The 1960s

Okay, after last week, here is a quick introduction to the sixties.

*It is an incomplete list and yes, I have probably missed the best*

You see? I must defend myself!

Ladies, you will find, if you fall into conversation about the sixties, that everything becomes personal and polemic about this decade. Quickly. You had to make political and social judgements and be prepared to defend them.

Does that seem radical?

Know that any conversation about music from the sixties (especially with the old folks like Big Bro) is a similar minefield of opinion, judgement, scorn, and recommendation.

Then someone will end it all with, I blame the sixties.

Joni Mitchell
Bob Dylan
Rolling Stones
The Animals
The Kinks
The Monkees (I'm sorry, I had to put them in)
Traffic
Creedence Clearwater Revival (one of Big Bro's favourites)
The Hollies
Pink Floyd
The Who (I daren't leave them off)
The Move (I have to stop this list; it will become ridiculously lengthy)

Go off and find your favourite. Plenty to choose from.

The Beatles

Ladies, you cannot look blank and answer Who? when someone mentions The Beatles.

Somewhere they must form part of your education.

Go listen to Ticket to Ride, Hey Jude, A Hard Day's Night, Eleanor Rigby, Penny Lane. You know, I could go on.

And I will.

Indonesia

I know nothing about the music of Indonesia. Nope. Nothing. Can someone help me out? I've found pretty music and pictures here. What instrument types can we identify?

(Wiki has some answers, thank goodness.)

While we're listening, find a game to play.

PS: who can really say where Indonoesia is, given that I keep reading it is 17,508 islands, which is all confusing to my head, brought up on nation states and land boundaries. Useful map here.

PPS: Oh we may as well do the Round-the-world thing now and buy in the coconut and red chilli.

'A large ensemble of instruments that play together'

Benjamin Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. You have heard this before. Many times. Don't make me get out the ropes.

Easy with Simon Rattle. (Ignore the way the shirt makes him looks like he lives in an institution.)

All more fun than Year 7, but everyone has something to teach us. Here.

Now go off and find something about the composer, Benjamin Britten.

Just think! Within a few short months we will surely fetch up at Snape Maltings where I will complain about drizzle and the price of coffee!

Duke Ellington

It don't mean a thing, Satin doll, Take the A train.

And an extraordinary career.

While you try and get your heads round this huge achievement over this enormous span of time, let's in passing, take in the Charleston. (I'm pretty sure I could have a go at that dance style while cooking dinner.)

The Lamentations

My turn to choose!

Ha! Get your laughing gear round the Lamentations.

The Lamentations were commissioned choral pieces, to be sung in Catholic ceremonies at Easter, the time of Christ's death and resurrection.

Thanks to mama's lucky rummage in the $5 CD box at the back of Yung She Wan sad cat shop, we don't need to wait till then! Now we can fill the house with expressions of lament all year round!

You don't have to travel far on YouTube for them either. Go here or here.

For sacred music of this period, find out about Luis de Victoria, Palestrina, and Tallis.

The Lamentations would have been sung in places like Ely Cathedral, so let's revisit, and let's think about the changes in religious life in the time of Mary and Elizabeth.

(And for my records, there's an informative website at Medieval Music & Arts Foundation.)

I bet you can't wait for Squirrel's turn!

Verdi

I'm looking forward to when my puddings do this.

You can sing this one down the street when I push you out to collect the laundry.

Here's something I can have a go at, when I celebrate getting out the vacuum cleaner.

You'll probably hear this at some point too, especially if you hang around with your mother in later years as she spends your inheritance on theatre productions and gin.

And you can read about Verdi here.

As an extension activity, your father suggests this essay title: 'Compare and contrast the styles of Verdi and Wagner.'

I suggest we eat pizza and make biscotti.

You choose.

Scottish folk

By Tiger's request. Find out about Scottish folk and country dancing.

You could start here. I don't know the difference between country dancing and ceilidh, but I bet there is one. You could try following some instructions here.

(Make sure you do this out of my sight and hearing up on the roof. I have never recovered from the time your father drove me to Ullapool and if I ever go back to Scotland I go only with very precise archaeological focus and not a wild-eyed man driving me to Ullapool.)

Ladies, I know it's not strictly what you asked for, but you could give me a break and listen to some Local Hero, here & here. Look out for the video in the sad cat shop.

Bossa Nova

Right, daddy's slumming it in Brazil!

Let's have a Brazilian dance fest round the kitchen in his absence.

Start with The Girl from Ipanema.

You could then try Fly me to the moon.

Or Quincy Jones Soul Bossa Nova.

What musical instruments can you identify?

Bossa Nova was a popular sound in 1960s UK. It was associated with a glamorous lifestyle. These days you'll hear it used to describe different contexts, but it still requires musicianship. How would you describe the style of this music?

And if you want to do the culture tour, find on the map Rio de Janeiro, Buzios, Copacabana and Sao Paolo.

Then let's talk about why the language of Brazil is now Portuguese and not Spanish.

Cantonese opera

For a lot of singing and sleeve work go here.

And see images of Cantonese opera here.

Find out something of the history. Research what you can. There's more here, with references to the acrobatic styles.

What instruments are used to accompany the singers?

Do you feel it's necessary to speak Cantonese to enjoy it?

Oh why don't we go and listen to some opera live. (Yes, why don't we do that, I ask myself.)

While I puzzle on that question, listen out for any Cantonese opera on radios as you move around the island. Who's listening to this musical style?

Bluegrass

Before we fly off to another country, let's just find out a bit more about this hillbilly country USA stuff.

Try Foggy Mountain Breakdown.

Wiki is useful, if you like to read some background.

Bluegrass has a large and loyal following. Can you suggest why?

Pete Seeger

Find out about Pete Seeger.

He co-wrote this, and I would hate for you not to know this song. You could combine this with a reading of Private Peaceful.

Okay, now you're well into North America in the 20th century.

Pete Seeger occupies most of it; you could find out a little about his start point here.

Melody & stuff

How does music work?

Follow this series as far as you want. It's interesting!

Try the yacapaca quiz on the elements of music.

Mug up first! See if you can find definitions for timbre, texture, dynamics, tempo, instrumentation, pitch and duration.

You can have a go with this irritating online toy.
How about you? Can you make a tune with this?

Russian folk

The history of Russian music is huge, scary and intimidating.

Fortunately, this week I am sparing you the nationalist fervour and the Russian Red Army Choir (Yes! We have that CD!) and suggesting instead that you listen to this.

You could also try a lullaby. Ahh.

But the folk tradition is massively important, as you will see! If you want to be overwhelmed and scared already, go here.

Romanian folk

Start here.

Can you sing it?

What languages are spoken in Romania? (Ask daddy. He will be an amazing source of knowledge for this.)

Can you find Romania on a map?

Find out a little about this country.

Here's the flag. You can ask mama about Nicolae Ceausescu. (We'll call her an expert thanks to the fact that once she nearly travelled to Bucharest, and he put her off.)

Celtic Irish Folk

Listen here.

What instruments do you think are used?

Read a little about the musical style here.

Use this music as a start point for reading...
what can you find out about the mythology of Ireland?

Medieval

Ah! My favourite station!

Or you could listen here.

And read this page.

What's the serpent?

Go on an internet hunt. Find out about any of these instruments: hurdy gurdy, zither, dulcimer, vielle.

Three of them, three of you? Make up a dance! (If Shark won't play, I'll join in.)

Which came first, polyphony or plain chant? Make your own timeline from information you can find out, starting here.

You can find many examples of medieval music on YouTube. Start here and see where you go.

Music development and music history. What can you find out about Pope Gregory's singalong?