Jerez 1

Leonel Jerez
Ms. Morton
UWRT 1102-07
7 November 2016
Annotated Bibliography
Garfias, Robert. National Museum of Ethnology. Music: the Cultural Context. 2004,
http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~rgarfias/aris/bio-research/SER47_Robert%20Garfias.pdf.
Garfias shows ways in which culture affects music and then goes into detail on how much
music is structures, how it affects others, how it is learned, and other general topics regarding
music. Garfias claims that by looking at all the societies and cultures known to us and look at
the historical societies of the past to the degree that we can discern, we can deduce with higher
degree of certainty that music has always played an important role in human society (1).
The text is helpful in giving an understanding of where music came from and how it has
developed with culture. Since it is impossible to know how or when music first entered human
life, scenarios can be given (5). A possible scenario is when early hunters make noise to chase
game into a trap which may have later been recreated to tell a story (5). In fact, there are songs
types today, Flamenco singing, old country Blues, Romanian Bocet funeral songs, to name just a
few, consist often of these pathogenic expressions that cannot be considered melodic but lie
closer to what may have been a very early use of music to sooth, to heal and to aid in seeking
balance (5).
Overall, Grafias text is very informative and credible. A lot of citations and facts are
provided in the piece such as when Grafias talks about how the appearance of the
Neanthderthals flutes is unmistakable evidence of a clear and deliberate use of music1) (5).

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There is no bias since the work is to educate the reader in music and culture. The text is related to
the other sources because it involves music and how it got started. This is closely related to
ODonnells and Merriams because ODonnell they both talk about the history of music.
Although, Merriam talks more about the study of it rather than music itself. This text is also
related to the topic because it greatly shows the relationship between culture and music while
providing an abundance of evidence to support the argument.
Merriam, Alan P. The Study of Ethnomusicology. The Anthropology of Music. Evanston, Ill.:
Northwestern University Press, 1964. pp 3-16. Print.
Merriam serves as an introduction to the topic of the interconnection between music and
culture. Merriams work goes into detail about Ethnomusicology which is defined as the study
of music in culture (6). The text explains its start, development, and present state. It also
explains the work that Ethnomusicologists do in detail and it finishes with text that gives the
reader a better understanding of how music works in culture.
Merriams work is a helpful source to grasp a better understanding about
Ethnomusicology. The art is very new and is still developing. This is greatly shown when
Merriam explains the differences German and American have done with Ethnomusicology. In the
past, emphasis was placed not so much upon the structural components of music sound as upon
the part music plays in culture and its functions in the wider social and cultural organization of
man (4). The distinction to be made is not so much of one geography as it is one theory, method,
approach, and emphasis, for many provocative studies were made by early German scholars in
problems not at all concerned with music structure, while many American studies have been
devoted to technical analysis of music sound (4). However, this can make the user question the
credibility of the work since, as shown, not all Ethnomusicological studies are done the same

Jerez 3
way. There is also some diction that the author makes that hints in a bias, such as using the
words unique and important to describe Ethnomusicology.
The text is related to the other sources because it involves the study of music and culture.
These both are the main arguments of the essay and will be written about in detail. This will
ultimately be used in the introduction of the essay to help the reader have a better understanding
of music and how it is studied.
Nuez, Christina. Music That Has Changed the World. Global Citizen, 27 July 2015,
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/music-that-has-changed-the-world/. Accessed
11 October 2016.
Nuez created an article with examples of musicians using their music to change culture.
The artists found a social issue that they wanted to publicly address and expressed their beliefs
with the power of music. Overall, the article is well-written and is very factual. Nuez gives a
plethora of facts during each of the artists example such as Bob Dylans. In Dylans example
Nuez gives facts about Dylan being outspoken about African-American Civil Rights movement
during the 1960s, which was backed up by the song Times They Are A-Changin (Nuez).
Nuez studied Global Studies at the University of California Santa Barabara, which
makes Nuez a credible source. However, the article may be a little biased and this is evident
whenever Nuez quotes a favorite quote from Plato which says, Music is a moral law. It gives
soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life
and to everything (Nuez). The article is also very heartfelt. Writers create articles with
something in mind. There is always a point trying to be conveyed. In Nuezs case, it is to
educate the reader that music has power. This is obviously stated when Nuez talks about the
quote and later goes into detail in how music is a universal language that we all understand and

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by appealing to our emotions, it has the ability to break down complex issues into things we can
relate to like love, friendship, fear, or loss (Nuez).
This article is related to the other sources by giving real-world examples of how music
can affect people and change hearts. It is also related to the topic by giving factual evidence in
the way music can change behavior, which ultimately, affects culture. Overall, the article is a
great addition to the sources and the informative essay.
ODonnell, Laurence. Music and the Brain. Music Power. N.d.
http://www.cerebromente.org.br/n15/mente/musica.html/. Accessed 11 October 2016.
ODonnells work evidently shows the relationship between society and music. It also
shows the history between the two and how the body reacts to music in ways such as affecting
memory and the way humans learn. It sheds a light into how powerful music can be and how
much it affects people, plants, and animals both positively and negatively.
ODonnell is very informative in the writing. Lengthy discussions, factual evidence
provided, and relative information all makes ODonnells work credible. ODonnell explains the
effects music has on the body. This is evident whenever ODonnell talks about the beats.
Classical music from the baroque period causes the heart beat and pulse rate to relax to the beat
of music (ODonnell). It also decreases blood pressure and enhances the ability to learn
(ODonnell). ODonnell also accurately describes the effect music has on memory retention.
According to The Center for New Discoveries in Learning, learning potential can be increased a
minimum of five times by using 60 beats per minute music (ODonnell). The ancient Greeks
grasped an understanding of this and sang their dramas because they understood how music
could help them remember more easily (ODonnell). Furthermore, ODonnells work credibility
is backed up whenever the healthy and not so healthy effects of music are stated with scientific

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studies, experiments, and research projects. This is shown whenever ODonnell states that an
Australian physician and psychiatrist, Dr. John Diamond, ended up finding a direct link between
muscle strength and weakness and music (ODonnell).
ODonnell is related with the other sources because the text shows music and its effects.
It is more closely related to Nuez than Merriams work because Nuez talks about the effect
music has rather than explaining how the study of it is done. It is related to the essay topic
because it shows the relation music has on people, this will then show how music affects culture.
Treasure, Julian. "The 4 ways sound affects us. TED. July 2009. Lecture.
Treasures lecture helps an individual have a better understanding of what music is and
how it works scientifically. Music affects people individually physiologically, psychologically,
cognitively, and behaviorally (Treasure).
Treasures physiological effect music has on the body is backed up by the loud alarm that
rang in the beginning of the lecture. The alarm created a bodily reaction to the audience by
giving them a shot or cortisol which is the fight or flight hormone (Treasure). In return, this
affects heart rate and brainwaves (Treasure). The psychological effect is backed up by the sad
music. Playing sad music will then guarantee to make most humans feel sad or how bird sounds
make people feel safe since this is what humans have learned over the thousands of years
(Treasure). Cognitive effects is backed up by having two voices talking at a time. Listening to
two voices as a time decreases productivity greatly by sixty-six percent (Treasure). The behavior
effects are backed up by the jackhammer. People tend to move away from bad sounds and move
toward good sounds (Treasure). This in return can influence retail sales with stores with bad
sounds, which reduces sales by up to thirty percent (Treasure). Treasure also claims that music is
powerful because it is recognized fast and associated quickly (Treasure). This is later backed up

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by playing a second of a song, some audience members then recognize the song and can name
the title and artist.
Giving live examples of how sound affects humans makes Treasure a credible source.
The evidence is very factual and is proven so at the time with the examples given. The source is
related to others by showing the effects sound can have on people. It is most closely related to
ODonnells work. This source is related to the topic because it gives evidence in the way sound
affects everyone physiologically, psychologically, cognitively, and behaviorally.