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Chapter 3 Focusing Inward and Across Boundaries

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Chapter 3 Focusing Inward and Across Boundaries Chapter 3 Focusing Inward and Across Boundaries (1) AA Page 48, CD 11, 14 Noise effect Demonstrate the Japanese concept of “noise effects” on an instrument in class. For example, plucking the strings harder than normal on a guitar or violin, hitting the pads harder than usual on the flute, saxophone, or bassoon, overblowing on a recorder or other wind/brass instrument, or tonguing on the mouthpiece on a brass instrument or on the reed of the clarinet strongly. These noise effects could be essential components of some musical pieces. In Japan, music of biwa has an essential noise component. Listen to CD 11 or 14 (especially the second half of the excerpt). Explain that this particular effect is called sawari in Japanese, literally “touch.” For more mature students, the teacher may point out the noise component of biwa music and listen to CD 11 or 14 (especially the second half of the excerpt). Then ask students what instruments they know may product a noise component while music is being performed. If a student plays an instrument, he/she may bring the instrument to class and demonstrate the noise component of that instrument for the class. More short listening examples can be found on the web, which samples tracks from a CD by the Yoshida Brothers: http://www.domo.com/artist/yoshidabrothersII.html. This CD features a mixture of Japanese traditional music with Western influences. Tracks 5, 6, 9, and 10 are most relevant to this activity. This CD is available from the same website from Domo Records Inc. (Address: 11340 West Olympic Blvd., Suite 270, Los Angeles, CA 90064; Fax: 1-310-966- 4420). (2) AA Page 51, CD 13 Heterophonic texture Have students sing this motive until students are competent in singing it (use a neutral syllable or solfege): Listen to CD 13 and ask students how many times this motive is heard (answer: 2 times). Play CD 13 again and direct student’s attention to what each instrument is playing when this motive is being played. Repeated listening may be necessary. Explain that when a different instrument is playing the same melody in different ways, the music produces a heterophonic texture. (3) S, C/U Pages 54-55, CD 12, Activity 3.1 Meditation and enlightenment through syakuhati music Go through Activity 3.1 as described on pages 54-55, then discuss the following questions: • Are you able to analyze the music better? (Expect an affirmative answer. A discussion on how and what aspects of the music are being analyzed may help.) • Are you able to meditate as you listen? (A few listenings of CD 12 may be necessary. If students are intensely listening, they may respond affirmatively.) • Are you able to achieve enlightenment through listening? (This question may lead to a discussion on what “enlightenment” is and how would one know if enlightenment is accomplished. Refer to the text if necessary. It is important for the discussion to get to whether enlightenment can be achieved through listening alone or it can only be done through playing the instrument. The latter should be the case. Then point out the different vantage points of the player and of the listener and their experience with the music.) (4) S Page 58, CD 7 Explore different plucked string techniques Based on the description of various syamisen playing techniques in the second paragraph of page 58, demonstrate them on the guitar, or violin: • Striking the strings higher or lower along the neck • Playing a pitch repeatedly on a different string (e.g., play repeatedly the fifth fret on the sixth string and the open fifth string of the guitar, both produce the note “A”) Have students explore these timbral differences on the guitar. Then listen to CD 7. (5) AA Pages 63-65 Ninba pattern Implement Activity 3.2 with three groups of students. Teach each group to say one of the three parts by rote (use Figure 3.3 as a guide). When each group is competent saying the pattern, transfer the pattern to drums and gongs. To keep the patterns fluent in a class setting, the teacher may divide the class into chanters and players and have students chant and play simultaneously. Students may switch to learning another part after successfully perform a part. As an extension activity and after the ninba pattern is internalized by the students, assign some students to play it on drums and gongs as an underlying current in the performance of a familiar vocal or instrumental piece. Discuss the musical effects it may create for players and listeners. (6) AA Pages 69, 74-75, CD 6 Compose using a Japanese five-pitch scale as nucleus pitches Introduce the five nucleus pitches: A, B, C, E, and F from an available instrument (e.g., Orff xylophone, piano, or recorder). Have students sing the five-pitch scale. Students may extend beyond an octave depending age level and voice range. Ask students to make up a melody using these five pitches as nucleus pitches. Students may add the pitches D and G as desired. Although the tuning of Japanese instruments is often pentatonic, the music is not all pentatonic. This is evident in both the recording (CD6) and the notation (pp. 74-75) of the first dan of Rokudan. Several pitch 9’s are raised a whole step by pushing down on the string with the left hand before plucking (key on p. 74, and notation on p. 75). Similar method is used in raising pitch 11 by a half step (key in p. 74, and notation on p. 75, first note on column 6 from right to left). This composition activity can be done individually or in small groups. Students should be able to sing or play the new melody. Older students may use notation to help creating a longer melody. Regardless of age level, students should play the melody for each other. If Morton Subotnick’s “Making Music” (music composition software, with no notation required, in CD-ROM for both Mac and PC platforms available at Amazon.com) is available, students can choose the five pitches before a composition activity. Then start another composition by adding the D and G pitches, keeping in mind the five nucleus pitches and how they sound. Compare student’s compositions with CD 6. (7) S, C/U Pages 71-72, CD 20 Bridging two traditions Play CD 20 Miyagi’s “Haru no umi” (“The Ocean in Spring”). Ask students to identify the two musical instruments (koto and violin). Discuss other possible combinations of two musical traditions that students know. Share specific ideas (e.g., instruments and themes) in class. Expand the activity to a composition assignment. Identify range and playing techniques of the instruments involved. Focus on aesthetic qualities throughout. (8) S, C/U Pages 73-75 Notation for the koto After implementing Activities 3.3 and 3.4, have students select a simple and familiar song, consisting of quarter and eighth notes and rests. Use Figure 3.7 as a key and Figure 3.8 and an example, transcribe the song for the koto so a koto player can perform the song. If a koto player is available in the community, invite him/her to the class so he/she can play the transcriptions for class. (9) S, C/U Page 77, CD 6, 18, 19, and 20 Traditional versus contemporary koto styles In lieu of Activity 3.5, use Worksheet 3.1 to compare traditional and contemporary koto music. CD 6 reflects the traditional style, while CD 18-20 is a sample of the contemporary styles. .
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