Musical Links Imvestigation

Musical Links Investigation Abstract

Throughout the course of this project, I will be exploring the links between Southern Sudanese music and Cuban music. This investigation will introduce the similarities of the call and response styles, the rhythm syncopation, and the homophonic textures. As we explore deeper into the cultures into these completely unassociated cultures, we begin to see that they are not as diverse as we think. In this abstract I will begin to generalize commonness of Southern Sudanese and Cuban songs The music of Sudan is a much characterized genre; from traditional folk music to hip hop, but the Southern Sudanese is a style of its own. The instruments used range from keyboards, bongos, brass instruments (trumpets and trombones), shakers, cowbells, and sometimes strings and guitars. Likewise, the Cubans use the same instruments to create similar sounds created in the music of the Southern Sudanese. They create unique sounds which can compare in more ways than contrast. Both cultures seem to use a homophonic texture in most songs including a call and response melodic line. Due to modulation and chromatic instruments, these cultures most likely have been introduced and take advantage of the chromatic system. The songs include both vocalists and instruments. The vast majority of the lines are usually sung in unison and are quite conjunct, until the end if harmonies are added. Although ranging in different languages, the text is usually somewhat the same. Both cultures sing songs of happiness, rejoicing, love and religion. Usually, most concerts or performances are given outside. Both of these cultures highly regard the Earth and what it can provide for us and they tend to rejoice and give thanks. In both cultures, the only set of drums would be the bongos, to set the swing-like rhythm, but much more accelerated. The songs are usually very upbeat and don’t change. The piano usually plays the accompaniment to the melody line which could

Links: Investigation Abstract Throughout the course of this project, I will be exploring the links between Southern Sudanese music and Cuban music. This investigation will introduce the similarities of the call and response styles, the rhythm syncopation, and the homophonic textures. As we explore deeper into the cultures into these completely unassociated cultures, we begin to see that they are not as diverse as we think. In this abstract I will begin to generalize commonness of Southern Sudanese and Cuban songs The music of Sudan is a much characterized genre; from traditional folk music to hip hop, but the Southern Sudanese is a style of its own. The instruments used range from keyboards, bongos, brass instruments (trumpets and trombones), shakers, cowbells, and sometimes strings and guitars. Likewise, the Cubans use the same instruments to create similar sounds created in the music of the Southern Sudanese. They create unique sounds which can compare in more ways than contrast. Both cultures seem to use a homophonic texture in most songs including a call and response melodic line. Due to modulation and chromatic instruments, these cultures most likely have been introduced and take advantage of the chromatic system. The songs include both vocalists and instruments. The vast majority of the lines are usually sung in unison and are quite conjunct, until the end if harmonies are added. Although ranging in different languages, the text is usually somewhat the same. Both cultures sing songs of happiness, rejoicing, love and religion. Usually, most concerts or performances are given outside. Both of these cultures highly regard the Earth and what it can provide for us and they tend to rejoice and give thanks. In both cultures, the only set of drums would be the bongos, to set the swing-like rhythm, but much more accelerated. The songs are usually very upbeat and don’t change. The piano usually plays the accompaniment to the melody line which could very well be the same line in a different variation or improvised accompaniment. Improvisation is very important to the percussion instruments. Usually during the climax of the song there will be an instrumental break and the drums will have a couple of measures to improvise. The brass instruments usually play the melodic line in a call and response style with the melody line. They too have instrumental improvisation breaks. In conclusion, we find how diverse countries such as the Southern Sudanese on the African East coast and the Cubans in the Latin Americas can have similar musical cultures. Although they are on separate continents, their musical styles do not differ much, but in language. Music could serve as the language of the world and sometimes we have more in common than we expect to.