Specific Song Research Articles

Effigies, religion and reversals in the celebration of Purim by Cochin Jews

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the role of the effigy in the celebration of the festival of Purim as enacted by the Cochin Jews of south India in three major periods: under Portuguese conquest in the sixteenth century, in Cochin in the twentieth century, and in a different topography in Israel. Cochin Jews at their peak only numbered 2400 prior to Indian Independence; they never suffered antisemitism except under the Portuguese and lived in harmony with their Hindu, Christian and Muslim neighbours. On the festival of Purim, role reversals took place to protest hierarchical social structures inherent in caste and religion, thereby enabling peaceful relations between members of different religions, communities and quasi-castes (jati) during the year. The inversions were expressed in the construction of effigies of the adversary, as well as in special songs, which represented symbolic protests against hegemonic domination, which addressed other daily injustices, based on gender. Today, the majority of Cochin Jewry live in Israel, where they celebrate Purim, embracing globalization and identification with world Jewry. The physical presence of the Cochin Jewish community, its very embodiment, like the effigy, has been almost totally eroded in India, while the body politic lives on in another world, Israel.

Voice: Power, Pathways, and Parameters

ABSTRACT Voice is powerful and what it means to each of us is complex. A voice can physically take us places, unlock memories, sensations and inform perspectives. Like an interdimensional vortex, a voice can open pathways to the past and make us rethink the present and future. A voice can transform our psyches and physiologies. It may help us to achieve greatness, slow down our breathing to feel calm, or push us to the brink of madness. When we think about voice, we might conjure the sound of someone now deceased. We might think about music, perhaps a specific song or certain lyrics that have become deeply entwined with lived experiences. We often strive to uncover the authentic voice: revealing our truth and empowering those around us to feel culturally safe enough to share and articulate their experiences. In recent times, the landscape of human voices has expanded to include cloned and synthesized voices. In a reality where the parameters of voice are changing so rapidly, how do we continue to navigate these complexities alongside our hard-wired psychological and physiological responses?

Melody of the Malady: Musicking Subaltern Counterpublics Space in J. B. Tuhure’s Selected Songs

When the Panchayat regime emerged as a new governmental system in Nepal, it brought various developmental projects to elevate the socio-economic condition of the people. However, when it was practically implemented, instead of betterment, the public confronted hardship in celebrating their liberty and autonomy. The society was stratified into different domains, constricting the space for the commoners and limiting their horizon of understanding. In this context, J.B. Tuhure’s song played an important role to narrate the precise story of the folks and make them aware of their position, blasting revolutionary thoughts inwardly in their consciousness. As the songs are suggestive in nature, they are, in fact, counter-voices against the regime and underlying structure of Nepali society, which had to be changed for the emancipation of the subalterns. In this relevance, this research paper explores Tuhure’s three specific songs: Basai Hidne ko Taanti Le, Aama Didi Baini Ho, and Chhora Haru Ho, focusing on how the musicality of these songs create subaltern counterpublics space to construct anti-dominant narrations of the Panchayat regime and how these songs pave the way for the recognition of the marginalized category of people in the stratified societies, where layers of domination persist. Taking Nancy Fraser’s concept of ‘Subaltern Counterpublics Space’ and Christopher Small’s notion of ‘Musicking’ as a theoretical perspective, the paper argues Tuhure’s songs are the spaces where a cluster of subaltern narratives simultaneously occur, challenging the regime and vocalizing the rights for the subordinated. It unravels that Tuhure’s songs are the musicking of subaltern counterpublics spaces, making the public participatory and performative.

Pemaknaan Lirik Lagu Feel Special ( Analisis Wacana Van Dijk )

Song lyrics are verbal symbols created by humans. In expressing their experiences, songwriters play with words and language to create appeal and distinctiveness to their lyrics or verses (Awe, 2003:51). Twice's Feel Special depicts the importance of valuing oneself and finding happiness within oneself, without relying on the validation or recognition of others. It also describes feelings of doubt and uncertainty about one's worth. Therefore, the background explains that the song Feel Special has received many positive responses from fans and music critics. This Feel Special song remains relevant today because its message about self-worth is something that is relatable to many people. This song can be a source of strength and inspiration for those who are feeling a loss of confidence. This research uses a qualitative research method with van dijk's discourse analysis approach. This analysis focuses on the macro and micro structure of the song text, as well as the social context and social cognition. The results show that the lyrics of the song Feel Special contain the meaning of the importance of loving oneself and accepting one's shortcomings, as well as telling the story of a person who feels insecure and insecure, then he learns to become more confident. This message is conveyed through various discourse strategies, such as text, social cognition and social context. The meaning of this song can help its listeners to increase their self-confidence and self-acceptance.

The impact of song-based english lessons in the motivation of efl students

Despite decades of research on the motivational impact of songs in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms, many educators remain unaware of their potential. This study investigates how EFL learners perceive their learning journey when incorporating song-based lessons. Songs are valuable tools for achieving personal and group language learning goals. They offer a multifaceted approach, encompassing cultural immersion, vocabulary acquisition, enhanced listening comprehension, facilitated grammar application, and the sharpening of various language skills – all presented within a rhythmic structure. Recognizing the impact of music on mood and motivation is crucial. Research in this area is essential to understand how specific songs influence motivation levels. By investigating these effects, educators can choose music that optimizes learning environments and supports students in reaching their academic objectives. Songs are powerful tools in EFL classrooms, providing an engaging approach to language learning on multiple levels. Understanding their impact on mood and motivation allows educators to leverage these benefits and enhance the overall learning experience for students.

Song Heritage Beyond Borders (Observations on the Collection Písně Makedonské (1928) by Ludvik Cuba from the Series "Slovanstvo ve Svých Zpěvech")

The article examines the collection "Macedonian Songs" (part of the "Slavism in Songs" series) by the Czech artist, folklorist and writer Ludvik Kuba (1863–1956). It was published in 1928 and contains song samples recorded by him in the territory of today's Republic of North Macedonia in the period 1925–1927. The purpose of the research is to determine the cross-border nature of a song heritage between several modern countries, whose borders are the result of the geopolitical changes in the Balkans in the last more than 100 years – Bulgaria, the Republic of North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia. In the text, variants of specific songs from the collection of L. Kuba are selected, ethnomusicological analyzed and compared – some of them popular in Bulgaria as well, and others – performed in the Golo Brdo area on the territory of the Republic of Albania since 1913, third – also known in Serbia. The L. Kuba's collection contains song samples recorded and arranged by him with piano accompaniment in the style of Western European music and harmony. In this case this compositional approach is not the subject of research, and the focus is placed on the melodic-rhythmic signs of the variants documented from Cuba. In the study, they are researched in a comparative plan with variants within and beyond the borders of Macedonia.

АНАХРОНИЧНЫЙ САУНДТРЕК: РЕСАЙКЛИНГ СОВЕТСКИХ ПЕСЕН В ВИДЕОИГРЕ «ATOMIC HEART»

the article examines the soundtrack of the game Atomic Heart (Mundfish Studios, 2023) from the perspective of recycling Soviet pop songs. The obvious oddity is due to the fact that most of the sounding schlager songs were written much later than the time in which the game is formally set. The author summarizes the functions of an anachronistic soundtrack. First, popular songs create a sense of multiworldliness, the coexistence of non-intersecting realities. Second, anachronistic songs are designedfor the disconcerting effect caused by the mismatch between their established perception and the context of the video game. Third, Atomic Heart’s invocation of an anachronistic soundtrack captures the problem of historical memory, which is the philistine oblivion of the internal gradations of the Soviet era. The two types of presentation of Soviet pop songs in “Atomic Heart” are atmospheric and action types. In the first case, the songs appear as a background that creates the general atmosphere of the space, and in the second case, they become a kind of show-stopper, which has a strong influence on the perception of the action gameplay. The author illustrates his observations with a detailed analysis of specific songs and peculiarities of their arrangement.

Call and response: Ethnomusicological methods to awaken specific memories with targeted songs encoded in neuronal populations of a dementia patient

AbstractThis study collaborates with a fellow expert ethnomusicologist Sean Williams to trigger specific contextual memories associated with songs of her mother Julian Williams, born in 1932, and currently struggling with the early stages of dementia. The goal was to ascertain the success rate of a one‐to‐one correspondence type: The use of targeted, known songs of the dementia patient as a means to trigger the patient’s contextual memories.By adopting a methodology in Ethnomusicology involving the autobiography of one’s music history and their corresponding memories of the patient Julian Williams, I set up the experiment for Sean Williams to conduct. Dividing the study into discrete music time periods (infancy, childhood, teenager, young adult, older adult), I asked Sean Williams to choose specific songs with specific memories to the patient to be sung. The memory responses of the patient on video were then recorded.Each of those songs had deep levels of recognition by the Alzheimer’s patient, as evidenced in her singing with some memories (lyrics and contextual environment) stronger than than others. The fact that there is some autobiographical recall, despite a weakened sense of time and space after the onset of Alzheimer’s, suggests there may be use for this technique in dementia care. Of note, is the fun‐filled disposition of the participants during the recording of the singing. That speaks to a higher quality of life one could expect by using music as a memory‐recall and time‐ travel companion.This single case study needs to be broadened into a larger‐scale experiment involving many participants from different cultures to ascertain the use of individualized targeted songs to awaken specific memories of the dementia patients. In the area of dementia care, this approach also makes it possible for families to participate actively since the songs will probably be known to them as well.

“To Sing on Shabbat, Night and Day, Each Person at Their Table”: On the Formation of the Custom of Singing Shabbat Zemirot in Medieval Europe

Abstract: This essay traces the development of the custom of singing table songs known as Shabbat zemirot during Shabbat meals in medieval Europe. Though a popular custom, its medieval formation has yet to receive scholarly attention. Informal Shabbat table singing was likely common for centuries, yet the earliest extant instructions to sing specific songs were written in thirteenth-century northern France and appeared shortly thereafter in Ashkenaz and Italy. The many manuscripts containing Shabbat zemirot reveal the custom's spread, growth, and popularity in these regions. Though preserved in writing, Shabbat zemirot and their tunes were primarily disseminated orally by families singing within their homes. Such orality encouraged flexibility and diversity in how the custom was performed. Once the songs were printed in the sixteenth century, a more rigid construction of the practice and its repertoire took shape. Included as appendices are lists of manuscripts containing Shabbat zemirot and tables of the most common songs.

Music through Curve Insights

This manuscript endeavors to establish a framework for the mapping of music onto a three-dimensional structure. Our objective is to transform the guitar choruses of Beatles songs into curves, with each chorus corresponding to its respective curve. We aim to investigate and characterize the intricacy of each song by employing mathematical techniques derived from differential geometry, specifically focusing on the total curvature of the chorus curve. Given that a single song may possess varying chord progressions in different verses, the performer can determine the geometric representation they aim to convey through the number of loops and the direction of the curve. The overarching objective of our study is to enable viewers to identify specific songs or motives by visually examining an object and exploring its geometric properties. Furthermore, we posit that these ideas can provide composers with a fresh perspective on their own musical compositions while also granting non-professional audiences a glimpse into the intricacies involved in the process of composing.

EXPLORING STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION TOWARD TEACHING LISTENING BY USING ENGLISH SONG AT LPBA NURUL JADID

This study aims to explore students' perceptions of teaching listening using English songs at LPBA Nurul Jadid. The research utilizes a qualitative descriptive method, employing interviews and documentation as data collection techniques. Thirty-three students from LPBA Nurul Jadid were interviewed to gather data, which was subsequently analysed using qualitative descriptive methods, including data reduction, data presentation, inference and verification, and drawing conclusions. The interview results revealed that 88% of the students held a positive perception of learning to listen through English songs. According to the students, this approach sparked their interest, motivation, relaxation, and happiness in learning, resulting in improved listening skills and pronunciation of vocabulary. On the other hand, approximately 12% of the students maintained a neutral perception towards learning listening with English songs. This minority group preferred alternative media for their listening practice. Regarding the documentation, the researcher did not find any physical data. It was observed that after completing the listening tasks assigned by the teacher, the students promptly submitted their assignments, leaving no tangible evidence. However, the researcher did uncover specific song titles used by the teacher in the listening activities, namely "Sweet but Psycho" by Ava Max and "Lily" by Alan Walker.

Covery – manifesty. Muzyczne strategie przezwyciężania kulturowej opresji

In this article, I would like to focus on covers that reveal their strongly transgressive function, forcing the recipient to rethink and reinterpret the canon of popular music. Covers that I analyze in terms of music, text, image, etc., although they formally “reverse” only one specific song, become an opportunity to polemicize with the output of a given artist, the entire genre or style, or finally with the attitude and worldview represented by the original. Transgression on the aesthetic level is also accompanied by transgression on the level of sexual, class or racial identity. For the purposes of the article, the material will be limited to the covers from the 1970s (Ramblin’ Rose by Jerry Lee Lewis / MC5, Love Is Strange by Mickey & Sylvia / Trash by New York Dolls, Helter Skelter by The Beatles / Siouxsie and the Banshees), because in this period (on the basis of punk and post-punk music) similar practices were the most intense.

Analysis of the Pidgin Language on Dat Stick by Rich Brian

Pidgin dialects are at risk for vanishing because of the impact of urbanization, globalization, and the strength of significant world dialects. The shift in language, migration, and the disappearance of traditional cultural practices all make it even more challenging to preserve and maintain pidgin languages. It is necessary to acknowledge the preservation of linguistic diversity, including pidgin languages, which are important for intergroup communication and represent distinct cultural identities. The examination philosophy utilized in this study includes a blend of information assortment from "Dat Stick by Rich Brian" and a thorough survey of pertinent writing. To research the job and use of pidgin language in a melody, a subjective methodology is taken on. The pidgin-indicated word is gathered using the Data Gathering Method using a table. There should be a few guidelines for the pidgin-language category of words. It must be the result of no less than two social cooperation and doesn't contain a codification meaning. The primary method that is being utilized in this research is a literature review. determining whether or not it can be found in any dictionary. The writer takes a qualitative approach and considers the social and linguistic aspects, using definitions from a number of experts. The essayist began this subjective investigation with an interest in the intricate interaction between language and music. It was especially fascinated by the meaning of pidgin language in social articulation in the tune "Dat Stick by Rich Brian." It is motivated by this curiosity to discover and decipher the presence of pidgin language in a specific song.

Music as a trigger for specific memories

AbstractBackgroundThis study uses the expertise of an ethnomusicologist who uses preexisting music in the brain music as the cue to trigger the autobiographical memories of her own mother struggling with dementia.MethodBy adapting a methodology in Ethnomusicology involving the autobiography of one’s music history, I set up the experiment for another ethnomusicologist to conduct. Dividing the study into discrete music time periods (infancy, childhood, teenager, young adult, older adult), I delineated specific songs or pieces of music with powerful meanings to the patient in those time periods to be played. The responses of the patient on video was then recorded.ResultEach of those pieces of music had some level of recognition by the Alzheimer’s patient, some stronger than others. Other attendant contextual memories surfaced during the experiment, suggesting autobiographical recall, despite a weakened sense of time and space after the onset of Alzheimer’s.ConclusionThis single case study needs to be broadened into a larger scale experiment involving many participants to assess the efficacy of this ethnomusicological‐derived approach to improve autobiographical recall abilities among the Alzheimer’s patients. This approach also makes it possible for families to engage in the autobiographical recall process using the preexisting music in the patients’ neural pathways. This study also offers collaborative efforts between Ethnomusicology and Neurology in running clinical trials to develop autobiographical memory recall processes for therapy.

The tsifteteli of irony and the dance of the ignorant Lilipuans

This paper studies the old Greek children’s radio show Edo Lilipoupoli transmitted from December 1977 to May 1980 by the Third Program of the Greek State Radio. The considerations of this paper result from the examination of the content of the radio show regarding its cultural and social parameters and correlations as a collective media project. The insight gained from this endeavour is significant, particularly due to the common claim among the broadcast listeners and contributors that the children’s radio program Edo Lilipoupoli functioned as a “mirror” of Greek society. The broadcast can be therefore understood as a kind of social snapshot depicting the ideological and identity conflict between the conservative and the progressive voices prevailing in society during that time. The analytical interest focuses on one specific song, very popular in the context of the radio show, with the title “We are not Zulu”. This approach will include an analysis of the lyrics in connection to their setting, i.e. morphology, harmony, instrumentation as well as the singer’s performance. Within the framework of this music-aesthetic and linguistic analytical point of view, I will try to identify the role and function of humour in the song and pursue an interpretive approach in the context of its sociocultural implications. The conclusions will form an attempt to bring out the point of view of the show’s contributors.

Les chants des oiseaux dans les fables : topoï, types et savoirs zoologiques

Le bestiaire très riche des fables de la fin du XVIIe siècle offre un terrain d’exploration idéal pour vérifier l’hypothèse des topiques sonores. Parmi les nombreux corbeaux, cigognes, coqs, hiboux, pigeons, moineaux, aigles, paons, rossignols, tous ou presque ont une voix singulière, reconnaissable, imitable. Tous ou presque sont anthropomorphisés, parlent et jouent un rôle essentiel dans la fiction. Cet article cherche ainsi à répondre aux questions suivantes à partir des fables de La Fontaine, Perrault, Furetière, Fénelon et Mme de Villedieu ainsi que de Philippe Desprez et Houdar de la Motte : leschants des oiseaux sont-ils toujours envisagés selon des critères esthétiques ou selon leurs effets sur l’auditoire ? Peut-on dégager des topoï narratifs associés aux chants des oiseaux, voire aux chants de certains oiseaux ? Ou les oiseaux sont-ils plutôt des types dont le chant spécifique serait une caractéristique ? Quelle est la place des savoirs zoologiques dans ces représentations ?

RoboFinch: A versatile audio‐visual synchronised robotic bird model for laboratory and field research on songbirds

Abstract Singing in birds is accompanied by beak, head and throat movements. The role of these visual cues has long been hypothesised to be an important facilitator in vocal communication, including social interactions and song acquisition, but has seen little experimental study. To address whether audio‐visual cues are relevant for birdsong we used high‐speed video recording, 3D scanning, 3D printing technology and colour‐realistic painting to create RoboFinch, an open source adult‐mimicking robot which matches temporal and chromatic properties of songbird vision. We exposed several groups of juvenile zebra finches during their song developmental phase to one of six singing robots that moved their beaks synchronised to their song and compared them with birds in a non‐synchronised and two control treatments. Juveniles in the synchronised treatment approached the robot setup from the start of the experiment and progressively increased the time they spent singing, contra to the other treatment groups. Interestingly, birds in the synchronised group seemed to actively listen during tutor song playback, as they sung less during the actual song playback compared to the birds in the asynchronous and audio‐only control treatments. Our open source RoboFinch setup thus provides an unprecedented tool for systematic study of the functionality and integration of audio‐visual cues associated with song behaviour. Realistic head and beak movements aligned to specific song elements may allow future studies to assess the importance of multisensory cues during song development, sexual signalling and social behaviour. All software and assembly instructions are open source, and the robot can be easily adapted to other species. Experimental manipulations of stimulus combinations and synchronisation can further elucidate how audio‐visual cues are integrated by receivers and how they may enhance signal detection, recognition, learning and memory.

The Cultural Identity of the Characters in the Film Scenario Ngeri-Ngeri Sedap by Bene Dion Rajagukguk

Clash and cultural identity fighting in film scenarios Ngeri-Ngeri Sedap karya Bene Dion Rajagukguk is a phenomenon of a very perfect cultural identity conflict. Cultural identity can affect social relations between characters. For this reason, it is very important to know the cultural identity of each character. Cultural identity can be known through semiotic studies. By knowing the language code, literary code, and cultural code we can find out the cultural identity of the character. This research uses Teeuw's semiotic theory. The data collection method used is the first level of semiotics reading. The results of this study are the language code used by the characters in the film scenario Ngeri-Ngeri Sedap karya Bene Dion Rajagukguk using Indonesian, but its use is mixed with the term Batak. The literary code is found from the facts of the story namely elements of characters and characterizations, plot, and background. Cultural code can be seen in cultural elements such as traditional ceremonies sulang-sulang pahoppu, tor-tor dance and ulos, Batak special songs, and special food mie gomak. From these codes can be seen the social relationships of the characters in accordance with the theory of social relations between individuals, and social relations between individuals and groups. This research is expected to be able to motivate the community to protect the culture they have but do not close themselves to the times. Keywords: identity; cultural; semiotic; scenario; figure

Using Deep Learning to Recognize Therapeutic Effects of Music Based on Emotions

Music is important in everyday life, and music therapy can help treat a variety of health issues. Music listening is a technique used by music therapists in various clinical treatments. As a result, music therapists must have an intelligent system at their disposal to assist and support them in selecting the most appropriate music for each patient. Previous research has not thoroughly addressed the relationship between music features and their effects on patients. The current paper focuses on identifying and predicting whether music has therapeutic benefits. A machine learning model is developed, using a multi-class neural network to classify emotions into four categories and then predict the output. The neural network developed has three layers: (i) an input layer with multiple features; (ii) a deep connected hidden layer; (iii) an output layer. K-Fold Cross Validation was used to assess the estimator. The experiment aims to create a machine-learning model that can predict whether a specific song has therapeutic effects on a specific person. The model considers a person's musical and emotional characteristics but is also trained to consider solfeggio frequencies. During the training phase, a subset of the Million Dataset is used. The user selects their favorite type of music and their current mood to allow the model to make a prediction. If the selected song is inappropriate, the application, using Machine Learning, recommends another type of music that may be useful for that specific user. An ongoing study is underway to validate the Machine Learning model. The developed system has been tested on many individuals. Because it achieved very good performance indicators, the proposed solution can be used by music therapists or even patients to select the appropriate song for their treatment.

Impression and Pleasure-Based Music Playlist Generation Method for Broadening Interest in Music and Shifting Positive Mood

This study proposes an automatic playlist generation method that broadens interest in music and puts listeners in a positive mood. Our previous approach put listeners in a positive mood by listening to a playlist that gradually changes the song’s impression from “Low” to “High.” This study adds a new function to our previous study and broadens listener’s interest in the specific song in a playlist by emphasizing it. Specifically, the proposed method created two points in the playlist to arouse the notice of the specific song and shift listeners into positive moods in the playlist. The rapid song impression-changing point engages a listener’s interest in the song, and the gradual song impression-changing one puts listeners in a positive mood. This study conducted a subjective evaluation of the previous and proposed playlists. There were no significant differences between both methods in shifting listeners into positive moods. However, there were significant differences in attention to the emphasized and other songs. These results indicate that the proposed method may potentially expand interest in music and put listeners in a positive mood.