Our Wedding Song
To the Goddess of Music and Learning: The excerpt from “Sarasiruha”, CD 2:3, textbook pp. 201-207, gives a condensed idea of a typical performance.
1. (8) A music lesson for children learning Carnatic Music: Begin at Counter Number 1:36 Note the structure and form-repetition of the melody. These are similar to western music phrase form repetitions. Notice the music of India talas uneven groupings (4 + 2 + 2) counted out by the teacher. What did you learn about melodic structure from this video and process of learning? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5REvG_u4I_M
2. (5 pts) can you think of any method in our public schools that teaches children, through singing, how to preserve an American music tradition?
3. (20pts, 5 each) from the Simoncic lecture notes on Carnatic music, many music terms are highlighted
A: how is microtonal music compared to western12 note chromatic described?
B: What is an alapana and what parts might be similar to western music?
C. What is a drone and how similar is it to western music drones?
D. Where is there a drone sound in Sarasiruha? Use counter numbers.
4. (10 pts). How can you identify a drone in Chopin’s Mazurka? Chopin Mazurka drone section live piano :2:14 -2:27 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9MDJuKL3sA and Chopin Mazurka drone 1:56 – 2:06 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz5nmuxAWpg
5. (8 pts) In the Chopin Mazurka, during the drone part the melody doesn’t sound “Western European”. Is it closer to Eastern European or Carnatic? Why?
6. A (3 pts each) The Melakarta is similar to what in western music?
B. What mridangam?
C. What is Veena
D. What is Kriti.
7. (10 pts) what part of Sarasiruha did you find most appealing, the Kriti 8:25, Kaplan svaras 14:45 or Tani avartanam 18:00…why. Please don’t write, “because I liked it or because I could relate to it”.
8. (20 pts) India has been influenced by Muslim music and music of the west, but the most interesting is the more recent influence from west “pop” culture. In 200 words or less, summarize the textbooks pages 187-190, Pop Music.
9. (10 pts) Our Wedding Song (Engal kalyanam) is marked with specific western music ideas. By using the “Close Listening” guide on page 190 and using counter numbers, point to at least two very strong western influences. Recording found in Course Resources.
10. (10 pts) Engal kalyanam also has an expanded form with beyond a pop song A, B, A. By using counter numbers, what has been added to A and B and how different (musically) is the new duet?
11. (10pts) this next video of Engal kalyanam is the same as the text book recording. In what way did the video help or hinder the understanding of this song and its format? Please be specific. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpDSEwPYu6w
12. (8pts) Watch this video of another Wedding Song, Kadavul Amaithu Vaitha – Aval Oru Thodarkathai Tamil Song – Kamal Hassan, Sujatha. Which one of the two wedding songs seems in keeping with traditional Carnatic music and why? You must supply counter numbers to defend your answer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJQ-grJjRgU
13. (5pts) this lovely and more “pop” style song has a very familiar
14. (8) write a comment on at least one other students posting. If you do not address it to a specific student, no credit will be given.
