LICENSURE EXAMINATION FOR TEACHERS (LET)

Refresher Course

WHAT TO EXPECT
ASIAN MUSIC

Focus: Music of Asia, Latin America and Africa

Competencies:

1. Determine the characteristics of the music of various Asian countries

2. Identify and classify different instrumental medium of Asian music

PART I – CONTENT UPDATE

A. JAPAN

Traditional Music

- Shomyo – is called Buddhist chanting. The chants are based on sacred texts
and hymns. They are sung acapella and are monophonic in texture.

- Gagaku – is court music, and the oldest traditional music in Japan. Gagaku
music includes songs, dances and a mixture of other Asian music.

- Noh – Japan’s first theater form. Its music became one of the most important
genres of Japanese traditional music. It is employed in the same theatrical
arts that has music, dance, poetry, design and costumes. The drama consists
of singing known generally as yokyoku or utai.

- Kabuki – traditionally an all-male theater with a combination of melodrama

and colorful dancing. It means “to act in an unusual manner wearing unusual
costumes”. It was first written with three Chinese characters which meant
“song-dance theater”.

- Bunraku – is a puppet theater. Its performance is sustained by three main

elements: the art of the puppeteer himself, the words of the narrator or the
singer, and the music of the shamisen player. The puppet is manipulated by
three puppeteers.

Instruments

Aerophones or Wind Instruments

SHO – a mouth organ that is made from bamboo or wood.

SHAKUHACHI – a bamboo flute with four holes.

FU’YE – a sophisticated side-blown flute with seven finger holes.

HICHIRIKI – an instrument similar to an oboe.

 Chordophones or String Instruments

KOTO – a famous Japanese zither, with 13 silk strings, that is laid horizontally on
the floor.

SHAMISEN – a flat-backed lute that has skin covered bellies and three strings.

BIWA – a Japanese version of the pi’pa that has four strings with frets on the
belly and slim lateral tuning pegs.

Membranophone or Percussion Instruments (with membrane)

KAKKO – a gagaku instrument that is made up of deer skin.

DA-DAIKO – a huge gagaku drum suspended on an artistic frame and is struck

with heavy lacquered beaters.

KOTSUZUMI – hourglass-shaped instrument used in noh and kabuki

performances.

Idiophone or Percussion Instrument

SHOKO – gong instrument use by a performance of the gagaku-music

B. CHINA

Four Stages or Period

a. Formative Period – music was used in folk festivals that are meant to give honor
to the ancestors. Clay ocarinas and stone chimes were some of the instruments
used to accompany these celebrations.

b. International Period – there was an overflow of musical ideas brought about by

Western contacts and Asian trade.

c. National Period – the emphasis of this period was on vocal music, instrumental
forms existed as well.

d. World Music Period – a new kind of music was born from the tradition of
Western instruments and forms.

Chinese traditional music is based on the five tone scale or the pentatonic scale.
It is written in duple meter in a single melodic line or in strophic form. In the northern
Chinese folk music, the seven tone scale or the heptatonic scale is often used as a
basis for compositions. Some Chinese compositions are written on the twelve tone
(12) pitch scale called LU and the 60 pentatonic and eighty-four (84) heptatonic
modes are called TIAO. Ideograms or symbols were used to notate Chinese Music.

Instruments

Aerophone or Wind Instruments

HSIAO – an end blown flute with five finger holes, a reverse thumb hole and two
resonating holes at the lower end

SONA – shawn like instrument with wooden stem with seven finger holes and
reverse thumb hole

SHENG – a mouth organ with 17 bamboo pipes of five different lengths

 Chordophone or String Instruments

CH’IN – a seven stringed long zither

P’IPA – a four stringed loquat-shaped lute

YUEH-CH’IN – a four stringed moon shaped lute used to accompany songs used
in Peking Opera

ERH-HU – a two stringed fiddle played with a bowstring

SAN-HSIEN – a three stringed long necked lutes

Idiophone – Percussion Instruments

LO- circular gongs struck with a padded wooden mallet

MU-YU – hardwood slit-drum called “wooden fish”

TEMPLE CLAPPER – used in Confucian rituals, made of five pieces of redwood

Membranophone or Percussion Instruments (with membrane)

PANG-KU – two single headed drums made of wedges of wood held together
with a brass hoop

TANG-KU – double headed barrel shaped drum with cowskin heads suspended
by four rings from a curved frame

CHAN-KU – three double headed drums commonly used in processions

Peking Opera - is a musical art form, combines singing, heightened speech,

mime, dancing, literature, theater and acrobatics. This opera traces its roots from
the ancient ritual dance, the Yuan and the Ming Romance. It is recognized and
considered as a national art form. The basic characteristics of the Peking Opera
are its simplicity, symbolism and synchronization. Most operas derive their plots
from folklore, popular novel and historical events. This kind of opera upholds the
Chinese traditional values which help educate the youth. The four dramatic
elements are: recitation dialogue, song, theatrical adaptation of traditional
Chinese martial arts combined with acrobatics and Pantomime.

C. INDIA

India, one the countries in South Asia, was colonized by the British but were
able to retain their culture. For them, music is a sacred form of art. The study of
Indian music begins with the religious chants called the Veda, composed by a
tribe of nomadic shepherds. These hymns are sung without accompaniment. The
art of Indian music has been called guided improvisation, which means that at all
times, the musician must be guided simultaneously by the raga and the tala.
There are two kinds of Indian music: Hindustani which belongs to the north and
has a Moslem influence, and Karnatak which belongs to the south and is
basically Hindu.

- Tala – is the metrical cycles of beats.

- Laya – is the tempo in Indian music. The laya may vary from fast (druta) to
medium (maghya) or slow (vilmabita).

- Matra – is the beat in Hindustani music and askhara in Carnatic music.

- Drone - is an important element in their music.

 - Raga – is a combination of a scale and a melody. Each raga has its own
mood such as happiness, sorrow, or peace. There are two principal tones of
the raga: vadi and samvadi.

- Shruti – is the smallest interval tone in Indian music. In Western music, it is

called microtones.

- Gamaka – ornamentation in Indian music.

- Sargam – is the Indian solfege syllables, they are equivalent to western

solfege syllables.

Instruments

Membranophone or Percussion Instruments (with membrane)

TABLA – (Hindustani) is the name for a pair of drums. The larger drum called the
bhaya, has a metal body while the smaller one, the tabla has a wooden body.

MRIDANGAM – (Karnatak) a two headed drum. It is laid across the lap of the
performer.

Aerophone or Woodwind Instruments

BANSURI – a side blown cane flute is a melodic instrument of the Hindustani.

SHAHNAI – an oboe type instrument.

NAGASVARAM or NAGASVARA – a large double reed oboe type instrument of

the South.

Chordophone or String Instruments

India has a variety of chordophones. In these instruments, three kinds of strings

may be found: melodic strings, drone strings and symphatetic vibrators.

TAMBURA – unfretted lute, used as a drone; used by both South and North.

SITAR – the most popular instrument in Northern India; in addition to four strings
and three drones, the sitar may have as many as 13 strings.

VINA – instrument of the South; with four melody strings and three drone strings.

SARANGI – Hindustani bowed fiddle melodic instrument.

D. INDONESIA

Indonesia shows varied cultural influences. Foremost of the influences still

existing today are those of India and China which reached Indonesia in 300 B.C.
Hinduism and Buddhism have greatly influenced Indonesian culture. Music,
dance and drama are very important to the Indonesians.

- Wayang Kulit – (shadow puppetry) music and dance using puppets made of
animal skin and painted with colorful designs.

- Gamelan – is the one of the most important musical ensembles in Indonesia.

A Gamelan consists of metallophones, xylophones, drums, gongs and
bamboo flutes. The arrangement of the instruments is important. The
Gamelan is played in the courts. It plays an important part in spiritual life. It is
 used for religious ceremonies and important events. It is also a part of
entertainment like the puppet show.

- Pathets – is the modes in music used to determine the highness and lowness
of pitch. The three modes in slendro are the slendro pathet nem - lowest
pitch, slendro pathet sanga – medium high and slendro pathet manyura –
highest pitch. The three modes in pelog are the pelog pathet lima – lowest
pitch, pelog pathet nem – medium high and pelog pathet barang - highest
pitch.

- Slendro - is the five tone scale or pentatonic scale.

- Pelog – is the seven tone system or diatonic scale.

The Gamelan Instruments

SARON – plays the skeletal part of the gamelan composition, which consists of
metal bars placed on top of box resonator. A wooden mallet is used to strike the
bars.

REBAB – is similar to the mandolin. It has two strings played with an arc.

CHELEMPUNG – has twenty-six strings, one pair of which is set to one tone.
This way, only tones are heard.

SULING – is bamboo flute.

GENDER – is made up of thin bronze plates suspended over resonating tubes. It

has loud and brilliant tones.

BONANG – is a set of bronze metal kettles which plays the melodic and rhythmic
variations of a composition. Two long sticks are used to strike the gongs.

GONG AGENG – is the most sacred and the most honored instrument of the
gamelan. It is played with a soft, padded wooden stick to mark large musical
phrases.

GAMBANG – is wooden xylophone. It doubles or anticipates the principal

melody.

KEMPUL – is a small gong that plays in syncopation with the kenong. It

punctuates short musical phrases.

E. KOREA

Korean music may be described as elegant and very ritual like as the
Chinese music. There is music for both the nobility and common people. Korean
music is built on the pentatonic scale and on the heptatonic scale. Both scales
are used in the Aak court music and during informal celebrations.

Traditional Music

- Sog –ak – is the music of the common people that is usually live. It portrays
the life of ordinary people. It is folk music of Korea.

- Chong – ak – is the Korean Court music. The court music of the nobility is
elegant, refined, delicate and formal. It is extremely slow and solemn, has
subtle dynamics and possesses a sense of majesty.

- Aak – an imported form of Chinese ritual music.

- Hyangak – a pure Korean music.
 - Tangak – a combination of Chinese and Korean influences.

Vocal Music

- Kasa – a long narrative song.

- Kagok – a lyrical song.

- Sijo – a short lyrical song.

- Nong-ak – song of the farmers.

- P’ansori – song for the stage and drama.

- San-jo – song for solo instrument.

- Minjo – a folk song sung in triple meter with one basic rhythmic pattern.

Instruments

Aerophones or Woodwind Instruments

P’IRI – is cylindrical bamboo similar to an oboe blown through a double reed

mouthpiece.

TANSO – is a small notched vertical bamboo flute with five fingerholes.

CHOTTDAE – is a long flute made of bamboo with six holes.

Chordophones or Stringed Instruments

KAYAGUM – is a twelve-stringed zither similar to the Koto of Japan and Ch’in of

China. It is supported by twelve movable bridges.

KOMUNGO – is a six-stringed zither that plays as the principal instrument for a

small group of players. It is regarded for expressing the noble spirit of a learned
man.

HAEGUM – is a two-stringed fiddle made of bamboo that is plucked. It is used for

dance performances.

Idiophones or Percussion Instruments

KWAENGGWARI– is the smallest gong struck with a wooden mallet.

PAK – is a clapper shaped like a folded fan. It consists of six pieces of wood
loosely held together at the upper end by chord made from deer skin.

CHING – is a huge gong played with a padded mallet. This is used in military and
Shaman music.

Membranophone or Percussion Instruments (with membrane)

CHANGGO – is an hour glass shaped drum played by striking either or both

ends. The thick leather head produces a low sound while the thin leather gives a
brighter tone sound.

F. THAILAND
 The music of Thailand has been part of an oral culture and developed no
traditional system of notation. Traditional Thai music is classified into: folk music,
which is extensively used by people in the villages, and classical music, which
evolved in many royal households and was used both for ceremonies and the
entertainment of the ruling class.

Periods

- In the Sukothai Period (1257-1378) – there was great cultural development.

The Thai alphabet was invented, and they enjoyed the music of strings,
percussion, winds, drums, horn, trumpets, conch shells, bells and singing.

- Ayuthaya Period (1350-1767) – Thais enjoyed creating and performing music.

It was during this time that the instrumental group first emerged. (pi phat,
khruang saay, mahori)

- Krungthep Period (1782-1900) – proved that the art was accorded high status
with the patronage of the king. King Rama I invented new instruments which
gave rise to the development of music and dance.

Three Types of Orchestra and Instruments

1. Pi Phat – this plays for court ceremonies and theatrical presentations.

Composed of woodwind and percussion instruments.
a. PINAI – woodwind instrument
b. RANAT-EK – xylophone
c. KHONG-WONG – gong instrument
d. CHING – cymbal instrument
e. TAPHON – kind on drum instruments

2. Khruang Saay – ensemble of strings instruments composed of:

a. CHAKEE – zither
b. SAO-SAAM-SAAY – fiddle
c. SAO DUANG – fiddle

3. Mahori – accompanying solo and choral singing, mixes strings and

percussion instruments like the following:
a. CHAKEE – zither
b. SAO-SAAM-SAAY – fiddle
c. SAO-DUANG – fiddle
d. KLU-PIANG – flute

G. LATIN AMERICA

Latin America covers the whole Central and South America. It is called
Latin because much it was conquered and colonized by Spain and Portugal,
whose languages are based on Latin and are still spoken everywhere. The music
of Latin America is a fascinating mix of the influences of the Spanish,
Portuguese, British and French music, and by an influx of black African slave
music.

The Latin Beat

- Tonadas (tunes or airs) are South American love songs in Spanish.

- Habanera – is perhaps the most stately and aristocratic Latin American

rhythm which comes from Cuba, being named after its capital city of Havana.

- Rumba and Mambo – are much faster and clearly indicated by the spirit of
African dance.
 - Tango – probably originating in Argentina has a similar skipped beat.

- Zamba and bossa nova – of Brazil are more relaxed, evoking images of white
sand, blue sea, and gently waving palms.

Latin American music joined hands with jazz to revolutionize the world of popular
songs and dances.
Instruments

- MARACAS – were created and first used by the native Indians of Puerto
Rico. A pair of these is used to create the unique sound common in Latin
American and Puerto Rican music.

- GUIRO – a notched hollowed out gourd, which was adapted from a pre-
Columbian instrument.

- PALITOS – a pair of sticks that are banged together to provide percussion

rhythm.

- CONGA – this drum was adapted from Africa where it began as a solid,
hollowed out log with a nailed-on skin. It took various shapes and sizes to
vary its sound.

- BONGOS – are integral part of Latin percussion, particularly as a solo

instrument.

H. AFRICAN MUSIC

In African traditions, music has been and still is an integral part of daily
life, and is closely interlinked with the society in which and for which it is
produced. It has social, ritual, ceremonial and at times recreational functions.
Dancing is often an important part of the rituals and spiritual aspirations of music.
Traditional art forms, including music, are rooted in mythology and
folklores, usually associated with gods, ancestors and legendary heroes. Musical
activities are ritualized and intended to link the visible world with the invisible.
Music is highly functional in ethnic life, accompanying birth, marriage, hunting
and even political activities.
The Western scale patterns that relate most closely to African music are
tetratonic, pentatonic, hexatonic or heptatonic arrangements.

Instruments

Drums are among the more popular instruments and are made in a
variety of shapes and sizes. Materials such as wood, gourds and clay are used
to construct drum bodies. Drum membranes are made from the skins of reptiles,
cows, goats and other animals.

PART II – ANALYZING TEST ITEMS

1. It refers to a group of instruments which consists of saron, rebab, suling,

chelempung, gender and bonang.

a. Rondalla c. Orchestra
b. Gamelan d. Ethnic Instruments

2. The Chinese traditional music is based from what scale?

a. Heptatonic scale c. Pentatonic scale

b. Hexatonic scale d. Nonatonic scale
3. The most stately and aristocratic Latin American rhythm which comes from Cuba,
being named after its capital city of Havana.

a. Danza c. Habanera
b. Rumba d. Tango

4. Why does Japanese music not have regular rhythms and is generally not
pleasant to our ears?
a. The Japanese focus on their music is to imitate the behavior of nature
b. The Japanese wanted to be unique in their music
c. The Japanese have their own music trained only for their ears unique
for their flavor
d. The Japanese do not want their music to be influenced by other nations

5. A combination of Chinese and Korean influences.

a. Hyangak c. Tangak
b. Chong – ak d. A – ak

6. The combination of a scale and a melody in the music of India?

a. Raga c. Tala
b. Shruti d. Gamakas

7. This drama consists of singing known generally as yokyoku or utai.

a. Bunraku c. Noh
b. Kabuki d. Gagaku

8. The music is tetratonic, pentatonic, hexatonic or heptatonic arrangements, which

country music is this?

a. Indonesia c. Latin America

b. India d. Africa

9. A kind of country music that joined hands or is fused with jazz to revolutionize the
world of popular songs and dances.

a. Indonesia c. Latin America

b. India d. Africa

10. It is a Japanese Opera traditionally performed by male actors.

a. Kabuki c. Wayang Kulit

b. Peking Opera d. Gagaku

11. This group plays for court ceremonies and theatrical presentations. It is
composed of woodwind and percussion instruments.

a. Pi Phat Ensemble c. Khruang Saay Ensemble

b. Mahori Ensemble d. Gamelan Ensemble

12. It is a musical art form that combines singing, heightened speech, mime,
dancing, literature, theater and acrobatics.

a. Kabuki c. Wayang Kulit

b. Peking Opera d. Gagaku
 13. Rumba and _______ are much faster and clearly indicated by the spirit of African
dance.

a. Mambo c. Tango
b. Zamba d. Swing

14. Bossa Nova and _________ of Brazil are more relaxed, evoking images of white
sand, blue sea, and gently waving palms.

a. Mambo c. Tango
b. Zamba d. Swing

15. It is a bamboo musical instrument native to Sundanese people of West Java. It is

made out of bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame.

a. Angklung c. Sasando
b. Gamelan d. Kecapi suling

16. Which of the following is not true between pelog and slendro?

a. Both are used in the Indonesian Gamelan

b. Slendro is derived from the word saliendra
c. Pelog is the 5 tone scale
d. Slendro is the 7 tone scale

17. Which is correct in the following statements in Indian music?

a. Indian music divides the octave in to 12 semitones with 7 basic tones just
like in western music
b. Hindustani music uses the similar Western “sofa” syllables in its scale
c. Indian music uses the SA,RI,GA,MA,PHA,DHA,NI syllables
d. Indian music is Polyphonic in nature

18. In what period did the khruang saay, pi phat, and mahori ensemble develop?

a. Krungtep period c. Sukothai period

b. Ayuthaya period d. Thai period

19. The puppet theater of Japan is called _______________.

a. Kabuki c. Bunraku
b. Noh d. Gagaku

20. ________ is the pure Korean music.

a. Togaku c. Hyangak
b. Komagaku d. Tangak

PART III – ENHANCING TEST TAKING SKILLS

1. Which of Hindu musical instrument has 13 strings excluding the four melody and
three drone strings normally played by plucking?

A. Vina C. Tabla
B. Sitar D. Tambura

2. Which country in Asia has a rich and ancient civilization that began about 3000
B.C. with the settlement of the valleys along the Yangtze and Huang Ho Rivers?
 A. India C. China
B. Japan D. Korea

3. While the Chinese used pentatonic scale, Indian Music is built on seven notes.
What are the seven notes in their proper order?

A. MA, RI, SA, GA, NI, DHA, PHA C. NI, PHA, DHA, SA, RI, GA, MA
B. SA, RI, GA, MA, PHA, DHA, NI D. GA, MA, SA, RI, DHA, PHA, NI

4. What country was called the “Fishing Village” before the coming of the British?

A. Thailand C. Korea
B. Latin America D. China

5. Which is the call a long lyric song of Korea?

A. Kagok C. Kasa
B. Shi-jo D. P’ansori

6. How is a narrative song of Korea called

A. Kagok C. Kasa
B. Shi-jo D. P’ansori

7. The Indonesian five tone scale.

A. Pelog C. Pathet
B. Slendro D. Barang

8. The Indonesian seven tone scale.

A. Pelog C. Pathet
B. Slendro D. Barang

9. What is the largest island of the West Indies that lies to the South of the United
States of the southernmost tip of the coast of Florida.

A. Spanish C. Cuba
B. Latin America D. Conga

10. Burung Kakak Tua is an Indonesian folksong which means _______?

A. Tree C. Parrot
B. Bird D. Fish

11. Hanabe No Uta is a song from _______.

A. India C. China
B. Japan D. Korea

12. What musical structure is contained in a Korean folksong “Arirang”?

 A. Binary Form C. Unitary Form
B. Ternary Form D. Through-composed

13. La Cucaracha is a song from _________.

A. Africa C. Mexico
B. Spain D. America

14. What is the characteristic of the African music?

A. Solo singing C. Chorus-like

B. Call and response singing D. A capella singing

15. A carnival dance performed during the so called Comparsas or parades and its
rhythm is essentially that of a march.

A. Habanera C. Salsa
B. Tango D. Conga

16. A musical play using puppets is called ________.

A. Gamelan C. Wayang Kulit

B. Peking Opera D. Chinese Opera

17. The Secular Music of China is called _________.

A. Ya-yueh C. Chaio
B. Su-yueh D. Ching

18. What musical structure is contained in a Japanese folksong “Sakura”?

C. Binary Form C. Unitary Form

D. Ternary Form D. Through-composed

19. The smallest interval tone in Indian music.

A. Tala C. Raga
B. Rasa D. Shruti

20. It refers to a metrical cycle of beats.

A. Tala C. Raga
B. Rasa D. Shruti
ANSWER KEY:

PART II – ANALYZING TEST ITEMS

1. B 11. A
2. C 12. B
3. C 13. A
4. A 14. B
5. C 15. A
6. A 16. B
7. C 17. C
8. D 18. B
9. C 19. C
10. A 20. C

PART III – ENHANCING TEST TAKING SKILLS

1. B 11. B
2. C 12. A
3. B 13. C
4. A 14. B
5. A 15. D
6. C 16. C
7. B 17. A
8. A 18. C
9. C 19. D
10. C 20. A