I love music. Ok, yes, there is some music I don’t love. That’s probably true for all of us. But I do really enjoy most music.
Here are four selections of music that I love from different countries. There’s lots more from these countries and other countries that I love, but I thought I’d share just these four.
The Philippine Islands. The “Tinikling”, pronounced TIN-ih-kling, is the national dance of the Philippines. This video shows the longer, complete version of the dance. When I was growing up here (1953 thru 1959), my brother and I both learned the dance, although it was a shorter version that we learned. The people holding and moving those bamboo poles do NOT wait to see whether the dancers’ feet/ankles leave the area before clacking the poles together. Ouch! You either learn that dance fast … or you don’t dance that dance. 🙂 The tinikling is danced all over the Philippines, in big cities and tiny villages.
Turn your sound on just a wee bit. This first video is a bit loud. 🙂 For the videos after this first one, you can adjust your volume appropriately.
Magsaya!
Scotland. “The Banks of Spey” is a Scottish reel composed by Gerry Holland. The river Spey is in central/north Scotland and flows into the salt water of Moray Firth, east of Inverness. Some of the towns in central/north Scotland along the river Spey are Fochabers, Ordiquish, Craigellachie, Kingussie, and Inverdrui. I was in Kingussie in 2007, on a trip with a friend of mine … it’s pronounced “king-YOO-see”. It’s absolutely gorgeous country, so I wish there was video of that part of Scotland that played along with this tune, but please enjoy the tune and imagine the peace of rich green hills of trees and heather and thistles and bluebells. Sìth do na h-uile.
Spain. Carlos Montoya plays “La Virgen de la Macarena”, a pasodoble (two-step) tune. Sometimes the song is said to be about a woman who prays to the Virgin of La Macarena (a popular image in Seville) as the woman hopes to win the love of a gypsy. Sometimes the song/music is said to be a popular tune played during the entrance of bulls at a bullfight. ¿Quién sabe?
Hawaii. George Kahumoku, Jr., plays “Queen’s Jubilee”, slack key guitar from the album “Drenched by Music”. I truly adore this. Aloha i na mea a pau!
What music do you love? Do you listen to music often? Do you play music instruments? There is so much music online now, on YouTube and other websites. Go listen/play and enjoy whatever it is that makes you happy.
I hope you enjoy the music here. Please go find/play what pleases you even more. Maybe music can change the world, eh? and make this world a kinder place.
I believe music COULD change the world, if every child had access to music, instrumental or choir. While in school. Learning to work together while creating something beautiful builds a person and changes them for the better.
Dawn, I wish I could share your comment with the world. Or even with just the USA. Thank you. I hope your soul and your spirit and your intentions are listened to. We need you.
I’ve really come to enjoy African music. Instead of trying to figure out what’s good, an easily accessible CD or YouTube is the playlist from The Power of One. Lots of powerful voices, not always in your standard keys, lots of rhythm, lots of drive. Love it.
Holy cow, I’ve never heard of “The Power of One” but I have now and I love them/it! Thank you. That really is powerful. And driven by humans.
My grandda was born/raised in Scotland. My grandmum was born/raised in Ireland. So I love that tune about the river Spey. But I also loved the Hawaiian tune, so peaceful, and I’ve read that the original, native people there were peaceful. The sounds and cadences are different than I’m used to, but it’s really lovely!
Thanks Babe. 🙂 Me too, Scot/Irish. Native people, “native” people, all over the world are super. We are so disparate, and yet we’re neighbors.
I played the tuba in my small town high school marching band, oomp-pa. I had just a few notes I had to memorize for each song. Cool! But as an “older” adult now, I find I love all sorts of music. One of the favorite movies of my wife and me is “The Power of One”. The music is super! And yet a really good friend of ours plays the organ at a “conservative” church in a really big city closeby. We don’t go to church, but when he gives a concert, we’re there. As Dawn says … let’s teach our kids to learn together while creating something beautiful together. What all of us share in this country is so much greater than our differences. And I do mean ALL of us, all ethnics, all backgrounds, all beliefs, all countries of origin. We are ALL immigrants except for the native tribes. I’m usually a Republican voter, but not this year. I just don’t understand the Republican party these days. Ok, nuf said! ha!
Music is really important.
Tuba! When I was in college, WSU in Washington, the tuba players were the highlight! I love the rest of your comment, Walt. It’s so important. I hope everyone reads and listens. We have to be in this together.
I have a few celtic ancestors too. Loved the piece about the Spey. Didn’t know anything about the Philippines, wow what a dance!
I love that filipino dance, Eileen. It is such fun! My brother didn’t learn as quickly, or maybe didn’t care, so he quit soon … hmmm, or maybe his ankles hurt. But I kept on. It was really fun.
Thanks for being here. 🙂 Sláinte.
I liked that guitar! What do the words mean just before each video? I assume they are Philippine and Scottish and Spanish and Hawaiian? I figured out one of them but not the others.
Ah good question, Ben … what do those words mean. Ok, here they are in english.
The filipino word “magsaya” means “have a good time” or “party on” or “enjoy!”.
The Scots Gaelic words “sìth do na h-uile” can have two meanings … one is “welcome the fairy under the hill” and the other is “peace to all”.
The Spanish question “¿Quién sabe?” translates to “who knows?” … who knows whether it is a comment about a person loving a gypsy or the thrill of a bullfight.
The Hawaiian words “Aloha i na mea a pau” can also have different meanings, but I’m told by a neighbor who was born/raised in Hawaii that it means “hello, and peace/love to all”.
All the best to you, Ben. 🙂
We enjoyed that music a lot. I liked the Hawaiian one, hubby liked the Spanish one. And we too would like to know what those words mean. Spanish one is “who knows?”, we got that. 🙂 But the others we don’t know. Fun stuff.
Yep, “who knows?”. You got that Marge. Read my reply to Ben above for the others. Music is so wonderful, isn’t it? 🙂
Former teacher here. Yes! to what Dawn said above about children learning to play music together, or listen to music together, and so create something from that experience and learn to work with others and appreciate “others”. Maybe even adults could learn too? 🙂 I appreciated all four of the pieces played here. Really great music from four entirely separate countries and cultures. I’m not familiar with Philippine culture at all, so appreciated that a great deal, and it made me go do some online research. Salamat!
(which is “thank you” in Tagalog and Filipino … I think).
Yes! Great comment Greg. Salamat! 🙂
Ann, you’re the best. I’ve missed watching your boating website. It seems offline since you sold her. Yes? No? But I sure love this RV blog website and I’m actually surprised how much I’m learning about the State of Washington. Ok, which music … hands down my favorite is the Hawaiian … followed by the Scot’s music.
Fair weather, following seas.
Yep, David, you are one of the readers here who knew me when … I sure miss my Pied Piper boat. Yes, my boat website is offline. I tried to get the fellow who bought my boat to also simply take over the website, no payment to me, just to continue the history of that 1939 boat. But he didn’t want to do that. I’ve saved that website in static mode on my computer, but it is no longer online.
And, indeed, I’m learning a lot about the State of Washington too, because I’m now driving around it. I don’t use a chart anymore, I need a map! 🙂
Safe travels, my friend. 🙂
Absolutely, music can change the world. Education can. Reading can. This world could be at peace. It saddens me that we move so slowly towards that with so many people being so angry at “others”. And to watch education systems in so many USA states restricting access to books. People in the USA who came here from other countries (or their VERY recent ancestors did) continue to suggest we should deport aliens .. well gosh folks, that would be YOU! Saddens me. But I’m always heartened to read something like your post Ann, about music and kindness and inclusion. Thank you.
Yes, I know you’ve asked for no political comments here. I don’t consider this comment political. I consider it a few words about human kindness. If you wish to delete my comment, that’s ok with me. I still really like this blog post and ALL of the music. I like that Philippine music the best, so much fun. And the Hawaiian music, so peaceful. 🙂 Thank you.
Ah, I will not delete your comment, Pat. I wish it could be shared with the world.
Even in the State of Washington, where most people care about each other, there are still issues here and there. I carry a bag of books with me when I’m in my trailer that I can leave at neighbor book drops or free roadside book kiosks … books written by black women, lesbians and gay men, latinx people, and others.
Thank you for a heartfelt comment. And thank you for caring and for speaking up.
Super guitar!!! I’d almost forgotten Carlos Montoya. He is superb. I took guitar lessons for almost twenty years from a wonderful teacher. Zounds, Montoya is superb.
All of the comments here are right on. I’m in the habit of going back a week or two later after each blog post to read the comments after all of them have been posted, but this week I sneaked an early peek. Kindness, education (open! education), music. Respect. Have we forgotten respect for our neighbors?
No politics here! But if anyone knows anyone in any swing states who can be convinced … please convince them.
Oh, my, you took guitar lessons for 20 years? I’d love to hear you play! 🙂
Yes, swing states … let them swing towards love and kindness please.
Such a diversity of music. It was great to listen to each one. I’ve been listening to and learning about Chinese music, very different structure and scale tones, but wonderful wooden flute music.
I’ll pick that Scottish reel as my favorite among these four. Thanks! 🙂
I don’t know much of anything about Chinese music, Fran. But I’ll go look online, especially for wooden flute music from China. Thank you. Stay well my friend. 🙂
I’m late posting here to this blog post, but I’ll post anyway. The movie “The Power of One” was powerful. But please, please!, it’s shown through the eyes of a straight white man. It isn’t the story of Africa or any part of Africa. It’s the story of a straight white man in Africa. Good points to the movie, yes there are. But it is skewed. Please, black people can and do speak for themselves, as do Asians, Hispanics, native tribes/nations in North America and Australia and India. Please stop giving so much honor to movies that speak only through straight white men’s eyes. We’re tired of it. We’re really tired of it.
M … only one M wrote this, the other thought maybe I shouldn’t.
Wow, I think I have some things to learn. If a straight man were to star in a movie that purported to show the lives/experiences of lesbian women, I’d be incensed. If a fully able black woman were to star in a movie about disabled people, it might be a great movie, but it would tell HER story, not the story of the disabled people.
Your comment is well-said, and well-taken, M. Good points to that movie, yes, but the movie was about a straight white man, shown through the eyes and the voice of a straight white man. Good movie! But yes, all people have their own voices and THOSE voices are what should be shown and heard. Point well taken! Thank you!