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Listening to World Music
The primary objective of this class is to expose you to some musical traditions from
several cultures around the globe. Learning something about the music of other people is
like a window to another world and a chance to explore the creative power of humanity.
The ability to recognize various musical traditions and express some knowledge about
them is a good start towards crossing the cultural boundaries that often divide us. We are
not just listening to world music in this class, we are learning about people.
1. Familiarize yourself with the music.
a. Get copies of the listening examples within the first week of the semester.
c. Remember your initial gut feeling. Oftentimes your first reaction to a new
musical sound is a good reminder for recognizing it in the future. Is the
music familiar or completely alien? Do you like it or does it make you
want to fast forward? Does the music seem busy, cold, happy, relaxing,
e. You’ll know you are “familiar” with the music when you can anticipate
the next example before you hear it. In other words, do you know which
country the example comes from? Can you visualize the instruments,
2. Study the background material.
a. Review your class notes and relate them to each example. Write down
your own perceptions of the music or important features that were learned
in class discussions.
c. Go through the Fundamentals of Music list to help you systematically
dissect each example. Describe the music with as much detail as possible
from each category (medium, pitch, rhythm, etc.). Some questions you
might ask yourself:
v. Can you discuss the form of the performance?
vi. How can you describe the timbre? Harsh, smooth, nasal, mellow,
brooding, tight, etc.?
viii. Are there extra-musical factors associated with the music, such as
poetry, nature, historical events, politics, religion, etc.?
3. Taking exams.
a. If you have familiarized yourself with the music, you should be able to
recognize each example with only a few seconds of listening. Practice this
at home with a friend. If you don’t recognize an example immediately, try
b. Recognizing musical sound is only part of the objective in this class.
Knowing something about the music traditions, the cultures they come
from, and the people who create them is also essential. Take good notes in
c. Don’t forget WHERE in the world the music comes from. This class is
about music of the world, so you have to know where in the world we’re
talking about. Look at your world map on a daily basis.
Remember, music is universal, but it is not a universal language. Understanding music as
a world phenomenon requires an open mind and a willingness to acknowledge other
