If Soul = Gospel + Rhythm & Blues, then what is the formula for Funk? One ingredient of Funk is definitely Soul music.
Watch this short video about “Funk”:
In one sense, Funk music still “looked” like Soul and often had similar orchestration and background vocalists. However, Funk orchestration focused especially on the electric guitar, electric bass, and the drums. The reason is that all of these instruments work ideally to emphasize rhythm, which is probably Funk’s most distinctive quality. Unlike Rhythm & Blues and Soul music that had strong melodies and some focus on harmony, Funk music focused primarily on the Rhythm. The use of chord progression was replaced with a groovy vamp of pitches within one chord. A “vamp” is a continuous repetition of a short piece of music. (In Classical music the vamp is known as “ostinato” and in Rock music as a “riff.” Later, in Hip-Hop music the vamp would be called a “loop.”)
The Godfather of Soul and King of Funk
James Brown is the known as the “Godfather of Soul,” and was instrumental in this new sound, known as Funk. Another title for James Brown is “King of Funk.”
Listen to James Brown perform his signature song “I Feel Good.” This song is based on the Twelve Bar Blues structure. Even parts of the lyrics have the AAB-form, for instance: “I feel good, I knew that I would, now / I feel good, I knew that I would, now / So good, so good, I got you.” This is, of course, inherited from the blues tradition.
Watch the following video-clip in which James Brown repeats the phrase “Make it Funky.” This is a good example of “vamp” in funk music. The vamp not only includes the beat and bass-riff, but also the lyrics is at times part of the vamp.
Lady Marmalade
In the 70s Labelle came out with a song called “Lady Marmalade.” This Funk song, is considered by some as one of the first Disco songs. Let’s listen to it.
The French phrase “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi (ce soir)?” in the song means “Do you want to sleep with me (tonight)?” The song is about one man’s encounter with Lady Marmalade, a prostitute in New Orleans.
In 2002 Christina Aguilera, Pink, Mya, and Lil' Kim covered this “Lady Marmalade” for their Moulin Rouge performance.
Showing posts with label Be Still My Soul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Be Still My Soul. Show all posts
Religious Music: Gospel
One of the earliest Gospel singers were Mahalia Jackson. Listen to her perform “Be Still, My Soul.” Listen to the orchestration; also note the timbre of her voice and the style in which she sings. Mahalia Jackson seems to blend the typical hymn-style with the spiritual-style.
Out of the spirituals evolved Gospel music: “African-American singing enthusiastically affirmative of the singer’s religious faith” (Crossroads in Music, p. 88). Gospel music is often characterized by the leader-chorus format, where the lead singer entices the choir (or audience) to respond. This is known as the “call and response pattern.” Orchestration often include a choir, piano, Hammond organ, and sometimes percussion instruments, as well as the bass guitar and electric guitar.
Below are four YouTube-videos showing clippings from a BBC-documentary entitled “The History Of Gospel Music”:
After having watched the snippets from the BBC-documentary, what would you say are the most influential socio-economic or cultural events or trends that contributed to the development of Gospel music?
The YouTube-video below tells a short history of the Davis-Sisters, a once famous Gospel ensemble that came to a sad end.
Listen to the Davis Sisters perform "By and By". As the song progress try to describe it using all the music-terminology you have learned so far.
Out of the spirituals evolved Gospel music: “African-American singing enthusiastically affirmative of the singer’s religious faith” (Crossroads in Music, p. 88). Gospel music is often characterized by the leader-chorus format, where the lead singer entices the choir (or audience) to respond. This is known as the “call and response pattern.” Orchestration often include a choir, piano, Hammond organ, and sometimes percussion instruments, as well as the bass guitar and electric guitar.
Below are four YouTube-videos showing clippings from a BBC-documentary entitled “The History Of Gospel Music”:
After having watched the snippets from the BBC-documentary, what would you say are the most influential socio-economic or cultural events or trends that contributed to the development of Gospel music?
The YouTube-video below tells a short history of the Davis-Sisters, a once famous Gospel ensemble that came to a sad end.
Listen to the Davis Sisters perform "By and By". As the song progress try to describe it using all the music-terminology you have learned so far.
Religious Music: Hymns
We start our discussion on modern Religious Music with “Finlandia” by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. A part of the last section in this symphonic poem is known as the “Finlandia Hymn”. The symphonic poem was composed in 1899 while Finland was suffering under Russian dictatorship. Listen and hear if you recognize it – the “Finlandia Hymn” starts around 5 minutes 20 seconds into the YouTube-video below and lasts until around 7 minutes 7 seconds; elements of it is again recognizable at around 8 minutes.
Try to identify the instruments used in this recording of the “Finlandia Hymn.” Listen to the different timbres and take note how the density changes. What causes the density to change?
The “Finlandia Hymn” has become well known as a Christian hymn – “Be Still, My Soul”. Listen to it sung by Izzy.
Now listen to it sung by rock artist Sheryl Crow.
How is the orchestration different in the rendition with Izzy compared to the one by Sheryl Crow? Describe the difference in musical instruments used. How is the density different? Can you describe the difference in timbre between Izzy’s voice and Sheryl Crow’s voice?
The lyrics that is usually sung to the melody of the “Finlandia Hymn” (“Be Still, My Soul”) was originally written in German (“Stille meine Wille, dein Jesus hilft siegen”) by Katharina Amalia (1752). It was later translated into English by Laurie Borthwick (1855).
Listen to Ginny Owens, CCM (Christian Contemporary Music) artist, use the same lyrics but sing it to a completely different melody.
How will you describe the difference in the “Finlandia Hymn”-melody compared to Ginny Owens’ melody?
Of the three versions (Izzy's, Sheryl Crow's, and Ginny Owens'), which do you prefer and why?
Try to identify the instruments used in this recording of the “Finlandia Hymn.” Listen to the different timbres and take note how the density changes. What causes the density to change?
The “Finlandia Hymn” has become well known as a Christian hymn – “Be Still, My Soul”. Listen to it sung by Izzy.
Now listen to it sung by rock artist Sheryl Crow.
How is the orchestration different in the rendition with Izzy compared to the one by Sheryl Crow? Describe the difference in musical instruments used. How is the density different? Can you describe the difference in timbre between Izzy’s voice and Sheryl Crow’s voice?
The lyrics that is usually sung to the melody of the “Finlandia Hymn” (“Be Still, My Soul”) was originally written in German (“Stille meine Wille, dein Jesus hilft siegen”) by Katharina Amalia (1752). It was later translated into English by Laurie Borthwick (1855).
Listen to Ginny Owens, CCM (Christian Contemporary Music) artist, use the same lyrics but sing it to a completely different melody.
How will you describe the difference in the “Finlandia Hymn”-melody compared to Ginny Owens’ melody?
Of the three versions (Izzy's, Sheryl Crow's, and Ginny Owens'), which do you prefer and why?
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