Edexcel GCSE Music area of study 4

Oral Tradition is a tradition that is the passing on of music via word of mouth or imitation rather than by written rules.

Protest Songs is Folk songs with political lyrics.

Fusion is A mingling, or blending together, of more than one musical style or culture to create a new sound.

Gharana is an Indian system of master-pupil teaching.

Raga is an improvised musioc in several contrasting sectinos, based on a series of noptes from a particular rag.

Pentatonic Scales are a scale built on 5 notes of the scale on the first, first, second, third, fifth and sixth degrees of the scale. In C major, these are C,D, E, G and A.

Rasa is a type on mood created by the sounds of the aitchsin a particular rag

Bols are the independant rythem parts that go against the main beat of the cylcle creating exciting syncopations.

Matras are the individual beats in a rythmic cycle.

Sam is the first beat of the cycle.

Syncopations are notes accented off the beat. the weak part of the beat is pften emphasised.

Teental are a common 16-beat rythmic cycle.

Alap is the opening unmetred and improvised section of a raga.

Brandish is the last section of a vocal raga - a 'fixed composition' with some improvised embellishments.

Jhalla is the third section of a raga - a lively tempo and virtuoso display of improvisatory skills. The climax of the whole piece.

Jhor is the second section of a raga - a medium tempo with improvisation.