Lithuania - A Musical Trip
Lithuania - A Musical Trip
When thinking about topics for this assignment, I wanted to choose a topic I could "relate" to. When considering my genealogy, my Lithuanian roots brought our family to the United States. So, I decided on Lithuanian music...
Lithuanian music differs from mainstream music's timbre, harmony, texture, rhythms, and vocal traditions. These differences are closely linked to the social and cultural context in which the music originated and is still performed. Lithuanian music is a reflection of Lithuanian identity and heritage, highlighting a connection to the country's traditions and history, which distinguishes it from the more commercial and diverse landscape of mainstream music.
Old Lithuanian music is characterized by its unique timbre. This is due to the traditional instruments used in the music, such as the kanklės (a type of zither), duduk, birbynė (a kind of flute), and other folk instruments. These instruments have a distinct sound that differentiates them from the commonly used tools in mainstream music, such as electric guitars, synthesizers, and drum kits.
This video showcases the Birbynė, a beautiful instrument, and it reminds me of a saxophone!
Old Lithuanian music features unique balances and scales that differ from Western music traditions. It frequently uses modal scales, such as the Lithuanian Dainava scale. These scales have intervals and tonal qualities that differ from the diatonic scales commonly used in Western music. As a result, Old Lithuanian music possesses a distinctive harmonic flavor.
Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (1875-1911) was a prominent Lithuanian composer and painter who is considered to be one of the most significant cultural figures in the country's history. He is often referred to as a pioneer of abstract art and a composer who skillfully incorporated visual and musical elements into his work. Čiurlionis was a multi-talented artist who made a substantial impact in music and visual arts.
Amazing paintings from Čiurlionis!
"The Sea" - A fantastic piano piece by Čiurlionis; not old Lithuanian music, but I think it is old enough that it's still relevant to this blog.
Old Lithuanian music is known for its homophonic texture, where basic chord progressions or drone accompaniments accompany a single melody. This differs from mainstream music, which often includes complex and layered textures with multiple instruments and vocal harmonies. We can also find rhythmic patterns that showcase Lithuania's cultural and historical context. These rhythms are often associated with folk dance traditions and are distinguished by irregular meters and syncopated rhythms. Conversely, mainstream music typically adheres to more predictable and standardized rhythmic patterns.
Suktinis is a Lithuanian folk dance that uses rhythmic patterns to showcase the country's cultural and historical context. It has been an integral part of Lithuanian folk culture for centuries and is traditionally performed in a circle. The dance features distinct choreography and rhythmic patterns that reflect the history and traditions of Lithuania.
Old Lithuanian music places a strong emphasis on vocal traditions, particularly multipart singing, where different voices sing independent melodic lines simultaneously. This style differs from the predominantly solo or harmonized singing in mainstream music.
This video is a very informal video about Lithuanian multipart singing.
Sources Cited
Ambrazevičius, R., & Marozeikaitė, R. (2015). Performance of musical scale in traditional vocal sutartinės of Lithuania. Proceedings of the International Musicological Conference. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Performance-of-musical-scale-in-traditional-vocal-Ambrazevičius/d4b30cbd7db177c61ed3cdc19d3ccfcba8be4469
"Lithuanian Culture Guide." (n.d.). Lithuanian Culture. https://english.lithuanianculture.lt/lithuanian-culture-guide/music/
"About Suktinis: Our History." (n.d.). Suktinis. http://www.suktinis.lt/en/about-suktinis/our-history
YouTube videos linked
I was skeptical when I started reading this, I was afraid that the Lithuanian music tradition would be too similar to the United States. I WAS WRONG! You showed wonderfully a unique musical tradition that was beautiful and amazing. Very good job!
ReplyDeleteHi Reid!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post! I honestly had no idea what to expect when I clicked on the videos you included, but I was pleasantly surprised! I always appreciate learning about new cultures and music, so this was an exciting one for me. I totally agree with you where you said the Birbynė sounds similar to the saxophone, I though the same thing!! Kind of a combination of an alto flute and saxophone.
I really like how you included the videos of the traditional dancing as well, very nice touch to show the different types of music in this culture.
You did a fantastic job giving so much information that I am really drawn to the history of the country and of their music. Loved the video of the Birbyne. The sound is beautiful! My favorite video was the Sutartines. So simple and peaceful. I wanted to see if our round singing in the U.S. had direct ties to Lithuania and I learned that the oldest round (part-singing) singing is from Medieval times (1250). In this video this British song, "Sumer is Icumen in" is sung beautifully.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMCA9nYnLWo
I enjoyed this blog post so much!