Music around the world; Cross-cultural

Were the following program was originally released in 1967 in the case of music everyone a borrower and a lender be going to hire you. Oh good god you talk about it now that you did nothing that got caught and did it. Yeah no though they could use it in a variety of ways and for many different reasons all the peoples of the world have been using.

That. Michigan State University Radio invites you now to a program of music of around the world produced and hosted by Martin Nicholas. Our first election is a combination of several cultural traditions. Good luck. To. You. This. Little boy. Mari McCabe a South African also sings an arrangement of an American song

based on Russian Jewish themes and the whole thing is done in a Brazilian style which is itself derived from music South West Africa and Portugal. Of course most of us in this country are so accustomed to such varied constituents occurring in the music we hear every day that we usually don't even think about their origins. Considering the history of the United States people coming here from all over the world in the highly developed systems of transportations and communications which give us access to almost any corner of the globe and the American propensity for novelty it's not at all surprising that we have picked up borrowed and adopted elements of many other cultures in all aspects including music. But we're not alone in this practice. This is a bit of a modern Japanese composition which is you can hear makes use of Western instruments

styles and techniques including electronic music. Call them Benin is taken from the German work by the 19th century poet novelist Friedrich Baron de la Motte Fouquet whose name indicates at least part of his background was French. Oh yes by the way the Japanese composition seems to have won the Italian prize in 1960. Of course the fact of the matter is that all groups borrow and adopt ideas from other groups they come in contact with. What differentiates us in Japan from many other societies is the degree to which they can both extend and intensify contacts actuations thanks to their advanced technology. There are many situations in which one people may come in contact or immigration or just traveling and as long as he can sing or whistle a man has his music with him and he often carries musical instruments as well.

It's not always clear just how and why any particular idea or practice is picked up. But in many cases the borrowers use things in a rather different context from the way they were originally used. A budget woman of North Borneo sings an adaptation of a familiar song. I suppose that's comparable to our case or our sin magnet. Borrowing

most the melody of just a few words of the original language in the language of the people of Kenya. The same words turn into my darling. Though my skin did not receive this love song is couched in more traditional terms of endearment such as my little calf love name which is very common amongst pastoral people and they couldn't sing. Oh I know they didn't just the hissing indicates enjoyment and enthusiasm.

School going good wallboard School Boy you're good to go. He's told her that. Sometimes it's only the military that's borrowed as in this fast dance from Taiwan. Of course you know the name of this one John. Actually that seems to be an attempt to tell us what a regular Dixie into Chinese letters. But it can also be read as meaning good for a good mom who's. This type. Popular music is called Chung and why you know it which literally means Chinese music. But in practice means played on traditional Chinese instrument.

Yeah. North American Indians often introduced English words into a nonsense syllable or an Indian language tense. Here they've put in the verse. If you marry me then I will love you. If you know me once then I'll never. Get.

Most musics can be called living in the same sense that languages are referred to as living people constantly use them and they change over time. Even the art music the classical form of it are supposed to always retain certain features do change in detail and certainly much music is quite ephemeral. Popular styles come and go to songs commenting on specific circumstances die out as the situation changes. The new songs are written about yet any particular one may survive. Perhaps to be the fond remembrance of past times or perhaps to adapt to the new circumstances. Many African tribes have a tradition of

praise songs usually about their chiefs. But this man of Kenya is using the form to praise the local bicycle mentor an adaptation brought about by the introduction of foreign technology rather than for musical elements. Naftali own goal is a positive wizard and mending bicycles. Everyone goes to him for everything. Even the chief himself and the clerks and their bicycles these days. He's moving the whole thing. Let's look at it. I g to man of Tanzania a company on a 12 note some kennel seems about another bit of foreign technology the fighter plane called the hurricane which was using the

1939 45 German war. The song was composed by determining which soldiers during the war and it's been used as a folk dance song since their return. It's especially popular in the diamond mine where many of them and work. My way of getting to with them you know. There's a great deal of interesting musical activity at the mines and other centers of industry in Africa especially those which draw their workers from several different tribes. Music is usually the main form of relaxation and recreation for those laborers. They hear the songs and see the dances of other tribes and develop sorts of hybrid styles. There is further enhanced by music for their way radio. For example. The penny whistle. Such as this one being played by the brothers of

Havelok Swaziland originated from a single I know there are so many variations that there's no place in that original. That. The broadening of musical horizons of the men at the mines is almost a coincidental byproduct.

Most of them are away from their families in the villages for a long time. Singing playing or dancing to the music. It's so much a part of their everyday lives at home helps to ease their homesickness and also forms a bond of social solidarity amongst those of similar background. The negroes who were brought to the Americas as slaves were of course in an even sadder plight forcefully transplanted into an environment that was alien in every way. The music was one of the few things that couldn't be taken from them and to some extent the religion which included music in the background we're hearing your good drumming for the powerful god Xango. Let's hear a calypso of the West Indies which describes a shamble ceremony they're only half joking. I want

the old I want you. This of course brings us to the point of the great influence of African music on musics of North Central and

South America. I'm sure you're all aware of its presence and if you've been following the series of programs you probably have noticed over the past dozen links there been many examples of African music bearing definite resemblance to that music much closer to home. Actually the wide variation in styles especially in Central and South America. Is dependent on how many Africans came from which part of the continent and which period of history of the country. The details of this are very interesting but will put it off until the next series in which will concentrate on specific geographical areas. Let's switch now to another kind of influence which is quite widespread that of Christianity specifically Roman Catholicism and Protestantism in the enforced isolation from the rest of society. The slaves and their descendants who converted to Christianity developed their own versions of services and hymns. This group is from a small island in the Bahamas. And let me use it rather

than you know. No I'm not. Going to do. Monks to convert to Christianity in Africa. There's a variety of musical styles even within one tribe. The next three selections are all from him sung by the people of Zambia. The first two are different separatist groups. This sect poses its own. Yeah yeah. Yeah yeah I can.

I don't know if this has its own special hymn book. And it can do that in the. While this is a Seventh Day Adventist choir using the sink in moody himno. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. The man of Rwanda who was studying for the priesthood composed this Catholic chant

which is actually very much like the indigenous style of singing you want to use it. Oh oh oh oh oh. A rose. Holy war. Many of the hymns used by the Zulus of Nepal were originally based upon popular method is hymns. But they've gradually. More zoom in care during the past 50 years since they were adopted. Zulus danced to these hymns. The heads of the bass drum beaters that they're using are made of home planets. With.

Some of you may be familiar with the commercially available recording called Mr Luba a Congolese mass performed by little bit though the while bowed while a choir with percussion section consisting of about forty five boys between the age of nine and 14 will hear the Benedict loose from the Missa Luba the basis of the Hosanna is a dance rhythm of the Kasai people. Another children's group which has been heard in the United States is the Korean orphan choir. Here they

sing the American Protestant Sunday School standard hymn. What a Friend We Have in Jesus. But they sing it in Korean. Also commercially available is a miss a creole a folk mass of Argentina. This is the Sanctus.

Thing. Of course it's really unnecessary to point out the strong band. That. Was it.

Compare that last with the Sanctus of the Missa gitana a mass of the Spanish gypsies Avan to see it. Wrong both wrong both wrong. Oh I see I've lost my race with the clock again as usual.

We've briefly covered a few of the aspects of cross-cultural music influences on this particular program borrowing of melodies words instrumentation styles and themes. But we heard only a few of the many examples I had wanted to play of such borrowings and adaptation. Of course we have been pointing out such things on other programs tangled threads of history of invasions of trade missions religious missions of modern sophistication of all interwoven the living aspects of various cultures until it's almost impossible to not find some borrowing in every instance except perhaps a few very small experiences later whole. The music we're hearing now is a typical rendition of the accompanied by the instrument. Except

the dance music. And next week will be the last program of the series. At this point I'd like to think some of the recordings. And I'd like to invite you to join me next week for the grand finale of the exciting the unusual. Yeah I am.

Sure. I am. Yeah yeah. I am. I am. Who I Am. They just eat my

feet. We have presented music around the world with Martin Nicolas producer and commentator and we invite you to be with us again next week at the same time for the music world. Thought it was upbeat but it didn't go deep got an idea. That he did. Not have. I did a good load of. Clothes while you load

this program was produced for Michigan State University Radio originally released in 1967. The program you've just heard is from the program library of National Public Radio.