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Blog #5 World Music

World music is a very wide ranging and varied music category purporting to encompass music from the 1980s onwards that combines traditional, ethnic styles and genres with modern folk.

Some of its sub genres are World Fusion, Global Fusion, Ethnic Fusion and Worldbeat.

As a result of globalisation and technology there has been an enormous cross pollination of ideas and styles and exchanges of ideas amongst musicians worldwide that has led to this synthesis and merging of the old, traditional styles and forms with the emerging new modern styles , forms and instrumentation.

Many of the now popular World music artists first showcased at WOMAD, which is the World Festival of Music , Arts and Dance, a festival that offers an incredibly eclectic mix of world music.

Whirl-Y-Reel 1

Genre: World Music (1980’s to present day)

Title: Whirl Y Reel 1 (click link to play on YouTube)

Composer / Artist: Afro Celt Sound System (1995 to present day)

Afro Celt Sound System is a musical group who fuse electronic music with traditional Irish and West African music. Afro Celt Sound System was formed in 1995 by producer-guitarist Simon Emmerson, and feature a wide range of guest artists. In 2003 they temporarily changed their name to Afrocelts before reverting to their original name. As Celtic music was a major influence on Minstrel and Folk and Country music and African music a major influence on Blues and Jazz into Rock this fusion brings together traditions that had been kept apart for generations and is truly world music in its truest meaning.

Mood Vibrant and Lively

Texture Heterophonic with Multiple layers of percussion and melodic instruments

Dynamics Reasonably consistent with a couple of drops into percussion breaks

Timbre rich and varied. Rhythmic. Bright, melodic and resonant

Instrumentation/use of Technology

Doudouk, Kora, Guitar, Harp, Flute, Whistle, Uilleann Pipes, Mandolin, Fiddle,Talking Drum, Bodhran,Programmed Loops on Keyboards, synthesised drums. The unique feature of this track is the use of an electronic dance track running throughout as a the groove and so technology is the glue binding the old and the new.

Melody Short scale driven Reel fragments for an instrumental style melody

Time Signature 4/4

Tempo 132 BPM A sixteen beat rhythm with strong beat marking at a fast tempo and extensive syncopation

Tonality D Major

Structure Multi Sectional. A reel melody is heard twice both preceded and followed by a variety of instruments playing melodic fragments.

Notation

Orinoco Flow (released 1988)

Genre: World Music (1980’s - present day)

Title: Orinoco Flow (click link to play on YouTube)

Composer / Artists: Enya (1958 to present day)

Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin (anglicised as Enya Patricia Brennan; born 17 May 1961), known as Enya, is an Irish singer, songwriter, musician and producer. Born into a musical family and raised in the Irish speaking area of Gweedore in County Donegal, Enya began her music career when she joined her family's Celtic band Clannad in 1980 on keyboards and backing vocals. She left in 1982 with their manager and producer Nicky Ryan to pursue a solo career, with Ryan's wife Roma Ryan as her lyricist. Enya developed her distinct sound over the following four years with multi-tracked vocals and keyboards with elements of new age, Celtic, classical, church, and folk music. She has sung in ten languages.

The last track written for the album "Watermark" it was the first track to be released, and was a huge success. “Orinoco Flow” reflected the feeling of that time for Enya and the Ryans – a sense of a new beginning and adventure.

Mood Haunting, evocative, positive and uplifting

Texture Polyphonic

Dynamics fairly consistent throughout, but with a drop into the bridge and then a low range vocal fade out at finish

Timbre heavy emphasis on multi tracked vocals and synth strings and pads. Syncopated synth arpeggios lend strong rippling effect. Nice counterpoint with use of vocals versus strings

Instrumentation/use of Technology

Synthesiser(Multiple), Guitar, Percussion, Bass, Vocals. Heavy use of Digital technology to multi track and overdub the vocals

Melody Staccato utterance in verses offset by repetitive use of Sail Away vocal line and pizzacato strings effect. Effective layering.

Time Signature 4/4

Tempo 115 BPM

Tonality Key of G Major

Structure Classic A:B but nice drop into the bridge

Notation

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blogelstifitoworld · 7 years ago

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Blog #4 Rock n Roll :

Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll or rock 'n' roll) is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, from African American musical styles such as gospel, jump blues, jazz, boogie woogie, and rhythm and blues, along with country music.While elements of rock and roll can be heard in blues records from the 1920s and in country records of the 1930s, the genre did not acquire its name until 1954.

Beyond simply a musical style, rock and roll, as seen in movies and on television, influenced lifestyles, fashion, attitudes, and language. In addition, rock and roll may have contributed to the civil rights movement because both African-American and white American teens enjoyed the music. It went on to spawn various genres, often without the initially characteristic backbeat, that are now more commonly called simply "rock music" or "rock".

My Ding a Ling

Genre: Rock n Roll (1940 to present day)

Title: My Ding a Ling (click link to play on YouTube)

Composer / Artist: Chuck Berry (1926 to 2017)

Chuck Berry was one of the most influential rock 'n' roll performers in music history. Born on October 18, 1926, in St. Louis, Missouri, Chuck Berry had early exposure to music at school and church. As a teen, he was sent to prison for three years for armed robbery. He began producing hits in the 1950s, including 1958's "Johnny B. Goode," and had his first (and only) No. 1 hit in 1972 with "My Ding-a-Ling." With his clever lyrics and distinctive sounds, Berry became one of the most influential figures in the history of rock music. Berry died on March 18, 2017 at the age of 90. Berry was extremely mathematical and came up with his own system of notating music using numbers instead of letters.

While many rock scholars dismiss this particular song as a senseless novelty ditty, Berry is quite proud of the song. He told Rolling Stone magazine in 2010 that he wanted to be a comedian at one point and enjoys getting a laugh.

He said originally the song was about a ring sliding onto a finger as a metaphor for sex but he toned it down and recorded it as ‘Little Girl Sing Ting-A-Ling’ in 1968 but eventually in 1972 he turned it into ‘My Ding-A-Ling’ and earned a check for $200,000.

Mood Playful, Fun and Entertaining

Texture Polyphonic

Dynamics Fairly Consistent throughout but rising for the chorus

Timbre Main emphasis on Vocal line

Instrumentation/use of Technology

Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Percussion

Melody Simple repetition of Verse and Chorus

Time Signature 4/4

Tempo 128 BPM

Tonality Key of Eb major with 3 main chords Eb Ab Bb and an Eb7

Structure A: B: Verse Chorus repeated and extended chorus to finish

Ⅰ Ⅳ Ⅴ Ⅰ(Ⅰb7) Ⅰ Ⅳ Ⅴ Ⅰ

Notation

G Bb Bb Ab Ab C C C Eb D D D C D D C Bb Bb Bb

G Bb Bb Bb Ab Ab C Eb D D D C D F Eb Eb Eb Eb (Bb)

Good Golly Miss Molly

Genre: Rock n Roll (1940 - present day)

Title: Good Golly Miss Molly (click link to play on YouTube)

Composer / Artist: Little Richard (1928 - 2008)

Known for his flamboyant performances, Little Richard's hit songs from the mid-1950s were defining moments in the development of rock ‘n’ roll. Born Richard Wayne Penniman on December 5, 1932, in Macon, Georgia, Little Richard helped define the early rock ‘n’ roll era of the 1950s with his driving, flamboyant sound. With his croons, wails and screams, he turned songs like “Tutti-Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally” into huge hits and influenced such bands as the Beatles.

“Good Golly Miss Molly” mesmerized the world in 1958. It isn’t known whether the thrill of it will ever stop, but after all these years there has been no sign of abatement. Why? Why is this song about a girl out to have a good time so organically pleasing? It is because of the way it puts together the opposites of freedom and order, explosiveness and definition.

Mood Happy and Upbeat

Texture Homophonic

Dynamics constantly rising and falling and multiple crescendos. One of the greatest screams in Rock n Roll history.

Timbre Wide range of vocals and instrumentation especially driving keyboards

Instrumentation/use of Technology

Vocals, Piano, Guitar, Bass,saxophone, Percussion

Melody driving repetitive simple melody

Time Signature 4/4

Tempo fast and Upbeat with a BPM of 165

Tonality Key of F Major

Structure A breathless opening, Little Richard’s piano just takes off out of nowhere with three quick ascending chords that are at once wildly impulsive and terrifically precise–the third chord landing on the down beat. And as soon as that downbeat is hit, the whole band takes off—pulsing out a backbeat like nobody’s business. The drummer keeps a steady tempo accenting the 2nd and 4th beats, while other instruments play what is now a standard rock and roll figure—tonic-tonic, 3rd-3rd, 5th-5th, 6th-5th—- and the whole thing just barrels ahead with churning intensity while keeping always to that very definite structure.

Notation

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blogelstifitoworld · 7 years ago

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Blog #3 Jazz Music :

The genre of music called Jazz originated in the United States African American communities in New Orleans with its roots coming from Blues and Ragtime.

A period called the Jazz Age in the 1920’s firmly established Jazz as a strong musical tradition in its own right, many believing Jazz to be American music.

Jazz is characterised by Swing, Blues Notes, Call and Response vocals, Polyrhythms and Improvisation.

As Jazz has developed globally it has drawn on national, regional and local musical cultures and ethnic influences.

Today we have Modal Jazz, Free Jazz, Afro Cuban Jazz, Latin Jazz, Jazz Rock Fusion, Smooth Jazz just to name but a few of the variety of sub genres of Jazz.

What a Wonderful World

Genre: Jazz (1910 to present day)

Title: What a Wonderful World (click link and select open to play on YouTube)

Composer / Artist: Louis Armstrong (1901 to 1971) nicknamed Satchmo, Satch, and Pops, was an American trumpeter, composer, singer and occasional actor who was one of the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades, from the 1920s to the 1960s, and different eras in the history of jazz. In 2017, he was inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

‘What a Wonderful World’ was written in 1968 during the time of the Vietnam War. Performed in the genre of jazz, it was written and composed to try and bring hope to the millions of victims suffering the effects of the war.

Mood Uplifting and Optimistic, Positive and Rejuvenating.

Texture Polyphonic. But gentle and peaceful through the combination

Of the lyrics, tempo, and timbre of his voice and melody

Dynamics Consistently even, no big surges or drops

Timbre rich, his voice adding an unique gravelly tone and somehow making the lyrics and message more believable.

Instrumentation/use of Technology

Voice, bass, percussion, keyboards, guitar, and Flute

Melody Uplifting and touches ones soul with the emphasis on all the

Beautiful things life has to offer. It is very simple as each verse repeats itself.

Time Signature 4/4

Tempo Even throughout (approximately 75 BPM)

Tonality F Major (F, G, A, A#, C, D, E)

Structure A: B: Classic

Notation

Take the A Train

Genre: Jazz (1910 - present day)

Title: Take the A Train (click link to play on YouTube)

Composer / Artist: Duke Ellington (1899 - 1974) Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and bandleader of a jazz orchestra, which he led from 1923 until his death in a career spanning over fifty years. Born in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based in New York City from the mid-1920s onward, He started piano lessons at 7 and at 18 formed his first Band.

This piece ‘Take the A Train’ was released in 1941 and as well as becoming his and his bands signature tune was an enormously successful hit over many years.

Mood Very Jazzy with interspersed solos for piano, bass, brass and guitar (depending on which version you listen to)

Texture Polyphonic. The instruments are organised in sections with call and response, a typical Jazz characteristic. Main three groups are Saxophones, Trumpets and Trombones, with mute effects on the trumpets and trombones.

Dynamics constantly rising and falling and multiple crescendos achieved

through big brass hits and drum crashes and vocal solos.

Timbre Wide range achieved through the repetition of the AABA structure over the varying groups of instruments interspersed with individual solsos.

Instrumentation/use of Technology

Trumpet, Trombone, Drums, Saxophone, Bass, Piano & Guitar and vocals. This piece has also been covered by numerous well known Jazz artists like Dave Brubeck and Diana Krall.

Melody Mainly the melody notes are within the Triad of the chord of the moment but the movement is leaps to the 4th with some brief chromatic passages.

Ellington borrowed scale concepts from the French impressionists of the late 19th century and he was fond of both a symmetrical diminished scale (1 2 b3 4 5 b6 6 7) and the whole tone scale (1 2 3 #4 #5 b7) . Most of his arrangements for Take the A Train are built around the whole tone scale.

Time Signature 4/4

Tempo Considered up tempo the tune and its harmonic structure actually move quite slowly. Many sustained notes over chords held up to two bars. But at the end of each A section there is a burst of rapid chromaticism.

Tonality Key of C Major in original recording with a temporary shift to both

F Major and D Major during the Bridge. The beauty of big band voicings is there are many ways to add notes to the chord without destroying the basic chord sound. An example would be voicing B C E F# and it would sound like a D7. Not a mad complicated chord symbol trying to notate inversions and tensions etc.

Duke knew this well and so they did not try to name what they were doing with a convoluted chord scale system and symbols.

Structure A A B A (repeated three times)

Notation

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blogelstifitoworld · 7 years ago

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Blog #1 Renaissance Music :

A period in music generally agreed to be from 1400 to 1600

Music was an essential part of civic, religious and courtly life in the Renaissance. The rich interchange of ideas in Europe, as well as political, economic and religious events in the period 1400 to 1600 led to major changes in styles of composing, methods of disseminating music, new musical genres and the development of musical instruments.

The most important music of the early Renaissance was composed for use by the church. Polyphonic (several simultaneous melodies) masses and motets in Latin for important churches and court chapels. By the end of the sixteenth century patronage had broadened to include the Catholic Church, protestant churches and courts, wealthy amateurs and music printing. All these were sources of income for musical composers.

Three main types of musical pieces popular during this period were

Motet, a mainly vocal piece,

Chanson, a lyrically driven piece, typically from France

Madrigals, Voice only and through composed.

The development of the printing press in 1440 facilitated a much wider dissemination of music across europe and amongst varying types of musicians.

The main instrument during this period used was the lute however the pieces I have selected are keyboard based typically played on the harpsichord, though originally scored for the organ. They are madrigal in style but using the keyboard as opposed to voice.

Duuiensela

Genre: Renaissance Period (1400 - 1600)

Title: Duuiensela (click link and select open to play on YouTube)

Composer / Artist: Antonio de Cabezon (1510-1566) / Claudio Astronio performs

Mood Reverential, as with most music of this period written for church service.

Texture Polyphonic

Dynamics Consistent with start of bar emphasis and remains constant throughout

Timbre Light, Melodic

Instrumentation/use of Technology

In this piece there is just the Harpsicord

Melody Scale driven and stepwise

Time Signature 4/4

Tempo Moderato

Tonality Key of F Major, ascending and descending melodies

Structure Through Composed

Notation Bars 1 to 20

Du Tout Plongiet - Fors Seulement

Genre: Renaissance Period (1400 - 1600)

Title: Du Tout Plongiet (click link to play on YouTube)

Composer / Artist: Antoine Brumel (1460 - 1512) Antoine Brumel was a French composer. He was one of the first renowned French members of the Franco-Flemish school of the Renaissance, and, after Josquin des Prez, was one of the most influential composers of his generation.

Mood Dark and Sombre

Texture Polyphonic up to four voices

Dynamics Fairly even throughout

Timbre Deep and Resonant voices

Instrumentation/use of Technology

Vocal / voice driven. Use of Tenor as Cantus Firmus and then Baritone for the Superius

Melody Scale driven and stepwise

Time Signature 4/8

Tempo Moderato

Tonality Key of G Major, Dorian Mode

Structure Through Composed

Notation (in Bb major or G minor)

Lyrics translation in English :

Plunged deep in the lake of despair,

I can neither expect nor hope

ever to enjoy Fortune's gifts.

But if I have the opportunity,

I shall endeavour to enjoy some.

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blogelstifitoworld · 7 years ago

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Blog#2 Barogue Music :

A period in classical music generally agreed to be from 1600 to 1750

The Barogue period immediately followed the Renaissance period and was characterized by an increase in the size, range and complexity of the instrumentation and composition within musical pieces.

One significant development was in Tonality or the composition of a piece in a specific Key.

Also the musical compositions were more dense with polyphony becoming more popular incorporating multiple independent melody lines and figured bass allowing improvisation by the various instrumentalists.

Barogue music established the mixed vocal / instrumental forms of Opera, Cantata and Oratorio and musical terms such as Toccata, Fugue and Concerto Grosso are still in use today.

Air on the G String

Genre: Barogue Period (1600 - 1750)

Title: Air on the G String (click link and select Open to play on YouTube)

Composer / Artist: Johann Sebastian Bach

The work now known as Air on a G String is an arrangement for the violin from the Air of Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3, (originally written by Bach for his patron Prince Leopold of Anhalt around 1715). German violinist August Wilhelmj changed the key to C major and transposed the melody down an octave so he could play the whole piece on the G string of his violin.

Procol Harum also borrowed some of the chordal element for their huge success Whiter Shade of Pale. (Click on link to Listen to YouTube version)

Mood Richly entrancing and captivatingly beautiful

Both poignant and uplifting at the same time.

Texture Polyphonic

Dynamics Not a wide range of dynamics

Timbre Light and dark, Melodic but strong driving bassline

Instrumentation/use of Technology

Violin ,Cello , Viola, Double-Bass

Melody in Key of C major (Original Suite in D Major)

Time Signature 2/4

Tempo Moderato

Tonality Could be described as turbulent as the bass shifts bar by bar and the use of accidentals in the melody line implies key changes. This Is called chromaticism or the use of notes not directly related to the diatonic scale of the piece.

Structure Binary , i.e. Two Parts A Bars 1-16: B Bars 7-18

Notation