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Cultural Parameters of Musical SimilarityBasic Issues in Folksong Research5/16/20111Eleanor Selfridge-FieldBasic Factors in Folksong ResearchFormat considerationsRepertory considerationsCultural considerations5/16/20112Eleanor Selfridge-FieldThree ExamplesFormat-driven: Essen folksong collectionRepertory-driven: Cretan traditional musicCulture-driven: Samoan traditional music5/16/20113Eleanor Selfridge-FieldThree ExamplesFormat-driven: Essen folksong collectionRepertory-driven: Cretan traditional musicCulture-driven: Samoan traditional music5/16/20114Eleanor Selfridge-FieldOne parableGeorge List: The Hopi Concept of Musical Similarity (JAMS 1975)From resources to methodsSymbolic DataLimited quantitiesStructuredQuantizedEasy to parseMany parameters accessible for processing

Audio DataAbundant quantities Unstructured (unencoded)Unquantized Difficult to parseFew parameters accessible for processing

5/16/20115Eleanor Selfridge-FieldResources for (digital?) folksong researchOrally transmitted material changes constantly;So do transcription, recording, and storage methods

NVA5/16/20116Eleanor Selfridge-FieldInterrelations and trade-offsImpingementTechnical needs encourage data uniformityData uniformity may compromisecultural perspectivesmusical contentMusical variety thwarts use of a single general approach

ExamplesGerman folksong Data uniformitySuited to symbolic analysisCretan traditional musicHeterogeneity of musical practices (parallel diversity)Suited to audio analysisSamoan traditional musicUniformity of musical traditionCultural contamination

5/16/20117Eleanor Selfridge-FieldCase 1. German folksong

5/16/20118Eleanor Selfridge-FieldSymbolic Data: EsACEssen Associative Code (EsAC)

5/16/20119Eleanor Selfridge-FieldValue of symbolic dataTracing and comparison of variants

A free-meter version (above)Fixed-meter versions (below)

Art-song arrangement (varied melody)(Titles treacherous in folksong research)5/16/201110Eleanor Selfridge-FieldThemefinder matches for Es liegt ein Schloss in sterreichText match: Es liegt ein Schloss.

Text adaptation: Es liegt ein Haus im Oberland

5/16/201111Eleanor Selfridge-FieldThemefinder matches for Es liegt ein Schloss in sterreichText match: Es liegt ein Schloss.

Text adaptation: Es liegt ein Haus im Oberland

Meter/contour match; different text: War einst ein Riese Goliath

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Aanalogous data (EsAC code in typescript)Germany (DVA, Freiburg): numbers and metadata changingAustria: number unknown; organized by state (14)Slovenia: c. 50,000 itemsSerbia: c. 70,000 itemsCroatia, Hungary: ??Poland: facsimile of file-card version (66,000 items)Netherlands: 500,000 items in different code (mainly text content)

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Heterogeneous materials, many goalsGermany (DVA, Freiburg): robust scholarly enterpriseAustria: many states favor audio salesSlovenia: intended for monuments print seriesCroatia, Serbia, Roumania, NY: archives on which Bartk explored systematic groupings according to lexicographal and grammatical principles (his aim was to understand families rather than create finding tools; interested in rhythmic variants)Hungary: recent research by Juhacs (on global music)Poland: facsimile (66,000 items), 1966

Bartk comparison of two melodies5/16/201114Eleanor Selfridge-FieldCase 2: Cretan traditional music

5/16/201115Eleanor Selfridge-FieldTraditional Cretan vocal/choral music Tullia Magriniexs. 1 (first strophe) and 3

RizitikoSectional song Ex. 1=bipartiteEx. 3=tripartiteSometimes accompanied by laotoText: non-symmetrical phrasesRelatively independent partsBalkan modesAdditive rhythmic modules e.g.6+6; 8+4; 8+5; 8+6; 8+8 beatsProgressively more elaborate melody5/16/201116Eleanor Selfridge-Field

Cretan folk dances Magrini, Ex. 16, dance

Maleviziotiko (dance)Group dance from Western CreteIntroduced in free rhythmCore work metrical (duple)Accomp. (3-stringed) violin and laotoPerformance: Progressively faster (like a tarantella)

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Maleviziotiko (for traditional Cretan bagpipe) Magrini 17, bagpipe music

Free rhythmNot appropriate for symbolic or audio analysis

5/16/201118Eleanor Selfridge-FieldPentozalis5-step jumping danceMen onlyMeter = 2/4Melody played on lyra, accomp. on laotoPossible Minoan origin (?)

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Cretan traditional fluteMagrini 18, flute music

PidictosFrom center-west of CreteFor traditional fluteProbably introductoryBinary meter usualElaboration of single tones common

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20Case 3. Samoan traditional music

5/16/201121Eleanor Selfridge-FieldGeneral characteristics of Samoan musicMainly choral; also group drummingMuch antiphony, responsorial singingOverwhelming tonal Collaborative adaptation, improvisationSpontaneous harmonization (Tonga, too)Instruments imported (guitar, ukelele, harmonium)Text phrases treated metrically but have no poetic footCelebrate aspects of Samoan tribal, religious, and family lifeInfluence of London Missionary Society evident (n.b. dress)

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Cultural contamination (classic case)TraditionalNotation not usualLyrics not codifiedNatural performance Little recording (music free to change)Limited disseminationSpontaneity

ModernNotation not usualLyrics often writtenElectronically enhanced performanceMuch recordingBroad disseminationRehearsal, preparation5/16/201123Eleanor Selfridge-FieldSamoa: siva performance (top), drumming5/16/2011Eleanor Selfridge-Field24

Cultural Contexts: German folksongsEasily handled symbolicallySocial function usually stableContent variableMelodicTextual

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Narrative refers to: captivityexecution revengeDeathMoral functionCultural contexts: Cretan traditional musicRizitikoMatrimonyPatriotismSyrtosLocal, territorial importMandinades political importPendozalis (group dance)Festive occasions

5/16/2011Eleanor Selfridge-Field26Social functions stableContent somewhat unpredictableCultural contexts: Samoa (Western)Group identityFamilyClanReligious institutionNation (recent)Social functionWeddingsBaptismsFuneralsSelection of new chiefPatriotic holidayRehearsed choirsChurchesSchools and collegesArmy companiesInformal music groupsHomesGardens and beachesWork crewsCommercial substitutestoo numerous to mention

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Fundamental contradictionThesisMusic exists only in sound

Symbolic data is stableAntithesisSound is its least stable elementFolk music is necessarily fluid5/16/2011Eleanor Selfridge-Field28Partial resolutionThesisMusic exists only in soundSymbolic data is stableAntithesisSound is its least stable elementFolk music is necessarily fluid5/16/2011Eleanor Selfridge-Field29SynthesisUse symbolic data to encode salient aspects in the evolution of single works and genresResolution?ThesisMusic exists only in soundSymbolic data is stableAntithesisSound is its least stable elementFolk music is necessarily fluid5/16/2011Eleanor Selfridge-Field30SynthesisUse symbolic data to encode salient aspects in the evolution of single works and genresCultural function more stable than musical features Musical feature evaluationEnduring featuresMeterMode

Transient featuresTitleLyricsKeyTempoIntonationTimbreMelodic detailOrnamentationArticulation

5/16/2011Eleanor Selfridge-Field31Social Cognition and Melodic Persistence:Where Metadata and Content DivergeISMIR2006Cultural analoguesEnduring Musical featuresMeterMode

Enduring Cultural FeaturesSocial meaningPersistent functionsDancingFeastsRites of passageGroup identityMigratory tendenciesMelodyLyricsProgressive elaboration

5/16/2011Eleanor Selfridge-Field32Social Cognition and Melodic Persistence:Where Metadata and Content DivergeISMIR2006