UNIT 3: MUSIC FROM CHINA & JAPAN om/watch?v=chwADno FDng.

UNIT 3:MUSIC FROM CHINA & JAPAN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chwADnoFDng

Where are we going?

You are here! China Japan

China’s Current Population:1,339,724,852

Japan’s Current Population:127,720,000

World Population:almost 7,000,000,000

United States Population:312,540,000

Traditional Culture / Characteristics of Music

• Philosophy, religion, art, dress, dance, theater, and music are often tied together and have overarching symbolic meaning• Overarching tone in combination is valued more than single melodies or individual instruments• A wide variety of string instruments are used, played with a wide variety of techniques (tools for strumming, etc)

• Other important instruments include flutes, cymbals, and other types of unique percussion instruments.

• Scales are unique and specific (often semi-tone or pentatonic)• Rhythms include embellishments that may seem “out of time”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQuVawhHCzA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDyKe7lbgZ0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVBGzaB7nSs

List of Japanese Music Vocabulary• Gagaku: 

Ancient court music from China and Korea. It is the oldest type of Japanese, traditional music.

• Biwagaku: Music played with the Biwa, a kind of guitar with four strings.

• Nohgaku: Music played during Noh performances. It basically consists of a chorus, the Hayashi flute, theTsuzumi drum, and other instruments.

• Sokyoku: Music played with the Koto, a type of zither with 13 strings. Later also accompanied byShamisen and Shakuhachi.

• Shakuhachi: Music played with the Shakuhachi, a bamboo flute that is about 55 cm long. The name of the flute is its length expressed in shaku an old Japanese unit of length.

• Shamisenongaku: Music played with the Shamisen, a kind of guitar with only three strings.  Kabuki and Bunraku performances are accompanied by the shamisen.

• Minyo: Japanese folk songsNote: Historic AND modern tradition and culture

Other Significant Cultural Information• Calligraphy and Ink Wash Painting• Do not just produce appearance,

capture soul!

• Haiku

•Martial Arts (Kung Fu; Budo “way of life”)• Physical, spiritual, moral, personal growth

• Ancient religions still practiced• Many considered simply philosophy or

mentality. (Buddhism, Daoism, Shintoism)• Architecture often traced back to

ancient, sacred temples

Introduction to Music Theory

• Scale• A way notes are grouped in special ways to get different

sounds/evoke different emotions

• Pentatonic Scale• FIVE• Using only five of the traditional seven notes• Do re mi fa so la ti (do)

• Do re mi fa so la ti (do)