MUSIC102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Ethnomusicology, Marcha Real, Social System
27 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Sept. 18/17
GYPSY/ROMA [MUSIC]
- Macedonia
- Carmen [Romanticized] (French opera by Georges Bizet), late 19th century
- Gypsies had negative stereotype in society (for stealing, etc.)
- Perspective of gypsies being seductive “outside of norm”
- Idea of authenticity and openness
- Ex: Strictly Ballroom - Pasadoble Sahnesi
- Pasadoble is a flamenco dance
- Real vs. fake (in terms of authenticity, what it means to be gypsy), feeling
the music vs. knowing the steps or basic choreography
- Doing it alone vs. doing it w/ audience (community)
FROM READING: “Did anyone … actually believe that the Superstar contest would be won by a
girl who, without a shadow of a doubt, most deserved to win, but who is Romani?”
- Roma people are understood and valued for their music skills but are looked down upon
in society (income, education, living situations)
- Despised for who they are
- Esma Redzepova (Queen of the Gypsies)
- Looks exotic -- dressed in a way that makes people think she is different, but not
a seductive “different”
-TAKEAWAY: self-”branding” for her own image; has more “power” to do
so because she is in control, not an external force
- Macedonia
- See slides for fashion palette
- Roma anthem: “Dzelem Dzelem”
- Ethnic group, but has no nation state (there are Roma people in many different
Balkan countries)
- Dark-ish anthem (can be found on eClass)
- Ornamentation: bending pitches, trilling “r”
- Minor key, mode
- Non-metric; instrumentation waits for vocalist (emphasis on the words)
- Improvisation allows audience to feel authenticity
- Drone (shifts chords w/ the vocalist, done by sustained keyboard [pad]), not
exactly a drone because it shifts
- Microtones, Highly ornamented vocal, Free meter, Harmony (bass/tenor line,
sounds like drone)
- VOICE IS KEY HERE = Emotion (sounds like crying)
- Vocalist is “playing” with tones in the different minor scales
- Feeling of grievance
- Shifts quickly to rhythm dance music, as Roma people are known for providing
dance music for the rest of society (weddings, celebrations, etc.) for performing
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
gigs
-Service economy
- During rhythmic portion: metered, but vocalist is doing the same things as before
- Romani People Flag
- Looks like Indian flag, central “wheel”
- Roma Diaspora: A vast network of Roma journeys, out from Rajasthani in current
India, beginning from the 9th-11th century CE
- Has history of traveling (nomadic)
- Roma were [systematically] discriminated against in practically every European nation
(see slide for picture)
- Social system: see slides; picture of standard of living for Roma people
- Hand in hand w/ social & cultural discrimination
- Doesn’t inhibit vibrant musical communities
FROM READING: “These zurda and tapan players (all from the Majovci clan based in Debar)
know the Slavic wedding rituals and dance repertoire intimately. There is even a proverb that
says, “no wedding will take place in Galicia unless the Majovtsi family plays.””
SERVICE ECONOMY
- Social system perspective
- Vocational examples: fortune telling, knife sharpening (caravan comes around, etc.)
- Idea that they are outside of the economy
-Zurna (double reed instrument), Tapan (drum)
- Ex: “Parties for the New Year”
- Recorded in Greece
- “Regular” beat
- Similar scale as Esma
-Zurna and Tapan music; transitional musical genre played by Roma musicians
for non-Roma families
- Halfway through: changing to techno-synthesized song: DJ, microphoned singer,
amplifiers
- Irregular beat
- Comes from Turkish song “Zelig Muren/Katibim”
- Music moved between Ottoman Empire; melodies are being reinterpreted
Sept. 20/17
- Friday: come prepared to discuss = READ
- Concert review “exemplar” as well
- Retention check: can you describe class content to someone else in ~5-10mins?
MÚSICA GITANA (“gyptana”) & FLAMENCO
The Roma in Spain
- Egyptian → “gyptano” → gitana
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Carmen [romanticized] (french opera by georges bizet), late 19th century. Gypsies had negative stereotype in society (for stealing, etc. ) Perspective of gypsies being seductive outside of norm . Real vs. fake (in terms of authenticity, what it means to be gypsy), feeling the music vs. knowing the steps or basic choreography. Doing it alone vs. doing it w/ audience (community) From reading: did anyone actually believe that the superstar contest would be won by a girl who, without a shadow of a doubt, most deserved to win, but who is romani? . Roma people are understood and valued for their music skills but are looked down upon in society (income, education, living situations) Looks exotic -- dressed in a way that makes people think she is different, but not a seductive different . Takeaway: self- branding for her own image; has more power to do so because she is in control, not an external force.
