Transcript The Asian Influence

Interdisciplinary
Studies
Popular Music
In American History
Learning Targets
• To investigate the traditional music brought to
America by French, Scandinavian, Arab, and
Asian settlers and immigrants.
• To study examples of the syncretism or blending of
French, Scandinavian, Arab, and Asian culture
and traditions with American musical elements.
• To learn about some of the traditional instruments
and formsassociated with these musics and
cultures.
.
Vocabulary
Cajun Music
Frottoir
Gamelan
Shamisen
zydeco
Taiko
sansei
Scandinavian Influence in the Upper
Midwest
Scandinavian immigrants came to American
and settled in:
• Wisconsin in 1840s
• Minnesota in 1850s
Immigrants from Sweden had the largest
population in this group.
Scandinavian Influence
Immigrants from Norway had the next largest
population.
Other immigrants of Scandinavian descent include:
• Danish
• Finnish
• Germans
• Polish
• Czechs
Scandinavian Influence
The oldest dances from Norway
include:
Halling
Springer
Ganger
Scandinavian Influence
Instruments associated with this style of music include:
Hardanger Fiddle
Other instruments include:
Lur
Scandinavian Influence
Other instruments include:
Accordion
Listening “Banjo Old Time”
Banjo, Old Time is an example of a polka.
This listening example is performed by
LeRoy Larson and the Minnesota
Scandinavian Ensemble.
Arab American Traditions
Arab American traditions in relation to music
influence is one of the least studied in American
History.
There are approximately 2.5 million immigrants of
Arab descent who lived in the United States.
Early Arab immigrants came to the United States as
early as 1870 representing twenty (20) different
nations of the Arab world.
Arab American Traditions
Immigrants representing Arab nations include:
Saudi Arabia
Somalia
Lebanon
Egypt
Iraq
Morocco
Arab American Traditions
The largest population of Arab Americans reside in
Detroit, Michigan
Arab American Traditions
The first Arab American museum is located in
Dearborn, Michigan.
Arab American Traditions
Arab American Traditions
Please visit the following exhibits:
Current Exhibits:
Creative Dissent
The Youth/Dhallinyarads
Ten: The Exhibition
Arab American Traditions
Please visit the following exhibits:
Permanent Exhibits:
Gallery 1: Coming to America
Gallery 2: Making an Impact
Community Courtyard: Arab Civilization, Our
Heritage
Listening – “Zaffat al-Hilu”
[The procession of the Beautiful
Bride]
“Zaffat al-Hilu” is an example of Iraqi American music
performed by the Bells Band.
The context of this piece is an Iraqi-Italian wedding
documented in 1995.
English Translation:
Tonight we dot eh Zaffah for the bride and groom of the Black eyes [a
sign of beauty]
The ring that she’s wearing is shining all over her dress; there is
nothing else like it in the market.
Congratulations to you [two], the beloved ones.
Arab-American Influence
Recent events have given rise to
anti-Arab, anti-American sentiment.
Gulf War
9-11 attacks
Subsequent acts of terrorism
throughout the world
Famous Arab-Americans
•
•
•
•
•
•
American Activist – Ralph Nader
Energy Secretary – Spencer Abraham
Quarterback – Doug Flutie
Indy Racer – Bobby Rahal
Musicans – Frank Zappa and Paula Abdul
Radio and Television Personality – Casey
Kasem
• Teacher and Astronaut – Christa McAuliffe
• Actors – Danny Thomas and Salma Hayek
The Asian Influence
The perception of Asian influence in
America is primarily through popular
and classical music.
The Asian Influence
George Harrison (1943-2001) promoted an
awareness of Indian music in Western
popular culture during the 1960s through
recordings of the Beatles.
The sitar is a fretted lute with a long neck.
The Asian Influence
Indonesian music, particularly from Java
and Bali, is widely performed in American
academic circles on the gamelan.
The Asian Influence
Two American composers were instrumental
in introducing this style of music to
American audiences.
• Lou Harrison (1917 – 2003)
• Henry Cowell (1897 – 1965)
The Asian Influence
The impact of Indonesian and Indian music is
significant. Two of the largest Asian American
groups are Chinese and Japanese.
Two Asian American activist include:
• Fred Ho
• Nobuko Miyamoto
Chinese and Japanese
Influence in America
Disparities among the Chinese were
brought to the forefront by two
writers:
Bret Harte – “The Heathen Chinee” (1870)
Mark Twain – Ah Sin (1877)
Chinese and Japanese
Influence in America
As a result of Chinese disparities,
communities of Chinese emerged in what
is known as “Chinatowns”.
These are located in:
• San Francisco
• Los Angeles
• Chicago
• Boston
• New York
Chinese and Japanese
Influence in America
Japanese immigrants arrived in American
in the 1890s.
Japanese did not arrive prior to this time
due to limits placed on workers leaving
Japan to work in another country.
Chinese and Japanese Influence in
America
The internment of more than 100,000
Japanese and Japanese Americans during
World War II (1939 – 1945) greatly
affected the Japanese population.
President Franklin D. Roosefelt issued an
order in the wake of the bombing of
Pearl Harbor.
Later, President Gerald Ford overturned
this issue, resulting in the release of these
Japanese Americans in 1976.
Chinese and Japanese Influence in
America
As a result of disparities imposed on Chinese
and Japanese in America, there was an
emergence of Asian activisim.
There are three cultural generations of Asian
Americans:
• issei [first generation, born between 1890s
and mid-1920s]
• nisei [second generation, born between 1910
and 1940]
• sansei [third generation, entered high school
and college in the 1960s]
Asian American Activism
By late 1960s, Asian Americans came
together to develop an activist agenda to
reclaim their heritage.
• Through music and various styles:
• Jazz
• Classical
• Opera
• Traditional Asian instruments
Asian American Activism
Nobuko Miyamoto became an early
voice of the Asian American community.
An activist of the sansei generation, she
collaborated with Chris Iijima and
Charlie Chin to produce of the first Asian
American songs with a social and
political message.
Asian American Instruments
shamisen – [bamboo flute]
shakuhachi – [a plucked lute]
taiko – [barrel drum]
Asian American Influence
Fred Ho (b. 1957)is a Chinese American
musician and composer born in Palo
Alto, California.
Asian American Influence
Fred Ho is the composer of A
Chinaman’s Chance, and leader of the
Afro-Asian Music Ensemble.
He is the conductor of the Monkey
Orchestra.
Mr. Ho is a saxophonist.