Bala
Xylophone like Idiophone of the Mande people of West Africa
Identified with Jeliya traditions
Wooden slats are tuned, gourd resonates
Membrane placed over hole in resonator to create buzzing sound
Balinese Gamelan
lighting fast, literally means flare up like a match
Best known type of Balinese gamelan
Javanese Gamelan
More majestic sounding, slower tempo
Cran
An ornamentation used in Irish melodies
Drone
continuously sustained tone
Commonly seen in Indian raga and Irish Traditional Music (Drone Pipes)
Duff
Large Egyptian frame drum
Fallahi
Upeat dance rhythm traditionally used in accompaniment of Egyptian rural folk dances; also used to evoke “peasant” image in raqs sharqi, belly dance, and Egyptian folklore dance
Features of West African Music
Complex polyphonic textures; Layered ostinatos with varied repitition; conversational element; Improvisation; Timbral variety; Distinctive pitch systems and scales
Fontomfrom
Akan royal drum ensemble, featuring several drums and gongon iron bell (African)
Gamelan
Generic Indonesian term for ensemble or orchestra, used in reference to diverse class of mainly percussion dominated music ensembles
(Bronze gongs, metallophones, drums, end-blown bamboo flutes)
Gongon
Iron cowbell that creates a repeating ostinato
(Africa and Latin America)
Heterophony
Combination of same rhythmic line with variations (by two or more performers)
Found in Irish Music (different ornaments)
Egyptian Sufi Chant
Chinese music
Isicathamiya (Mbube)
Originally sung by migrant workers in South African mines
used in choir competitions in Durban & Johannesburg
Rich harmonies, call and response, choreography
“The Lion Sleeps Tonight”
Jeliya
the artistic culture of the jeli, including its priase songs and instrumental music traditions
Jeli
A Mande griot, most leading jelilu are descended from a hereditary jeli family
Instrumentalists play specific Jeli instruments
Jig
commonly used dance rhythm in Irish music (Triple Meter)
Kecak
Balinese dance drama that employs a gamelan of voices as its sole musical accompaniament; Music features complex interlocking rhythms derived from the kilian telu
Kilian Telu
Set of three interlocking rhythmic patterns that are an integral component of much Balinese music; basis of the interlocking cymbal patterns in gamelan beleganjur music and of the interlocking vocal patterns in Kecak
Kora
Instrument (Chordophone) 21- string Spike Harp
Geli Instrument
Melodic Instrument
Jeli Instrument Ensemble
kora, bala, koni
Malfuf
lively, quick-tempoed Egyptian dance rhythm often heard in the opening numbers of raqs sharqi and belly dances
Maqam
Term for mode in arab music; part of a large modal system comprising many maqamat
Ascending/descending tone
Microtone/Ornamentation
Assosciated with Emotions
Masmoudi
Very commonly used Egyptian dance rhythm; comes in sever varieties and may be played at different tempos
Mazhar
large, deep-toned tambourine with large cymbals
Nay
Aerophone (flute)Egyptian/Arab
Part of Takht
Orientalism
The western representation of the orient (writing, art) steortyping them as exotic
Qin
Ancient Chinese zither-type chordophone with 7 strings, no bridges; quintessential Chinese instrument of gentlemen/scholars
Confucious played one
Music of educated people for meditation
Overtones, small volume, no for audience
Raga
Highly complex and elaborate melodic system in Indian Music:
-hundreds
-ascending/descending patterns
-specific ornamentations
-expresses a mood or emotion, associated with time of day
Alap
Free rhythm, beginning of Raga with drone
Gata
Structured part of Raga
Raqs baladi
Egyptian ‘folk dance’, implies rural culture or origins; encompasses traditional dance of women’s gatherings
Raqs sharqi
Professional entertainment medium of women’s dance, associated with weddings, clubs, films and media
Reel
Most popular Irish dance rhythm, duple meter
Riq
Arab/Egyptian Tambourine, part of takht ensemble, part of Zaar rhythm
Santeria
Afro-Cuban religion based on traditional West African religious practices of the Yoruba people syncretized with Catholicism. SAcred ritual music employing the bata drums is central.
Sean nos
The old way songs, sung in Irish Gaelic, revered as the cornerstone of Irish Traditional music
Session
Informal gathering where musicians playing different instruments come together to perform traditional Irish tunes and newer tunes modeled after them, but not generally to accompany dancing
Tabla (Egyptian)
goblet shaped, single headed lead drum
Tabla (N.India)
Principle percussion instrument in N. Indian music, consists of two drums- a higher pitched and lower pitched
Taqsim
Improvised form of maqam, has rules
Treble
Irish ornamentation
Triplet
Irish ornamentation
Ud
From middle-east, hollow, strings affect timbre