ETHN 100

Maira Clancy
Ethno100: Fraser
Music Journal 7:
Response to “Styles of Yodeling”

The slow, gradual buildup of this song is, what I find to be, the most beautiful aspect of this composition. What really strikes me as incredible is the pipe-like quality of the sound of the first woman’s voice. Her constant switching back and forth (along with the other singers’) from full voice to an almost falsetto voice seems incredibly hard and must have taken years of practice to perfect.

I’m really intrigued by the yodeling of these people. It’s interesting how, before any new singer comes in on the recording, there is a very short pause amongst everyone. Maybe this is for the singers to step back and really realize the work of the other musicians so that when someone else come sin, they can make it sound as flawless and natural as possible, so they might need a second to think over the arrangement of voices. I love the fact that women are the more “suitable” musicians; this fact makes me feel almost empowered. In the western world, female musicians are often times considered rare or even more attractive because they are females who can play music (who would’ve thought? Just kidding) which seems out of the norm. These women are just respected for the music/art that they create and they make their tribes happier for it. Also, they must receive a certain amount of respect for their ability to possibly communicate with the forest more beautifully.