Linda Burman-Hall - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Linda Burman-Hall

American Music, 1983

... Annette L. Burton Page 22. Page 23. The place could be any of a number of stages in cities ac... more ... Annette L. Burton Page 22. Page 23. The place could be any of a number of stages in cities across the country during the first part of the 1960s: Newport, Chicago, LosAngeles. Or it could even be a city in England. The audience is ...

Wacana

Mentawaians sing ritual songs enshrined in archaic texts referring to particular primates and bir... more Mentawaians sing ritual songs enshrined in archaic texts referring to particular primates and birds, while ritual and traditional dances imitate how gibbons, sea eagles, and other animals live in the natural world. Mentawaians craft sculptures of endemic primates and unique birds. The bilou gibbon ape and various other animals also symbolize specific sacred knowledge within the sabulungan spiritual belief system and traditional cosmology of Mentawai society. Although some do succeed in surviving, many older traditions have faded away. Among the traditions which continue intact, this report aims to examine the roles of primates and birds across the arts and in the Mentawai belief system to reveal the profound depth of connection between humanity and the natural world throughout Mentawai traditional culture.

This paper focuses on the works of ethnomusicologist and composer, Akin Euba. It examines how Eub... more This paper focuses on the works of ethnomusicologist and composer, Akin Euba. It examines how Euba projects African identity through his concept of African pianism. The paper explains that the concept provides the background for understanding how the European piano could be used to imitate traditional African musical principles and instruments in works that synthesize African and European elements. The research relies on published literature, the views of Euba, as well as analysis of selected works, mainly, his 'Scenes for Traditional Life'. The study draws attention to the pioneering approach towards expressing African identity in the world of Art Music as well as how Akin Euba’s innovative concept has influenced the younger generation of composers.

Shima: The International Journal of Research into Island Cultures, 2017

Biogeographical isolation has produced a unique rainforest biome and indigenous culture in Mentaw... more Biogeographical isolation has produced a unique rainforest biome and indigenous culture in Mentawai. While its huge surf is famous worldwide, Mentawai's ecology and peoples remain comparatively unstudied. Alhough Mentawai evolved almost as many endemics as the Galápagos, its hunter-horticulturalists are surprisingly unrelated to Sumatran peoples. This study explores gibbon vocalisations and traditional animist beliefs and songs about gibbons and other primates in Mentawai's three southern islands and makes a case to document and preserve this intangible cultural heritage. The most important of Mentawai's six endemic primates is the Kloss's gibbon (Hylobates klossii, locally called bilou), a small, black, monogamous, singing ape. The bilou plays a significant role in the traditional animist cosmology of Mentawai: simultaneously considered a changeling human, a rainforest spiritual guardian and a resource for shamanic healing, at times the bilou spirit can also be an evil trickster or harbinger of death. Deep in the rainforests, mated female bilou sing solo or "duet" melodiously with each other along mutual territorial boundaries. While deforestation and modern hunting endanger all Mentawai primates, humans still imitate the bilou, and elderly (Si)Kerei (shaman) again can perform the endangered animist heritage of bilou songs.

Ethnomusicology, 1968

... 1) divides into two sections. The first of these is four measures long and consists of a repe... more ... 1) divides into two sections. The first of these is four measures long and consists of a repeated Sail away Sally Ann Sail away Sally Ann Sail I away Sally Ann Figure 1. Basic tune of "Sail Away Lady" compared with the fiddle tune "Sally Ann." M , i - 12. I1. , I (fine) @ I , I J I / ...

American Music, 1983

... Annette L. Burton Page 22. Page 23. The place could be any of a number of stages in cities ac... more ... Annette L. Burton Page 22. Page 23. The place could be any of a number of stages in cities across the country during the first part of the 1960s: Newport, Chicago, LosAngeles. Or it could even be a city in England. The audience is ...

Wacana

Mentawaians sing ritual songs enshrined in archaic texts referring to particular primates and bir... more Mentawaians sing ritual songs enshrined in archaic texts referring to particular primates and birds, while ritual and traditional dances imitate how gibbons, sea eagles, and other animals live in the natural world. Mentawaians craft sculptures of endemic primates and unique birds. The bilou gibbon ape and various other animals also symbolize specific sacred knowledge within the sabulungan spiritual belief system and traditional cosmology of Mentawai society. Although some do succeed in surviving, many older traditions have faded away. Among the traditions which continue intact, this report aims to examine the roles of primates and birds across the arts and in the Mentawai belief system to reveal the profound depth of connection between humanity and the natural world throughout Mentawai traditional culture.

This paper focuses on the works of ethnomusicologist and composer, Akin Euba. It examines how Eub... more This paper focuses on the works of ethnomusicologist and composer, Akin Euba. It examines how Euba projects African identity through his concept of African pianism. The paper explains that the concept provides the background for understanding how the European piano could be used to imitate traditional African musical principles and instruments in works that synthesize African and European elements. The research relies on published literature, the views of Euba, as well as analysis of selected works, mainly, his 'Scenes for Traditional Life'. The study draws attention to the pioneering approach towards expressing African identity in the world of Art Music as well as how Akin Euba’s innovative concept has influenced the younger generation of composers.

Shima: The International Journal of Research into Island Cultures, 2017

Biogeographical isolation has produced a unique rainforest biome and indigenous culture in Mentaw... more Biogeographical isolation has produced a unique rainforest biome and indigenous culture in Mentawai. While its huge surf is famous worldwide, Mentawai's ecology and peoples remain comparatively unstudied. Alhough Mentawai evolved almost as many endemics as the Galápagos, its hunter-horticulturalists are surprisingly unrelated to Sumatran peoples. This study explores gibbon vocalisations and traditional animist beliefs and songs about gibbons and other primates in Mentawai's three southern islands and makes a case to document and preserve this intangible cultural heritage. The most important of Mentawai's six endemic primates is the Kloss's gibbon (Hylobates klossii, locally called bilou), a small, black, monogamous, singing ape. The bilou plays a significant role in the traditional animist cosmology of Mentawai: simultaneously considered a changeling human, a rainforest spiritual guardian and a resource for shamanic healing, at times the bilou spirit can also be an evil trickster or harbinger of death. Deep in the rainforests, mated female bilou sing solo or "duet" melodiously with each other along mutual territorial boundaries. While deforestation and modern hunting endanger all Mentawai primates, humans still imitate the bilou, and elderly (Si)Kerei (shaman) again can perform the endangered animist heritage of bilou songs.

Ethnomusicology, 1968

... 1) divides into two sections. The first of these is four measures long and consists of a repe... more ... 1) divides into two sections. The first of these is four measures long and consists of a repeated Sail away Sally Ann Sail away Sally Ann Sail I away Sally Ann Figure 1. Basic tune of "Sail Away Lady" compared with the fiddle tune "Sally Ann." M , i - 12. I1. , I (fine) @ I , I J I / ...