Musical Culture Analysis Project Step Six

The piece that I analyzed matched the musical culture and trends I read about while researching Scottish culture to a fairly good extent. Though the version of the Skye Boat Song I decided to look at was noticeably more modern than what a traditional Scottish rendition of it would be, it still had many aspects of Scottish culture. It was still about a significant event in Scottish history, and had many instruments native to Scotland in it, including the bagpipes, the bodhran, the Celtic pan-flute, and the fiddle. When identifying Scottish folk music, I think someone should listen for those particular instruments, because of how evident they are in this genre. Especially the bagpipes, because they are typically easily identified. This music is different from music we have studied in class because we do not really listen to many pieces that have such a prominent and easily identifiable culture to them. While in class we more just focus on what Era a piece is from, this piece has something else that rings through just what time of year it was created, and that is it's Scottish culture.

Useful Links:
http://www.jacobites.net/skye-boat-song.html
https://treasuryislands.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/origins-the-skye-boat-song/
http://www.music-folk.com/scottish-folk-music/
http://www.rampantscotland.com/songs/blsongs_index.htm

Musical Culture Analysis Project Step Five

For this step, I notated the melody for the opening female voice part, and the rhythm from the snare drum part beginning at 2:39.
Female Voice Part:

Snare Drum Rhythm:

Musical Culture Analysis Project Step Four

Musical Elements:
Meter: The meter is difficult to distinguish, but it seems to be in 3/4, making it simple triple.
Rhythm: The rhythm polyrhythmic, because all of the instruments have different rhythms. The bagpipes eventually take on the rhythm of the voice part, and the instruments carry on a similar rhythm before having their own again.
Texture: This piece is strophic, as there are verses and a clear chorus. The piece is in English, and does not include all of the original verses from the original song, because it is a more modern adaption.
Key/Tonality: The piece is atonal, and in the key of  G major.
Instrumentation: In this particular performance, there are two female voices, a snare drum, Scottish bagpipes, a flute, violins, violas, a Scottish bodhran, a Celtic pan-flute, and a Scottish fiddle. This means there are chordophones, aerophones, and membranophones.
Melody: The melodic intervals are conjunct, as they move mostly step-wise. The bagpipes repeat the voice melody at 2:41, and the strings repeat the beginning of the same melody at 3:05.
Structure: 
0:00-0:40: Chorus, a cappella voice
0:41-1:55: First (and only) Verse, introduction of strings
1:55-2:40: Chorus, more prominent and loud strings present
2:41-3:02: Bagpipe and snare drum interlude
3:03-3:24: Brief flute interlude, then rest of strings join
3:25-3:50: Chorus, voice joined by all other instruments
3:51-4:28: Snare drums bring song to an end
Context: The context of this piece, specifically the lyrics, are that it tells of the Bonnie Prince Charlie, and his escape to the Isle of Skye after his defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. This adaptation is original and modern, as the original aspects during the time period this was released would include the bagpipes, the bodhran, the Celtic pan-flute, and the fiddle (Scottish instruments), though the string instruments and modern flute are a more modern addition.

Musical Culture Analysis Project Step Three

The piece I have chosen is called The Skye Boat Song. The arrangement is arranged by Bear McCreary and performed by Raya Yarbough and Kathryn Jones. It is a bit modern, but has both traditional Scottish aspects as well. The song falls under the genre of Scottish folk music. This is a good representation of Scottish culture because it originates from a song that was written in the 1870s, and from a poem that was later adapted in 1892. It tells of the Bonnie Prince Charlie after his escape from the Battle of Culloden in 1765. This falls under the genre of Scottish folk music. It is a good representation of Scottish culture because it has bagpipes, a Celtic pan-flute, a bodhran, and a Scottish fiddle in it, and tells of Scottish history, as well.

Musical Culture Analysis Project Step Two

Scotland: A country
Location: Scotland is located in the United Kingdom in Europe.
Ethnicities: 96% of Scotland is white, 2.7% is Asian Scottish, and the remainder are other ethnic groups.
Languages:The main language spoken in Scotland is English, while the minority languages are Scottish Gaelic and Scots. The dialect of English that is spoken in Scotland is called Scottish English.
Religions: Christianity is the most popular religion in Scotland, though Scotland is growing more diverse as well, with people converting to religions such as Islam, and more people stating they are nonreligious than ever before.
Time Period: The time period the folk music I am covering ranges from about the 1870s to the 1900s
Music Genres: The music genre I am focusing on is Scottish folk music.
Instruments: Instruments specific to this genre in Scotland would be the bagpipes, the bodhran, and the Scottish fiddle.

Musical Cultures Analysis Project Step One

The musical culture I picked is Scottish. I chose this because it is very possible for me to be a little bit Scottish, as my culture is best simplified as European. I am also slightly infatuated with the show Outlander that is based in Scotland, and I love all the music in in.

LJ: Stravinsky- The Rite of Spring Part One

Context: Part One of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" was written in 1913. It is meant to depict a scene in which an old woman tells of the future and young girls begin to dance a sacred dance, then split into two groups and commence a ritual. Then village elders come, and a passionate dance ensues in which everyone becomes one with the earth.
Melody: The melody begins very legato, as all of the notes are mainly slurred together.
Pitch: The pitch is mostly conjunct, with not very many leaps, but the range is both wide and not so much, as it mainly stays within the staff.
Structure: This is only Part One of "The Rite of Spring", though it still has many different parts. For example, at 1:18, a new section is introduced as the tone of the piece changes. At 2:55, everything slows down and gets quiet again, going back to what the original section was like. A new section is at 3:32, when everything is staccato. A new section is introduced at 6:42, after the crescendo.
Timbre: In the beginning, there is a clarinet and a flute. There are also trumpets, a timpani, oboes, tubas, bass clarinets, bassoons, trombones, violins, and violas.
Dynamics: The piece is very piano at the beginning. At 1:18, the dynamic is forte, and then goes back to piano before settling at a mezzo-forte. Then, at 2:37 the dynamic is more forte. Again at 2:55, the dynamic is piano before going back to forte with the new section at 3:32. From 6:18-6:41, there is a very large crescendo.
Texture: The piece is polyrhythmic, and the tempo is legato at the beginning. In the section at 1:18, more parts are added, and everything picks up the pace to more of an allegro feel before slowing down again at 1:50. At 2:37, even more parts are added and the rhythms clash together, making everything seem frantic and squishing together. At 3:32, everything gets very staccato. This part is more homorhythmic, with the same rhythm for many of the parts, but eventually goes back to being polyrhythmic.