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Conversation 2 - Instructions on a world music assignment

Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a student and his music history professor.

Student: Um, Professor Jenkins. The listening journal you assigned us to keep for the Intro to World Music class, well, I am not sure I understand what to do.I listened to the pieces you assigned this week more than once, but when I tried to write about them, I didn’t know what to say.

Professor: Well, it’s not easy to write about music, even for people who are supposedly expert at it.

Student: That makes me feel a little better. But I am just not familiar with how you keep a listening journal. I’ve kept journals for other classes, summarizing and writing about how I felt about readings.

Professor: Well, a listening journal isn’t all that different, I want you to note your feelings about musical compositions too.

Student: OK. There were pieces I like more than others, but I think you want our comments to be a little more…I don’t know, analytical. Right?

Professor: Well, whether you like a piece or not is important, but you should be able to explain why you like a particular piece and be able to talk about its historical and musical context. Actually, the listening journal is a tool to help you listen to music actively, to think about what you are hearing.

Student: Maybe I am finding it difficult because I am not real familiar with most of the music you assigned. I mean, if it’s hip-hop or something I listen to with my friends…

Professor: Sure, because hip-hop is a form that’s familiar and meaningful to you.

But you’ll see as the semester progresses and you start learning more about musical forms, you’ll become a more adept listener. And you’ll start noticing patterns.

Student: OK. So the songs we listened to this week, the …the Canto?

Professor: The Cante jondo. You remember we said it means “deep song” in Andalusian Spanish? Not only because it’s sung in a deep register, but also because it’s a song about deeper or serious matters, certainly not lighthearted.

Student: Really? Hmm…I guess I didn’t catch the double meaning. That’s kind of cool. But anyway, even with the translations you gave us for the lyrics and everything, I don’t know, I could tell it’s sad, but I wasn’t trying to analyze it, from a musical perspective that is.

Professor: OK. So this is what you should do. Go back and listen to the song selection and this time pay attention to the melody, to repetition, to the … Student: There was plenty of that.Some parts sounded like the same note played over and over again.

Professor: That’s exactly the kind of observation you would record in a listening journal.So, melody repetition, rhythm, how the piece is structured, as well as your reasons for liking or disliking it.

You know what? I thought everyone was clear about this, but you’ve just given me a great idea. I am going to draw up a list of questions everyone should keep in mind when they are writing their journals. Other students may be having the same problem you are having.