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24 Jul 05 - 02:22 PM (#1527139) Subject: Tune Req: Any Buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: Dave the Gnome Just spent a wondefuly uplifting day at the Samye Ling monastery in Scotland. I am not Buddhist or any other organised religion but I do enjoy the peace of churches and temples. I must say that I found the temple at Samye Ling very peaceful and calm but perhaps no more so than the old chapels in the Yorkshire dales or the grand Cathederals of many western cities. Coming back to my point what I found missing a little at Samye Ling was sacred music. Apart from the traditional chants, bells and gongs there was little by way of anything to raise the spirit, so to speak, in terms of music. Is there any music that goes with the Buddhist life? Can anyone point me in the right direction? I do enjoy the Chinese music we use when practising Tai Chi and QiGong but I suspect that may be secular rather than religous. Particulary is there anything that could be converted to western instruments, hence the concertina question. Something perhaps that could be linked in any celebrations of an interdenominational nature? Perhaps it is me. Perhaps the chants, bells and gongs do it for most people but, having been brought up on the wonderful music of Russian Orthodoxy and haunting Latin Catholocism I find it seems a little pale by comparison. Anyone want to put me straight? Cheers Dave the Gnome |
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24 Jul 05 - 02:58 PM (#1527161) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: mooman Very jealous! I am a Buddhist myself (I'd call it a way of life rather than a religion as it's non-theistic) and know Samye Ling. We hope to spend a day or two there later this summer. I've got some Buddhist CDs. One I would particularly recommend is a CD by Ani Choying Drolma, a Tibetan nun (who I've met) and an American jazz guitarist called Steve Tibbets (who I haven't). It's called Cho and is basically Tibetan Buddhist chants accompanied by some very sympathetic and tasteful guitar. Without rooting through my collection upstairs I think, from memory, it's on Rykodisk. All the best, Richard |
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24 Jul 05 - 04:02 PM (#1527198) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertin From: Mark Cohen I have a recording of a mantra chanted in Chinese by women's voices with instrumental accompaniment, but I don't know its source. As far as I know (which isn't very far), chants of sutras (teachings of the Buddha), mantras (short strings of syllables with special significance), and prayers, accompanied at times by bells, gongs, and drums, are the only traditional "sacred music" in Buddhism. There are a number of modern arrangements of these chants that include instrumental music, but I don't think they are used in traditional practices. Of course, there are many many different branches and flavors of Buddhism, and someone more knowledgeable may be able to provide more accurate information. Aloha, Mark |
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24 Jul 05 - 04:48 PM (#1527247) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: Peter T. There is lots of Buddhist music, ranging from Mongolian to Zen. There are many field recordings of music from temples, which can be easily found on the Internet. Most shakuhachi music is Buddhist. On the lighter side, the Zen Buddhist Temple in Ann Arbor has (had?) a student who put out a couple of albums of Gershwin-like tunes called Dharma Moon. yours, Peter T. |
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24 Jul 05 - 05:42 PM (#1527281) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertin From: GUEST There is Buddhist music but not that much in the way of Buddhist melodies - traditionally anyway.This is partly because music is sometimes seen negatively,as an attachment.So in the tibetan ten-fold mahayana ordination one of the precepts is giving up singing and dancing.I took this ordination myself in about 1982 with a monk from the Manjusri Inst. but gave it up for that reason.I later ordained in zen,which is more lenient.Some of it is cultural too. At the risk of banging my own drum,I've recorded a few Buddhist pieces,including a version of a shakuhachi piece "depicting the cranes in their nests" on an lp called "How Can I Live On The Top Of A Mountain"(not available as far as I know),and more recently a song called "Ballad Of Sickness and Health" on my cd "So I've Heard" which reworks a zen koan from the mumonkan "Seijo's two souls". Gordon Tyrrall |
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24 Jul 05 - 06:20 PM (#1527295) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: mack/misophist There's lots of Buddhist liturgical music but no popular that I know of. And it's all Eastern and rather short on hummable melodies. |
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25 Jul 05 - 04:32 AM (#1527622) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: Dave the Gnome I knew the 'cat wouldn't let me down:-) Thanks all. I'll look into the suggestions with great interest. Dave |
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25 Jul 05 - 04:41 AM (#1527625) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: mooman Dave, I have Gordon's LP as mentioned above (and a very fine one it is too!) that I would be happy to give you a lend of next time I'm over in the UK. I'm a Buddhist in the Tibetan tradition (although my normal meditation practice is more Zen-like). I didn't have to take a non-singing or dancing vow as Gordon mentioned although I'm a lay practicioner and there are four main traditions within Tibetan Buddhism which differ in minor ways, and he did also mention ordination which implies greater commitment and involvement in monastic matters. Cheers, Richard |
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25 Jul 05 - 05:43 AM (#1527649) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: GUEST,Hootenanny |
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25 Jul 05 - 05:44 AM (#1527651) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: GUEST,Hootenanny Sorry, that was a mistake, not awake yet. |
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25 Jul 05 - 06:43 AM (#1527677) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: Peter T. Like the rest of us. (old Buddhist joke). yours, Peter T. |
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25 Jul 05 - 08:22 AM (#1527732) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: Dave the Gnome Thanks for the offer Richard - I think I would like to buy the album though. If I don't manage to get a copy I would gladly take up your kind offer. I knew I had heard Gordons Name somewhere and a quick search on the web showed me that he duos's with one of my favourite concertina and melodeon players - Brian Peters! Has Brian joined in on concertina on any of your Buddhist stuff, Gordon? I heard a good joke on TV the other day. Well, I think it's good but maybe I'm weired! In Ireland Protestants are killing Catholics and Catholics killing Protestants. In the Middle East Jews kill Arabs and Arabs kill Jews. Even the Indians are at it now with Hindus and Seihks are at odds. What about you Buddhists though? You just don't take your religion seriously enough...;-) Cheers DtG |
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25 Jul 05 - 10:47 AM (#1527850) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: Peter T. Alas, one only has to go to Sri Lanka to discover that even Buddhists are not immune. yours, Peter T. |
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25 Jul 05 - 01:52 PM (#1527905) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertin From: katlaughing Great thread! Thanks for all of the info. I, too, will look into getting Gordon's CD. Wonderful stuff, though I have to say the CD's I have of the monks who came to WY, do well for me. I love the chants, gongs, bells, and horns, etc. Namaste! kat |
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25 Jul 05 - 07:15 PM (#1528238) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertin From: Kaleea If you read music, I'd suggest that you consider "Cosmic Chants" by Paramahansa Yogananda. It is a spiral bound book of his chants which, coincidentally are traditionally played on the harmonium-his instrument of choice. Most of the chants written were by him, but some are translation of well known Sanskrit, Hindi or Bengali songs adapted by him for western musical notation. Most are English. If you don't read music, there are several recordings available. The ones of him singing are my favorites. Many "Western" folks I've known have greatly enjoyed these chants & prayers. http://www.paramahansayogananda.org/index.html sorry, I don't know why I can rarely get the blue clicky to work.
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25 Jul 05 - 07:48 PM (#1528257) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertin From: katlaughing Kaleea, thanks for the link. My brother has always admired Yogananda and read, I think, most of his stuff. Which reminds me, he has an LP of monks singing in English and the songs/chants on it are just beautiful. I could play them on the fiddle or dulcimer, so I don't see why not other Western trad. instruments. My brother has that LP and I have a tape of it. If you scroll down almost to the bottom of this page you will find instrumental versions of each of the songs with a beautiful picture of Yogananda. May Peace Prevail, kat |
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26 Jul 05 - 05:53 AM (#1528529) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: mooman As Peter T says... But the Sinhalese-Tamil War is not Buddhist-Buddhist but rather one one of ethnic, economic and religious difference between the majority Buddhist Sinhalese and the Tamils who are divided between Hindu and Islam Tamils. Although the Tamil Tigers are commonly seen as a terrorist force, the Buddhist Sri Lankan government is not blameless on this having forcibly repatriated many hundreds of thousand Tamils back to Tamil Nadu in India. Only goes to show that religious practice often goes to pot when humans fight for power... On a musical note once again, there are some modern Buddhist songs and tunes available for download here Peace moo |
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26 Jul 05 - 07:02 AM (#1528561) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertin From: Paul Burke You could try transcribing 4'33" to the concertina, and playing it as a hornpipe. |
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26 Jul 05 - 07:09 AM (#1528565) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: mooman A bit too heavily Zen Paul!!! Peace moo |
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27 Jul 05 - 02:33 AM (#1528981) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertin From: darkriver Mention of the harmonium in Kaleea's post reminded me that Allen Ginsberg also composed Buddhist-style chants or songs on a harmonium. Haven't done a search for this, but I'm sure there must be some of this material on the Web somewhere. Doug |
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31 Jul 05 - 11:32 AM (#1532066) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertin From: GUEST,Bob Coltman Ginsberg made a two-LP set for Folkways, presumably still available from Smithsonian-Folkways as a custom CD. I don't have a source handy but it had a title something like "First Blues"??? and did indeed feature his singing (shaky but fun) and harmonium playing. It's worth a listen as most everything of Allen's is. Bob |
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31 Jul 05 - 12:22 PM (#1532097) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertin From: GUEST Greetings! In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition(s)there is much beautiful(and singable)music,including the settings of mantras.However,it is my understanding that the words are crucial,so these wouldn't normally be done just as an instrumental.They are,in the widest sense,prayers. If you want to hear a Westernised version (which some people find more to their taste than the bare, a cappella chanting of Tibetan monks or nuns),of authentic Tibetan Buddhist music, one CD I would recommend as very moving and beautiful is: Rain of Blessings by Lama Gyurme and Jean-Philippe Rykiel which includes settings of mantras,and other prayers. It's really quite a long story, but mantra are actually said to embody compassion(or whatever other quality the particular mantra expresses - such as wisdom, or healing)in the form of sound.So to listen to it(or even better,I believe,to chant it)is said to bless the hearer,and even the local environment.Or so this amateur understands,but please don't quote me!:)For more traditional,unaccompanied chanting by Tibetan monks,you might like to try: sacred tibetan chant by The Monks of Sherab Ling Monastery which won a Grammy (for World Music?) in 2003(?) and is very powerful,imo,but also very bare.It is dedicated to World Peace. But there are many many more which may be more to your taste. Used to play the concertina(very badly!)myself,and am not sure you will find the sort of tune you are looking for here,but I wish you every success.Buddhism has been integrated into many different cultures,and I think you could say the music reflects its host culture,so it varies very widely,as people have suggested, and also as to whether or not it is part of the spiritual practice of a particular Buddhist tradition. Hope this helps,and that you find some tunes to inspire you to greater wisdom and compassion,which I understand to be the goal of Buddhist practice. Hope too that this has not confused anyone further! "If what I say does not seem helpful,then no matter",writes His Holiness the Dalai Lama(in Ethics for the New Millennium).How much more this applies to the babblings of this ignorant fool!;) Best, bowdhy |
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31 Jul 05 - 03:32 PM (#1532189) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Any buddhist melodies? For Concertina!?! From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Don't forget Zen Gospel Singing, one of my favorite hymns! It's in the DT. |