Bibliography

"Gwendal - Official Website - Bio." Gwendal. Web. Mar. 2012. <http://www.gwendal.eu/eng/index.php?page=bio>. 

"Irish Folk Music." Experience the Real Ireland! Web. Mar. 2012. <http://www.authenticireland.com/irish folk music>. 

Kamien, Roger. Music: An Appreciation. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2008. Print. 

McCullough, Lawrence E. JSTOR. Web. Mar. 2012. <http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/850853?uid=3739600>. 

"Traditional Instruments and Music of the Mongolia People - Text in English." Face Music. Web. Mar. 2012. <http://www.face-music.ch/instrum/mongolia_instrum.html>. 

Conclusion

·      The two different cultures from East to West do have have many similarities. The Mongolian Traditional music and the Irish Folk Music have similarities within form, texture, tone color, tempo and time signature.  It’s very interesting how both groups use similar instruments.  Also, the diverse instruments have different names for each one they sound and look similar to one another.  Even though the Khatan Ekh Ensemble and the music group Gwendal are from different areas of the world, their music is in fact very similar with their musical elements.

Form

Mongolian

·      Mongolian form-ABA-ternary

·      Ternary form means that a form can be represented as a statement A, contrast or departure B, and then the return, A.

·      This piece uses triplets throughout the piece. 

·      A triplet is a group of three notes of equal duration notated as a group within a curved line and the number 3.

·      Dynamics

§  Dynamics are the degrees of loudness or softness in music

§  In this particular piece it goes from moderate-loud-soft-loud

§  Plucking of the Yatga and the Ekh Khuur makes the loudness more prominent

§  At time 1:02 the plucked instruments, Yatga and the Ekh Khuur are played softly.  So here, the dynamic is soft.

·      Tone color

§  The key change presents a contrasting tone color when its only the Morin Khuur and the Limbe.  This gives the piece more variety.

§  Then the starting melody comes back and ends with the piece. 

·      Cadence

§  It ends with a perfect authentic cadence

§   A perfect authentic cadence is when it goes from a dominant 5 chord to a 1 chord and both have to be on root position hand it hast to end with the 1 chord.

·      Themes: Theme A 0:0-0:58

Theme B  0:59-2:07

Theme C  2:08-2:19

Theme A   2:20-3:09

 I also hear slurs throughout the piece.

  Irish-Binary Form AB

·      A Binary form mean that it gives a sense of statement A, and counterstatement, B.

·      Uses triplets

·      Rhythmic ostinatos-a rhythm that is repeated in the same pitch throughout the peace. 

·      There is a basso continuo in the piece. 

§  A basso continuo is musical accompaniment that I continuous.  In this piece, the acoustic and bass guitar are used for the basso continuo. 

·      Dynamics

§  In this piece the dynamics stay the same throughout.  The piece just stays loud throughout the song.

·      Tone Color

§  The tone color in this piece is very clear.  You can hear each part clearly when the violin, piccolo and the bass guitar come in.

·      Cadence

§  At the end of each theme there is a cadence.

·      Themes

§  There are two themes that I hear in this piece

·      Theme A 0:0-1:17

ThemeB:1:18-1:57

Theme A 1:58-2:35

Theme C:2:36-3:58

 This piece also has slurs

Similarities 

·      Repetition in both—both rhythmic ostinatos

·      Sequences in both-repetition of a melodic pattern on a higher or lower pitch

Differences

·      They have different forms.  The traditional Mongolian piece is in ternary form and he the Irish folk song is in Binary form.

Time Signature

·      In the Mongolian piece I perceive the time signature to be in 2/2, duple meter.  In the Irish piece I perceive the time signature to be also in 2/2, duple meter. 

·      I hear the time signature change at 0.58. I hear the time signature to be in 4/4, quadruple meter in the traditional Mongolian piece.

·      It is interesting that these two different cultured pieces have somewhat the same time signature.   

Tone Color

·      In Steren and the traditional Mongolian piece by Ekh Ensemble have a similar tone color.  Tone Color is the quality of sound that distinguishes one instrument or voice from another.  Both pieces have a clear tone color.  

General Tempo

·      The tempo of Mongolian piece it changes from vivace to moderato, then back to vivace.  The tempo of the Irish piece is vivace and it stays the same throughout.  Vivace tempo means lively tempo.  Moderato tempo means a moderate tempo.

Style

·      The style of each piece is different.  The term style in music refers to a characteristic way of using melody, rhythm, tone color, dynamics, harmony, texture, and form.  By comparing the traditional Mongolian piece and Steren by the band Gwendal, they offer similar, yet contrasting textures.  The Mongolian piece is in the style of traditional Mongolian music.  The piece Steren, by the band Gwendal is in the style of Irish Folk Music.  The style of the traditional Mongolian piece is calming and simple.  This piece shows the style of traditional East Asian music.  The Irish folk song Steren, by Gwendal encompasses the elements of Irish music.  It also shows a consistency of textural use of homophonic.  I hear this through the dynamics and structure of this song.