TExES - Music History, Cultures, and Evaluation

Covers Western classical music history; global music; genre, style, and evaluation.

African drumming

Performed in Sub-Saharan Africa. Famed for its use of polyrhythms, its cyclic series structure, and its use of call-and-response and improvisation.

Master drummer

Commandeers performances of African drumming

Cyclic series

Element of African drumming; composition characterized by repetition

Agogo Bell

A drum that changes pitch as a performer squeezes the ropes around it. Performed by master drummer in African drumming.

Gamelan

Ensemble primarily of metallophones and gongs, originating in Indonesia (specifically Java and Bali). Characterized by layered, cyclical, and often interlocking texture.

Raga

Melodic framework in Indian classical music for improvisation and composition. Acts as a mode with specific characteristic phrases, ornamentations, and extramusical associations (e.g., moods, times of day, seasons)

Punctuating Instruments

One of three instrument families in gamelan; initiates and concludes the cycles of gamelan music

Clave

Fundamental rhythmic figure of salsa; can be 2-3 or 3-2, depending on melodic phrasing

Balungan Instruments

One of three instrument families in gamelan; plays the melody

Dunun / Dundun

Double-headed drum, functioning as a bass drum in African drumming

Montuno

structural element of salsa; improvisatory passages that utilize call-and-response forms

Polyrhythm

Simultaneous use of 2 or more rhythms. Common in African drumming, Western classical music, and Cuban salsa

Hula

Hawaiian dance music; accompanied by chant (mele) or song (oli)

Polynesian Drumming

rhythmic drumming patterns used in traditional dances and ceremonies

Polynesia

A region of Oceania including Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, and islands associated with New Zealand.

Jawaiian

Modern Hawaiian music blends traditional sounds with genres like reggae and rock

Haka

Originates from Māori people of New Zealand. Traditional war dance that incorporates chanting, stomping, and rhythmic body movements. Used in celebrations, ceremonies, and to challenge opponents.

Slit drums, log drums, bamboo tubes

provide rhythmic foundation for many Oceanic songs and dances

Conch shells

Oceanic wind instrument. Produce a distinctive sound; often used in ceremonies and to signal important events.

Ukulele and slack-key guitar

Popular in Hawaiian music, blending Indigenous and Western influences

Dombra and Komuz

String instruments found in traditional Central Asian folk music

Shamanic music

Central Asian spiritualistic music consisting of throat singing, percussion, and wind instruments

Name the influences present in Central Asian CLASSICAL music.

Persian and Turkish influence, including maqam-based compositions and complex modal structures.

East Asian music

Reflects various musical styles and cultures of countries like Korea, Japan, and China.

Gagaku

Traditional Japanese court music

Nō

Japanese theater music

Pansori

Korean musical storytelling

Gugak

Korean classical music

Peking Opera

Chinese theatrical form combining music, vocal performance, and acrobatics

Pentatonic Scales

Based on five notes (known in the U.S. as do-re-mi-so-la), giving it a distinct sound. Common in Chinese and Japanese music

Koto and Guzheng

Plucked string instruments originating in East Asia

Shamisen

Japanese plucked 3-string instrument resembling a banjo. Has a distinctive buzzing timbre. Often played with a large plectrum (bachi) and is prominent in folk, theatrical (Kabuki, Bunraku), and traditional music.

Erhu

Chinese bowed 2-string instrument. Often called a “spike fiddle”. Produces expressive, vocal-like timbres and is prominent in Chinese classical and folk music.

Hindustani Classical

North Indian classical music tradition that incorporates vocal and instrumental forms, characterized by use of ragas and talas

Carnatic Music

South Indian classical music tradition, known for complex rhythmic patterns and rich devotional themes

Bhakti music

Found across various South Asian cultures. Devotional music expressing devotion to deities.

Bollywood Music

Popular music genre combining traditional Indian music with global influences, prominently featured in Indian cinema

Name the origin of this Asian folk music style: Bhangra

Punjab

Name the origin of this Asian folk music style: Baul

Bengal

Name the origin of this Asian folk music style: Lavani

Maharashtra

Qawwali

form of Sufi devotional music, commonly found in Pakistan and North India. Known for powerful vocal delivery and spiritual themes

Luk Thung

Thai folk music blending traditional sounds with modern instruments. Often addresses rural life and social issues.

Pinpeat

Classical music ensemble from Cambodia featuring wind and percussion instruments used in ceremonial and court music.

Sufi Music

Spiritual music associated with Sufi tradition, often featuring hypnotic rhythms and chants

Reggae

Jamaican music characterized by offbeat rhythm, frequently called the ‘skank’, and socially conscious lyrics. Often features bass guitar, rhythm guitar, and drums. Notable artists include Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.

Calypso

Known for witty and satirical lyrics, often addressing social and political issues. Features syncopated rhythm, steelpan, and brass instruments.

Bossa Nova

Combines elements of samba and jazz, featuring smooth, laid-back rhythms and complex harmonies.

Salsa

Blends Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz, featuring lively percussion, horns, and piano. Is known for its energetic style and vibrant sound.

Djembe

Closely associated with African drumming. Percussion instrument that plays a singular pitch and has a deep timbre.

Bongo

Closely associated with Cuban salsa. Percussion instrument with a high, crisp sound.

Mbube

South African vocal style featuring rich harmonies. Popularized by groups like Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Where does the term ‘gamelan’ come from?

‘Gamel’, meaning ‘to hammer’ in Javanese.

Which of the following terms best describes the tonal influences on North African music?

Maqams (melodic modes taken from Arabic music)

Which artist was a famous singer/actor during the Great Depression?

Judy Garland

Folk music is often called…

the music of the people

Bluegrass

Country/folk music originating in the Appalachian mountains. Characterized by the use of instruments like the banjo, fiddle, and mandolin.

Elaborating instruments

One of three instrument families in gamelan (Indian music); adds depth, richness, and an ‘inner melody’ to the balungan’s melody

Mambo

A genre of Cuban dance music that is performed with an instrumental interlude and alternated with various montunos

Timbre

The quality of a tone, often used to describe differences in sound between two instruments playing the same pitch at the same volume; timbre-describing words include “harsh”, “bright”, “dark”, “warm”, etc.

Heterogeneous

Using instruments with dissimilar timbres

Homogenous

Using instruments with similar timbres

Intonation

The degree to which a pitch is played/sung in tune

Moña

A horn guajeo (ostinato) that alternates with various montunos

Work songs

Songs connected to physical labor. Used to help workers stay in unison as they completed their work. Popular among enslaved Africans in the 1850s and 1860s.

Blues

Genre of music that combines traditional African forms with folk music and Christian hymns; lyrics often express sadness or discontent, frequently using simple rhythms and harmonies. Guitar is almost always featured.

Gospel music

Expresses Christian themes, varying widely across different denominations and cultures. Typically consist of hymns or spirituals that feature keyboard instruments (piano/organ) and harmonized vocals

Rounded Binary Form

Opening melodic material returns at the end of the second section, “rounding out” the structure

Symmetrical form

Subsections of a song are of equal length

Parallel form

Subsections begin with the same thematic material

Ternary Form

A-B-A-coda

Balanced Binary Form

End of the first subsection is restated (in full!) at the end of the second section: A-B-C-B

Sectional Form

The first subsection begins and ends in the tonic

Asymmetrical Form

Subsections are not of equal length

Son

Basis of salsa; late 19th-century Cuban musical genre that fused elements of Spanish and African music

Tala

Rhythmic cycle in Indian classical music. Cycle/meter comprising a specific number of beats and a recurring pattern of strong and weak accents.

Sitar

Long-necked, plucked string instrument found in Indian music. Known for a resonant sound, sympathetic strings. Often used for melodic lines in Hindustani classical music.

Tabla

Pair of hand drums from India, essential to Hindustani classical music for providing rhythmic accompaniment and intricate rhythmic solos. Played with fingers and palms.

Metallophone

Instrument found in Gamelan ensembles; made of metal bars struck with mallets.

Colotomic Structure

Term describing the rhythmic and metric organization in Gamelan music, where specfici instruments (usually gongs) mark off fixed time intervals or cycles, acting as punctuation.

Maqam

Melodic mode/scale system characterized by specific intervallic relationships (often including microtones), melodic patterns, and emotional/philosophical connotations. Provides rules for melodic development. Found in Arabic/Middle Eastern music.

Oud

Fretless, pear-shaped plucked string instrumnet with a short neck, originating in the Middle East and North Africa. Precursor to the lute.

Koto

Long, plucked zither from Japan, with 13 strings stretched over movable bridges. It is a central instrument in traditional Japanese music, used for both solo performance and ensemble playing.

Vihuela

15th century plucked string instrument. Shaped like a guitar, tuned like a lute; Spanish equivalent of the lute.

Guitarrón

Bigger guitar used in mariachi. FRETLESS, unlike a normal guitar. Uses tuning A-D-G-C-E-A.