An Analytical Study of the Folk Musical Instruments of Meghalaya

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-38
Author(s):  
Joyanta Sarkar ◽  
Anil Rai
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Folk Music ◽  
Analytical Study ◽  
Musical Instrument ◽  
Folk Songs ◽  
Musical Instruments ◽  
Indian State ◽  
Material Benefits ◽  
Local Materials ◽  
Over Time

"Meghalaya is a richly inhabited Indian state. Drums, flutes of bamboo and hand-held small cymbals are a common ensemble. The advent of Christianity in the middle of the 20th century marked the start of a decline in tribal popular music. Over time, Meghalaya’s music scene has evolved, attracting many talented artists and bands from both traditional and not-so traditional genres. Any of the most recent Meghalaya musicians and bands is: The Plague Throat, Kerios Wahlang, Cryptographik Street Poets, etc., Soulmate, Lou Majaw, and Snow White. Meghalaya’s music is characterised by traditional instruments and folk songs. The Musical Instruments of Meghalaya are made from local materials. Meghalayan people honour powerful natural forces and aim to pacify animistic spirits and local gods. The instruments are made of bamboo, flesh, wood, and animal horn. Any one of these musical instruments is considered to have the ability to offer material benefits. The Meghalaya musical instrument is an essential part of traditional folk music in the region. In this article, we offer an overview of the folk musical instruments of Meghalaya. Keywords: Idiophone, Aerophone, Chordophone, Membranophone, Trumpet. "

scholarly journals Penelusuran Jejak Musik Instrumental dalam Naskah Sunda Kuna

Manuskripta ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Ilham Nurwansah
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Instrumental Music ◽  
Musical Instrument ◽  
Musical Instruments ◽  
The Body ◽  
Basic Material ◽  
Early 20Th Century ◽  
Islamic Period ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ritual Process

Abstract: Until the early 20th century, the Sundanese region was considered to have no musical history, even though such information contained, among others, the Old Sundanese script. Not many researches on the history of Sundanese music have used Old Sundanese textual sources. This paper discusses aspects of instrumental music found in Old Sundanese texts including terms used to refer to music and the types of musical instruments used. The sources used are Old Sundanese texts from the pre-Islamic period between the 15th and 17th centuries AD. Several Old Sundanese musical instruments are still known and used today with or without changes. Others are no longer known. Old Sundanese musical instruments are played alone or in groups, either on a stage or a parade. Its function is to accompany entertainment and also to accompany the ritual process. The basic material for the body of the musical instrument used is generally bronze metal and wood, including bamboo. --- Abstrak: Hingga awal abad ke-20 wilayah Sunda dianggap tidak memiliki sejarah musik, padahal informasi demikian antara lain terdapat dalam naskah Sunda Kuna. Penelitian sejarah musik Sunda pun tampaknya belum banyak yang menggunakan sumber tekstual Sunda Kuna. Tulisan ini membahas aspek-aspek musik instrumental yang terdapat pada teks-teks Sunda Kuna mencakup istilah yang digunakan untuk menyebut musik dan jenis-jenis alat musik yang digunakan. Sumber-sumber yang digunakan yaitu teks Sunda Kuna dari masa pra-Islam antara abad ke-15 sampai abad ke-17 M. Beberapa instrumen musik Sunda Kuna masih dikenal dan digunakan hingga sekarang dengan atau tanpa perubahan. Sebagian lainnya sudah tidak dikenal. Instrumen musik Sunda kuna ada yang dimainkan sendiri maupun berkelompok, baik pada sebuah panggung maupun parade. Fungsinya untuk mengiringi hiburan dan juga mengiringi proses ritual. Bahan dasar badan alat musik yang digunakan umumnya berupa logam perunggu dan kayu-kayuan, termasuk bambu. Keywords: Old Sundanese, music, instrumental. Kata Kunci: Sunda Kuna, musik, instrumental.

Examining the Effect of Oral Transmission on Folksongs

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-288
Author(s):  
Daniel Shanahan ◽  
Joshua Albrecht
Keyword(s):  
Folk Music ◽  
Experimental Approach ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Folk Songs ◽  
Corpus Analysis ◽  
Corpus Study ◽  
Oral Transmission ◽  
Musical Excerpts ◽  
Musical Genres ◽  
Over Time

Sociolinguists frequently examine the nature of gradual, internal shifts in languages and dialects over time, arguing for both cognitive and cultural factors, as well as those that might be somehow internal to the language itself. Similarly, musicologists have often argued that musical genres and even specific songs can be examined through gradual diachronic shifts, which seem to be especially accelerated in traditions that rely on oral transmission. For example, Spitzer (1994) examined the stemma of “Oh! Susanna” and noticed that it tended to become more pentatonicized at cadence points by dropping scale degree seven, and suggested that this might be true with folk songs in general. To test this, we employed both experimental and corpus-based paradigms. The experimental approach attempted to simulate oral transmission in a compressed timeframe by involving singers who heard and replicated short musical excerpts, and then would teach a colleague, who in turn passed it on to another participant. Similarly, we conducted a corpus analysis that examined the prevalence of descending stepwise endings in styles of music primarily transmitted orally compared with those transmitted primarily through notation. The experimental results suggest that cadence points in Western folk music are more likely to lose scale degree seven through the act of oral transmission, and the corpus study suggests that, although stylistic constraints play a large role in folk music, there might also be a relationship between transmission and physical affordances.

scholarly journals National musical instrument; Timbre; Charm; Piano music

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Xiaolan Cui
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Piano Music ◽  
Traditional Music ◽  
Musical Instrument ◽  
Musical Instruments ◽  
Western Music ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Music Culture ◽  
Chinese Music

At the beginning of the 20th century, Western music gradually integrated into Chinese music education institutions and various music social activities. The timbre, range and comprehensive expression of Western musical instruments have played an important role in promoting the performance of Chinese national musical instruments. At the same time, Chinese traditional music culture has also had an important impact on the localization of Western music in China, especially for the piano music.

scholarly journals The Cultural and Musical Tradition of Elbasan (16th - 20th Century)

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Kastriot Tusha
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Folk Music ◽  
17Th Century ◽  
Middle Part ◽  
Folk Songs ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Cultural Tradition ◽  
Musical Tradition ◽  
The North ◽  
The Creation

The aim of this paper is to explore and review the role and contribution of Elbasan city in the well-known cultural and musical tradition of Albania. Referring to documents, this tradition dates back in the 16th century with the creation of the first musical bands, characteristic of that time, known otherwise as fanfarat or tajfat. During Ottoman invasion, especially during the 16th-17th century, oriental influence on Albanian folk music has been quite evident. Some musicologists think that this impact has been more evident especially in the music of the middle part of Albania. It needs to be emphasized that this influence has not been absolutely strict, since in most songs it appears either as a collaboration or a parallel version. After the 17th century in Elbasan, as well as in its surrounding regions, there was born folk music, firstly as the music of beano, and later on as a typical civic folk music accompanied by the orchestra. Ethnomusicologists think that prior to folk city music, there used to be country folk music, in the north eastern part of Elbasan, in the villages around Zaranika estuary, where old songs were sung, and very soon they were spread even in Elbasan. Meanwhile, by the years 20s and 30s of the 20th century in Elbasan there was spread civid folk music whose founders were the trio of: Isuf Myzyri, Leksi i Vinit as well as Mustafa Bodini. Folk songs of Elbasan belong to the musical style of the middle part of Albania; since they are sung in the dialect of Elbasan, they are considered as the civic folk songs of Elbasan. There needs to be highlighted that even during the first half of the 20th century, a great role in the musical and cultural tradition was played by the social and patriotic clubs, such as “Bashkimi” (1908), “Drita”, Vllaznia (18 April 1908) as well as the creation of patriotic society known as “Afërdita”. The latest one, in 1917 reestablished a musical band as well with the same name “Afërdita”, which existed before. This band besides various marches, it used to play hymns too by using wind instruments, folk music not only in Elbasan but even in other towns in Albania. The band “Afërdita” functioned until the early years of World War 2.   Received: 6 February 2021 / Accepted: 20 April 2021 / Published: 17 May 2021

scholarly journals Anthropological Account of Traditional Musical Instruments

2017 ◽  
Vol II (I) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Nida Rehman ◽  
Abid Ghafoor Chaudhry
Keyword(s):  
Musical Instrument ◽  
Musical Instruments ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
The Government ◽  
Classical Culture ◽  
Over Time

The art of making a musical instrument, playing it and to move or dance to that instrument is duly considered to be an abhorrent act in Pakistan. The use of musical instruments in Pakistan is going to be extinct over time. Research in Pakistan has yet to be done in this area. The musical instruments are source of bread and butter for artists and performers as their lives are connected with these instruments. Both instrument performers and the artists were selected as respondents. The data was collected from 25 artists and performers through cluster samplings. Based on the interviews, the importance of instruments, their values and methods on the rhythms were collected from the performers (participants). The government and art Institutions in the country can play a pivotal role in saving and preserving the instruments and the artists classical culture.

CONTRIBUTION OF CHOIR CONDUCTORS TERĒZE BROKA AND STANISLAVS BROKS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF LATGALIAN CULTURE IN DAUGAVPILS IN THE 60s OF THE 20TH CENTURY

Via Latgalica ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 141
Author(s):  
Anna Rancāne
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Musical Instrument ◽  
Folk Songs ◽  
Music Department ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Vocal Ensemble ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Mixed Choir ◽  
Soviet Ideology

Latgalian culture of the 60s and 70s of the 20th century is still insufficiently studied and evaluated. Although this time in Latvia is marked by the dominance of the Soviet ideology in all spheres of social life, russification, and ban of Latgalian print, there were people who managed to develop Latgalian identity and culture. Terēze Broka (1925) and Stanislavs Broks (1926–1977), the two outstanding choir conductors, are among such people. After graduation from Latvia State Conservatory they were appointed to work in Daugavpils. In this city, characterized by Russian spirit and with no choirs, the two conductors within a short period of time managed to establish musical collectives and develop repertoires where along with the obligatory Soviet songs Latgalian folk songs were included. In autumn 1954, Terēze Broka established a women’s vocal ensemble „Daina” and a group of kokle (a Latvian national musical instrument) players, and looked for more unknown Latgalian songs at the Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR. The folk songs were arranged by her husband, conductor and director of Daugavpils Music College Stanislavs Broks who in 1956 established a mixed choir, later called „Daugava”. Due to their persevering work in a short period of time both Daugavpils musical collectives gained brilliant success and were nominated to the VI World Youth and Students Festival in Moscow in summer 1957 where they were awarded the silver prize. This success is followed by the bright parade of Latgalian performance, the week of Latgalian culture in Riga in December 1958, where the two Daugavpils collectives were at the centre of all events. It is noteworthy that the two collectives mainly consisted of Latvians, Russians and Poles who did not know the Latgalian language, but were diligent and motivated to learn to be able to sing in Broks’ collectives. In 1961 the Latvian Music Department in Minneapolis (USA) released the first disc of the Latgalian folk songs “Latgalian (Latvian) Folk songs“ compiled by Mikelis Bukšs. The disc contains 15 music pieces from the repertoire of Daugavpils mixed choir „Daugava” (conducted by S. Broks) and the women’s vocal ensemble „Daina” (led by T. Broka). „Aiz azara bolti bārzi”, „Aiz azara augsti kolni...”, „Siermi zyrgi, jauni puiši...”, „Audzit muni gari lyni”, „Es sovai māmeņai...” and other Latgalian folk songs arrangements served as a specific brand of Daugavpils, which strengthened the self-confidence of Latgalians of that time.

Language Change and Movement as Seen by Historical Linguistics

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek Nurse
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Language Change ◽  
Historical Linguistics ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Time And Space ◽  
Change Over Time ◽  
Comparative Linguistics ◽  
Language Boundaries ◽  
Over Time

The focus of this chapter is on how languages move and change over time and space. The perceptions of historical linguists have been shaped by what they were observing. During the flowering of comparative linguistics, from the late 19th into the 20th century, the dominant view was that in earlier times when people moved, their languages moved with them, often over long distances, sometimes fast, and that language change was largely internal. That changed in the second half of the 20th century. We now recognize that in recent centuries and millennia, most movements of communities and individuals have been local and shorter. Constant contact between communities resulted in features flowing across language boundaries, especially in crowded and long-settled locations such as most of Central and West Africa. Although communities did mix and people did cross borders, it became clear that language and linguistic features could also move without communities moving.

scholarly journals Characterizing prototypical musical instrument timbres with Timbre Trait Profiles

2021 ◽  
pp. 102986492110015
Author(s):  
Lindsey Reymore
Keyword(s):  
Musical Instrument ◽  
Musical Instruments ◽  
Latent Structure ◽  
Dimensional Model ◽  
Wind Ensembles ◽  
Rating Data ◽  
Corpus Studies ◽  
Cognitive Research ◽  
Euclidean Distances ◽  
Semantic Distances

This paper offers a series of characterizations of prototypical musical timbres, called Timbre Trait Profiles, for 34 musical instruments common in Western orchestras and wind ensembles. These profiles represent the results of a study in which 243 musician participants imagined the sounds of various instruments and used the 20-dimensional model of musical instrument timbre qualia proposed by Reymore and Huron (2020) to rate their auditory image of each instrument. The rating means are visualized through radar plots, which provide timbral-linguistic thumbprints, and are summarized through snapshot profiles, which catalog the six highest- and three lowest-rated descriptors. The Euclidean distances among instruments offer a quantitative operationalization of semantic distances; these distances are illustrated through hierarchical clustering and multidimensional scaling. Exploratory Factor Analysis is used to analyze the latent structure of the rating data. Finally, results are used to assess Reymore and Huron’s 20-dimensional timbre qualia model, suggesting that the model is highly reliable. It is anticipated that the Timbre Trait Profiles can be applied in future perceptual/cognitive research on timbre and orchestration, in music theoretical analysis for both close readings and corpus studies, and in orchestration pedagogy.

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