Nationalism Through Music This curriculum will discuss Nationalism and how music is used to promote, describe, maintain and ennoble the culture of a country or people. Through the following activities different composers, places and times will be discovered and considered and how music can be used to create images and memories. Nationalism: Music That Describes a Place Music: La Bikina Mariachi Style Original Music: Ruben Fuentes Original Lyrics: Ruben Fuentes Ensemble: Latino Arts Stings Dinorah Marquez SUPPORT FROM: DeAtley Family The A. Paul Jones Charitable Trust John & Carolyn Peterson Charitable Pleasant T. Rowland Margaret Winston National Endowment for the Arts Friends of Wisconsin Public Television The Latino Arts Strings Program from Milwaukee will be the basis of these activities but parallels will be shared with other examples of Nationalism and descriptive uses of music. OUTCOMES After studying this material, students will be able to: Define the term nationalism as it relates to music. Identify elements in Nationalistic music that defines its origin. Compare and contrast music that exemplifies nationalism. Define the Mariachi as it relates to Nationalism in music. Compare and contrast different Latin American styles. WISCONSIN S MODEL ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR MUSIC This guide corresponds with the following Model Academic Standards for Music: Music Performance Singing A.12.1, A.12.2, A.12.5-9 Instrumental B.12.1-3, B.12.7-9 Music Creativity: Improvisation - C.12.1-3 Composition - D.12.1-8 Music Literacy: Reading and Notating - E.12.-3 Music Response: Analysis - F.1-4 Evaluation - G.12.1-3 Music Connections: The Arts - H.12.1-4 History and Culture - I.12.1-3 BACKGROUND Nationalism in music refers to the use of musical motifs that are identified with a specific country, region or ethnicity. It is characterized by an emphasis on national musical elements such as the use of folk songs, folk dances, harmony, ethnic instruments or rhythms. It is also the adoption of nationalist subjects for operas, symphonic poems, or other forms of music. As new nations rose in prominence in Europe, nationalism in music was a reaction against the dominance of the mainstream European classical tradition as composers started to separate from the standards set by Italian, French, and especially German composers. Countries or regions most commonly linked to musical nationalism include Russia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Scandinavia, Spain, United Kingdom, Mexico, 1 Nationalism Through Music wisconsinperforms.org
Latin America and the United States. For the following activities we will explore the music of the mariachi ensemble, a mixture of different indigenous folk styles of Mexico as well as European elements. The mariachi band is Mexico s only true surviving folkloric ensemble. The group itself has changed very little since the addition of the trumpets in the middle of the 1930s. The songs that Mariachi groups performed changed, but only to meet the demands of the listening public. The mariachi band is used for many different occasions, such as dances, weddings, and funerals. GETTING STARTED To get an understanding of nationalism as it is used in music we will explore mariachi music as performed by the Latino Arts Strings Program of Milwaukee as an ensemble and its deeply rooted ties to the ethnic community it represents. After watching the video consider the following: I. Discuss the musical elements as listed: A. Melody: Describe characteristics and structure. B. Harmony: Describe attributes and progression. C. Rhythm: Describe choices made by the composer and the effect. D. Tone Color: Describe the tone colors used and the effect. E. Form: Describe the structure. F. Expression: Describe elements used. G. Overall Describe elements that define the cultural origin of the music as it relates to the elements above. II. Discuss the following topics: A. What is the difference between the terms Mariachi and Son Style as it relates to Latino music? B. Define the term Mariachi both technically and based on the music. Based on your definitions why do you think this term is perfect to describe this type of music? C. What is the feeling of La Bikina? Discuss through the concepts of melody, harmony, rhythm, tone color, form and expression. III. Activities: A. Identify the instruments below from performances of La Bikina. Use the performance by the Latino Arts Ensemble as a starting point. Using other resources (computer searches, recordings, etc.) discover other performances of Maricachi music that use the instruments listed. 1. Traditional String Instruments a. Violin b. Viola c. Cello d. String Bass 2. Ethnic Instruments a. Guitarron b. Guitar c. Vihuela 3. Additional Instruments Often Used a. Trumpet b. Harp 4. Answer the following questions a. Identify which instruments look familiar and which look different from traditional orchestral stringed instruments. 2 Nationalism Through Music wisconsinperforms.org
b. Describe the instruments used by the Latino Arts Strings Program. c. What instruments listed above are not used by the Latino Arts Strings Program? B. The Same But Different 1. Define the different styles performed by Mariachi ensembles. Compare and contrast the similarities and differences. a. Bolero b. Canción Ranchera c. Son d. Huapango e. Joropo f. Danzón C. Discover the Music of Your Community - Every community contains ethnic diversity. The following activities will help you discover some in your own community. 1. Identify different ethnic groups in your community and music that is indicative of that group. Place on a map the different ethnic groups represented. 2. Interview a person from an ethnic group and discuss the following ideas as it relates to Nationalism: a. Elements of culture specific to the group. b. Music indicative of the ethnic group. c. Clothes related to the ethnic group. d. Instruments that add to the sound of the ethnic group. 3. Choose a simple melody and try to re-create it in different ethnic styles. 4. After your research is complete, produce something that compares and contrasts the gathered information. GOING DEEPER Using information gathered from previous activities it is possible to synthesize information to look deeper. IV. Explore the music of Tchaikovsky listed below. Identify musical elements that describe or exemplify Nationalism. A. 1812 Overture B. Capriccio Italien V. Choose another composer from the list below or other source that wrote in a Nationalistic style. Compare and contrast three compositions. Be sure to include musical, geographical and historical perspectives. A. Modest Mussorgsky B. Antonin Dvor ák C. Jean Sibelius D. Ralph Vaughan Williams E. Manuel de Falla F. Charles Ives G. Richard Wagner VI. American composers Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein composed music that brought images to life for the listener. Compare and contrast one of the following pairs of compositions. Make sure to include geographical, historical and cultural observations. A. Rodeo by Copland with Music from On The Town by Bernstein B. Appalachian Spring by Copland with Mass by Bernstein 3 Nationalism Through Music wisconsinperforms.org
C. El Salon Mexico by Copland with Chichester Psalms by Bernstein D. Letter from Home by Copland with Make our Garden Grow by Bernstein MAKING CONNECTIONS- CROSS CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Music is often a reflection of the times and the region of origin. The following activities are intended to make connections with other curricular areas and broaden the understanding of the life and times of the people that created it. VII. Social Studies/History/Geography Research the list of people/musical styles and place them on a map and on a linear historical timeline. Be sure to include historical events occurring in the country, the world and the region of each person. A. Composer Ruben Fuentes 1. Where was he born? 2. Where did he live? 3. What were his occupations? B. Compare Three Different Styles of Music Performed by Mariachi Ensembles 1. Where in Mexico were the three styles predominant? 2. How is one style different than another? 3. How are the styles the same? C. Origin of the Latino Arts Strings Program 1. What is the geographical origin of the group? 2. What was the reason for developing the group? 3. What is the purpose of the group? D. Director/Teacher Dinorah Marquez 1. Where does she live? 2. What is her role in the ensemble? 3. When was she born? 4. What is her ethnic background? 5. How does she describe the ensemble? 6. How does she lead the ensemble? Compare this to how other Maricachi ensemble leaders lead his/her ensemble. E. Compare and contrast the geographical data with the historical data and answer the following questions: 1. Where in Mexico is/was Mariachi music most popular? 2. Are the historical events evident in the musical styles? 3. What conclusions can be drawn from the information? F. Compare and contrast the people living in the areas identified on the map and discuss the following: 1. What were the social and economic issues of the time? 2. What issues faced each region? 3. How are the music and lyrics of La Bakina indicative of the time? VIII. Literature Research the lyrics as poetry and consider how the words reflect the time of writer. Discuss the following as a group. A. How does the music bring the words to life? B. What connections must a lyricist make with the music? C. How do words affect rhythm, meter and time? 4 Nationalism Through Music wisconsinperforms.org
D. What is the story behind the writing of La Bakina? ASSESSMENT OPTIONS This listing provides some possible assessment tools although others are also possible. IX. Exams and Questioning A. Utilize traditional exams and quizzes B. Engage in knowledge-based games C. Engage in teacher/student discussion D. Utilize aural exams discerning different musical styles and identify the country or region. X. Writing Exercises A. Write a descriptive essay B. Complete answer based essays C. Write a narrative based on activities D. Engage in a written dialogue with the arranger E. Write a biography based on the composer F. Write an essay describing a culture or region and provide music that describes it in a nationalistic way. XI. Performance Activities A. Create a dance to the music using elements of the culture and the mariachi style. B. Perform a Nationalistic melody in three different musical settings. Compare and contrast the effects as it relates to melody, harmony, rhythm and timbre. C. Perform the melody of La Bikina using readily available instrumentation. Set it in other nationalistic ways and compare the results. XII. Projects/Products A. Create a poster, video, presentation or portfolio B. Create a comparison chart of countries or regions with clearly nationalistic musical examples. Describe the elements used that make it nationalistic. C. Compare different settings of a song with nationalistic tendencies and present the differences and similarities through the use of media. 5 Nationalism Through Music wisconsinperforms.org