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Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Listen to recorded music and differentiate the musical traditions of
broad regions of the world and specific cultures, as well as identify the
the cross-fertilization or interconnectedness between these regions and
cultures as evidenced in their musics.
2. Show the interdependence of the diverse musics of the world and be
able to deduce and analyze basic elements of cultural diffusion
apparent in the music (e.g., meters, modes, instrumentation, vocal styles,
etc.) that clearly display the interconnectedness of various cultures
revealed in their musical commonalities.
3. Analyze basic categories of instrumentation (membranophone,
mettallophone, etc.) and accurately categorize the instruments in a given
musical selection, as well as develop a working knowledge of several of
the most common instruments in a given culture.
4. Examine the influence of various world music traditions in modern
American popular music (beyond the obvious and frivolous synthesized
"sampling" of world music recordings in pop tunes), as well as the
influence of non-Western popular music on other non-Western cultures.
5. Demonstrate a knowledge of musics of other cultures and recognize
the concerns of non-Western musicians whose cultures have been impacted
by imperialism.
6. Evaluate and recognize ethnocentric views of music (e.g. Western
music is "superior"; "primitive" music is just wailing, noise, etc.).
7. Evaluate underpinnings revealed in varied cultures; underpinnings
revealed through music, such as religion, mythology, folklore, attitudes
toward love, romance, and family, sense of humor and lyricism.
8. Evaluate the connections between traditional musical styles and
popular music, such as the influence of mbira (thumb piano) music in
Zimbabwe on the unique guitar stylings found in Zimbabwe's popular music.
9. Determine that music is a powerful historical force that can transform
a culture, giving a voice to people who may have no access to other
venues of communication.
10. Be able to identify and produce with simple hand claps and/or
singing, unusual meters, modes, and song forms found in other cultures.
11. Value world music as a rich mine of compositional ideas while
remaining principled enough not to steal melodies or songs and claim
them as their own.
12. Identify ethnomusicology as a discipline involving extensive
research and field work, and evaluate various opportunities available
to them for travel and research.
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I. Basic Elements of Music
A. Melody: phrase, cadence, range, mode
B. Harmony: intervals, triads, chords
C. Rhythm: meter, metrical patterns (simple and compound
meter), measures (bars), and syncopation
D. Texture: monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic
E. Form: song form (ABA or AABA)
F. Instrumentation: idiophones, membranophones, aerophones, and
chordophones
G. An introduction to ethnomusicology as a discipline that bridges
music, anthropology, and the humanities
H. Ground rules for the acceptance and respect of other cultures
II. The Music of Africa
A. "Simple" sounding traditional musics, level of complexity, and
attempted classroom performances
B. Ashanti, Aka, and Gbaya ("pygmies"), Shona and Woloff musics
examined and explored via:
1. History of the region and the people
a. The primary culture
b. The impact of imperialism
c. Independence and modernization
2. Instrumentation, song forms, interlocking melodies, and
polyrhythms
3. The religious roots of traditional music
a. Common models of African religious experience
b. Music as an avenue of spirit possession
C African Popular Music (including music from Zimbabwe, Mali, South
Africa, Ghana, and Nigeria)
D. The role of African traditional music in transforming American
culture
1. The slave trade
2. Song forms, polyrhythms, new instruments, new approaches to
established instruments, shouted vocal attacks
E. Influence of other cultures on Africa's music: global connections
and commonalities
III. The Music of the Americas
A. Roots of Latin American music: global connections and commonalities,
with other cultures
1. Traditional Indian musics
2. Traditional Spanish music
3. African music (a quick review)
4. The blending and development of the three cultural traditions
above into new Latin American musics
B. The Musics of Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Cuba, and North
America
1. History of the regions and the people
a. The primary culture
b. The impact of imperialism
c. Independence and modernization
2. Instrumentation song forms, interlocking melodies, and
polyrhythms
3. The religious roots of traditional music
a. Common models of religious experience
b. Music as an avenue for spirit possession in voodoo,
Santeria, and candamble
C. The world of Latin American popular music: samba, son, bossa nova,
and tango
D. Impact of Latin American music on American culture
1. Jazz
2. Pop culture and fusion (Santana, et al)
E. The influence of other cultures on modern Latin American music:
global connections and commonalities, the "cultural tossed salad"
F. Music as an element of social change in Latin America's history
IV. The Music of Asia
A.The musics of India, China, Burma (Myanmar), Japan, Indonesia,
Australia, and Oceania
1. History of the region and the people
a. The primary culture
b. The impact of imperialism
c. Independence and modernization
d. The cultural diffusion of the region
e. Music as a vehicle for social change
2. Instrumentation, song forms, interlocking melodies, and
polyrhythms
a. Extended song forms
b. Unusual meters (talas)
c. Unique modes (ragas)
d. Aesthetic sensibilities of the region
e. Application of unusual meters and modes to American songs
3. Religious roots of Asian music
a. Mythic cycles (Ramayana) in music of India and Indonesia
b. Music as avenue for spiritual advancement
c. Music as prayer
d. Music's place in philosophical traditions of China
B. Indian popular music: (examples of evolution and interdependence of
cultures)
C. Asian traditional music in the transformation of Western culture
1. Debussy and the Gamelan at Paris Exposition (1889)
2. The Beatles
3. Various Asian fusion musics
D. The influence of other cultures on Asia's music: global connections
and commonalities
V. The Music of the Middle East
A. Arabic, Persian, and Sufi music
1. History of the region and the people
a. The primary culture
b. The impact of imperialism
c. Independence and modernization
d. Cultural diffusion of the region
2. Instrumentation, song forms, interlocking melodies, and
polyrhythms
a. Extended song forms
b. Unusual meters
c. Unique modes
3. Religious roots of Middle Eastern music
a. Music as prayer
b. Music's place in Islam
B. Middle Eastern popular music (examples of evolution and
interdependence of cultures)
C. Impact of Middle Eastern culture on Western culture
1. Debt owed to the Renaissance
2. Elements of Middle Eastern culture infused into our own
3. Middle Eastern influence on Western pop music (Sting, et al)
D. Influence of other cultures on Middle Eastern music: global
connections and commonalities
VI. Using World Music Elements for Original Compositions
A. Extracting ideas
B. Ethical issues and concerns
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1. Weekly reading (10-20 pp per week) and brief listening assignments
from the textbook (CDs are included in the text). The sections of the
textbook dealing with the specific areas of the world that we focus on
will be assigned.
2. Daily in-class writing assignments as well as 1-2 assigned essays
requiring critical thinking: evaluation of ideas, finding connections,
uncovering meanings and linking disciplines (e.g. history, religion,
sociology, and music). For instance: analysis of connections between
cultures revealed through their musics; of relationships between
social and historical movements and musical traditions;
explorations of connections between myth, religion, and music of cultures
that reveal broad commonalities.
3. Listen to approximately 1 hour per week of additional pieces provided
by instructor for class discussion and identification on listening
examinations.
4. Participate in simple in-class performances, such as clapping
rhythms and singing songs.
5. Attend a live performance of music from one of the regions
that we study, and write a detailed report about the music as
if they were an ethnomusicologist in the field.
6. 4 short answer music identification quizzes.
7. 4 multiple choice exams and a final exam.
