who asked the first question? - International Research Center For ...
who asked the first question? - International Research Center For ... who asked the first question? - International Research Center For ...
166impressive index of this 1000+-page volume dedicated to the music of IndianSubcontinent.ConclusionsFollowing are a few general conclusions to sum up this brief review of thepolyphonic traditions of the biggest and the most populous continent of the world:‣ Generally speaking, Asia is one of the most monophonic continents ofthe world, although a few regions are known for their polyphonictraditions.‣ In the Middle East vocal polyphony is present among the Persian Gulffishing and particularly pearl-diving populations around the island ofBahrain. Vocal polyphony here is based on a strong tradition of very lowdrone with a highly ornamented melody. Polyphonic singing was alsonoted among some other Middle Eastern peoples, particularly among theJews, Syrians, and Bedouins.‣ Central Asia harbors the unique tradition of overtone singing, based onthe use of a long drone sound and creating the melody using the naturalovertones of the drone sound.‣ The most isolated polyphonic traditions of the world also come fromAsia. The first inhabitants of the Japanese and Kuril Islands, theenigmatic Ainus retained their tradition of canonic singing up to the 20 thcentury. Another uniquely isolated polyphonic region is Nuristan,situated in impenetrable mountains of Hindukush in Afghanistan. Thesecondal polyphony was still thriving here in the second half of the 20 thcentury.‣ Probably the biggest and the most important (although not researchedsufficiently) region of traditional vocal polyphony in Asia is SoutheastAsia, stretching from Northeast India up to the Southern Chineseminorities, and the ethnic minorities of Vietnam, Burma, and Nepal,living in the forest-covered mountains of Southeastern Asia.‣ One of the most important (and better researched) regions of traditionalpolyphony is Taiwan, where different mountain peoples practicedifferent forms of polyphony.
Vocal Polyphony in North AmericaThe musical traditions of Native Americans are stereotypically regarded asmonophonic. Despite the presence of strong group-singing traditions in most AmericanIndian traditional music, monophonic (solo, unison and often loosely heterophonic)singing predominates.At the same time, unlike many of the other “monophonic” regions of the world,where the study of dominant monodic music totally pushed away any study of theelements of polyphony, quite a few American scholars (mostly musicologists andethnomusicologists) contributed to the study of elements of part-singing among NorthAmerican Indians (see the survey in Nettl, 1961).According to the available sources, mostly summarized in a concise and veryinformative article by Bruno Nettl (1961), information about the polyphonic singingstyles of different Indian peoples is quite abundant. Although some regions and peopleslack any references to polyphony, solid information is available on other regions andpeoples. Most importantly, this information questions the existing general stereotypeabout the general monophonic nature of American Indian vocal singing traditions.Among different regions of North America two regions are particularly rich ininformation about vocal polyphony: (1) the Northwest Coast, and (2) the East Coast.167Plenty of information indicates that the Northwest Coast Indians(particularly the Nootka and Salish) were familiar with a part-singing tradition, andparticularly often used drone polyphony. Drone could be the highest part (as among theMakah) as well as the lowest part (Salish Indians). Makah used a so-called “metalpitch”, a drone that sounded on top of the melody. According to Densmore’s informants,the “metal pitch” [high pitch drone] was sung by individuals, mainly women, who “eitherdid not know the song or wished to improve its quality” (Densmore, 1939:130). It is veryinteresting that the Makah would use a “metal pitch” drone to accompany a strangerwhen he would sing his own song for them. Densmore provides some very interestinginformation about the additional harmonic tones that Salish singers used to place duringthe long notes in the melody (Densmore, 1943:31). Abraham and Hornbostel transcribedthis example of drone polyphony from Thomson River Indians:Ex. 96. North America (Abraham and Hornbostel, 1922: #32)Singers were divided into two groups (so both parts were sung in unisons). Someof them sang a melody, and others occasionally repeated the same note, a third lower thanthe main tone of the melody (Abraham & Hornbostel, 1922:32).According to Roberts, Nootka had parallel three-part singing traditions, with mensinging a melody and women singing together with them, some singing a fourth, andsome an octave higher. They had special terms indicating the relationship of the parts.She indicates that Nootka have known polyphony for a long time. Polyphonic elements in
- Page 115 and 116: 115Ex. 59. Albania. Laberi style po
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- Page 119 and 120: 119countries of the Baltic region a
- Page 121 and 122: 121research about sutartines (Slavi
- Page 123 and 124: 123LatviaAnother Baltic country, La
- Page 125 and 126: 125Ex. 68. Estonia. Setu polyphony
- Page 127 and 128: 127Tbilisi State Conservatory in th
- Page 129 and 130: 129contracted this peculiarity of s
- Page 131 and 132: 131throughout medieval northern Eur
- Page 133 and 134: 133electronic media; and whether th
- Page 135 and 136: 135To complete the review of the Ce
- Page 137 and 138: 137(9) The singing style is harsh a
- Page 139 and 140: 139ItalyWith its internationally re
- Page 141 and 142: 141than 120 Sicilianvillages and it
- Page 143 and 144: 143Vocal Polyphony in AsiaAsia is b
- Page 145 and 146: 145music of Ancient Greece itself i
- Page 147 and 148: 147possible space of a second.” T
- Page 149 and 150: 149sources from the 5 th (Favstos B
- Page 151 and 152: 151polyphonic singing came from Taj
- Page 153 and 154: 153(asamchilog, choir). 6/8 metre i
- Page 155 and 156: 155or less in unison, and one voice
- Page 157 and 158: 157Lithuanian sutartines, where you
- Page 159 and 160: 159idea of how rich (and how unknow
- Page 161 and 162: 161Ex. 90. China, Tibet (Bucher, 19
- Page 163 and 164: 163South-East AsiaVietnamAccording
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- Page 169 and 170: 169west of the region (Densmore, 19
- Page 171 and 172: 171the Indian melodies continue wit
- Page 173 and 174: 173(Burney 1975:84. Cited from Kaep
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- Page 195 and 196: 1953. Social organization of the si
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166impressive index of this 1000+-page volume dedicated to <strong>the</strong> music of IndianSubcontinent.ConclusionsFollowing are a few general conclusions to sum up this brief review of <strong>the</strong>polyphonic traditions of <strong>the</strong> biggest and <strong>the</strong> most populous continent of <strong>the</strong> world:‣ Generally speaking, Asia is one of <strong>the</strong> most monophonic continents of<strong>the</strong> world, although a few regions are known for <strong>the</strong>ir polyphonictraditions.‣ In <strong>the</strong> Middle East vocal polyphony is present among <strong>the</strong> Persian Gulffishing and particularly pearl-diving populations around <strong>the</strong> island ofBahrain. Vocal polyphony here is based on a strong tradition of very lowdrone with a highly ornamented melody. Polyphonic singing was alsonoted among some o<strong>the</strong>r Middle Eastern peoples, particularly among <strong>the</strong>Jews, Syrians, and Bedouins.‣ Central Asia harbors <strong>the</strong> unique tradition of overtone singing, based on<strong>the</strong> use of a long drone sound and creating <strong>the</strong> melody using <strong>the</strong> naturalovertones of <strong>the</strong> drone sound.‣ The most isolated polyphonic traditions of <strong>the</strong> world also come fromAsia. The <strong>first</strong> inhabitants of <strong>the</strong> Japanese and Kuril Islands, <strong>the</strong>enigmatic Ainus retained <strong>the</strong>ir tradition of canonic singing up to <strong>the</strong> 20 thcentury. Ano<strong>the</strong>r uniquely isolated polyphonic region is Nuristan,situated in impenetrable mountains of Hindukush in Afghanistan. Thesecondal polyphony was still thriving here in <strong>the</strong> second half of <strong>the</strong> 20 thcentury.‣ Probably <strong>the</strong> biggest and <strong>the</strong> most important (although not researchedsufficiently) region of traditional vocal polyphony in Asia is Sou<strong>the</strong>astAsia, stretching from Nor<strong>the</strong>ast India up to <strong>the</strong> Sou<strong>the</strong>rn Chineseminorities, and <strong>the</strong> ethnic minorities of Vietnam, Burma, and Nepal,living in <strong>the</strong> forest-covered mountains of Sou<strong>the</strong>astern Asia.‣ One of <strong>the</strong> most important (and better researched) regions of traditionalpolyphony is Taiwan, where different mountain peoples practicedifferent forms of polyphony.
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