Thursday, September 27, 2012

Music from Djibouti

Djibouti, is made up of two closely related ethnic groups: the Somali and Afar. There are also a number of Arab and French citizens. Traditional Afar music resembles the folk music of other parts of the Horn of Africa such as Ethiopia; it also contains elements of Arabic music. The history of Djibouti is recorded in poetry and in songs of its nomadic people and goes back thousands of years to a time when the peoples of Djibouti traded hides and skins for the perfumes and spices of ancient Egypt,India and China. Afar oral literature is also quite musical, and comes in many varieties, including songs for weddings, war, praise and boasting.[1]
Somalis have a rich musical heritage centered on traditional Somali folklore. Most Somali songs are pentatonic; that is, they only use five pitches per octave in contrast to a heptatonic (seven note) scale such as the major scale. At first listen, Somali music might be mistaken for the sounds of nearby regions such as Ethiopia, Sudan or the Arabian Peninsula, but it is ultimately recognizable by its own unique tunes and styles. Somali songs are usually the product of collaboration between lyricists(midho), songwriters (laxan) and singers (codka or "voice"). Balwo is Somali musical style centered on love themes that is popular in Djibouti. 
From Wikipedia. 

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Music from Denmark


Denmark's most famous classical composer is Carl Nielsen, especially remembered for his six symphonies while the Royal Danish Ballet specializes in the work of Danish choreographer August Bournonville. Danes have distinguished themselves as jazz musicians, and the Copenhagen Jazz Festival has acquired an international reputation. The modern pop and rock scene has produced a few names of note, including Tina DicoAquaThe RaveonettesMichael Learns to RockAlphabeatMedinaOh LandKashmir and Mew. All together, Lars Ulrich has become the first Danish musician to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 
From Wikipedia.



Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Music from the Czech Republic

The traditional music of Bohemia and Moravia has been well documented and influenced the work of composers like Leoš JanáčekAntonín DvořákBedřich Smetana, and Bohuslav Martinů. Janáček made his recordings at an auspicious time. The 1880s saw the decline of traditional music; however, Janáček brought a Moravian string band to the 1895 Ethnographical Exhibition in Prague, which led to increased feelings of national pride and identity, and a resurgence in traditional music.
The most famous classical music pieces from Czech Republic include The New World Symphony from Dvořák, Má vlast from Smetana and Sinfonietta from Janáček. Some pieces of classical music have actually been made more famous than the composer himself, for example Entry of the Gladiators by Julius Fučík, better known just as the circus music. Through the centuries, Czech composers were usually heavily influenced by traditional music from their country, which can be seen especially when listening to Smetana. Although the most popular classical music from Czech Republic comes from the Romantic era, Classical and Baroque composers should not be overlooked. These composers include Adam MichnaHeinrich BiberJan Dismas ZelenkaJohann Wenzel Stamitz and Johann Ladislaus Dussek.
From Wikipedia.





Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Music from Cyprus


The music of Cyprus includes a variety of classical, folk and popular genres. Cypriot folk music is similar to the folk music of Greece and includes dances like soustasyrtostatsiaantikristos and zeimbekiko.