Repertoire and Standards - Ethnic & Multicultural Perspectives

Authenticity Found! Smithsonian Global Sounds for the Choral Classroom

Pete Seeger, the American folk singer, political activist, and key figure in the mid-20th century American folks music revival, reminds us that to truly know people we must learn their music.  A multicultural music education offers students an opportunity to experience the world through music, building the understandings needed to transform individuals, schools, and society. It challenges all of us to face prejudices, biases, and assumptions in order to seek out new ways to progressively and proactively apply principles of social justice and equity. A multicultural music education can only reach these ideals when we take seriously the multiple meanings of music and its uses around the globe. We must present our students with authentic musical experiences and examples that are steeped in the deeply rooted cultural meanings of the people the musics represented.

While there is a plethora of multicultural choral scores available from numerous reputable publishers, use of these scores alone often falls short of the true aims of a multicultural music education. Singing the music of others without appropriate musical examples and cultural context does little to inspire thoughtful understanding, future change, or even maintain student interest. Conscientious directors who understand this know that finding authentic resources to supplement repertoire selection is time consuming and difficult … that is until now!

In April of 2005, the Smithsonian Institute released Smithsonian Global Sound at http://www.smithsonianglobalsound.org/. Smithsonian Global Sound has been dubbed by The New York Times as “the ethnographic alternative to iTunes” and encompasses over 40,000 tracks of world music, streaming from the Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology in India, the International Library of African Music in South Africa, and the nine record labels of the Smithsonian Folkways collections. The collection also includes prodigious liner notes, feature articles, multimedia and video shorts, and powerful search tools.

As a nonprofit endeavor, Smithsonian Global Sound is above all a mission rather than a commercial product, offering broad accessibility to the “smaller voices” of people all over the world. Its essence and purpose are fundamentally different from that of commercial digital music delivery services. Smithsonian Global Sound aims to heighten communication among and Repertoire and Standards about people and cultures through the culturally potent medium of music, accompanied by informative notes and educational features. The content it delivers is the window through which users may discover and appreciate other people, other value systems, and other realms of human accomplishment.

Of particular interest to educators, Smithsonian Global Sound offers the following:

Tools for Teaching, which includes lesson plans created by music educators; Global Sound Live, which includes videos of musical performances and interviews with musicians; Podcasts that focus on a particular musical culture and include both music and spoken interviews with musicians; and Radio Global Sound, which is a 24-hour radio station streaming selections from the collection.

The good news about all of these resources is that they are completely free and can be streamed through a computer and LCD projector for classroom use. To download specific tracks of music, one is required to register as a site user. Rest assured that the site has a responsible security policy and will not send unsolicited e-mails. The cost of downloading music is inexpensive at $0.99 per individual track and under $10.00 per album. The funds collected from purchases go to supporting the archive, the collection of new music, and the musicians who created the recordings. They also offer a library site license that will allow access to complete recordings without the need to download.

Ideas for incorporating this resource are endless, but in the attempt to inspire your creativity I would like to offer two specific examples of the ways in which I have used Smithsonian Global Sounds in the choral classroom.

Example 1: Ask the Watchman (arr. Caldwell & Ivory, B with SATB, Earthsong Publishing, 10008057) American Sea Island Spiritual
A recording of this song is available on the Smithsonian Global Sound website. It was performed by The Morning Star Hall Singers and Alan Lomax and recorded in 1964 on Johns Island in South Carolina under the Folkways recording label (#FW03841_103).

By listening to the recording I recognized stylistic, rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic differences between the choral arrangement and the live recording. I used this information to shape my interpretation of the score and to make musical decisions about its performance. I also found that the track incorporates a spoken narrative by members of the ensemble that describes this song as appropriate for New Years Eve as a means for celebrating the time they have together and the uncertainty of what will come in the following year. “We don’t know how long we will be together; if we will all be together at this time next year. So we need to ask the Watchman, how long…”

This insight gave me ideas about when to appropriately program this selection and offered excellent points for class discussion regarding the meaning of this song, leading to musical and cultural fuel for my choirs’ understanding. While the choir learned the piece through using the score, we listened to the recording on multiple occasions and made group decisions about its interpretation. We also listened to other selections from the same album and reviewed the extensive cultural information offered within the liner notes.

Example 2: Tue, Tue (arr. Sonja & Berta Poorman, 3 part mixed, Brilee Music Publishing Co., 3701129) Ghanaian Folk Song
This specific song is not available on the Smithsonian Global Sound website. However, I was able to find multiple Ghanaian recordings and a very interesting video. The video, a field recording showing people as they sing and play in a natural environment, begins with a group of men singing God Bless Our Homeland Ghana, the national anthem of Ghana. It continues with them playing various traditional and non-traditional instruments while singing a Ghanaian song in a call-and-response form. The video provided me a better understanding of the timbre of the singing style, the roles of the “caller” and “responders,” and some ideas as to rhythmical ostinati that may be appropriate for accompaniment.

Instead of teaching the entire song from the score, I decided to teach the refrain aurally through whole song emersion, by singing the refrain and asking students to join me as they became familiar with the melodic line. Once students were familiar, we read through the score until the song was fully learned. I then showed the video from Smithsonian Global Sound, and as a class we evaluated musical issues such as timbre, style, form, and use of instruments.

Our conversation soon turned towards cultural issues. By using the extensive liner notes from other Ghanaian recordings, I was able to share information about the various culture groups in Ghana, the languages spoken, and the uses of music in traditional and nontraditional life. We listened carefully to the rhythmical lines within the video and those played in the piano accompaniment of the score. Students experimented with various ostinati until they decided on three that would become our percussion accompaniment.  We experimented with our interpretation of singing timbre from the video and made adjustments from our traditional American choral sound to incorporate these elements. Our final performance was very different than what appeared solely within the score.

I encourage you to explore Smithsonian Global Sounds and discover what opportunities may evolve for your choirs. In incorporating the sonic and cultural elements of music we have the ability to broaden perspectives, empower our students, and learn more about others as we learn more about ourselves.

Ann C. Clements
R&S Chair for Ethnic & Multicultural Perspectives
acc13@psu.edu

Sample listening selections:

• Noel Ayisyen (A Haitian Noel) by Emile Desamours (SATB a cappella) ­ Mark Foster #MF-0582, distributed by Shawnee Press - ­ this is an energetic and rhythmically challenging work; the most difficult thing about it is the language, but a pronunciation guide is included in the score and a recorded performance by the Concordia Choir is available and can serve as a model
• Dravidian Dithyramb by Victor Paranjoti (India) (SATB a cappella) ­ earthsongs, edited by Andre de Quadros ­ - because the tenor and bass parts are rather repetitive, the sopranos and altos will need to have some separate rehearsal time; I added finger cymbals in certain parts for a little color; there are no words, only non-translatable syllables, which makes this piece very accessible
• Lina Avatara (He Chose Birth Among Us) (India) Indic Christmas carol arranged by Gil Robbins (2-part, any voicing with finger cymbals and optional keyboard) ­ Theodore Presser #392-02508 - ­ this piece works well for holiday programs and can be sung by any size choir or type of voicing; I used the harmonium for the piano part; a keyboard could be set to create a similar sound
• Four Children¹s Songs from Uganda arr. by Joseph Roff (SA with piano) ­ Music 70 Publishers #M70-160, distributed by Alfred - ­ this is a wonderful set of songs for young singers, and a game and simple movement can be incorporated with two of them; the songs have been translated into English
• Vamuvamba (They Crucified Him) ­ traditional Tiriki Melody from Kenya, adapted and arranged by Boniface Mganga ­ earthsongs (SATB a cappella) - ­ the addition of a conga drum and a Kenyan Kaeba rattle is effective; the text is written phonetically in the score and is not too difficult to tackle; a relaxed tempo and the correct style is the key to a successful performance
• Maringa Krismes (Merry Christmas!-a traditional song from Sierra Leone) (SATB with percussion accompaniment ­ shegure, bottle, and drum) arranged by Kitty Fadlu-Deen - ­ this Christmas piece is in Krio, with easy to follow IPA pronunciation and a line-by-line English translation; it is fast, happy, and fun!
• Haliwa-Saponi Canoe Song arranged by Bryan Burton (Native American-Eastern Woodlands) (2-part with drum, rattles, and dance bells; includes suggested movement) ­ World Music Press #20 - ­ Native American choral music is a challenge to find, and this arrangement works well for middle school students; it follows a call-response format, with male and female solo parts; dance instructions are included
• Metsa Telegramm (The Woodpecker¹s Warning) (Estonia) by Uno Naissoo (SSA with piano) ­ Mark Foster #YS 602, distributed by Shawnee Press ­ - children love to sing this piece in English or Estonian and audiences are thrilled to hear it performed; the ecology theme is timely and important
• Yonder Come Day arrangement with additional words by Judith Cook Tucker (U.S.-Georgia Sea Islands) (3 part a cappella with suggested clapping and movement patterns) ­ World Music Press #10 - ­ elementary and middle school students always respond with enthusiasm to this piece; it is easy to teach by rote and should be taught that way first before the music is distributed
• The Storm is Passing Over by Charles Albert Tindley, arranged by Barbara W. Baker (African American Gospel song) (3-part treble with piano) ­ Boosey & Hawkes #M-051-46841-6 - this is a classic Gospel song in an excellent arrangement by Barbara Baker; style is the key to success here, both for the singers and the pianist
• Praise His Holy Name (African American Gospel song) by Keith Hampton (SATB with piano; there is also a treble version) ­ earthsongs - ­ this piece has been a big seller for composer Keith Hampton; there are solo opportunities in it, as well as places where individual sections take the lead or alternate; layering parts in is important for the final performance of the second section
• Nia (Purpose) from The Nguzo Saba Suite to celebrate Kwanza) by Glenn Burleigh (SATB with piano and optional percussion) ­ DC Press #140 - this is a blues song with Gospel elements, and it represents excellent literature for the celebration of Kwanza; the melody beautiful and the arrangement not difficult to learn because of the unison sections; the English text content is heart-rending
• Nodle Kangbyon (Beside the Nodle River ­ traditional Korean) (2-part treble with piano) arranged by Wallace Hornaday ­ earthsongs - this haunting melody can be enhanced with finger cymbals and wind chimes; the Korean is worth the challenge and is easier if a native speaker can be located; earthsongs often has accompanying recordings available of native speakers
• Two Latvian Carols by Andrejs Jansons (SSAA a cappella; optional sleigh bells) ­ earthsongs - ­ an excellent recording of the text is available from the publisher; these are carols mainly about winter and snow and they fit nicely into a holiday program; the alto parts are very low
• Minoi, Minoi (Samoan folksong) arranged by Christopher Marshall (SATB a cappella) ­ Alliance #AMP-0100 - ­ there is a pronunciation and full performance cassette that is more helpful with pronunciation of the text than with the performance style; this piece needs a more relaxed tempo than the recorded example suggests
• Malolo (Lullaby on a Samoan text) by Annea Lockwood ­ (SSA a cappella with alto solo) ­ Treble Clef Music #TC-158 - ­ this is a lovely and unusual composition that works well with women¹s choirs; phonetic pronunciation of the Samoan text is provided
• Turn the World Around (West Indies) by Harry Belafonte & Robert Freedman, arranged by Larry Farrow (SATB with piano) ­ Gentry Publications #JG-2182, distributed by Hal Leonard - ­ conga drum can be added to this piece and is especially effective in some of the piano break sections; egg shakers placed randomly throughout the group adds an additional sound that works well; this has been a popular piece and arrangement for a long time, and choral groups and audiences enjoy its energetic rhythms
• El Romanton (The Shawl) (Spain & Venezuela) by Francisco Muro, arranged by Miguel Astor (SSA a cappella) ­ earthsongs ­ - this is a wonderful song about young girls and young men flirting with each other in the city of Caracas; the melody uses the rhythm of the Spanish dance called the pasodoble
• Salseo (Venezuela) by Oscar Galian (SATBB a cappella) ­ earthsongs ­ - each of the vocal parts in this selection represents a different rhythms and timbres of the instruments associated with the Caribbean salsa; the piece is easiest to learn when it is taught first by rote because reading the rhythms can be difficult; Salseo needs to be performed with energy, excitement, and percussive vocal techniques
• Pengyou, Ting! (Friend, hear this good news!) - Traditional Chinese melody arranged by Carolyn Jennings (SATB & finger cymbals) ­ earthsongs ­ this is a pentatonic melody with a religious text about the resurrection of Jesus Christ; neither the parts nor the pronunciation of the Chinese text are difficult to learn