artist
Soul
gospel-influenced popular style that peaked in the 1960s
