| Cover title |
Traditional African & Oriental music |
| Contents |
African music. Rhythm ; Melody ; Harmony ; Instruments ; General considerations. Religion ; Language, poetry, and music ; Improvisation ; Music and musicians in the community -- Islam and music. Rhythm ; Melody ; Harmony ; Instruments ; General considerations. Religion ; Qur'an recitations ; The call to prayer ; The prophet's birthday ; Hymns in praise of the prophet ; Sufi worship ; Postlude -- The Indian subcontinent. Rhythm ; Melody ; Harmony ; Instruments ; General considerations. Religion: Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam ; Qawwali ; Dance and music ; Ragamala paintings -- China and Tibet. Rhythm ; Melody ; Harmony ; Instruments ; General considerations. Religion: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism ; Peking opera ; Tibet ; Dance in China and Tibet ; Epic song -- The Far East. Japan background ; Rhythm ; Melody ; Harmony ; Instruments ; Instrumental and theatrical ensembles. Gagaku, Bunraku, Kabuki and Noh -- General considerations. Religion: Shinto, Buddhism in Japan, Zen. Indonesia ; Java ; Bali. Background ; Rhythm ; Melody ; Instruments ; Theatrical ensembles and music ; Bali. |
| Abstract |
People are stimulated and entertained by the fascinating sounds and rhythms of non-Western music yet they generally know little about its underlying principles. This detailed and hugely informative reference book examines the musical traditions of these very diverse cultures and explains how each one is affected by the native philosophies, religions and social structures. In African music, for example, music is dominated by trance-inducing rhythm and largely percussive instruments. In Islamic countries, music is primarily vocal and is often ideologically viewed with suspicion. Indian music, on the other hand, balances melodic and rhythmical expressions both in its secular and sacred contexts and, unlike Western music, its rhythmic thinking is additive rather than divisionist. In contrast, Chinese music is rhythmically 'square', that is predictably in two or four beats. Japanese music reflects the highly sophisticated styles of the courts, whereas the music of Bali and Java shows an ingenious amalgamation of Indian, Chinese and Islamic influences with its native traditions. This comprehensive introduction includes sections on the rhythm, melody, harmony and traditional instruments of the different regions. |
| Local note | Little-322840--305131023044Q |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references, discography and index. |
| ISBN | 0140231072 |
