Music History Test 2

This is gonna be the end of me

Animism

Belief that natural objects, places, and creatures possess a spiritual essence.

Totemism

Social system linking individuals or groups with animals, plants, or natural elements as spiritual ancestors.

Didjeridu

Long wooden drone instrument used in Aboriginal ceremonies, played using circular breathing.

Corroboree

Ceremonial meeting of Aboriginal Australians involving music, dance, and costume.

Dreamtime/The Dreaming

Aboriginal cosmological system of creation and ancestral beings; foundation of songlines and cultural practices.

Aboriginal Cosmology

Belief system concerning the origins and structure of the universe, deeply tied to Dreamtime.

Wondjina

Ancestral spirits depicted in Aboriginal rock art, often associated with rain and fertility.

Musical Bow

One-stringed instrument played with a bow or by plucking; common in Southern Africa.

Umrhubhe

Mouth-resonated musical bow used by Xhosa people.

Xhosa

Ethnic group in South Africa known for distinct language and musical traditions.

Uhadi

Gourd-resonated musical bow played by Xhosa women.

Umakheweyana

Zulu musical bow played mainly by women, using a calabash resonator.

Zulu

Largest ethnic group in South Africa.

Chordophone

instrument that produces sound via vibrating strings.

Idiophone

Instrument that produces sound from the material of the instrument itself (e.g., gongs).

Gourd Resonator

Hollowed gourd used to amplify sound of musical bows.

Harmonics

Overtones or higher frequencies naturally produced by vibrating strings.

Khoisan

Indigenous people of Southern Africa known for click languages and traditional bow music.

Azmari Tradition

Ethiopian tradition of singer-poets (Azmari) who perform with masinqo, often in taverns.

Masinqo:

One-string bowed fiddle used by Ethiopian Azmari.

Abyssinia:

Historical name for the Ethiopian Empire.

Christian Kingdom of Ethiopia:

Ancient monarchy that adopted Christianity early and maintained it through centuries.

Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity:

One of the oldest Christian denominations, central to Ethiopian culture.

Ge’ez

Ancient liturgical language of Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Ethiopian Liturgical Sacred Music

Chant-based religious music in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

St. Yārēd

6th-century Ethiopian saint credited with inventing the Ethiopian musical tradition.

Melekket Notational System

Ancient system of music notation used in Ethiopian sacred music.

Krar

Five- or six-stringed lyre used in Ethiopian secular music.

Beganna

Large box lyre associated with sacred and meditative performance

‘Wax and Gold’

Ethiopian poetic style using double meanings (surface = wax, deeper meaning = gold).

Shillela Song Genre

Azmari protest or praise song, often satirical.

Tezetā

Ethiopian song genre associated with nostalgia and longing.

Griot/Griotte

Hereditary musician-historians of West Africa.

Kora

21-string harp-lute used by griots.

Jeli

Term for griot in Mandé culture.

Jeliya:

System of oral history, praise, and genealogy maintained by griots.

Balafon

Wooden xylophone with gourd resonators.

Ngoni

Plucked lute, ancestor of the banjo.

Ardin

Harp played by female griots in Mauritania.

Birimintingo/Kumbengo

Soloistic (birimintingo) and accompanimental (kumbengo) styles of kora playing.

Raga

Melodic framework for improvisation and composition.

Caste System

Hierarchical social system in India.

Hinduism

Major religion in India influencing classical music.

Alap/Alapana:

Non-rhythmic introduction to a raga.

Jhala

Fast, rhythmic section near the end of a raga.

Gat

Fixed composition set to a rhythmic cycle.

Tala:

Rhythmic cycle used in Indian music.

Tabla:

Pair of drums used in Hindustani music.

Rasa

Aesthetic emotion or mood evoked in performance.

Tambura

Drone instrument with four strings.

Sitar

Plucked string instrument with sympathetic strings.

Baya Drum:

Larger of the tabla pair.

Sarod:

Plucked lute with a deep, weighty sound.

Sruti Box

Electronic or reed instrument that provides drone.

Drone Strings

Strings that provide a constant pitch background.

Sympathetic Strings

Strings that vibrate in response to played notes.

Gagaku Court Music

Ancient Japanese court music with elegant, slow pacing.

Zen Buddhism

Spiritual tradition emphasizing meditation, influencing aesthetics.

Confucian Ideals

Philosophical system focused on order, hierarchy, and ritual.

Shakuhachi

Bamboo flute used in Zen practice.

Shamisen

3-stringed lute played with a plectrum.

Sankyoku

Chamber music ensemble including koto, shamisen, and shakuhachi.

Taiko Drum Ensemble

Group of large Japanese drums played with energetic choreography.

Biwa

Pear-shaped lute used in narrative traditions.

Ryuteki

Transverse flute used in Gagaku.

Hichiriki

Double-reed instrument used in Gagaku.

Sho:

Mouth organ used in Gagaku.

Heterophonic Structure

Texture where multiple performers play variations of the same melody

Taqasim

Non-metric instrumental improvisation.

Ud/Oud

Short-necked fretless lute used in Arab music

Buzuq

Long-necked lute with frets.

Maqam

Modal system in Arabic music.

Dastgah

Persian modal system.

Santur

Trapezoidal hammered dulcimer.

‘Non-music’

Islamic term referring to secular or forbidden music.

Islam

Monotheistic religion; influences musical traditions.

Gusheh

Short melodic units in Persian music.

Radif

Canon of traditional melodies in Persian music.

Koranic Chant

Melodic recitation of the Quran.

Adhan (Call to Prayer)

Islamic call to prayer, recited five times daily.

Eulogy Chants

Praise songs for religious figures

Call-and-Response Style

Musical structure with leader and group alternation.

Freedom Song

Songs associated with resistance and liberation.

Apartheid

South African policy of racial segregation.

Migrancy

Movement of people; relevant to labor and music.

Gumboot Performance

Rhythmic dance using boots; developed by South African miners.

Maskanda

Zulu guitar-based genre.

Bhaca Tradition

South African performance tradition with distinctive dance and song.

Timbral Density

Rich, layered sound quality.

Onomatopoeic Sounds

Sounds imitating natural noises (e.g., clapping, stomping).

Fanakalo

Pidgin language used in South African mines.

African American Steppin’

Percussive dance style using body rhythm.

Gamelan

Traditional ensemble of gongs, metallophones, and drums.

Colotomic Structure

Cyclical rhythmic structure marked by gongs.