FTX-787 - THE WORLD ENCOMPASSED - 8 CDs - vol 7

This World Music Course introduced by Alan Lomax, the leader of the team who put it together in the 1960s, was originally titled "Cantometrics - the measure of song". As "Folk Song Style and Culture" it was published by The American Assocation for the Advancement of Science in 1968 and in 1976, the team published the recorded samples from the Lomax field recordings as well as others from outstanding international field collections, and thus produced an ethno-musicology course with tests for researchers and students. So now, "Music from around the World" is available on 8 CDs together with a ninth forming a final Graduation CD. Peter Kennedy used this course with his students at Dartington College of Arts from 1972 and found it particularly successful in all three: Art, Music and Theatre depts.

THE OVERALL ORCHESTRAL RHYTHM (13)

RUBATO - VOCAL AND ORCHESTRAL (26 & 27)

MELODIC FORM (16A) - Brief, simply-organised forms are more characteristic of small settlements, while large, complex forms are more typical of large settlements. The repetitious litany form tends to occur in small settlements of gardeners with domesticated animals. The big, through-composed forms are most characteristic of permanent settlements with complex productive systems, notably involving big irrigation works. The strophe, which can be either long or short, is more frequent where planned work schedules are essential - in cold latitudes among hunter-fishers and plough agriculturalists.

THE NUMBER OF PHRASES (18) - Our very tentative findings about melodic size are briefly the following: As a very general rule, melodies of 8+ phrases seem to be most frequent in large settlements, particularly if irrigation is practised, while one or two phrase forms are most common in cultures with smaller settlements - especially if they are dependent on hoe or digging stick agriculture where productive labour consists largely of simple chopping or digging movements. The middle-sized strophic forms are commonest among the predators and plough agriculturalists of the North, where productive success depends more upon strategic and non-repetitive action by individuals rather than upon the continuous rhythmic and often concerted action of groups.