Musical Culture Research Articles

Tegalan Song: An Expression of Musical Culture Identity of the Coastal Communities of Northern Coast of Java

Tegalan Song: An Expression of Musical Culture Identity of the Coastal Communities of Northern Coast of Java

실용음악학의 연구현황에 대한 고찰 －국내 박사학위 논문을 중심으로－

This thesis aims to establish foundational data for the field of applied musicology, with a focus on research conducted on practical music in Korea. To accomplish this, an analysis was conducted on the current status of doctoral dissertations related to practical music, categorizing them into practical and popular music. The Department of Applied Music in Korean universities was established in 1988. Although a doctoral program was introduced in 2003, research papers on applied music were not prevalent. There are over 1,500 theses and dissertations related to applied music stored in the National Assembly Library, and individual papers are published in various academic journals. However, due to the difficulty in synthesizing these sources comprehensively, the significance lies in examining the current state of research on applied music, focusing on doctoral dissertations, to establish foundational data for the field of applied musicology. The concept of applied music encompasses a wide range of musical cultures, including popular music, jazz, Eastern traditional music, Western classical music, and others, as defined by the educational objectives of universities. It aims to create “music of the 21st century” by integrating various musical genres. In terms of categorization, an examination of university curricula in South Korea reveals over 100 courses classified under this category. The current status of doctoral dissertations on applied music and popular music reveals that there have been 94 papers (from 1992 to 2024) on applied music, conducted at 23 different institutions. Notably, Kyung Hee University and Sangmyung University have produced the highest number of dissertations in this field. As for popular music, there have been 65 papers (from 1994 to 2023), researched at 33 institutions. Kyung Hee University leads in the number of dissertations, followed by Sangmyung University and Sejong University. These papers were categorized and analyzed based on their content, with 35 focusing on historical aspects, 64 on typology, 41 on effects, and 19 on applications, totaling 159 papers. The nature of these papers covers various topics such as the overall history of popular music, expected outcomes through program development, emotional and therapeutic uses of popular music, as well as papers exploring humanities-related subjects like philosophy and aesthetics. However, there is a scarcity of papers specifically focused on aesthetics and art studies.

New Findings Relating to Bone Processing from Chernyatino-2, Primorye

The article provides a detailed account of faunal materials from the Chernyatino-2 settlement in Russian Primorye. For the first time, a large series of bone blanks from a Bohai (698–926 AD) site is described, enabling us to reconstruct bone-processing techniques and types of tools used, expanding our knowledge of bone-working craft of that region. A detailed classification of bone and antler artifacts of domestic manufacture is presented. Certain artifacts are quite unusual. There are items relating to winter movement and hitherto unknown musical instruments, extending our knowledge of medieval Far Eastern musical culture. Also, we detail the species composition and proportion of domestic and wild animals. Predominant families and genera of fish are listed. The findings are discussed with reference to the role of environment in medieval subsistence strategy.

THE CULTURAL TRADITION AS A STYLISTIC FACTOR IN THE CHORAL MUSIC OF YU. ISHCHENKO

The author investigated the choral work by Yuriy Ishchenko in the context of the cultural processes of Ukrainian composers' creativity of the second half of the 20th - beginning of the 21st centuries. The research has proposed subject-content levels of studying the individual author's creative dialogue of the composer with the traditions of Ukrainian and European musical culture. It was found that the choral works of Yuriy Ishchenko are built according to traditional principles, but at the same time they carry new ideas and meanings. The dialogical nature of the composer's creative consciousness as a creative personality existing in the cultural space of modernity is described. An attempt was made to determine the stylistic specificity of Yuriy Ishchenko's choral work in the aspect to actualize its representativeness against the background of the functioning of the cultural tradition in the space of further artistic practice. The organic connection between the creative practice of this outstanding representative of the Ukrainian school of composers and the structural levels of tradition as a special form of culture is substantiated. It was established that the choral work of Yuryi Ishchenko demonstrates a new vision, understanding and individual creative reproduction of the cultural tradition as a fundamental basis of the composer's practice. It is noted that tradition acts as the main "regulator" of the dynamic ratio of "old" and "new" in musical culture. The principles of interaction of dynamic (individual-functional-creative) and static (objective-content) complexes of cultural tradition in the space of musical creativity are traced. It has been proven that the choral works of Yuryi Ishchenko are the genre-stylistic "core" of the composer's creative experience, in which the genetic links between the musical art of the 20th century and the traditions of European and Ukrainian culture were actualized. The neo-folkloric and neo-romantic stylistics of the choral works of the Ukrainian composer are personified, as well as their musical and stylistic orientation towards the aesthetics of the "new sacredness".

ANTIN RUDNYTSKY'S OPERA "ANNA YAROSLAVNA — QUEEN OF FRANCE": COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE AMERICAN AND UKRAINIAN FORMATS OF PRODUCTION

The author devotes this research to the phenomenon of the creation by Antin Rudnytskyi's the opera "Anna Yaroslavna — Queen of France", having used historiographical and iconographical sources, its artistic productions in American and Ukrainian formats. The relevance and necessity of taking into account the historical national theme in general and the opera in particular in today's socio-cultural realities are outlined. The role and place of the Ukrainian diaspora in the preservation of national identification of cultural property and artistic heritage in the conditions of stay in different countries of the world is clarified. Attention is focused on returning to the treasury of national musical culture and unjustifiably forgotten names and works of Ukrainian emigrant artists, one of their bright representatives is rightfully considered the American composer of Galician origin Antin Rudnytskyi. The literary background of the opera is analyzed and systematized being based on the peculiarities of the historical, sociocultural development of Kyivan Rus and France at the end of the early Middle Ages; the prerequisites for creating an opera are outlined, emphasizing the main storylines in the development of its dramaturgy; the author studied memoirs, reviews and publications on its production in American and Ukrainian formats. The article describes the differences in living conditions, the way of existence of Kyivan Rus and France during the specified era, emphasizing the peculiarities of their contemporary culture, lifestyle, and traditions. Attention is drawn to the choice of the effective vector of Yaroslav the Wise's activity in politics, diplomacy, interstate family ties with the leading royal courts of Europe, which contributed to the highest development of Kyivan Rus at that time, strengthening the princely secular power. On the contrary, the author emphasized the modest position of medieval fragmented France in the geopolitical development of Europe with the subordination of secular royal power to the Pope. The motivation of Antin Rudnytskyi's appeal to historical themes and the prerequisites for writing the opera "Anna Yaroslavna - Queen of France" as a "heartfelt confession" of the emigrant Maestro is determined. Two storylines in opera drama are analyzed — social-historical and domestic-psychological, with arguments for their conceptual solution. The reasons for the concertstage format of the implementation of the opera by the forces of the Ukrainian diaspora in America and the impossibility of its further stage life in the country are clarified. The conceptual production of the work in the National Opera of Ukraine in the stage format, the reasons for the shortcomings of its mise-en-scène development in connection with errors in the director's analysis and the creative idea of the performance are studied. The necessity of a thorough approach to the interpretation of historical operas of national themes with the use of large-scale monumental mass scenes is proven. Prospects for further scientific research on the given topic in the conditions of modern possibilities of musical theater and achievements of director's opera practice are predicted

Performance Techniques and Insights of the Guzheng Concerto “Chan Ge”

This paper explores the performance techniques and insights gained from playing Wang Jianmin’s guzheng concerto “Chan Ge.” By examining the concerto’s literary background, overall structure, and musical elements, the study reveals the intricate connections between the modern guzheng composition and classical literature. This approach aids performers and listeners in comprehending the cultural roots and messages behind the guzheng piece. From a performer’s perspective, the study analyzes “Chan Ge” in terms of its compositional background, tuning, structure, and performance techniques, highlighting its artistic features. Furthermore, the study delves into the cultural significance of the piece, examining the interplay between tradition and innovation, as well as individuality and universality. It showcases how the integration of Chinese and Western elements is reflected in the composition. This study helps deepen the understanding of Wang Jianmin’s compositional style and aims to promote China’s rich musical heritage, contributing to the flourishing of guzheng art in China. Moreover, it seeks to enhance the promotion and preservation of traditional guzheng music culture, providing valuable reference materials for guzheng performers.

Sounds of History: A Digital Twin Approach to Musical Heritage Preservation in Virtual Museums

Musical cultural heritage, as an important component of cultural heritage, possesses significant cultural value and inheritance significance. With the development of society and the passage of time, these precious traditional musical cultural heritages inevitably face the dilemma of gradual depletion or even disappearance. In the digital age, effectively protecting and inheriting these musical cultural heritages has become an urgent problem to be addressed. Therefore, this paper proposes an application method based on digital twin technology, exploring how to protect and inherit musical cultural heritages through digital twin technology. By leveraging digital twin technology, a virtual museum dedicated to showcasing the richness and historical connotations of music cultures is created, preserving and simulating the soundscapes of historical music eras. Through the integration of audio archives, 3D modeling, and interactive displays, users can immerse themselves in the experience of historical music in the digital space. This paper evaluates the feasibility and cultural preservation value of this digital music history museum through the creation of music digital twin technology instances and user survey feedback and discusses the prospects of digital twins in the field of musical cultural heritage.

Development of tonality and consonance categorization ability and preferences in 4- to 6-year-old children.

Consonance perception has been extensively studied in Western adults, but it is less clear how this perception develops in children during musical enculturation. We investigated how this development occurs in 4- to 6-year-old children by examining two complex musical skills (i.e., consonance and tonality preferences). Accordingly, we developed a child-focused approach to understand the underlying developmental processes of tonality and consonance preferences in 4- to 6-year-old children using a video interview format. As previous studies have confounded preference with perception, we examined each concept separately and measured perceptual abilities as categorization. For tonality, the ability to categorize tonal and atonal melodies developed by the age of 6 years. It is noteworthy that only children who could categorize successfully showed a preference for tonality at the age of 6. For consonance, we observed an early preference for consonance at 4 years of age, but this preference was only measurable with large differences between consonant and dissonant stimuli. We propose that tonality and consonance preferences develop during childhood with increasing categorization ability when the surrounding musical culture is marked by Western tonality and consonance.

Spread of Russian and Soviet musical culture in 20th century China (on the example of Aaron Avshalomov's composition)

The article describes the great contribution of Russian musicians, including Aaron Avshalomov, to the development of Chinese musical culture in the twentieth century. The analysis reveals the influence of the spread of Russian and Soviet musical culture in China during the named period. The work uses the historical-structural method and the method of structural analysis of the literature on the research problem published in Chinese and Russian languages. The author of the study concludes that Soviet and Russian music are a kind of cultural gateway to Western countries, rich in positive and optimistic national cultural characteristics, absorbing the essence of Western culture and promoting the fusion of Chinese and world music cultures in the process of spreading cross-cultural music in China.

Resonating Culture: Ethnomusicological Theories Unveiling Zhuhu Music in Yangxin Tea-picking Opera of China

More than a century ago, the enchanting tea-picking songs enjoyed widespread popularity among the residents of Yangxin in China. These songs served as a source of entertainment within the tea plantation quarters. Folk music artists subsequently reworked these melodies, transforming them into short tunes for collective singing and dancing during the Lantern Festival. The integration of Huangmei tea-picking opera with the "lantern opera" further shaped the musical identity of Yangxin tea-picking opera. This research aims to analyze the features of zhuhu music and its contribution to the musical culture of the Yangxin community, with a particular emphasis on analyzing the music's characteristics and its cultural significance. The study will also delve into the evolving status of zhuhu music within contemporary Yangxin society. Employing an ethnographic research design, I combines participant observation and interviews with her own field experiences to provide a comprehensive account of traditional zhuhu performance practices in Yangxin tea-picking opera. Through a musicological analysis of zhuhu's repertoire, the paper uncovers the uniqueness of zhuhu music and traces changes in its traditional form, style, and function, linking these shifts to broader socio-cultural transformations. In approaching the study of this musical performance, I draw upon theories from the field of ethnomusicology. Building on my preliminary investigation of zhuhu music, I shaped the study by considering theoretical insights from various scholars and incorporating my perspectives. The paper will discuss pertinent theories applied to analyze the music of zhuhu as it accompanies Yangxin tea-picking opera. This research not only contributes to ethnomusicological theory and methodology but also deepens our understanding of the musical culture surrounding Yangxin tea-picking opera in China.

Stylistic Origins of Chinese Pianism

The majority of foreign observers recognize that the most important aspect of Chinese pianism is its technical perfection, which can be explained in two ways: first, by social factors (the close resemblance between the traditional Confucian conception of education and the foundations of learning to play the piano, parents’ interest in their children’s success as pianists, the competitive nature of Chinese society), and second, by the classical setting of children’s piano education to develop strict finger technique. Though it was unable to gain traction at all levels of Chinese piano teaching, the image of “singing on the piano” was also important for the development of Chinese pianism. The monosyllabic nature of the contributes language, as well as the dynamic brokenness and temporal syncopation of its intonation contribute to the specificity of the “singing on the piano” tradition in Chinese music culture. In general, the performing image of the piano in China is comparable to the image of the “salon piano,” just as the current piano boom in China is comparable to the “golden age” of the piano in Europe and America at the close of the 19th century. Keywords: Chinese pianism, Chinese piano education, image of the piano, singing on the piano, musical intonation, piano performance.

Strategi Pemasaran Aplikasi Spotify dalam Global

Spotify, present in more than 90 countries with millions of users, faces the challenge of implementing effective marketing strategies to address local market diversity while maintaining global cohesion. This strategy involves increasing product personalization to meet the diverse needs of consumers from various countries, as well as supporting the richness of local music culture in each market, including in countries with strong cultural nationalism such as Indonesia. This research aims to investigate the global marketing strategies implemented by Spotify, the world's leading music streaming platform, with a focus on product personalization, cultural adaptation, and collaboration and partnerships. The research methodology used in this research is a literature review with a qualitative approach and secondary data types. The literature review approach was chosen because it allows collecting information from various relevant sources to answer the research problem formulation. The type of data used is secondary data, obtained from sources such as Spotify annual reports, market research data, academic journal articles, and industry media. The data collection method is carried out by taking data from the library, reading, taking notes and processing research materials. The results of the study conclude that Spotify has succeeded in implementing an effective global marketing strategy to expand its reach and influence in the competitive and diverse music market. With a focus on product personalization, and collaborative partnerships, Spotify has demonstrated significant innovation in facing the challenges of globalization.

Stylistic Correlations Between Serbian and European Music in the 20th Century

The Serbian musical culture was put late into connection with the European one. The fact that the first piano was introduced in Serbia in 1824 indicates that cultivating Serbian music was not possible under the Turkish domination. The spread of Serbian music in Europe made it possible to publish compositions by foreign authors and Serbian composers, which drew attention to the themes of Serbian music. The compositions were printed and published in Leipzig, Vienna, Prague, Paris, Budapest, London. The tours abroad performed by Serbian choirs and soloists popularized Serbian songs all over Europe. In the first half of the 20th century, almost 80 European composers wrote works with Serbian influences. Most of the foreign composers, especially those who lived and created among Serbians, embraced the mentality and cultural and musical needs of a people whose melodic essence they tapped into, using Serbian musical themes in their compositions. Keywords: Serbian, composition, modernity, relations, influences.

Musical Culture of the Kyrgyz People

The musical culture of the Kyrgyz people is a valuable heritage that reflects its traditions, history, and spiritual values. This study is relevant because in the modern pedagogical process the emphasis on the integration of national cultural features, including music, is becoming increasingly important. It promotes multicultural education and the development of students’ national identity. The purpose of this study was to develop ways to integrate the musical culture of the Kyrgyz people into modern pedagogical education and recommendations for their optimisation. The following methods were used in the study: analytical, specifically, historical analysis; comparative; method of synthesis; as well as methods of generalisation and systematisation. The most revealing was the historical analysis, through which the historical context of the development of Kyrgyz musical culture and its influence on education in different periods of history was studied. The results of the study suggested that the inclusion of elements of musical culture of the Kyrgyz people in the pedagogical process can serve as an effective tool for the development of students’ cultural self-awareness, as well as the development of their emotional and social competence. However, to achieve the best results, clearly formulated methods are needed that consider the specifics of Kyrgyz musical culture and the features of the modern pedagogical process. Among such techniques, the following were identified: cultural immersion, integrated lessons, project-oriented method, organisation of creative working groups, case method, creation of interactive music laboratories, differentiated approach, and application of the method of critical analysis in lessons. The findings of this study can be useful for teachers, students at pedagogical universities, researchers in the field of pedagogy and ethnomusicology, as well as educational authorities.

Traditional Music of Kazakhstan in the Second Half of the 20th Century: Using the Example of Folk Song Art in the Northern Region of Kazakhstan

The historical development of folk music lays the foundations for modern compositions, the study of previous experience can help to qualitatively develop the modern musical sphere, emphasizing the uniqueness of traditional art. The main purpose of this study is to identify and analyse the characteristic features of the music of Kazakhstan, as well as to generalize the available knowledge. In the presented work, archive materials of several ethnographic expeditions of the folklore laboratory Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory in the Torgai-Kostanay region, made from 1975 to 1989, are considered. It is taken into account that many widespread traditional musical cultures, representing a single integral, within themselves will have several ramifications. In this regard, Kazakh traditional music is not an isolated case, as it is currently divided into the following folk-professional schools: Sary-Arka, Jetysu, Kyzylorda and Western Kazakhstan. The name of each listed tradition is associated with territorial identification. For several years in Kazakhstani musicology, up to the present day, many researchers have been engaged in the study of the above-mentioned regional traditions. The works of the second half of the XX century were analysed, as well as the main differences and aspects of music writing. The paper identifies the influence of the main factors that contributed to the creation of the works, as well as a generalized analysis of the composers’ stylization. The study will provide a better understanding of the features and aspects of musical folklore, which helps to popularize and raise awareness of the subject.

The African American Collections Relating to Music at Emory University’s Rose Library

ABSTRACT: United States music history has for years privileged whiteness and largely ignored or disregarded the contributions of African Americans. The Stuart R. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, houses over thirty collections (and growing) related to African American musicians that could be used to both uncover and recover the critical role African Americans played in the music culture of the United States. This article presents a brief overview of these holdings to date, including the papers of composers (such as William Dawson, George Walker, and Undine Smith Moore), entertainers (such as Victoria Spivey, Bricktop, and Geoffrey Holder), and researchers (such as Rae Linda Brown, Geneva Southall, and Delilah Jackson). Types of materials held include manuscript letters and scores, photographs, and published music (both print and recorded) by and about African Americans.

Reform of Teaching Methods for High School Ethnic Music Courses

The reform of teaching methods for ethnic music courses in universities aims to emphasize the spirit of the Chinese nation, enhance the core literacy of contemporary university students, and strengthen their cultural heritage. With the development of the times, universities must recognize the urgent need to cultivate high-quality and sustainable development of professional talents in ethnic music. To achieve this, it is necessary to identify key points of cultivation and formulate corresponding measures to comprehensively reform the ethnic music courses in universities. Firstly, the reform will focus on strengthening the inheritance of traditional music culture. This includes teaching skills such as playing ethnic musical instruments, singing music works, and conducting in-depth interpretation and research on traditional repertoire. Secondly, the reform will cover the development of modern ethnic music. This includes introducing modern works, their creation, interpretation, and diverse forms of musical expression, to deepen students' understanding of the development trends of ethnic music. Thirdly, the reform will introduce interdisciplinary teaching methods, integrating ethnic music with subjects such as history, literature, and art to enhance students' overall understanding and cognition of ethnic culture. Fourthly, the reform will promote practical teaching activities, such as ethnic music performances and campus concerts, to cultivate students' performance abilities and spirit of teamwork. Finally, the reform will introduce comprehensive assessment methods, such as work creation, thesis writing, and music concert performances, to comprehensively evaluate students and enhance their overall literacy. These reform measures will contribute to the formation of a high-quality and sustainable development system for cultivating professional talents in ethnic music, providing important support for the comprehensive development and cultural heritage of contemporary university students.

Research On The Strategy Of Preserving And Transmitting Hakka's Traditional Music

Han music and Han opera are not only unique forms of music and opera in the Hakka region but also represent the essence of Chinese musical culture. However, in today's era of rapid scientific and technological development, they have encountered survival challenges. We should re-examine their development process, understand their cultural value, and learn from others' experiences. By emphasizing the importance of educational inheritance, adjusting the objectives of music education in local normal colleges and universities, modifying the curriculum structure, developing new courses rich in Hakka local music characteristics, and enriching the content of vocal music teaching, we can better protect and inherit traditional Hakka music. Additionally, strengthening media publicity, enhancing educational outreach, and encouraging activities of folk music clubs are other effective channels to achieve this goal.

The creative interaction of composers Zhou Wenzhong and Edgar Varese

The subject of the study is the mutual influence of the compositional ideas of the Chinese-American composer Zhou Wenzhong and the French-American composer Edgar Varese. Edgar Varese, known as a composer and innovator who had a significant influence on the concepts of the post-war avant-garde, was also a brilliant teacher. One of his students was Zhou Wenzhong. Subsequently, Zhou Wenzhong became the editor of Warez's works, his biographer, an indispensable assistant and keeper of the archive. The article presents the facts of Zhou Wenzhong's biography, special attention is paid to the study of the composer's period of study with Varez, the trajectory of his influence, and the pedagogical principles that he adhered to in his teaching. Zhou Wenzhong needed to assimilate the innovations of Varese, form his own compositional style, based on the cultural traditions of China, forming points of intersection with the ideas and concepts of the avant-garde in cross-cultural interaction. The work has an interdisciplinary character, mediated by a key trajectory – the problem of the interaction of musical cultures of the East and the West. The author relies on source-based, analytical, comparative, historical and theoretical methods. Zhou Wenzhong (1923-2019) is one of the most influential and major American-Chinese composers. Despite the importance of this person, his work is still unexplored in Russian musicology, and therefore, filling this gap in the history of the development of new compositional trends in Chinese music, which marked the beginning of the phenomenon of the "New Wave" (after 1978), seems extremely relevant and important. The scientific novelty of the study is associated with the introduction into scientific use of information about the American period of Zhou Wenzhong's work – the time of his studies with Edgar Varese.

The structural and activity method of studying the universal creative personality (on the example of musical culture)

The trend of the global educational process aimed at developing a universal creative personality is leading young people to expand their professional spectrum. The study of the universal personality of a musical artist is a prominent issue in the context of socio-cultural changes in the life of modern society. The aim of the research is to study the specific and characteristic features of a creative personality as well as to clarify the aspects of the formation of a musician’s universal personality. This article uses the following scientific methods to study the issue of universal creative personality of a music student: description, analysis, synthesis, comparison, abstraction and generalisation. The paper highlights the issues of formation and development of the universality of the creative personality in the representatives of musical culture. The authors studied the functions of leading and auxiliary activities in the process of forming a musician’s creative personality in view of personal motivation. The work analyses and highlights the ways of forming and developing the creative aspects of a musician’s personality. This study also examines the typology of the universal creative personality, which resulted in the formation of the following types of musical personalities, in particular, the musician-master and the musician-creator and the differences between them. The article explores the structure and activity of the creative personality of a composer, performer, musicologist, teacher and public figure. The authors’ work can be a subject of further investigation by researchers and teachers who will study the topic of universal creative personality of music students.