Date
1-2011
Department
Worship and Music - Ethnomusicology
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)
Chair
Jeffrey Meyer
Primary Subject Area
Folklore; Music; Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies
Keywords
Amdo, ethnomusicology, Folk Songs, glu, Tibetan
Abstract
Tibetan glu folk songs are a literary and musical expression historically passed down from generation to generation. This regional study purposes to define the origins, influences, categories, qualities, and significance of nomadic Amdo Tibetan glu folk songs. These topics are explored within the settings of Tibetan culture, history, theory, and current usage. Recordings of twenty-seven glu folk songs accompanied by transcribed text and music offer contemporary examples of this song genre that is quickly disappearing. The ultimate goal of this study is to answer the question: What are the defining characteristics of nomadic Amdo Tibetan glu folk songs?