Worlds of Music
with Mark H Wilson
m-f 11:30 to 12:20
email mawilson@bcc.ctc.edu
or www.mhilliardwilson.com
An Introduction to the Music
of the World's Peoples
MUSIC 117 World Music Cultures • 5 CR
Introduces traditional and popular music from around the world. Through lecture,
discussion, assignments, and attending world music concerts, students explore music
styles and concepts and the ways in which music functions as part of society in cultures
throughout the world. College level reading and writing recommended.
Exams and Quizzes
You will have three short papers due, One is the above Musical Autobiography and the
others are two reviews of concerts I have asked you to attend.
At the end of every other week you will have a short quiz where I will ask you to identify
the music we have studied and then write a paragraph or two about the musical example.
Attendance and Participation
Attendance will constitute a very important part of your evaluation. The second most
important part will be your bi-weekly quizzes. The third part of your grade will be your
reviews and Musical Autobiographies.
Grading Guidelines
Autobiography (20%); 2 performance review (20%); 6 listening quizzes
(30%); ; attendance and participation in class (30%).
Professor Andrew Weintraub, of the University of Pittsburg, has established a platform
for the inquiry that I do not feel I can improve upon. So I have quoted his approach and
ask you to take his lead in discovery the music you have experienced and are about to.
“Musical Autobiography
This writing assignment is an account of your musical enculturation --defined in your
textbook (p. 76) as "the process of learning one's culture gradually during childhood"-taking into account both formal and informal musical activities (c. 3 pages, doublespaced and typed). Consider the following broad questions: do you think music plays a
part in determining who you are, what you know about the world, and the way you live
your life?
The format for this assignment is flexible, but you must consider the following: Where
and when were you born and raised? Where are the people who raised you from? What
kinds of music do you remember listening to or playing when you were growing up?
What kinds of music do you like and why? Who are your favorite artists/groups and why?
When and where do you listen to music? How have your musical tastes changed over
time, from your earliest musical memories to the present? What, in your opinion,
distinguishes good music from bad music? If you play music, discuss your training and
influences.
Reports must be typed on white (or light) paper using standard typeface (please, no script
or fancy typeface). Use one-inch margins around the text. The quality of written
communication is part of the evaluation for each writing assignment. Your essays must be
carefully edited for typos and grammatical errors; they should appear clean and neat. If
your paper does not conform to these specifications, it will be considered unfinished and
returned to you without a grade.”
Week 1
Introduction to course,
First Chapter
a. What is the language of Music
b. Time, Geography, and Friends and Family; contexts for observing cultures.
c. Lenses and prisms; who are you and how do you hear things. First assignment;
Musical Autobiography Due Monday
See attachment A
d. Reading assignment. pages 1-14 of Worlds of Music J. T. Tilton
First Chapter
a. Quick review of previous days points
b. Affect, Performance, Community, and History
c. 4 Components of Music-Culture
d. Reading assignment. Pages 15- 24 Starting with A Music-Culture Model: Affect,
Performance, Community and History.
First Chapter
a. Quick review
b. Activities Involving Music, repertoires of music, Material Culture of Music.
c. Ecological Worlds of Music
d. Reading assignment 24-32
a. Review of Key Points of the week
b. Preview of Music of Africa, Asia, Latin America, North American Navajo & Bosnia
c. Similarities and Dissimilarities
d. reading assignment pages 87-113 Music of Africa listening CD 1/15 “Agbekor” CD
1/16 Demonstration of elements CD 1/17 'Lambango'
a. Generalizations about African Music-Culture
b. Divisions of Africa and characteristics of these regions
c. Music and Dance of the EWE People; Musical analysis:toward participation
d. reading assignment pages 113-127 listening CD 1/18 “Ferocious Wild Bull”
a. review of Postal worker's song and and characteristics noted in the EWE pieces
b. Mande Jaliya.
c. Historical and Social Background, Music-Culture, Elements of performance
Lambango
d. reading assignment pages 127-142 listening CD 1/19 “Cutting Branches for Shelter”
CD 1/20 “Be Ashamed” CD 1/21 “Makala”
a. review Jaliya and Drummer of Dagbon
b. Shona Mbira music
c. BaKa singing
a. Review of listening to Agbekor, Jaliya, Mbira music, a Mbo and the drummer of
Dagbon
b. Review analysis
c. Summery
a. Performance and interview with Kora player Kane Mathis
b. North America/Black America reading assigment pages 151-168
Music of Worship, Music of Work
First concert opportunity
Gamelan
Gamelan Pacifica: Celebrating 25 Years of Gamelan in Seattle
April 6-7, 8 pm
PONCHO Concert Hall at Kerry Hall, 710 East Roy Street, Seattle
Tickets: $15 general; $7.50 students, alumni and seniors
For tickets contact Ticket Window at (206) 325.6500, www.ticketwindowonline.com or at Ticket
Window box offices located at Pacific Place, Broadway Market, Pike Place Market, Bellevue’s
Meydenbauer Center
About the Performance
Gamelan Pacifica, under the direction of Jarrad Powell, celebrates a 25-year history of gamelan
music in Seattle. Begun in 1980 at Cornish through an instrument building workshop, it became of
full-fledged independent ensemble and non-profit arts organization a couple of years later. A
special feature of the concert will be the premiere of several new works commissioned specifically
for the occasion with funding provided by the Paul Allen Family Foundation. The music will include
innovative new works for Javanese gamelan, a new work for an experimental set of Balinese-style
instruments built recently in Seattle under the direction of I Wayan Sinti, a Balinese inspired piece
for two marimbas, and much more. Special guest performers will include Sutrisno Hartana,
Wayne Vitali and members of Sekar Jaya from the Bay Area, and Padma Sari, the new Balinese
influenced gamelan group established by I Wayan Sinti. Also on the program will be premieres of
two new pieces by the young Seattle composers Stephen Fandrich and Jessika Kenney.
Performance Review
A descriptive and critical review of two concert performances. All students must attend
and write a review of two of the four performances you are required to see. The review
should mention the date and location of the presentation, instruments used, repertoire
played, a description of the audience, and kinds of interaction with the audience. It is very
important to relate your description and observations to topics discussed in class. Your
impressions and evaluative comments are also important.
a. Lenses and Prisms; how we live and express ourselves
b. Music of Worship; Amazing Grace CD 1 22 &23
c. Music of Work; CD 1 24 field Holler & “Rosie” CD 2 1
d. assigned reading Music of Play part 1 pages 168- 184
01/ 17 Tuesday
a. Music of Play; Blues, Blues and the truth
b. Autobiography and the blues
c. CD 2 2 “Poor Boy Blues” CD2 3 “She got me walkin”
d. reading assignment pages 184-206
a. Meaning of the Blues
b. Blues yesterday and today
c. CD 2 4 “I need a $100” CD 2 5 “Kokomo Blues” CD 2 6 “From Dark till Dawn”
CD 2 7 “You don't Love me” CD 2 8 “Ain't Enough Comin in”
a. Blues and the Abstract Truth; assimilation, permutation and transformation
b. Ali Farka Toure, the blues and Mali.
c. A short listening quiz over the blues and music of Africa.
a. review of previous week
b. watch Great American Masters of Finger Picken Guitar by Stefan Grossman
c. Reading assignment Music of India 243-250 listening CD 2/20 Engal Kalyanam “our
wedding”
a. History Culture and Politics
b. Many Musics
c. CD 2/20 Engal Kalyanam “our wedding”
d. reading 251-255
a. analysis of “our wedding” Humor? Masculinity-femininity
b. preparation for “Devi Niye Tunai”
c. CD 2/21 “Devi Niye Tunai”
d. reading 255- 263 Karnatika Sangeeta: the classical music of South India;
the sound world; the Raga
a. analysis of “Devi Niye Tunai” singing style
b. in class listening to CD 2/21 “Devi Niye Tunai”
c. preparation for CD 3/1 “Sarasiruha”
d. 264 -268 rhythm; tala, the drummer's art, Carnatic classical performance.
a. a look at “Sarasiruha”
b. Alpana, Kriti, Tanam, Kalpana Svaras
c. in class listening to “Sarasiruha”
d. pages 269-275
Hindustani Music; Northern Indian Classical Music
next up Music of Central Asia
a. Uzbekistan
b. Kazakstan
c. Turkmenistan
a. Kyrgzikstan
b. Tadjikistan
a. Pakistan
b. Afghanistan
c. Uigher (NW China-Xinjiang)
a. short quiz on Music of India and Africa and the Blues
b. Mongolia
c. Tuuvan Throat singing
part 1 of Tuuvan Blues
a. part 2 of Tuuvan Blues
b. reading assignment pages 279- 312
Required Concert
T.B.A
a. What is a Gamelan
b. History of Gamelan; Colin McPhee
c. Regional orchestras Balinese, Javanese, Sumatran
d. Discuss pages 271-290 i.e tuning, Gamelan identity, listening assignment CD 3/2
Burbaran “kembang pacar” CD 3/3 Demonstration of Burbaran “kembang pacar”
CD 3/ 4 Ladrang “”Wilujeng”
a. discuss and analyze listening assignment CD 3/2 Burbaran “kembang pacar” CD 3/3
Demonstration of Burbaran “kembang pacar” CD 3/ 4 Ladrang “”Wilujeng”
b. discuss pages 290-305 fiffernece between Western notion of a classical piece and
Javanese, stucture, scales, rhythm.
c. listening assignment CD 3/5 3/6 and 3/7 Playon version one and version two, Kosalia
Arini amd Gendang keteng-keteng, consider the contrast between Javanese and
Balinese styles. What is the most popular style in Bali? When did it develop?
a. Discuss pages 306- 319
b. reading assignment pages 319-327
c. CD 3/9 Begadang “staying up all night” CD 3/10 Shuffledang-Shuffledang CD 3/11
“Distortion”
a. Indonesian Guitar
b. popular music
c. CD 3/9 Begadang “staying up all night” CD 3/10 Shuffledang-Shuffledang CD 3/11
“Distortion”
a. up next Music of Central Europe
c listening CD 2/9 “Come little Rain” CD 2/10 “Sisters Hold on to Your Chastity” CD
2/11 “What lifts the Heart of a rascal?” CD 2/12 “O sargija” CD 2/13 “That which
trembles” reading pages 214-225
a. Culture, History and Politics
b. musical characteristics
c. CD 2/9 “Come little Rain” CD 2/10 “Sisters Hold on to Your Chastity” CD 2/11 “What
lifts the Heart of a rascal?” CD 2/12 “O sargija” CD 2/13 “That which trembles”
d. reading 225-232 listening CD 2/14 “Last Stop Brcko” and CD 2/15 Break of day
a. Popular Music styles
b. Sephardic music
c. CD 2/16 “Sisters hold on to your chastity part 2 2000” CD 2/17 “What do you love
best you little devil” CD 2/18 “Is Sarajevo still where it was? CD 2/19 Hristanova
kopanitsa.
a. Difference in culture after the war
b. Reflection in Music
c. Bulgaria
a. Short Quiz over all of the previous music.
b. Central European Sampler
c. Hungary
d. Georgia
a. Summery
b. Music of Latin America
c. Listening assignment CD 4/7 Pajarillo (Joropo) CD CD 4/8 “El lazo” CD 4/9
“Kutirimunapaq”
d. Reading assignment pages 385-400
a. Culture, History, Politics Of Western Latin America; An Overview of Venezuela,
Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile
b. rhythm, meter, and songwriting in CD 4/7 Pajarillo (Joropo) CD CD 4/8 “El lazo” CD
4/9 “Kutirimunapaq”
c. listening assignment CD 4/10 “Cascaron” CD 4/11 “Rosa Maria's house is a burning”
CD 4/12 Sanjuan “iluman tiyu”
d. Reading assignment pages 400-420
a. Discuss listening and reading
b. listening assignment CD 4/13 “Impossible love” CD 4/14 Vacacion CD 4/15
Ecuadoran lament
c. Reading assignment pages 420- 432
a. Discuss listening and reading
b. listening assignment CD 4/16 “reddish bull” CD 4/17 “Let's Go To Manabi”
c. Reading assignment pages 432-441
a. Discuss listening and reading
b. Career Dilemma of Don Cesar Muquinche
a. Guest speaker
b. Music of North America Native Americans
c.listening CD 1/6 Yeibichi CD 1/7 Folsom Prison Blues
rd. eading 46-54
a. Music of the Navajo
b. discuss listening CD 1/6 Yeibichi CD 1/7 Folsom Prison Blues
c. discuss reading 46-54
d. listening CD 1/8 Shizhanee CD 1/9
c reading Traditional Popular Music pages 54- 60
a. music of the Navajo
b. discuss listening CD 1/8 Shizhanee CD 1/9
c discuss reading Traditional Popular Music pages 54- 60
d. listening CD 1/10 CD 1/11 CD 1/12 CD 1/13 CD 1/14
e. reading “classical music” of Navajos pages 60-64 and 71-73 and 76-82
a. Music of the Navajo
b discuss listening CD 1/10 CD 1/11 CD 1/12 CD 1/13 CD 1/14
e. reading “classical music” of Navajos pages 60-64 and 71-73 and 76-82
Short quiz over all of the music we've studied
assigned reading 331-338
assigned listening CD 4/1 Nesting Cranes CD 4/2 A white Fan
a. Listening habits of Contemporary Japanese and General characteristics of Japanese
music
b. discuss listening CD 4/1 Nesting Cranes CD 4/2 A white Fan
c. assigned listening CD 4/3 Song of Nikata CD 4/4 Yatai
d. assigned reading 338- 344
a. Shakuhachi and Konta and Shamisen
b. describe scales and structure
c. assigned reading 344-352
d. assigned listening CD 4/6 Crying Nagasaki
a. Minyo and Gidaya-bushi
b. discuss music
popular music
Quiz over Japanese and Native American music
REVIEW ENTIRE COURSE
Week 12 FINAL or research paper due
concert calander at Hidmo
April 1 - Atlantic Melody
High-energy pop music of Guinea, with a group brought to you by Edward Sourarez
(Guinea), featuring Abdoullaye Diabate (Guinea) on guitar and others
April 8 - Leif Totusek & Friends
Spirited high-life and other Afro-pop from guitar master Leif Totusek. Don't miss this
show. Leif has toured with some of the best African musicians in the world because he
has a true feel for African guitar styles. www.leiftotusek.com
April 15 - Amadanyo
Amadanyo is a young vocalist from Nigeria, who brings some fresh sounds to the
HIDMO. You want dance energy? You'll get it with Amadanyo. http://amadanyo.com
April 22 - Omo Alagba
Exploring the linkages between Afro-Cuban genres and their African roots, Omo Alagba
features Arturo Rodriguez. Their first show at HIDMO was a big hit. Join us for a night
of the sacred rhythms of bata.
April 29 - Kane Mathis and Sahel
A new electric band that dwells somewhere between the village Kora style and the
dancehall. Traditional and original Kora tunes are backed by an electric ensemble that
draws from traditional drum patterns and breaks from Senegal, Mali, The Gambia, and
Guinea. http://www.kairarecords.com/kane/
Sunday Nights at Hidmo
Various Artists
Sunday evenings
8-10 pm
FREE (donations welcome)
HIDMO Eritrean Restaurant
2000 S. Jackson St.
206-329-1534