MUSIC AND US

Hi! This semester, we’ve listened to music from many different cultures around the world, but there are still so many places on the map we didn’t have time to explore. For this final blog, the four selections stood out to me for its sound, instruments, and cultural significance. 

First, I wanted to explore traditional music from China, so I chose a piece featuring the guqin, one of the oldest Chinese instruments still in use. The guqin is a plucked string instrument that has been associated with scholars and philosophers for thousands of years.

I chose this video because the music feels calm and thoughtful, and it’s very different from the fast-paced music I usually listen to. What I find most interesting is how much silence there is between notes. The pauses feel just as important as the sounds themselves. 

Next, we travel to South America, specifically Brazil, for a modern musical example. This selection is “Toda Menina Baiana” by Gilberto Gil, one of Brazil’s most influential musicians. His music blends traditional Brazilian rhythms, like samba, with modern popular styles. 

I chose this song because it feels joyful and relaxed. What I find most interesting is how naturally the traditional rhythms mix with contemporary sounds. It shows how Brazilian musicians continue to build on their musical traditions while still creating music that feels current and relevant.

For my third selection, I wanted to explore traditional music from Madagascar, an island nation off the southeast coast of Africa. This video features the valiha, which is considered the national instrument of Madagascar. The valiha is a bamboo tube with strings wrapped around the outside, creating a bright and rhythmic sound.

I chose this piece because the instrument itself is so unique, and the music feels both relaxed and complex at the same time. The repeating rhythms make the music feel kind of hypnotic. This selection shows how traditional instruments made from natural materials can produce amazing music.

Finally, I wanted to include something from Oceania, so I chose a modern performance from Māori culture in New Zealand. I remember my teammate from New Zealand mencioning this traditional dance so I wanted to include it. This video shows a haka performance from hs favorite rugby team (All Blacks).

I chose this performance because of how powerful it is. The strong chanting and body movements make it emotionally intense, even without understanding the language (there is a translation provided in the video). What I find most interesting is how haka is still performed now as something very important.

And that is all for this class, I hope you enjoyed reading my blogs!