WChapter 10: The Arab World. It’s such a fascinating chapter and so complex that it should be a section that takes up two weeks at least two weeks of study. This is week 4 and a shortened week. Rather than attempt to struggle through it as I have done in the past, it’s time to simply enjoy it with our ears. So much can be said about the influences from the Arab World to the West: The violin and guitar (ud) can be traced back to Arab instruments. Some Western Medieval European rhythms and dances are noticeably influenced by Arab music from the early periods. With the two major invasions and occupation of Europe clear to the walls of Vienna, Austria, by the Ottoman Empire it is easy to hear the music influences from the Arab world. We can also surmise that the Crusades also influenced much of the Arab world in the same way as well. These topics are ongoing and students are often subjected to and influenced by the way a professor or textbook leans politically. In chapter 5 of our textbook the author does a nice job of explaining how Muslims, Christians and Jews contributed to the arts and music of Europe. That’s the part that is important to understand in a music class. Below is my personal experience and the struggles that I had in the USA school system. I began to realize the dangers of history and social studies classes by realizing that ideals were taught using selected textbooks and by teachers who leaned either one way or the other politically. I lean forward! Case in point: My family is Catholic. After World War II, in Yugoslavia, people were expected to give up their faith and join the communist party. In Slovenia, where I was born, the alternative was death. The only reason my mother, sister’s and I, before age 1, were spared death by Tito and his socialist/ communist party was that my mother’s first husband was a member of Tito’s communist army. My dad, whom mom married two years after her fist husband’s death, was a not communist or any other party. Communists searched for him and many other Slovenians but he managed to escape over the border into Italy. My mom and sisters were sentenced to seven years hard labor in the socialist/communist prison camp. I was with them as well. By age 2, I learned to sing praises to a picture of Tito in front of communist soldiers. Sometimes they would share a piece of bread or apple. There were some bad soldiers as well. Beatings, abuse and more came at the hands of these monsters. I witnessed death at hands of socialist/communists and was even given my Last Rites twice before reaching age 6 because of physical abuse and hunger thanks to the socialist/communist soldiers. Somehow it just wasn’t my time. By the grace of God and great planning by mom, we managed to escape the camp. That is another wild saga and not enough time to share. So what was the trouble with USA education? After immigrating to the USA my formal education finally began. History courses were especially difficult to stoma ...

1. WChapter 10: The Arab World.
It’s such a fascinating chapter and so complex that it should be
a section that takes up two weeks at least two weeks of study.
This is week 4 and a shortened week. Rather than attempt to
struggle through it as I have done in the past, it’s time to simply
enjoy it with our ears.
So much can be said about the influences from the Arab World
to the West: The violin and guitar (ud) can be traced back to
Arab instruments. Some Western Medieval European rhythms
and dances are noticeably influenced by Arab music from the
early periods.
With the two major invasions and occupation of Europe clear to
the walls of Vienna, Austria, by the Ottoman Empire it is easy
to hear the music influences from the Arab world. We can also
surmise that the Crusades also influenced much of the Arab
world in the same way as well. These topics are ongoing and
students are often subjected to and influenced by the way a
professor or textbook leans politically. In chapter 5 of our
textbook the author does a nice job of explaining how Muslims,
Christians and Jews contributed to the arts and music of Europe.
That’s the part that is important to understand in a music class.
Below is my personal experience and the struggles that I had in
the USA school system. I began to realize the dangers of
history and social studies classes by realizing that ideals were
taught using selected textbooks and by teachers who leaned
either one way or the other politically. I lean forward!
Case in point: My family is Catholic. After World War II, in
Yugoslavia, people were expected to give up their faith and join
the communist party. In Slovenia, where I was born, the
alternative was death. The only reason my mother, sister’s and
I, before age 1, were spared death by Tito and his socialist/
communist party was that my mother’s first husband was a
member of Tito’s communist army. My dad, whom mom married
two years after her fist husband’s death, was a not communist or

2. any other party. Communists searched for him and many other
Slovenians but he managed to escape over the border into Italy.
My mom and sisters were sentenced to seven years hard labor in
the socialist/communist prison camp. I was with them as well.
By age 2, I learned to sing praises to a picture of Tito in front
of communist soldiers. Sometimes they would share a piece of
bread or apple. There were some bad soldiers as well. Beatings,
abuse and more came at the hands of these monsters. I
witnessed death at hands of socialist/communists and was even
given my Last Rites twice before reaching age 6 because of
physical abuse and hunger thanks to the socialist/communist
soldiers. Somehow it just wasn’t my time. By the grace of God
and great planning by mom, we managed to escape the camp.
That is another wild saga and not enough time to share.
So what was the trouble with USA education? After
immigrating to the USA my formal education finally began.
History courses were especially difficult to stomach. When it
concerned post WWII material I would find large gaps both in
the textbooks and my instructors knowledge. I attempted to
share my experiences and first-hand knowledge with my
teachers but for the most part they didn’t believe me or were
very dismissive because it didn’t match the material in the
textbook or what they were taught. I began to realize that the
textbook authors seemed to have their own agenda. I find that to
be true in the textbook that we are using as well. Sadly, so many
of my teachers were indoctrinated into a designed way thinking.
I find that to be the case so often with “higher education” as
well. Needless to say, my grades were very low in history and
social studies. I did learn to “play the game” in college and not
share or rock the boat. I am often asked to speak at private and
professional organizations about my experiences with socialism
and communism, but never have I been asked to do so at a
college or University. I believe that when only one way of
thinking is allowed or tolerated, then we have lost our gift of
freedom.
You may comment on my experiences or not.

3. You must, however, write a brief review or comment as
specified in each numbered question.
1. (10 pts)The Horses is an Arabic piece: very much like guitar
music of Spain/Latin America. Is programmatic (tells a story)
with ABA structure. After listening to it, compare it to the first
of three Recuerdos de la Alhambra recordings from Spanish
composer Tarrega. At what point did you feel that the two were
reflective of one another?
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0zzyvd9gud9gxel/The%20Horses%2
0like%20guitar.mp3?dl=0
First of three different performances of Recuerdos de la
Alhambra by F. Tárrega,
First performed by Stephanie
Jones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAF42Dt-R0k
2. (20 pts) Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Tarrega is a well know
classical piece for guitar. Listen to this recording played by
Filomena Moretti and the 3rd recording played by Ana
Vidovic. Describe whish of the two you preferred and why.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot95r4LnlGo&list=RDOt95r
4LnlGo&start_radio=1
3rd performance by Ana Vidovic pronounced (Vidovich)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJsZ7euzjNc
3. (15 pts) Medieval Hurdy-Gurdy and Arab influence: This is
only about a 2- minute video: The drone common in the music
of India, China, some classical music from Poland plus and
“flat notes” or lower than Western Music scale notes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4y7HNW972M&t=53s
What were some surprising and interesting points in this short
video?
4. (10 pts) Abenamar (sounds very much like an old Italian folk
song) again another influence from Arabia
https://www.dropbox.com/s/o5z368r4f4wzcwn/Abenamar%20Ita

4. lian%20folk%20song%20sounding.mp3?dl=0
“IM NIN’Alu” could be American “pop” with English words
and if I harmonized it, or could very well be mistaken for a
song from India
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0qfdi8injakauk2/Im%20Nin%27alu
%20either%20pop%20song%20or%20India.mp3?dl=0
With your keen imagination and newer set of listening skills
could you see a correlation between the pieces and what I
suggested they might be?
5. (20 pts) Shaghal from counter number 2:16 could be
Medieval European dance
https://www.dropbox.com/s/m95emy1je01fz6u/Shaghal%20coul
d%20be%20Medieval%20dance.mp3?dl=0
Medieval Dance Music start at 22:44
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaRNvJLKP1EAt what point
did you hear where the two worlds of music might be similar to
one another and why. Counter numbers were provided for a
purpose.
Malambo: beginning at 1:40 Write a review and responde
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y36xmzYpujc At The 1:40
of this work there is very rapid 6-beat followed by pattern a
slower beats at 1:43. This would be “phrase A, repeated several
times. At 1:59 the French Horns stand and play a similar rhythm
but different melody. We will call that phrase “B”. At 2:06
phrase (A) returns. While your ears may be “slow” to pick up
the two phrases at first, there are many opportunities for the ear
to catch up.
1. (10pts) Once you get beyond the physical and fun theatrics,
what part of the orchestra was most exiting? Use counter
numbers to support your answer or no credit will be given.

5. Eight counter numbers are supplied for this piece composed
(written) by Ginastera , but the person leading the orchestra,
the conductor, is Dudamel. Dudamel did not write the
piece!Write a review about the performance including counter
numbers. What were some of the highlights of the actual music
and what the highlights about the performance.
2. (10 pts)In the very beginning of the piece at Counter number
00:00 to 1:10 the pieces begins in a very rapid 6-beat pattern.
The notes are flying all over the instruments. One can see it in
the piccolo’s and flutes. Was this more difficult to keep up
because of the layers of polyphony or was it not an issue?
3 ( 10 pts).At 1:10 the French Horns descend in a scale-like
pattern punctuating (6) slow beats and at( 1:24 to 1:37 )
beginning with castanets, the percussion become more visible.
What was easiest to grasp, the French horn pattern or castanets?
Supply a reason as well.
4. ( 10 pts) As stated earlier, at 1:41 the trumpets stand and play
a fast 6 + 6 +6 pattern ending with a longer 3 beat pattern to
complete phrase A. This completes the sesquialtera. Due to the
constant repetition of phrases similar to “pop” music, was it
easy to pick up phrase A and B after the initial first “phrase A”
after 1:40? Support your answer.
5. ( 10 pts)What was the audience reaction to this short
performance?
Bernstein West Side Story “America”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhSKk-cvblc
A sesquialtera rhythm of fast 6-beat pattern followed by slower
3-beat pattern takes place when sets of lyrics end with the word,
“America”. The slower three-beat pattern of the sesquialtera
begins with the bold letters of America: A-[mer-i-ca].The fast 6
beat pattern ends with the firs letter A in “America”
6. (15) Using counter numbers provided in the video and
perhaps the lyrics, please point to at least three other places
where the sesquialtera is clearly evident.
7. ( 10 pts)Write a comment on the level of difficulty hearing

6. these patterns at the first hearing.
8. (10 pts) Do you believe that your musical ear has gone
beyond just hearing music but actually listening to music over
the past 4-weeks? If yes, why…if no then why not? Support
your answer.
Latin American Threaded Discussion: Due midnight, Saturday,
9/28. No late submission will be accepted as this class ends
9/28. There are two History of Latin America Audio recordings
in “Course Resources”, They are optional but may provide some
helpful information.
1. (10 points) Simoncic Two Latin American Pieces discussed in
the video. By using counter numbers in the video from the
video, what was demonstrated on piano for “Man from Iluman”?
2. (10 points)The second piece in the Simoncic Two Latin
American Pieces Video, Please Return Dear Woman, plus a
little more on dissonance. By using counter numbers in the
video, review the demonstration and what were the significant
parts.
Write a separate synopsis or review for each of the songs listed
under number’s 3 through 6 covered in the Simoncic audio
lectures. “The best approach is to follow the Simoncic, Latin
American Lecture Notes, in course resources as you listen to the
lectures and the textbook Close listening guides. If you use only
the textbook listening guide only partial credit will be given.
Include between 75 and 100 words for each song. For credit,
you must use the Simoncic audio lectures as main
source followed by Simoncic Latin American Lecture
Notes which you must include as reference and finally the
textbooks Close Listening guide.
Song’s covered are as follows:
3. (10 pts) El Aparecido,
4. (10) Me Gusta La Leche,
5. (10) Amor Imposible
6. (10) Azucar De Cana.

7. 7. (20) Of all the music examples from Latin America which
one, do you believe, delivered the lyrics best through melody,
rhythm, harmony, and voice.
8. N/A
9. (20) Looking back at the 4 weeks, which music surprised you
or at least interested you the most? It can be more than one
culture. Provide some solid reasons.
6
Week 3 Additional Assignment #1 Due Thursday 9/19
Please Read “Written Lecture on India” (Simoncic) uploaded
for you Week 3. Find it as you open the page to Week 3.
This is in lieu of a recorded lecture and in lieu of podcast. Each
numbered section supplies a short but important bit of
information concerning India and its music. You are to address
each numbered part and in your own words describe what you
learned from it. I normally upload my audio lecture but am
experiencing a glitch in the recording.
Lecture notes and analysis on Carnatic music (Simoncic).
1. Culture, History, Politics
India’s almost one billion people—a fifth of the world’s
population—live in an area one-third the size of the United
States.
“There are fifteen major languages, almost as many alphabets,
and dozens of regional dialects.”
2. “India’s continuous history . . . stretches back five thousand
years and beyond . . .”

8. South Asia including India is a “diamond shape with a
triangular peninsula cut off from neighboring lands . . .” Owing
to its isolating geography, South Asia is unique, but regionally
diverse forms of culture and lifestyles have also developed in
South Asia.
3. The two major regions create a regional difference between
the Hindi-related language groups of the North with their
related Hindustani style of Indian classical music and the
Dravidian-speaking peoples of the South and their related
Carnatic style of classical music.
4. Islamicconquests influenced the north reflective of the
expansive improvisation in its music. British rule, Aryan
influenced the south and Carnatic music built around a
greatrepertoire of pre-composed Hindu devotional songs. The
musical textures of the south are busier and active, with much
ornamentation of pitch, and improvisation played within a fixed
section. That would be similar to our jazz music or western
classical music “variation” form.
5. Globalization and instant communication have allowed Indian
musicians to become familiar with music from all over the
world, including Western art music and American and European
popular music, in addition to introducing the use of non-Indian
musical instruments such as saxophone and various electronic
instruments, which have been adapted to Indian music styles.
Foreign cultural ideas and technology have been absorbed and
manipulated into a “new and undeniable Indian synthesis.”
6. The complex Indian raga system is related to the classical
musical systems of other non-Indian areas such as Turkey, Iran,
and North Africa. The distinctly Indian sitar and tabla have
“cousins” in other parts of the world.
7. “In Carnatic music [the classical music of South India] many
song texts refer to events and characters in epics.”
8. Some important religious works from India.
“The four vedas . . . and later Upanishads (or ‘Forest Books’)
contain religious and abstract philosophical thought that has
fascinated many Western thinkers . . . [Emerson, et al.].”

9. The Puranas“are filled with the myths of the gods and
goddesses of popular Hinduism.”
--Indian folk music
Chennai’s street vendors play and sing folk music, with
distinctive musical calls or chanted sacred songs while selling
wares or services and for attention.
--Indian popular music: cine songs
Cine music falls within what general music category? From
where does most popular Indian music originate? How is this
music transmitted? “Pop music originates in movies . . .”
Most popular Indian music is prerecorded and played back
through some mass-media format, such as cassette tape, TV,
radio, or lip-sync-ed in popular movies. Western elements:
American rock Indian style along with English phrases in
“Shakalaka Baby”; Tamil rap in “Petta Rap”; semi-classical,
classical style and instrumentation, as in the classic film
Thillana Mohanambal; recent songs show a more sophisticated
use of Western elements (harmony, counterpoint, or
orchestration)
9. India’s Classical Music: Carnatic Music, the Classical Music
of South India
The classical music of South India is called karnataka sangeeta,
or in English simply Carnatic music.
It is named after the Carnatic plateau, which dominates the
middle of the inland south.
Indian classical music is transmitted as an oral tradition passed
down through history by memory. (The music is written down
only in a sketchy form to nudge the memory.)
Since this music is not written down by a composer, no
definitive version of the music exists. Therefore, the musical
renditions may become highly variable with a new and unique
treatment of the song coming into existence each time the music
is performed.

10. 10. The similarities and the differences between music of the
classical Hindusthani style of North India and the classical
music of the Carnatic style are:
10.A Similarities: Both styles use ragas(melodic mode/system)
and talas(metric cycle).
10.BDifferences: The Hindusthani style of north India was
much more influenced by Islam with “expansive improvisations
mov[ing very] gradually . . . from near immobility to sections of
great speed . . .”
Carnatic music of the south is “built around an immense
repertoire of pre-composed devotional songs. The musical
texture in the south is more busy and active, notes are
incessantly ornamented, and improvisations fall within clearly
defined and relatively brief sections.”
The Sound World
11. --Melody line and ragas
Melodies tend to unfold against a drone background with
rhythmic accompaniment in long, complex lines marked by
pitch bending/gliding, intense ornamentation, and “zig zagging
through intervals unfamiliar to Western ears [creating what are
sometimes referred to as microtones—or microtonality which
sounds out oftune and not common in Western tonality except in
modern classical music…we call it “out of tune”. Often, when
someone is singing horribly out of tune in our, 12-tone,
chromatic system of western music it may sound perfectly fine
in the microtonal system. It’s like singing the tones in between
the cracks of the piano rather than the notes available at the
piano.
--
12. “[I]mprovisation plays a key role in performance in Indian
music”—spontaneously creating music with “key phrases [that]
recur again and again with subtle variation and certain rules and
procedures of the tradition are being followed . . . Mature
musicians may not even fully plan their program in advance . . .

11. ” As a side note, so do jazz soloists and some of the greatest
improvisers of “classical” music were J.S. Bach, Mozart,
Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt and far too many to name. Personally,
in my junior year of college at a conservatory, I ran out of time
writing music for my junior composition recital. So I asked a
friend to sit next to the piano while I was playing and turn
blank music pages as if something was actually written on them.
Of all the music professors attending, only one of them
wondered if “some” of it was improvised on the spot. At one
time, improvisation was extremely important in western world
classical music. Academia ended up destroying the concept of
music improvisation. People began to rely on a formal classical
education. Far too many teachers force the student to play only
the “notes” on the page. I also know that many professors and
private teachers in western classical music simply haven’t tried
improvising. When I taught private piano to children and young
people, they played the standard classical music, but they
learned to improvise both classical and jazz styles.
Improvisation connects the performer to the instrument in a
more intimate way than just reading other people’s music. I
believe that all children are at a genius level until they begin a
formal education, then all is geared to the center and social
pressures begin to occupy their minds.
12.--Oral tradition
Indian musicians create their music by ear in an oral tradition
without reference to notated/printed music. But so do other
cultures that we have studied and will study.
--Metrical units
Indian drummers play much longer metrical units/time cycles—
called talas—than the common Western meters of two, three or
four beats to a measure; within basic talas they play
exceedingly complex rhythmic patterns on tuned drums often
with a variety of percussion timbres/strokes.
13. --General form of a Carnatic music concert
A Carnatic music concert is built on a series of segments (a
“string of compositions”).

12. • Each composition is in a specific raga, (a feeling or emotional
coloring and expression: see # 16), and tala, (time cycle),
which, in western music is associated with certain rhythmic
patterns in specific song and instrumental forms, but sounding
nothing like Carnatic music. Carnatic tala is also usually based
on a song from the known repertory of Carnatic music.
• Many of these song-based compositions will be optionally
extended by preceding or following the song with some
improvisational form.
Carnatic concerts are sponsored by sabhas, which are cultural
clubs.
The typical performance venue is in buildings owned by sabhas
or in auditoriums, lecture halls, and temples.
14. The (Carnatic) Ensemble: Musical texture
Carnatic musical ensemble consists of three layers of musical
texture—melody, drone, and rhythm (percussion).
. --The Melodic Layer
Principal melodic solo vocalist(s)/instrumentalist(s) dominate
the ensemble, for example, “the violin, the bamboo flute, the
plucked veena, the clarinet, and rarely the jalatarangam
(Chinese porcelain bowls tuned by filling them with water and
struck with thin sticks).”
• The melodic layer also includes a melodic accompanist,
usually a violin.
. 15. --The Sruti Layer and the drone.
The drone layer consists of the sustained (continuously
sounding)central tone of the composition and the perfect fifth
above the central tone, either played on instruments such as the
four-stringed tambura or sruti-box (small reed organ) or
provided by battery-operated electronic equivalents that
eliminate the need for a performer.
. --The Percussion Layer
The rhythm layer is led by the mridangam—a multi-timbral,
double-headed drum with its right head tuned to the tonal center
of the melodic soloist.

13. • sometimes joined by ghatam(large clay pot with ringing,
metallic sound), the kanjira (Indian tambourine), or morsang
(jew’s harp)
16. Raga: The Melodic System: In Western music, (we have our
scales and modes as well as harmony, dynamics, (louds and
softs), and a variety of orchestral instrumental colors reflecting
and creating emotions traced back to the Greeks, BC period. For
the average American listener, this is most obvious in movie
music, for others it’s the symphony hall.
Indian Music Raga: Sanskrit word for “coloring, dyeing,
tingeing” or that which colors “the mindand the heart . . . an
expressive entity with a ‘musical personality’ all its own. . . .”
• “This musical personality is in part technical—a collection of
notes, a scale, intonation, ornaments, pillar tones, and so on . .
.”
• “ . . . a portfolio of characteristic musical gestures and
phrases—bits and pieces of a melody—that give it a distinct and
recognizable identity.”
• “Each raga has its rules about how a musician may move from
one note to another . . . [and] ways of ornamenting certain notes
. . .”
• Thusraga refers to an entire complex system for creating
classical Indian melodies.
• Classical Indianmelodies are based on ragas—specialized,
complex melodic systems that include specific scale patterns (to
be discussed later).
17. “In Carnatic music all ragas relate to Melakarta a mother
scale of 7 notes, each scale is one of seventy-two basic
‘generative’ scales based on a parent scale.” There are 7 tones
or steps of the Indian scale
seven
In India sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, da, ni a similar idea similar to do, re
mi.. Western Music.
The non-movable tones are sa and pa, same as do and sol or 1

14. and 5 these are fixed drone tones, also used in Western music.
sa, the first scale degree and pa,the fifth scale degree, are fixed
drone notes see chart Indian to Western solfeggio below:
sa = do ri = re ga = mi ma = fa pa = sol da = la ni = ti
Ri, ga, ma, da, and ni mutate (are raised or lowered) to form a
particular scale.
Different forms of the scale degrees are created by lowering or
raising the scale degrees a half-step. (You may be familiar with
the similar manner of creating different forms of a minor scale
in the Western music culture by raising or lowering the sixth
and/or seventh scale degrees.)
18. There are 12 possiblechromatic tones in western music and
72 possible variations using “chromatic” notes of the scale. If
one plays the scale of C major, only the white keys including
C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C are used. Chromatic notes are notes outside
the original scale. When a “black” key on the piano keyboard is
inserted into the melody of a C major scale that is a chromatic
note.
Some modifications of a Melakarta scale may be skipped
when the melody ascends or descends, vibrating ornaments may
be added to certain scale tones of the raga, emphasized tones,
resting notes, vibrations/slides, ornaments, subtle intonation
and improvisations based on bits and pieces of melody. “In
India’s classical music there are hundreds of such ragas in
common use in the tradition.”
19. Tala: or The Time Cycle similar to western meter in that
beats are grouped. Please don’t worry about trying to
understand them.
Talas are regularly recurring metric cycles consisting of groups
of beats.

15. 20. The Drummer’s Art
role of drummer: The drummer must know and accompany
songs/compositions in the Carnatic tradition.
drummer and melodic soloist: The percussionist must relate
spontaneously to what the melodic soloist is doing, instantly
calculating appropriate percussion accompaniments often made
up of long, complex, and asymmetric patterns that fit within the
composition’s tala.
A Carnatic Music Performance
“A concert in South India is marked by a string of
compositions, each in a [specific] raga and tala, optionally
extended by . . . forms of improvisation. Each section of a
concert will thus have a composition, usually a kriti(a principal
song of South India), as its centerpiece. An exception is the
mostly improvised form called ragam, tanam, pallavi, which has
a single phrase of melody and lyrics as its centerpiece.”
A mridangam is a double-headed, barrel-shaped drum. Both of
its drumheads are made from multiple layers of leather with the
outer layers cut with a circular hole in the middle. One head is
tuned; the lower (untuned) head has a blob of wheat paste
applied to its center to give it a booming sound. The use of the
fingers as drum sticks allows the drummer to play with
incredible speed. When less important percussion instruments
are used, those players must follow the lead of the mridangam.
A veena is a plucked string instrument with seven strings—
three drone strings and four playing strings (for playing
melodies). The veena is designed with frets so that fingers can
bend the strings and ornament the notes. (Many rock/blues
guitar players bend their strings in a similar manner, creating
interesting tonal distortion.)

16. 21. Indian Music and the West
Three examples that illustrate assimilation of outside influences
into India’s music culture.
1. the presence of non-Indian musical instruments such as the
European saxophone, the guitar and the mandolin in Carnatic
music
• 2. the all-inclusive nature of South-India’s cine and pop music
industry
• 3. the globalization of music through television, movies, CDs,
and cassettes
Fusion.
Fusion is a genre of music created out of an East/West interface
and the connections between jazz/rock and Indian music.
• Various Indo-pop styles (for example, bhangra in Great
Britain or “tassa-beat soca” in Trinidad) fuse Indian musical
elements such as drone, scale, instruments and/or language with
the beat and electronic sounds of mainstream rock/pop.
Ravi Shankar, a virtuoso sitar player, has moved into the
worlds of Western classical and pop music. Beginning in the
1960s his concerts eventually brought him superstar status in
Europe, the United States and India.
Harrison of the Beatles became a student of Shankar. As a
result of his studies with the Indian sitar master, Harrison
created a series of “finely crafted Indian-based songs ranging
from ‘Love Me Do’ to ‘The Inner Light.’” John Lennon—also of
the Beatles—showed Indian influence in his use of “drones,
exotic riffs, and Indian instruments.”
“Love Me Do.”
Introduction by a sitar playing a raga-like scale in unmeasured
time; sitar re-appears later in the song; background drone (on
tambura and bass guitar); tabla drumbeat with tala-like cycles;
and Harrison’s Indian vocal sound

17. ii
Myth about “Classical Music” (What is “Classical” music)
One and the same Questions to answer for each example : You
may be required to copy and paste to browser.
Statement: Classical music: is often described by many of my
students as “slow”, “Soft”, “relaxing”. The following short,
sporadic excerpts are just a few samples of classical music.
Your required answer: Based on your knowledge or lack of
knowledge on the subject of “Classical Music”, address each
piece below as to which were more in line and less in line with
your concept of “classical music”. PS don’t forget, almost 99%
of all movie music is a copy of classical music from around
1827 to the present.
1. (3pts)? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh1kOyvBcLg
2. (2pts) would you agree that this next example of classical
music meets the above description? Why, why not?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ9PRzIyzFA
3. (2 pts) Would you agree that this Chopin (Show-pan) piano
piece meets the typical description? Why/why not?:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUVCGsWhwHU
4. (2pts) Or perhaps this short “opera” excerpt written 1950s by
Ligeti, why/why not (you should read some of the comments)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFFpzip-SZk
5. (2 pts) Or this classical piano piece, why/why not?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8alxBofd_eQ
6. ( 5 pts) Danza final Malambo composed by Ginastera and
conducted by Dudamel a 4-minute work. Is this the typical
classical piece that most of my students referred to in the past?
Why/why not? You must begin at counter number 1:41
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfGbTG2wuaM
7. (5 pts) Another beautiful and relaxing classical piece: Agree
or disagree? Why/why not Guitar Recuerdos de la Alhambra

18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSzV90Lqv_A
8. (5 pts)Verdi’s Dies Irae
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHw4GER-
MiEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8alxBofd_eQ
9. (5pts) And this “lovely” work (Ligeti)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7sJwiZhdvw
10. (5pts) after hearing an extremely limited selection of
“classical” music, would you say that your perception might
have changed just a little? Why/why not?
11. (5pts) An opera from early 20th century: LULU. (This story
includes “Jack the Ripper”). Watch the highlights with
commentary. Are there any visual sections (masks) that might
be similar to Chinese Opera Dream of Visiting the Garden? Is
this something that one would expect from stage music?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlNJCJQiDlw
12. (5 pts) Reflect on the answers that you provided.
· Final research project
Your project must include some contact with a live musician or
group of musicians or others involved with music in your
community (see text pp. 365-366). Your proposal should be a
brief (50 words or so) outline of your topic. A topic is narrower
than a subject (see text p. 369). It needs to be defined fairly
clearly to guide you in your investigation and to help you
organize your material.
For example, here's a subject that is too broad: Music in
Vietnamese Churches in Stockton. An acceptable topic might
be: The Use of Traditional Instruments in a Vietnamese Church
in Stockton. Many others are possible, but it's usually worse to
pick a topic that is too broad than one that is too narrow.
Questions? Email me. And submit your project proposals in the
courses as a Word attachment. Thanks!
Please access the Research Project Guidelines and Grading
Rubric in the Course Resources section of this course for

19. additional information on this assignment.
Field Research Project: This is a documented study of a topic
selected by the student which explores a musician or musicians
involved in live music-making in the student’s community and
residing within the community. A few examples of such
musicians are: a local Mariachi group, a local blues band, a
local high school madrigal choir, a local drum and bugle corps,
a local church choir, a local folksinger, a local Japanese drum
group, a local Hindusthani classical music ensemble, etc. The
research project is generally described in the text book on pages
365 and 366 as “A third approach…” and “A fourth
approach…” Please read these pages carefully!
The topic you select must be approved by the instructor no later
than Friday, September 6. A research paper of approximately
1,500 words with documentation and format in MLA style is
required. This paper should be submitted to the appropriate
Dropbox in the course as a Word document attachment. RTF
files are acceptable, but WordPerfect and Office Works
documents cannot be accommodated.
While an interview or interviews with musicians are expected as
the major source of information for this report, a transcript of
the interview is not required and is not sufficient for this
project. At least one other documented source of information,
such as a relevant book, article, or Internet site, is required.
Attending a performance or a rehearsal by the subject
musician(s) is highly recommended.
Your paper should be written in complete sentences and should
describe your subject’s musical style, history, influence, future
plans, repertoire and your personal comments. A recording or
photograph or other non-verbal documentation is not required.
A detailed grading rubric for this project is provided in the
Syllabus area.

20. EXTRA CREDIT
For 2 points of extra credit, you may post a one or two page
document here addressing the following:
1. What music did you like best about this class?
2. What music did you like least?
3. What helped your learning?
4. Did your ears become more familiar to music outside your
comfort zone?
Your responses will not affect your grade. A clearly written
one-page document will earn you the extra points.