General World Music
What musical element has been missing from many of the traditions we have studied?
harmony
What is used to amplify the sound of the mbira?
gourd vegetable
In the listening example that we heard, what was the symbolism of the drum beat?
Heartbeat of Mother Nature
What ethnic group brought footwork, hand motions, and improvisation to flamenco performance?
Gypsies
Can taiko drums be tuned to specific pitches?
No, they are unpitched percussion instruments.
What melodic contour have we encountered repeatedly this semester?
descending phrases
Bottle caps or seashells are often attached to the mbira. What is the purpose?
to attract ancestral spirits
A common feature of Native American music is the use of sounds or syllables that have no clear meaning. What are these called?
vocables
What Spanish word describes the passion with which flamenco music should be performed?
duende
What was one use of the taiko drums, other than entertainment or ceremony?
War (military signals, troop orders, setting the marching pace, troop motivation)
How is music important to cultures that have no written language?
It is used as a way to document history and cultural practices, while also transmitting that information from one generation to the next.
What English word refers to the metal strips used on an mbira?
tines
What percentage (estimated) of the Native American population was wiped out in the hundred years following the arrival or Columbus?
90%
What ethnic group from northern Africa controlled Spain for roughly 700 years?
What are taiko drumsticks called?
Bachi
Many cultures use music as a kind of portal, through which people are able to communicate with what?
ancestral spirits or the spiritual world
What category of instrument is the mbira?
lamellophone
Other than stories about history and great warriors from the past, what is a common theme in Native American music?
respect for nature
What southern region of Spain is known as the birthplace of flamenco music?
Andalusia
What ancient Japanese religion incorporates the use of taiko drums?
Shinto
How many strings does a kora have?
21
What do the words kushaura and kutsinhira refer to in mbira music?
two interlocking melodic lines
How many tribes are believed to have lived in North America pre-Columbus? (round to the nearest 100)
300
Who was the dictator who ruled Spain during much of the 20th century?
General Francisco Franco
Terra cotta figures date the earliest use of taiko drums to what century?
6th century AD