04/18/16
Lesson 3: WEST ASIA
- ISRAEL
In general, the music of West Asia is modal. Harmony is not emphasized
but rather includes salient features such as melodic complexity and
ornamentation, including 1⁄4 tones and rigorous rhythmic development. West
Asian music is commonly used during:
·
Communal
worship (in Mosque, Synagogue and Church)
·
Mystic
rituals (Sufis, Hassidic)
·
Life
passage events (Weddings, Bar Mitzvas, Bat Mitzvas, Anniversaries)
·
Entertainment
(Belly Dancing, Folk Dancing)
VOCAL MUSIC OF ISRAEL AND ARABIA
Israeli Music
Israeli singers have
a distinctive vocal style. They sing with guttural and throaty enunciation. Two
Divisions of Jewish Music
·
Devotional
o
almost
entirely vocal
o
featured
during Sabbath and other holy days
o
the art
of Hazan (leader of prayer in synagogue) has always been evident in the culture
o
shofar
is a special call to prayer and repentance; it is sounded on the High Holidays
(the Jewish New Year and Day of Atonement)
·
2. Secular
o
instruments
and voice are used
o
played
during life passage events
o
context
lies outside the religious domain
o
very
rhythmic and have popular and romantic texts Pakistan acted as a major
crossroad for various cultures between Central Asia, South Asia, and West Asia.
This paved the way for the similarities of vocal music throughout the region.
03/21/16
Music of west Asia
In general,
the music of West Asia is modal. Harmony is not emphasized but rather includes
salient features such as melodic complexity and ornamentation, including 1⁄4
tones and rigorous rhythmic development. West Asian music is commonly used
during:
·
Communal
worship (in Mosque, Synagogue and Church)
·
Mystic
rituals (Sufis, Hassidic) Life passage events (Weddings, Bar Mitzvas, Bat
Mitzvas, Anniversaries)
·
Entertainment
(Belly Dancing, Folk Dancing)
VOCAL MUSIC OF
ISRAEL AND ARABIA
Israeli Music
Israeli singers have a distinctive vocal style. They sing with guttural and
throaty enunciation. Two Divisions of Jewish Music
·
Devotional
o
almost
entirely vocal
o
featured
during Sabbath and other holy days
o
The art
of Hazan (leader of prayer in synagogue) has always been evident in the culture
o
shofar
is a special call to prayer and repentance; it is sounded on the High Holidays
(the Jewish New Year and Day of Atonement)
·
Secular
o
instruments
and voice are used
o
played
during life passage events context lies outside the religious domain
o
very
rhythmic and have popular and romantic texts Pakistan acted as a major
crossroad for various cultures between Central Asia, South Asia, and West Asia.
This paved the way for the similarities of vocal music throughout the region.
03/07/16
Music of Pakistan
Central Asian music encompasses numerous
different musical styles originating from a large number of sources. Though
Pakistan is part of South Asia, its western part is considered as an extension
of Central Asia. Pakistan is known for its unique vocals. The distinctive
Pakistani sound was formed with multiple influences not only from various parts
of South Asia but it also includes diverse elements from Central Asia, Persia,
Turkey, and the Arab world.
Pakistan is known
for its two vocal styles in singing:
·
Ghazal
o
Traditional
expressions of love, separation, and loneliness;
o
It tells
about both the pain of loss of the lover and the beauty of love in spite of
that pain.
o
Its
structural requirements are more strict than those of most poetic forms
traditionally written in English is considered by many to be one of the
principal poetic forms in the Persian civilization.
o
Can be
sung by both men and women
·
Qawwali
o
The
devotional music of the Chishti Order.
o
A
vibrant musical tradition that stretches back more than 700 years
o
Originally
performed mainly at Sufi shrines throughout the subcontinent and gained
mainstream popularity
Punjabi music strengthens the importance of
musical instruments in Pakistan. Punjab is a region in South Asia which is
divided into West Punjab, Pakistan and East Punjab, India. Bhangra, one of the
most recognized forms of Punjab, is based on the drum rhythm of dhol.
2/22/16
Instrumental Music in India
There are many
musical instruments in India. Some instruments are used primarily in North
Indian music (Hindustani Sangeet) while many other instruments are used in
South Indian music (Carnatic Sangeet). Instrumental music is often similar to
vocal music but sometimes they have distinctive instrumental styles. There are
five known traditional systems for classification of instruments.
Classification of Musical Instruments from India:
- Ghan
o
Described
as a non-membranous percussive instrument but with solid resonators. It is one
of the oldest classes of instrument in India. It may also be a melodic
instrument or instruments to keep tal.
- · Avanaddh
o
Described
as a membranous percussive instrument.
- · Sushir
o
Characterized
by using air to create sounds
- · Vitat
o
A bowed
stringed instrument that didn’t occupy a space in classical Indian instruments
until a few centuries later.
02/01/16
Vocal Music of India
India's classical music tradition includes Carnatic and Hindustani music which have developed over many centuries. Music of India also includes several types of folk and popular music. One aspect of vocal music uses melismatic singing with nasal vocal quality, when compared with the Philippine music which uses melismatic singing is only used in chanting epics and the pasyon. Singing based on a set of pitches was popular even during the Vedic times.
The Samagana style of singing developed into a strong and diverse tradition over several centuries, becoming an established part of contemporary tradition in India. The hymns in Sama Veda, a sacred text, were sung as Samagana and not chanted.
Sama Veda is the third of the four Vedas of Hinduism but ranks next to Rig Veda (Rigveda) in terms of its sanctity and liturgical importance. Rig Veda is also sung in the Samagana traditional singing style.
Because of its liturgical importance, Rigveda is counted as first among the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism known as Vedas. Rig Veda is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns. Some of its verses are still recited as Hindu prayers at religious functions and other occasions.
01/18/16
Instrumental Music of South Asia
02/15/16
Characteristics of Indian Music
Camatic Music
|
Refers to the music from
South India.
|
Directed to a Hindu god, that’s
why it’s called “Temple Music”.
|
|
Unlike Hindustani music,
Carnatic music is unified where schools are based on the same ragas, the same
solo instruments (veena, flute, or violin) and the same rhythm instrument
(mridangam and ghatam).
|
|
Music pieces are mainly set
for the voice and lyrics.
|
|
Hindustani Music
|
Hindustani
music o goes back to Vedic period times around 1000 BC.
|
Further
developed in the 13th and 14th centuries AD with Persian influences and from
existing religious and folk music.
|
|
Predominantly
found in the northern and central regions.
|
|
Influenced
by ancient Hindu musical traditions, historical Vedic religion/Vedic
philosophy, native Indian sounds and enriched by the Persian performance
practices of the Mughal era. Nasal singing is observed in their vocal music.
|
|
In
North India, the most common style of singing is called khyal, a word which
means imagination.
|
Summative Assessment
• Chinese Music is often melodic.
• Erhu is one of the most popular traditional instruments in China.
• Changgo not a Japanese instrument.
• Song-ak Korean music category is often associated with lower class.
• Arirang is classified as a parting song.
• Mo Hi Lua is used in pentatonic melody.
• Shamisan is a counter part of the Kayegum.
• Ryuteki is called the “dragon flute” in Japanese.
• Changgo is the most widely used drum used in the traditional music of Korea. It is available in most kinds, and consists of an hourglass-shaped body with two heads made from animal skin. The two heads produce sounds of different pitch and timbre, which when played together are believed to represent the harmony of man and woman.
12/07/15
Vocal Music of East Asia
· Japan
o The main tone of Japanese music has two modes: The Yo-sen and the In-sen. Both consist of five primary tones based on a scale with seven tones. The two remaining tones are considered as auxiliary tones.
o The ancient melody of Japanese music is commonly based on these modes. However, one melody is not always in one mode alone. The melody of Japanese music is commonly shifts on both modes. They often give emphasis on the second or fourth tone of the mode.
o Japanese Vocal music is quite different from the Western vocal Music, and is based on the intervals of human breathing rather than mathematical timing, and how Japanese musicians show their spiritual self-mastery in mastering his or her instrument more than simply perfecting a technique of some sort and how they give value to their performance and composure.
o Traditional Japanese music is basically meditative in character. Its music and performance are highly ritualized, as is the composure of the musicians when performing it. Japanese chamber music and solo music have a slow meditative pace and use concrete elements, which serve to represent natural sounds and the sounds of life.
o The main tone of Japanese music has two modes: the Yosen and the In-sen. Both consist of five primary tones based on a scale with seven tones. Japanese music has three general types of instruments - percussion instruments
§ (odaiko, tsuzumi, shoko, tsuridaiko, taiko), string instruments (koto, shamisen, biwa), and wind instruments- mostly flutes (shakuhachi, nokan, sho, hichiriki).
o Compared to our music, Japanese music is very simple. They sing melodies in unison and they never repeat the same melody in a song.
· China
o Melody and tone color are prominent expressive features of Chinese music and great emphasis is given to the proper articulation and inflection of each musical tone. Most Chinese music is based on the 5 tone or the pentatonic scale though heptatonic scale is also used.
o Chinese vocal music has traditionally been sung in a thin, non-resonant voice, or in falsetto Chinese vocal music is usually solo rather than choral. All traditional Chinese music is melodic rather than harmonic. Chinese music uses the pentatonic scale as can be heard in the song “Mo Li Hua”. Xiaodiao, or short tunes, are popular music in Chinese urban areas.
· Korean
o Korean music has a slow tempo, giving it a very peaceful and pensive character. Chong-ak has a literal meaning of “music for the noble classes”. Arirang is a Korean folk song used as a symbol of Korea and Korean culture.
o It evokes the feeling of the tears shed by Koreans and the remembrance of sad stories specifically partings. Sog-ak or minsogak is a category of Korean music traditionally associated with the lower classes or for the general public and it is vibrant and energetic. Pansori is a kind of music presented to audiences by skilled vocal singers and drummers.
08.24.15
East Asian Music
Instrumental music in Japan
Traditional music in Japan is actually based on meditative in genre. It's performance is highly ritualized as such in the music of Japanese chambers and solo music. The character of Japanese music is spiritual similar to martial arts and other forms of their art such as the tea ceremony. It is usually about religious festivals, work, dance, and regional songs. Musicians are showing self-mastery in their performance and composure. This is why traditional music is highly ritualized. It's more than perfecting a technique of some sort of providing entertainment. Traditional Japanese music is based on human breathing rather than mathematical timing which is used in the western world. The musicians show the value of their music by showing spiritual self-mastery.
Percussion Instruments
- Odalko(drum):
- An integral part of Japanese Matsuri that involves physical energy and excitement.
- Tsuzumi:
- two drums which is called kotsuzumi, a smaller drum and otsuzumi which is a bigger counterpart. Both of the drums were attached to form an hourglass shape attached by laces which can be adjusted to alter the tone.
- Tsuridaiko -
- a large hanging drum.
- Taiku -
- a Japanese drum that come in various sizes which is used to play in festivals with a variety of genres.
10.05.15
Stringed Instruments
Stringed Instruments
- Koto
- Is a 13-string zither about 2 meters long and made of Paulownia wood. It is plucked using thumb picks and the first two fingers on the right hand. Koto is used in the Gagako ensemble or as a solo instrument.
- Shamisen
- It is a plucked instrument with a construction similar to the guitar or Banjo. It employs a slim neck and strings stretching across a resonating body.
- Biwa
- A Japanese short necked lute, often used in narrative story-telling. Biwa is chosen by the Ichikishima-hime-no-mikoto, the goddess of music, eloquence, poetry and education in Shinto.
10/12/15
Wind Instruments
- Shakuhachi
- The most famous flute made from bamboo. It has a 4 to 5 finger holes and a thumb-hole on the rear face. It was imported from China for the Gagaku.
- Nokan
- A parallel bamboo flutevis the only melodic instrument used in Noh. The melody of the flute as no specific pitch relationship with the melody of chanting.
- Hichirikiri
- A double reed Japanese flute used in the Japanese Gagaku music.
- Sho
- Is a Japanese free-reed musical instrument that was introduced to China in the Nara Period.
- Ryuteki
- The "Dragon Flute" which is a traversed fue made of bamboo. It is used in the Gagaku ensemble.
10/26/15
Music in China
For several thousand years, Chinese culture was dominated by the Chinese philosopher Confucius. He conceived music in the highest sense as a means of calming the passion of unrest rather than a form of amusement. Traditionally, Chinese believed sound influences the harmony of the universe. Significantly, one of the most important duties of an emperor every dynasty. A result of this philosophical orientation, Chinese theoretically opposed music as a form of entertainment.
Chinese Musical Instruments
- Yueqin
- A moon shaped lute with a shorter neck and four strings played with a spectrum.
- Pipa
- A pear shaped lute with 30 frets and four stings.
- Erhu
- A two stringed solo instrument, sometimes used in small ensembles
- Yonlou
- Gongs with varied pitch and thickness. They are hanged at wooden frames to be used in ensembles
- Sheng
- A mounted organ that that looks like a set of panpipes, with 12 to 36 bamboo pipes with brass reeds that help sound notes.
- Dizi
- A traditional flute that gives a characteristic rattle effect when blowing across its mouthpiece.
- Zeng
- A Chinese instrument with an arched surface and with 13 to 21 strings stretched across it.
- Pengling
- Two small bells made of high-in bronze used in ensembles that produce a melodious to tone.
11/23/15
Korea’s folk music tradition, with its generous use of bright rhythms and melodies, offers a more energetic contrast to the nation’s collection of classical music. Folk music represents the sound and soul of Korean tradition with an electric array of forms. Such as, instruments, folk songs, numerous things.
Chong-ak means literally “right music”. And its tradition includes both instrumental and vocal music, which were cultivated to upper class social status. Chong-ak refers to ensemble music for men of high status, outside of the court.
Sog-ak o minsogak is a category of Korean music traditionally associated with lower-public classes. Pansori is a kind of music presented to audiences by skilled vocal singers and drummers. But, even the unskilled could sing these songs at work time.
Korean String Instruments
· Kayagum (gayageum)
o is a traditional Korean zither-like string instrument, with 12 strings, although more recently variants have been constructed with 21 or more numbers of strings. It is probably the best-known traditional Korean musical instrument.
· Geomungo
o A Six-string plucked zither is a traditional Korean stringed musical instrument of the zither family of instruments with both bridges and frets. Scholars believe that the name refers to Goguryeo and translates to “Goguryeo zither” or that it refers to the color and translate to "black crane zither".
· Haegum (two-string vertical fiddle)
o It has a rodlike neck, a hollow wooden soundbox, two silk strings, and is held vertically on the knee of the performer and played with a bow.
Wind Instruments
· Piri
o Used in both the folk and classical (court) music of Korea. It is made of bamboo. Its large reed and cylindrical bore gives it a sound mellower than that of many other types of oboe.
Percussion Instruments
· Changgo
o Is the most widely used drum used in the traditional music of Korea. It is available in most kinds, and consists of an hourglass-shaped body with two heads made from animal skin. The two heads produce sounds of different pitch and timbre, which when played together are believed to represent the harmony of man and woman.
I.Cambodia- Also known as Kampuchea(Kam-poo-chee-ya). It's the center of the Khmer kingdom.
- Vocal- Production of music using the sounds of your voice.
- Instrumental- Production of music using musical instruments.
A. Music and Culture
- Music: Cambodian Court Music- is roughly similar to that of Java, Indonesia.
- Culture: Cambodians adopted Indian, European, Chinese, and other cultures to suit their traditions and tastes that resulted a distinct Cambodian culture.
- Features: The Pinepeat is a Cambodian ensemble that usually accompanies ceremonial music to royal courts and temples.
- The Pinepeat consists of:
05. 04.15
- Samphor(Membranophone: A double-headed drum played by hands.
- Oneat(Iiophone): Xylophone.
- Chhing(Idiophone): Finger Cymbals.
- Skorthom(Membranophone): Similar to Japanese drums.
II. Indonesia- Is an archipelago in southeast Asia comprising about 17,500 islands. Its culture interacts with Indian, Arabic, Chinese and European culture which develops a wide range of musical styles.
Kinds of of Indonesian scales:
Slendro- Pentatonic Equidistant tones in octave.
Peloq- Heptonic tone scale with semi-tone.
Irama- Indonesian term for Tempo
Polyheptonic- Stratification that results interlock.
Interlock- Is common when accompanied by gongs.
Features: The Gamelan
The Gamelan orchestra contains a variety of instruments such as Metallophones, Xylophones, Kendang and Gongs. Their are also singers in the Gamelan like the:
- Pesindhen: is a female soloist singer that is accompanied with the Gamelan.
- Gerong: is a male soloist singer that is accompanied with the Gamelan.
Comprehensive test: 4/24/15
05.11.15
III. Myanmar- was known as Burma until 1989. It's name was was officially changed by the Junta in 1988.
Music: Has similarities with many other musical traditions including Chinese an Thai music. Probably it was because its longest land border is shared with China.
Features:
Hsaing Wang- is Myanmar's traditional folk ensemble, It is made on mainly on different gongs and drums as well as other instruments.
05.11.15
III. Myanmar- was known as Burma until 1989. It's name was was officially changed by the Junta in 1988.
Music: Has similarities with many other musical traditions including Chinese an Thai music. Probably it was because its longest land border is shared with China.
Features:
Hsaing Wang- is Myanmar's traditional folk ensemble, It is made on mainly on different gongs and drums as well as other instruments.
Consists:
Hne: Double reed pipe
Chauk Lon Pat: 8 tuned drums
Pat Waing: a set of 21 drums
Maug Hsaing: Large bronze gongs
Kyi Waing: small bronze gongs
Saind Wa: Bell an Clapper
05.18.15
Malaysia: Is a constitutional monarchy which is divided into two regions:
West Malaysia: Also known as peninsula Malaysia.
East Malaysia: East Malaysia, also known as Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan or Malaysian Borneo, is the part of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo. It consists of the Malaysian states of Sabah, Sarawak, and Federal Territory of Labuan.
Music - Malaysian music is largely based around percussion instruments. It has multicultural influence and its believed to have emerged from foreign culture like Chinese and Indian, Thai and Indonesian.
Other multicultural genres:
West Malaysia: Also known as peninsula Malaysia.
East Malaysia: East Malaysia, also known as Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan or Malaysian Borneo, is the part of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo. It consists of the Malaysian states of Sabah, Sarawak, and Federal Territory of Labuan.
Music - Malaysian music is largely based around percussion instruments. It has multicultural influence and its believed to have emerged from foreign culture like Chinese and Indian, Thai and Indonesian.
Other multicultural genres:
- Malay
- Chinese
- Indian
- Iban
- Dayak
- Kadazandusan
- Eurasians
- Classical Folk Music- Emerged from pre-colonial period and still exists in the form of vocal, dance and theatrical music.
- Syncretic or Acculturated music: Developed during post Portuguese period. It contains both local and foreign music elements like Western and theatrical sources.
05/25/15
Musical instruments from Malaysia are greatly associated with their culture and roots. Due to colonization, the stages of Malaysian instruments are great. There are some common features of Indian musical instruments but due to British colonization, Malaysian music development was greatly influenced by Western music.
Musical Ensembles and Performances in Malaysia:
- Kulintang or Agung: This is a Gong-based musical ensemble commonly used for funerals and weddings. This ensemble is similar to that of the Philippines, Brunei and Indonesia.
- Kertok: Is a musical ensemble that consists of xylophones played swiftly and rhythmically.
- Dirik Barat: Is a type of musical form that is important to Malaysia's National Culture. It's performed by singing groups in a competitive manner usually with percussion instruments or sometimes, no instruments at all.
- Sila't Milayu: Is a form of martial arts similar to Ta'i Chi. It originates from Malay Peninsula since the Christian Era. Sila't Milayu is a mixture of martial arts, dance and music usually accompanied by Gongs, Drums and Indian Oboes.
Thailand:
Also known as Siam Thailand is known for being a sole nation in Southeast Asia that has never been ruled by a Western power. It is for this reason that the country is also called “Muang Thai,” which means “Land of the Free.” History and geography indicates that Thai music is a conglomeration of Asian influences. Its musical principles and elements are basically derived from Chinese music, while its musical instruments are inspired from the Indian and Indonesian strings and 27 gong-chimes. The Thais combined and adapted these to their culture and created their own unique music. Music is theoretically based on the five-tone or seven-tone scale system. It is not only confined to the royal courts but is also used extensively in dance, theatre,and in ceremonies. Thai folk music consists of simple songs with simple melodic lines.Its main focus in singing is the articulation of the text rather than the style or technique of execution.
Songs of Thailand have inherently poetic lyrics which allow a singer or performer to easily define the melodic lines.It provides the singer the opportunity to improvise song text to suit the given occasion.The interpretation of a singer gives meaning to the sacred and spiritual essence of songs with free rhythm while melodies may either be interpreted or written in the high or low register with long or short durations.
Thai Ensembles:
- Piphat
Is a mid-sized orchestra that is performed in either outdoor style with hard mallets or indoor style with padded mallets. This ensemble has different types but the highly ornate one is traditionally associated with funerals and cremation ceremonies. Other versions of the Piphat are used to accompany specific forms of traditional Thai drama such as the large shadow puppet theatre (nang yai) and the khon dance drama.- Khrueang Sai
- It is an orchestra that combines some of the
percussion and wind instruments of the Piphat with an expanded string section. This group is primarily used for
indoor performances and for the accompaniment of stick-puppet theater.
- Mahori– This ensemble is traditionally played by women in the courts of Central Thailand and Cambodia. Because of this, instruments for this ensemble are historically smaller. However, regular-sized instruments are used today. A vocalist performing with the Mahori is usually accompanied by the so sam sai.
This country is an independent state of Southeast Asia and officially known as Lao People’s Democratic Republic. It is formerly part of the Indochinese Union, also known as French Indochina. Wat Pha That Luang, Vientiane is one of its famous landmarks. The classical music and dance of Laos is highly influences by India, Cambodia, and Thailand.Themes are drawn from Hindu mythology, the Buddhist Jataka tales, and local legends. The royal entourage of Lao kings traditionally included musicians, and a typical orchestra improvised songs with sets of tuned gongs, xylophones, a bamboo flute, and other wind instruments.
The Lao orchestra can be divided into two categories:
- Sep Nyai
- This is similar to the Piphat of Thailand with instruments that are strictly percussive but also integrates the use of an oboe.
- Sep Noi
- This is also known as the Mahori of Thailand. However, it incorporates the use of several khene which is a large bamboo mouth organ and is the most popular folk music instrument of Laos.
Vietnam:
- Vietnam is officially known as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It's located on the eastern coast of the Indochinese Peninsula. Vietnamese music refers to the ethnic music that originated from the "Kinh" of Vietnam. The term is also used to address the music of any of the numerous ethnic minorities including the Montagnard, Degar, Tay, Cham, etc... Although Vietnam is geographically part of Southeast Asia,there are ten countries ruled by Chinese and have made the culture much closer to Far East than to its Southeast Asian neighbors. Thus, early music theory was either based upon or adapted to the prevailing Chinese theory, and the majority of instruments used in the royal court were originated by Chinese. On the other hand,other influences can be seen with the ethnic minorities.
06/29/15
Singapore:
- The Republic of Singapore in southeast Asia, comprised of one main island and about fifty adjacent islands at the tip southern Malay Peninsula. There are about three-fourths of the people in Singapore known as Singaporeans and also a significant number of Indian and Malay minorities. Singaporean cultural life reflects its colonization by the British Empire and its diverse population. Being the melting pot of different cultures in Asia, folk music of this country reflects the culture and traditions of specific groups.Through the years, the Singaporean music industry grew having Western-influenced performances by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as well as ethnic music performances mainly by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. Other performing groups with Malay and Indian influence are still prevalent until today.
Laos:
- Lao folk music, known as Lam, is extemporaneous singing accompanied by the Khene. Khene is the the most identified instrument associated with Lao music. A national proverb says that "a person living under a stilted house, eating sticky rice, listening to any music related to Lam or Morlam, and playing the Khene is likely to be Lao or associated with Lao people." Lao classical music use their two types of musical ensembles which are Sep Nyai and Sep Noi. Lao music today comes in a wide variety of styles and from different national origins. Lao and Thai music are extremely similar. You can tell by the appearance of Sep Noi and Sep Nai ensembles to the Thai Saw ou and Saw duang. The similarities of the ensembles is that both have xing(cymbals) like the Thai ching(cymbals), Kong vong(gongs),xylophones(xylophones). The difference of the both ensemble is that Lao ensembles are accompanied by a lot of Khene andthe sep nyai is strictly percussion and oboe.
07/20/15
Indonesian music mostly demonstrate it's cultural diversity by local music creativity. Indonesian music results hundreds of forms of music accompanied by dance and theater as well as subsequent musical influences that helped shape Indonesian musical scenes. Nearly thousands of Indonesian islands have its own musical history, artistry and character. The classical musical identity of Indonesia use percussion instruments such as drums and gongs. They show their distinctive musical instruments such as the sasando string instrument and angklung of Sudanese people. The instruments form a complex ensemble called the Gamelan of Java and Bali it is most popular around Indonesian Regions such as Central Java.
An example of an Indonesian song is "Barung Kakatua" of Bahasa Inonesia. Go to this link to learn how to sing the song.
Burung Kakatua
(Bahasa Indonesia)
Burung kakatua
Hinggap di jendela
Nenek sudah tua
Giginya tinggal dua
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Tredung,
tredung, tredung tra la
la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Burung kakatua
Giginya tinggal dua
Nenek sudah tua
Hinggap di jendela
Seperti kakatua!
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Burung kakatua
(Bahasa Indonesia)
Burung kakatua
Hinggap di jendela
Nenek sudah tua
Giginya tinggal dua
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Tredung,
tredung, tredung tra la
la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Burung kakatua
Giginya tinggal dua
Nenek sudah tua
Hinggap di jendela
Seperti kakatua!
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la
la
Burung kakatua
The Cockatoo
(English)
The cockatoo
Sits on the window sill
My grandmother is already old
And she only has two teeth
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
Tredung,
tredung, tredung tra la la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
Burung kakatua
She only has two teeth left
Grandma is already old
She sits on the the window sill
Like the cockatoo!
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
The cockatoo
(English)
The cockatoo
Sits on the window sill
My grandmother is already old
And she only has two teeth
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
Tredung,
tredung, tredung tra la la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
Burung kakatua
She only has two teeth left
Grandma is already old
She sits on the the window sill
Like the cockatoo!
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
Tredung, tredung, tredung tra la la
The cockatoo
.
07/20/15
The intersection of India and China reflects Thailand's classical music. They also reflect they're historic trade routes which includes Persia, Africa, Ancient Greece and Rome. Thai musical instruments are varied and reflect ancient influence including the Klong thap and Khim (Persian), the Jakhe (Indian origin), the Klong jin (Chinese), and the Klong kaek (Indonesian). Though Thailand was never colonized by colonial powers, pop music and other forms of modern Asian, European and American music have become extremely influential. The two most popular styles of traditional Thai music are Luk thung and Mor lam. Thai particularly has close affinities with the Music of Laos. Its musical principles and elements are basically derived from Chinese music, while its musical instruments are inspired from the Indian and Indonesian strings and 27 gong-chimes. The Thais combined and adapted these to their culture and created their own unique music. Music is theoretically based on the five-tone or seven-tone scale system. It is not only confined to the royal courts but is also used extensively in dance, theatre,and in ceremonies. Thai folk music consists of simple songs with simple melodic lines.Its main focus in singing is the articulation of the text rather than the style or technique of execution. Songs of Thailand have inherently poetic lyrics which allow a singer or performer to easily define the melodic lines. It provides the singer the opportunity to improvise song text to suit the given occasion. The interpretation of a singer gives meaning to the sacred and spiritual essence of songs with free rhythm while melodies may either be interpreted or written in the high or low register with long or short durations. Thai music also consist of ensembles like the Piphat, a mid-sized orchestra that is performed in either outdoor style or indoor style that both styles accompanies Thai theatre. The Khrueang Sai is another example in Thai music, It is an orchestra that combines some of the percussion and wind instruments of the Piphat with an expanded string section. This group is primarily used for indoor performances and for the accompaniment of stick-puppet theater. The Mahori is a Thai ensemble is traditionally played by women in the courts of Central Thailand and Cambodia.
08/03/15
Cambodian music derives back from a mesh of cultural traditions dating back to the ancient Khmer kingdom timelines before Chinese and Indian influences. With the rapid Westernization of popular music, Cambodian music has incorporated elements from music around the world through globalization. Cambodian Art music is highly influenced by ancient forms as well as Hindu forms. Religious dancing, many of which depict stories and ancient myths, are common in Cambodian Culture. Some dances are accompanied by a pinpeat orchestra, which includes:
as Hindu forms. Cambodian court music is roughly similar to that of
Java, Indonesia. They feature choruses with large orchestras based on struck keys and gongs. Cambodian people also absorbed and adopted Indian, Chinese, European, and other cultures to suit their own traditions and tastes that resulted in a distinct Cambodian
culture. The Pinpeat is an example of Cambodian musical ensemble or an orchestra that usually accompanies ceremonial music of the royal courts and temples. Music is always part of their court dances, masked and shadow plays, and religious ceremonies. This group is similar to the Piphat ensemble of Thailand and usually consists of nine to ten instruments.
08/10/15
Traditional music from Burma is melodious, generally without harmony, and usually in 4/4 time or na-yi-se, 2/4 or wa-let-se, 8/16 or wa-let-a-myan. There are "the segments combined into patterns, combined into verses, combined into songs that make Burmese music a multileveled hierarchical system.
Burmanese music Has similarities with many other musical traditions including Chinese an Thai music. Probably it was because its longest land border is shared with China.
One example of their music is Mahagita translated as "great music" in Pali, the Mahagita is an extensive collection of Burmese classical songs, called thachin gyi. The collection is divided into several different types of songs, including the following: kyo, bwe, thachin gan, the oldest repertoires; pat pyo, royal court music; lwan chin, songs of longing; lay dway than gat; myin gin, music that makes horses dance; nat chin, songs used to worship the nat, Burmese spirits; yodaya, music introduced from Ayutthaya, Talaing than, music adapted from the Mon people and bole, songs of sorrow.
07/20/15
The intersection of India and China reflects Thailand's classical music. They also reflect they're historic trade routes which includes Persia, Africa, Ancient Greece and Rome. Thai musical instruments are varied and reflect ancient influence including the Klong thap and Khim (Persian), the Jakhe (Indian origin), the Klong jin (Chinese), and the Klong kaek (Indonesian). Though Thailand was never colonized by colonial powers, pop music and other forms of modern Asian, European and American music have become extremely influential. The two most popular styles of traditional Thai music are Luk thung and Mor lam. Thai particularly has close affinities with the Music of Laos. Its musical principles and elements are basically derived from Chinese music, while its musical instruments are inspired from the Indian and Indonesian strings and 27 gong-chimes. The Thais combined and adapted these to their culture and created their own unique music. Music is theoretically based on the five-tone or seven-tone scale system. It is not only confined to the royal courts but is also used extensively in dance, theatre,and in ceremonies. Thai folk music consists of simple songs with simple melodic lines.Its main focus in singing is the articulation of the text rather than the style or technique of execution. Songs of Thailand have inherently poetic lyrics which allow a singer or performer to easily define the melodic lines. It provides the singer the opportunity to improvise song text to suit the given occasion. The interpretation of a singer gives meaning to the sacred and spiritual essence of songs with free rhythm while melodies may either be interpreted or written in the high or low register with long or short durations. Thai music also consist of ensembles like the Piphat, a mid-sized orchestra that is performed in either outdoor style or indoor style that both styles accompanies Thai theatre. The Khrueang Sai is another example in Thai music, It is an orchestra that combines some of the percussion and wind instruments of the Piphat with an expanded string section. This group is primarily used for indoor performances and for the accompaniment of stick-puppet theater. The Mahori is a Thai ensemble is traditionally played by women in the courts of Central Thailand and Cambodia.
08/03/15
Cambodian music derives back from a mesh of cultural traditions dating back to the ancient Khmer kingdom timelines before Chinese and Indian influences. With the rapid Westernization of popular music, Cambodian music has incorporated elements from music around the world through globalization. Cambodian Art music is highly influenced by ancient forms as well as Hindu forms. Religious dancing, many of which depict stories and ancient myths, are common in Cambodian Culture. Some dances are accompanied by a pinpeat orchestra, which includes:
- Ching (cymbal),
- Roneat (bamboo xylophone)
- Pai au (flute),
- Sralai (oboe)
- Chapey (bass banjo)
- Gong (bronze gong)
- Tro (fiddle)
as Hindu forms. Cambodian court music is roughly similar to that of
Java, Indonesia. They feature choruses with large orchestras based on struck keys and gongs. Cambodian people also absorbed and adopted Indian, Chinese, European, and other cultures to suit their own traditions and tastes that resulted in a distinct Cambodian
culture. The Pinpeat is an example of Cambodian musical ensemble or an orchestra that usually accompanies ceremonial music of the royal courts and temples. Music is always part of their court dances, masked and shadow plays, and religious ceremonies. This group is similar to the Piphat ensemble of Thailand and usually consists of nine to ten instruments.
08/10/15
Traditional music from Burma is melodious, generally without harmony, and usually in 4/4 time or na-yi-se, 2/4 or wa-let-se, 8/16 or wa-let-a-myan. There are "the segments combined into patterns, combined into verses, combined into songs that make Burmese music a multileveled hierarchical system.
Burmanese music Has similarities with many other musical traditions including Chinese an Thai music. Probably it was because its longest land border is shared with China.
One example of their music is Mahagita translated as "great music" in Pali, the Mahagita is an extensive collection of Burmese classical songs, called thachin gyi. The collection is divided into several different types of songs, including the following: kyo, bwe, thachin gan, the oldest repertoires; pat pyo, royal court music; lwan chin, songs of longing; lay dway than gat; myin gin, music that makes horses dance; nat chin, songs used to worship the nat, Burmese spirits; yodaya, music introduced from Ayutthaya, Talaing than, music adapted from the Mon people and bole, songs of sorrow.
