Music Web

Mia Cellino
Jul 24, 2017 · 11 min read

“Music In Praise Of A Yoruba Chief” recorded by Moses Asch

Disclaimer: This is the only song that I could not find a YouTube recording of. My apologies!

In my first listening to this song, I really enjoyed it. I can sense the African culture so clearly. The thing that initially stood out to me was the use of the drums and other percussive instruments. It sounds as if the people performing this song are having a party banging on anything they are able to find. It also sounds like a celebratory dance that could take place in a circle around a fire. After listening to the song more and reading about it in the textbook, it did not surprise me when the books stated that “dancing is nearly inseparable from music in African culture.” As the African American culture has a long history of oppression, this song is refreshing to me, as it is obvious that it is a joyous celebration of their culture.

Something I noticed about the use of the percussion instruments is that during the first five seconds of the song, the percussion performers seem to be figuring out their steady tempo. Once the tempo is decided, the solo vocalist comes in and the tempo remains stable throughout the performance. The song has a pattern of the soloist chanting a short phrase, and then the chorus responding to the soloist. After the song progresses for a minute, the phrases get shorter and shorter, and the soloist and chorus communicate back and forth more frequently. If there were an intentional climax in the song, I would assume this is it.

As I am listening to this song again, I am reminded of the historical context of this song. The culture of the first African Americans was drastically influenced on English settlers. Their masters heavily supervised them, and they were also converted to Christianity by the masses. Yet this song is proof that not all African traditions were abandoned as they came to America. As the song gradually builds up in tempo, it sounds as if there is almost a sense of urgency that these African Americans had to keep their culture alive in their new home.

This song is evidently an example of folk music, because it is distinct in the culture that it comes from. Yet I also think of this song as a sacred song. Even the name suggests that the people singing are praising the Yoruba chief. It sounds like a dance, but it is also a form of praise. In this mindset, this song relates to “Sheep, Sheep, Don’t You Know the Road” by the Georgia Sea Island Singers. Although this song is more obviously a sacred song (and the lyrics are in English), there are some blatant similarities. For example, it represents the same dominance of rhythm and uses the call-and-response technique. There is an obvious leader in the song (Bessie Jones), and the group responds to everything she is singing. This song is very influenced by West African music, which is similar to “Music In Praise Of A Yoruba Chief.”

“Para Los Rumberos” by Tito Puente

The first thing I noticed about this song are the multiple layers in the texture. There are blaring horns, a piano providing a steady background melody, and many drums hammering out complex rhythmic patterns. Upon listening to the piece more, I appreciated that the song provides little “features” of the various instruments. For example, there are several timbale solos, and then a few moments where the horns blast the 3 + 2 clave.

I love how, although the song sounds very complex, the skeleton of the entire work is centered on the 3 + 2 clave rhythm. This is very noticeable during the scattered instrumental features. However, even though I know the structure is there, I am still having difficulty pinpointing the 3 + 2 clave during certain points of the song. The syncopation of it all is very distracting to me, and I get lost in what the polyphonic layers are doing and cannot stay grounded in tapping out the clave.

Looking at this mambo from a cultural standpoint, I believe this represents the Latin American culture very well. In the same way as “Music In The Praise Of A Yoruba Chief,” this song is meant to be danced to in a celebratory manner. The difference with the Latin mambo versus the African American traditional is that there are far more instruments used, and there the call-and-response practice is not present in the mambo. However, the heavy use of percussion instruments is similar. The title “Para Los Rumberos” translates to “For The Party-Goers,” and there is no question that this song can take place in a party setting. The fast tempo and complex rhythms give the song a lot of energy, which can instinctively make its listeners want to move and dance.

As I listen to this song again, I am drawn to its mambo characteristics. The mambo is a popular and upbeat Cuban dance genre. Energetic dancing and a prominent brass section distinguish it. Our textbook suggests that the word “mambo” could have come from an African (Bantu) word meaning “to speak.” It is fascinating to me that I already thought that this song was similar to “Music In The Praise Of A Yoruba Chief” in my first listening log of this song. This shows that this song could have had some traditional African American influence. One of the biggest indicators of this is how dominant the percussion instruments are. The rhythms are extremely complex — the fact that there are multiple percussion instruments alone demonstrates the importance of rhythm as a characteristic for these folk songs.

Of course, this song is considered a folk song in the Latin American tradition. But I also think this song has some jazz elements to it as well. Even though it does not demonstrate the improvisational techniques or dissonances that are so present in jazz music, it has similar instrumentation as jazz music. The trumpet voices especially remind me of jazz tunes. The differences come into play when discussing rhythm, as the rhythms in this song are obviously tightly knitted and intentional.

“Swing Down Chariot” by the Golden Gate Quartet

I immediately chose this song to do a listening log on, because I grew up listening “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” at church. I found this work very interesting, because the quartet does an incredible job at utilizing their voices for more than just lyrics sung in a melody. At first, the song starts out very florid, and as a listener, I was confused if the song would stay that loose and unstructured for the duration of the song. However, it soon picks up and they turn themselves into human percussion instruments. This is prominent in the background singers and their strict enunciation of the words and consonant sounds. I particularly enjoy the bass singing the “bum bum bum bum” rhythm rather silently in the background. This song represents the African American community with the certain dialect they use. For example, they sing “chillun” instead of “children.” This song absolutely tells a story. Since it is in verse-and-chorus form, the “swing down chariot” chorus is repeated several times, and it is sandwiched in between verses describing Ezekiel, Zeke, and the Father in the Promised Land. This song can definitely represent the popularization of gospel music in the 1930s through 1950s. It is a very “flashy” version, and it is dramatized by the slow build-up of tempo and texture (with the addition of the drums and bass guitar).

As I listen to this song again, I am reminded of the different aspects of music that influenced it (besides other popular secular works). For example, this song has some jazz influence. I hear this in the swung rhythms in the drums. It is interesting how the singers are even singing the word “swing” over and over again while this “swung” rhythm is present! Another song that has swung rhythms is “Hotter Than That” by Louis Armstrong. The persistent rhythm on the drum kit is what reminds me of “Swing Down Chariot” the most.

“Swing Down Chariot” can fall into many different categories. It is a popular sacred song, yet it derives from a traditional sacred work that has been around since the 1800s (“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”). The folk roots of the song definitely come out during the slower sections, such as the introduction. And then the more modern and urban elements come in once there is a more established rhythmic pattern in the drum kit, and as there are prominent harmonies and dissonances in the voices.

“Cool” from West Side Story. Composed by Leonard Bernstein

I find this work extremely interesting. My favorite part about it is how heavily it features the instrumental ensemble, rather than having the ensemble serve as a mere accompaniment to the vocalists. Bernstein incorporates jazz elements with the growling, muted trumpets and cornets, with “snapping” sounds, and jazzy melodies provided in the flutes, clarinets, and piano. There are also a lot of surprising dynamic contrasts, with intense forte dynamics interrupting the soft piano dynamics. There are several moments when certain instruments are featured. For example, there is a jazzy flute solo and windows of drum solos here and there. The community the song is representing is a pair of New York gangs, and this carefree and jazzy style perfectly depicts this community. The song is entitled “Cool,” and the lyrics are limited and sparse. However, they do say repetitively “get cool, boy,” and the music that follows does sound “cool” and fresh. The song tells a story of stealth and rebellion, and even though I have never seen this musical, I can clearly sense this just from listening to the song. There is no distinct verse and chorus, yet the few lyrics that are sung are repeated throughout the work.

After re-visiting this song again, I am drawn to the utilization of the instruments. This musical was written in the 1960s, and this was when American composers were establishing their own identity. American nationality was becoming more prominent in classical music. I think this song is a good example of where classical music can also meet musical theater. There are not many lyrics, and there is also an incredible amount of instrumental exposure (especially in the brass, woodwind, and percussion voices). In this way, “Cool” is a lot like “Appalachian Spring” by Aaron Copland. Obviously the style of “Appalachian Spring” is not like “Cool” in the slightest. Yet it does demonstrate that same technique of having small features of instruments and instrument sections. There is that same sense of “passing on the baton” from one section to another in a very structured way. Both of these works definitely bring interest to classical (or art) music in America, and the comparison of the two also shows how flexible modern instruments have become. The two songs use relatively the same instruments, yet the outcome is two completely different styles.

“Rhapsody In Blue” by George Gershwin

I found the work very interesting. I love how Gershwin uses his talents to completely merge jazz elements in the orchestral setting. His music is blatantly “American” in the way that it is so loose and jazzy. During this time, Americans developed a nativist view that their music should sound different from music that came form other countries. This song makes me believe that Gershwin was an advocate for distinctly American-sounding music. He obviously uses bending pitches in his style, and it is shown clearly in the clarinet solo that emerges out of the texture at the beginning of the song. The melody that the solo clarinet presents is then repeated in the muted trumpet, and it comes back again by the entire orchestra after the initial piano introduction and cadenza. This solo piano cadenza sounds very loose and improvised, when it was not improvised at all. Gershwin creates this illusion of improvisation through very syncopated rhythms, and having massive and contrasting changes in tempo. The entire orchestra plays the first major theme for one final time, yet during its last repetition, it sounds a little “off,” as the trombones are blasting it in a minor key. Immediately after, the trumpets and clarinets begin a very jazzy section. This section ends in a call-and-response pattern between the piano and clarinet. The interesting thing about this piece is that, even though it is a piano concerto, the piano is almost equal to the orchestra. The orchestra does not serve as a mere accompaniment — rather, it sounds as if the orchestra and piano are working together to produce an entire effect. The excerpt then ends with the jazzy clarinets and muted trumpets and trombones. The muted brass instruments also give the piece a very jazzy mood, since mutes are common in jazz bands. When all of these elements are put together, it creates a story that sounds (to me) like teenage mischief. It takes me to New York City in the 1920s, as it was an era of new discovery and innovation. It sounds carefree and fun.

As I listen to this song again, my ear catches the true call-and-response technique that Gershwin uses. At the beginning with the clarinet solo, it sounds like the clarinet is communicating with the brass section. This back and forth dialogue goes on for a good amount of time, and then the horns come in with a new theme. This transitions into the muted trumpet solo, and this solo is an echo of the clarinet solo that has already occurred. I had not noticed the ways that Gershwin so intentionally gives every instrument a unique role to paint a complete picture.

I already talked about the jazz elements in the piece, but this song has some obvious blues elements as well. I noticed this especially with the different chords that are played in the piano. This piece reminds me a lot of “Dippermouth Blues” by King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band. The difference between the two pieces is that Gershwin uses a lot of virtuosity and embellishments. He has a habit of really pushing and pulling the tempo in order to create an effect. Although “Dippermouth Blues” has a steadier tempo, it uses a lot of the same instrumentation. There are clarinet solos (filled with smears similar to “Rhapsody In Blue”), muted trumpets, trombones with melodic lines filled with glissandos, and a solo piano.

All of the songs that I have discussed are authentically American. They cover a wide range of genres (jazz, blues, sacred, secular, classical, and musicals), yet they all represent and celebrate American culture in one way or another. I have discussed these songs roughly chronologically (from oldest to newest). As time as passed on, popular music has grown in complexity. “Music In Praise Of A Yoruba Chief” is simple: it has rhythms and themes that were admired in the African American culture during this time. It is very linear and straightforward. I think of the history of American music as a huge snowball. Music started out small and very culture-specific. There was African American music, Latin music, Classical music, etc. But as time has progressed, popular music has “caught” onto bits and pieces of different genres. Now, we have songs like “Cool” and “Rhapsody In Blue,” which represent so many different aspects of American music (like mambo, jazz, blues, and much more). From my studies, I believe music will only continue to progress in this direction of complexity. Today, music composers have no limits on what they are able to produce and share with the world.

Candelaria, Lorenzo F., and Daniel Kingman. American music: a panorama. 5th ed. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning, 2015. 2015 . Web. 27 July 2017.

Mia Cellino

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