Transcript Native American Flute vs. Claude Debussy

Native American Flute
vs.
Claude Debussy
By: Nick Burghard
Brief look into Ancient
Native American Life
• Located in North America
• Pride in their specific tribe
• But more importantly,
– Respect for nature
– Caring for their land
• Lived in anything from caves to longhouses
(made of logs) depending on local resources.
• Focus on mind and spirit
Religion
• Religious principles passed down orally
• Tends to focus around nature
• Religious Ceremonies are common
– Included feasts, dance, and music
• Symbolism common
– Used animals to symbolize spirits and sometimes explain
how the world was created.
• E.g: Tlingit Indians believed in a creation centered around a raven.
• Each tribe would have a shaman or a healer who would
be able to channel the power of the spirits into healing,
et cetera.
Music
• Used for ceremonial purposes, recreation, expression,
and healing
• Instruments include drums, the flute, other percussion
instruments, and the human voice
• Usually incorporated with dance and chanting
• Considered by researchers to be one of the most
complex music ever performed
• Vocals are very tense and then tend to release
• Drum beats are usually compounded and not in 4:4
time
• However, we will focus on the flute
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The
Native
American
Flute
The flute is made out of two chambers, the smaller is at the top,
and the lower is larger and is where the finger holes are found
Originally the flute’s length would be determined by various areas
on the body, such as the length between the elbow and the wrist
The distance between the different holes is about the length of a
thumb
Made of redwood, cherry, or walnut depending on the sound
desired
It is played on the minor pentatonic scale
Most flutes had 5 to 6 holes, however some had up to 7, 8, or 9
Used a block whistle mechanism to create the base note
Came in various keys, according to the effect on the listener wanted
Native American Flutes
R. Carlos Nakai
• Born April 16, 1946
• Of Navajo-ute heritage
• Started his musical
studies on trumpet but a
car accident ruined his
embouchure
• Was given a cedar flute
as a challenge and it
started his career
• First album “Changes”
was released in 1983
Song For The Morning Star
This song gives the listener a very tranquil feel, as if your
standing on top of this mountain range, with the wind in your
hair. Visualize that you are in this canyon, with the wind blowing,
feeling like nothing in this world can touch you. This is the feeling
this song presents to the listener. A feeling of relaxation.
Claude Debussy
• Born in St-Germain-en-Laye, France
on August 22, 1862
• Oldest of five children
• Took piano lessons at age 7
• Won the Prix de Rome in 1884
• Debussy stated “ the primary aim of
French music is to give pleasure”
• Believed his music was made up of
colors and rhythms and could not be
cast into a traditional or fixed form
or genre.
Claire De Lune
•Clair De Lune is
French for Moonlight
•Gives the feeling of
relaxation just like a
crisp moonlit night in
the plazas of France
Comparison
Song For The Morning Star
Similarities
Claire De Lune
•Played on a Native
American Flute
•Has small range of pitches
that are played
•Written for spiritual
purposes
•use of tremolo
•Played on a minor
pentatonic scale
•Uses silence between
notes to add a dramatic
feel
•Uses long and drawn out
notes
•Music paints a picture in
the listeners mind
•Therefore, both pieces
could be considered to
make an impression on the
listener a.k.a in two very
unique ways they could be
considered impressionistic
•Played on piano
•Has large range of pitches
that are played
•Written for pleasure
•Played Adante Trés
expressif
•Played in the key of d
Works Cited
•http-//www.essentialsofmusic.com/composer/debussy.html
•http-//www.indians.org/articles/native-american-flute.html
•http-//www.indians.org/articles/native-american-life.html
•http-//www.indians.org/articles/native-american-music.html
•http-//www.indians.org/articles/native-american-religion.html
•http-//www.native-languages.org/flutes.html
•http-//www.notablebiographys.com/De-Du/Debussy-Claude.html
•http-//www.rcarlosnakai.com
• Expand impressionism in written portion
• Talk about his tribe more
• Include pictures of scales