Keep

1. Java, court gamelan, “Kinds of Flowers,” recorded by Robert Brown. 4:43
2. Senegal, percussion, recorded by Charles Duvelle. 2:08
3. Australia, Aborigine songs, “Morning Star” and “Devil Bird,” recorded by Sandra LeBrun Holmes. 1:26
4. Mexico, “El Cascabel,” performed by Lorenzo Barcelata and the Mariachi México. 3:14
5. Bach, “Gavotte en rondeaux” from the Partita No. 3 in E major for Violin, performed by Arthur Grumiaux. 2:55
6. Georgian S.S.R., chorus, “Tchakrulo,” collected by Radio Moscow. 2:18
7. Peru, panpipes and drum, collected by Casa de la Cultura, Lima. 0:52
8. Azerbaijan S.S.R., bagpipes, recorded by Radio Moscow. 2:30
9. China, ch’in, “Flowing Streams,” performed by Kuan P’ing-hu. 7:37
10. India, raga, “Jaat Kahan Ho,” sung by Surshri Kesar Bai Kerkar. 3:30

Cut

1. Mozart, The Magic Flute, Queen of the Night aria, no. 14. Edda Moser, soprano. Bavarian State Opera, Munich, Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor. 2:55
2. Beethoven, Fifth Symphony, First Movement, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, conductor. 7:20
3. Peru, wedding song, recorded by John Cohen. 0:38
4. Navajo Indians, Night Chant, recorded by Willard Rhodes. 0:57
5. “Dark Was the Night,” written and performed by Blind Willie Johnson. 3:15
6. New Guinea, men’s house song, recorded by Robert MacLennan. 1:20
7. Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F. First Movement, Munich Bach Orchestra, Karl Richter, conductor. 4:40
8. Solomon Islands, panpipes, collected by the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Service. 1:12
9. “Melancholy Blues,” performed by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven. 3:05
10. Stravinsky, Rite of Spring, Sacrificial Dance, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Igor Stravinsky, conductor. 4:35
11. Beethoven, String Quartet No. 13 in B flat, Opus 130, Cavatina, performed by Budapest String Quartet. 6:37
12. Bulgaria, “Izlel je Delyo Hagdutin,” sung by Valya Balkanska. 4:59
13. “Johnny B. Goode,” written and performed by Chuck Berry. 2:38
14. Japan, shakuhachi, “Tsuru No Sugomori” (“Crane’s Nest,”) performed by Goro Yamaguchi. 4:51
15. Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2, Prelude and Fugue in C, No.1. Glenn Gould, piano. 4:48
16. Zaire, Pygmy girls’ initiation song, recorded by Colin Turnbull. 0:56
17. Holborne, Paueans, Galliards, Almains and Other Short Aeirs, “The Fairie Round,” performed by David Munrow and the Early Music Consort of London. 1:17

Reflection

Deciding which music will represent human life is certainly a difficult task, and one which is impossible to accurately portray through only 10 songs. My approach involved trying to include the broadest range of instruments while also demonstrating how we use our voices musically. I tried to avoid considerations such as geographic location and cultural or historical context as much as possible to avoid getting paralyzed by analysis as I do not believe it is possible to convey these dimensions in only 10 musical choices. This meant that I needed to choose which message I wanted to send, my message is simply that we communicate in a variety of ways, including music, and we use tools (instruments) to extend our capabilities.