A little more time was spent on 12 tone music including a discussion of its purpose and expression. We enjoyed hearing some Webern, Dallapiccola, Babbitt, and Boulez. We also found a couple of examples of 12 tone blues in the jazz world. We kept reminding each other that 12 tone music was born out of an interest in chromaticism and equalizing all the tones of the scale. The concept of serialism, ordering of events, extended to more than just pitch through the music of Boulez and Babbitt with other composers experimenting with the idea.
An abrupt jump back to the Pre-classical era caused us to look at the Mannheim school of orchestral development and the discussion of instrumental music in the Classical period. A little time was spent demonstrating the approach to classical music and the reactions against the excesses of the Baroque period. With the advent and organization of Sonata form, we see a system of music that continues to affect us today. Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven form the canon of music of the classical period, and we still hear their music consistently.
We are now on the Romantic period which although vast and complicated will not be discussed with any depth. This is due to the common knowledge and interest that pervades most musicians. A study of orchestral repertoire and yes even choral concerts reveals an emphasis on Romanticism either in terms of the time period or in style. This is not a negative statement but rather the truth. Perhaps our human emotions find greater satisfaction in tonality and richness of tonal expression. Whatever the case, the ubiquitous usage of Romantic music causes us not to need another comprehensive discussion of this music.
So we will move onward to jazz and popular music of the 20th Century. The fun continues!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Day 16
Today we spent some time in the primitivism of the 20th century including brief mention of Stravinsky, Antheil, Bartok, Honegger, and Prokofiev. This naturally took us to the use of folk song in 20th century music and yet another discussion of nationalism, with Shostakovitch as the forerunner of the talk. Reminders of the beautiful late Romantic composers--Rachmaninoff, Strauss, Hanson, and countless others including film composers led us to discuss composers whose Romanticism took them into other harmonic regions.
We abruptly jumped backwards into Wagner and his chromaticism. As we understood chromaticism, we found ourselves wondering how to achieve a greater sense of equality of pitch. Arnold Schoenberg's brand of Romanticism ultimately led to experiments in panchromaticism and the 12-tone technique. After a quick look at a matrix and a peripheral but pointed discussion of the various ways to use the 12-tone ideal, we delved into Schoenberg, Berg, Webern, Dallapiccola, and Babbitt. It is essential to understand the purist use of the 12-tone concept but just as valuable to know how and when the composers varied from the form. Here is a matrix to show the various forms of a 12-tone row. Give it a try!http://www.dancavanagh.com/music/matrix.php
The second Viennese school of Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern embodied the early use of serialism and 12 tone music through their magnificent output of music. With Schoenberg's beauty of line coming through while retaining a pure use of the 12-tone technique, we find music that is new, rich, yet still motivic in the German tradition. In Berg we find greater reliance on tonality in a more conservative and freer use of the technique, and in Webern we see a conciseness of form and structure in strict contrapuntal and pointillistic expression.
I encourage you open your mind and ears and enjoy the music of the 2nd Viennese composers. Listen to different examples and find one that you enjoy. Let me know what it is!
We will now spend a little time in the Romantic period, discuss some harmonic and theoretical concepts of the time, and begin taking some practice tests.
We abruptly jumped backwards into Wagner and his chromaticism. As we understood chromaticism, we found ourselves wondering how to achieve a greater sense of equality of pitch. Arnold Schoenberg's brand of Romanticism ultimately led to experiments in panchromaticism and the 12-tone technique. After a quick look at a matrix and a peripheral but pointed discussion of the various ways to use the 12-tone ideal, we delved into Schoenberg, Berg, Webern, Dallapiccola, and Babbitt. It is essential to understand the purist use of the 12-tone concept but just as valuable to know how and when the composers varied from the form. Here is a matrix to show the various forms of a 12-tone row. Give it a try!http://www.dancavanagh.com/music/matrix.php
The second Viennese school of Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern embodied the early use of serialism and 12 tone music through their magnificent output of music. With Schoenberg's beauty of line coming through while retaining a pure use of the 12-tone technique, we find music that is new, rich, yet still motivic in the German tradition. In Berg we find greater reliance on tonality in a more conservative and freer use of the technique, and in Webern we see a conciseness of form and structure in strict contrapuntal and pointillistic expression.
I encourage you open your mind and ears and enjoy the music of the 2nd Viennese composers. Listen to different examples and find one that you enjoy. Let me know what it is!
We will now spend a little time in the Romantic period, discuss some harmonic and theoretical concepts of the time, and begin taking some practice tests.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Day 15
Today is a quick but hopefully pointed discussion of the Baroque Period. We discussed the two types of Sonatas, the parts of a suite, the trio sonata, the passacaglia and chaconne, the toccata, the cantata, and of course opera. Composers we mentioned are Corelli, Vivaldi, Rameau, Frescobaldi, Purcell, and J.S. Bach. Theoretical concepts include the anatomy of a fugue, da capo aria, non-harmonic tones, homophony, text painting, the doctrine of affections, and the establishment of major and minor keys.
Johann Fux's text on counterpoint and Rameau's text on harmony are both very important treatises as are the writings on music by Michael Praetorius.
The anatomy of a fugue includes the subject, countersubject, answers--both real and tonal, development, the use of stretto, contrary motion, sequence, augmentation, diminution, pedal point, and motivic application. We listened to several examples of fugues from the Well-tempered Clavier http://www2.nau.edu/tas3/wtc.html. As we listened, we pointed out the different kinds of answers and the various techniques used by Bach for his fugues.
Continuing study on the fugue and Baroque theory, we discussed counterpoint, harmony, and found ourselves in the land of the Doctrine of Affections. Connected to this was a brief listen to the music of Rameau and his influence on music history. His identification of the application of the harmonic series, his recognition of the sounds of nature, and his use of the the doctrine of affections for particular emotional response, were all established as significant.
Finally we get to the master himself, Johann Sebastian Bach whose music ranges from concertos to masses, cantatas, chorales, organ works, instrumental pieces, small forms, and large forms. His music is characterized by beauty of line, adherence to structure, complex counterpoint, harmonic invention, rhythmic drive, and richness of texture. All these things within the established Baroque harmonic framework! I encouraged everyone to study the Well-tempered Clavier as a way to understand the parts of a fugue as well as the harmony supporting the fugue.
Next week it is back to the 20th century with more discussion of primitivism, folk influence, and finally 12-tone music.
Johann Fux's text on counterpoint and Rameau's text on harmony are both very important treatises as are the writings on music by Michael Praetorius.
The anatomy of a fugue includes the subject, countersubject, answers--both real and tonal, development, the use of stretto, contrary motion, sequence, augmentation, diminution, pedal point, and motivic application. We listened to several examples of fugues from the Well-tempered Clavier http://www2.nau.edu/tas3/wtc.html. As we listened, we pointed out the different kinds of answers and the various techniques used by Bach for his fugues.
Continuing study on the fugue and Baroque theory, we discussed counterpoint, harmony, and found ourselves in the land of the Doctrine of Affections. Connected to this was a brief listen to the music of Rameau and his influence on music history. His identification of the application of the harmonic series, his recognition of the sounds of nature, and his use of the the doctrine of affections for particular emotional response, were all established as significant.
Finally we get to the master himself, Johann Sebastian Bach whose music ranges from concertos to masses, cantatas, chorales, organ works, instrumental pieces, small forms, and large forms. His music is characterized by beauty of line, adherence to structure, complex counterpoint, harmonic invention, rhythmic drive, and richness of texture. All these things within the established Baroque harmonic framework! I encouraged everyone to study the Well-tempered Clavier as a way to understand the parts of a fugue as well as the harmony supporting the fugue.
Next week it is back to the 20th century with more discussion of primitivism, folk influence, and finally 12-tone music.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Day 14
Today was primarily centered around the music and influence of Monteverdi, a composer with one leg in the Renaissance and the other in the Baroque. Using madrigals, drama, and opera, Monteverdi helped usher in a new type of music that became known as the Baroque. While the music of the High Renaissance was polyphonic with independent lines working congruently, and the music was primarily linear with resulting vertical harmony, the music of the Baroque was driven more by the bass line and subsequently the harmonic implications.
The concepts of basso continuo, a melody served an accompaniment, and an establishment of sharps, flats, and key structures affected music development most dramatically. This is seen in the late madrigals of Monteverdi. In an ironic sense, the bass line began to serve as the foundation for the music, rather than serving as another melodic line. This then led to a greater realization of the harmonic series and its importance in designing the overall sound of music.
Monteverdi's contributions to music were not only in the area of musical development but also in music drama and orchestration, as his use of instruments as an important force in opera, make his music among the most influential of his time. We listened to Tancredi and Clorinda, pointing out the string tremolos, the layering of sounds, and the vocal inflections adding to the drama. The development of opera music included the rise of the importance of the orchestra. As the instruments themselves became more sophisticated and composers began to make more technical demands on the players, the orchestra took on a greater role. This role included enhancing the drama and even playing its own overtures. Ultimately these "sinfonias" separated to become what we now know as the symphony. Perhaps the most respected early opera that is still performed today is Monteverdi's L'Orfeo, a wonderfully expressive and complex retelling of the ancient Greek story of Orpheus.
As we concluded Monteverdi, we jumped into a quick and somewhat superficial discussion of the fugue and its anatomy. Please study the following website for further detail and cognition: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~tas3/fugueanatomy.html. This link also includes a robust link allowing for a comprehensive understanding of Bach's Well-tempered Clavier.
Tuesday we will continue with the Baroque period before jumping back to the 20th century where we get to discuss folk song, primitivism, and finally the 2nd Viennese School. The future is bright!
The concepts of basso continuo, a melody served an accompaniment, and an establishment of sharps, flats, and key structures affected music development most dramatically. This is seen in the late madrigals of Monteverdi. In an ironic sense, the bass line began to serve as the foundation for the music, rather than serving as another melodic line. This then led to a greater realization of the harmonic series and its importance in designing the overall sound of music.
Monteverdi's contributions to music were not only in the area of musical development but also in music drama and orchestration, as his use of instruments as an important force in opera, make his music among the most influential of his time. We listened to Tancredi and Clorinda, pointing out the string tremolos, the layering of sounds, and the vocal inflections adding to the drama. The development of opera music included the rise of the importance of the orchestra. As the instruments themselves became more sophisticated and composers began to make more technical demands on the players, the orchestra took on a greater role. This role included enhancing the drama and even playing its own overtures. Ultimately these "sinfonias" separated to become what we now know as the symphony. Perhaps the most respected early opera that is still performed today is Monteverdi's L'Orfeo, a wonderfully expressive and complex retelling of the ancient Greek story of Orpheus.
As we concluded Monteverdi, we jumped into a quick and somewhat superficial discussion of the fugue and its anatomy. Please study the following website for further detail and cognition: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~tas3/fugueanatomy.html. This link also includes a robust link allowing for a comprehensive understanding of Bach's Well-tempered Clavier.
Tuesday we will continue with the Baroque period before jumping back to the 20th century where we get to discuss folk song, primitivism, and finally the 2nd Viennese School. The future is bright!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Day 12 and Day 13
Handing out an exam which is due on October 22, we looked through the many items and found ourselves humbled by the sheer magnitude of knowledge need for a thorough comprehension of music.
We continued discussions of our selected composers and did some listening to music. We are meeting in the music library now which is a very nice place for learning. We added to the knowledge of Copland, Ravel, and Barber, continuing on to Messiaen. The Copland discussion mentioned his use of polytonality, open texture, and experiments in 12-tone writing. We listened to the Fanfare for Common Man, parts of Rodeo, and mentioned the beautiful and stunning Red Pony score. Copland remains an important composer of American music, and a composer who was never satisfied with one level of creative expression. He is set apart by his use of folk song, rhythm experiments, and theatrical elements, all of which can be found in his music for large forms as well as smaller genres.
A brief discussion of Ravel included hearing moments of Bolero, and the Piano Concerto for the Left Hand. Ravel's impressionistic style gave way to an acceptance of older forms in a kind of quasi neo-classic approach to music. Other works such as the string quartet and Pictures at an Exhibition demonstrate Ravel's exceptional knowledge of instruments and color.
On Thursday we jumped full force into one of the greatest although not often performed music of Oliver Messiaen. We listened to Turangalila and Quartet for the End of Time. We also marveled at the youtube video of Messiaen discussing his use of bird sounds in his music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QdgUJss9BU. A theoretical look at the Modes of Limited Transposition allowed us to understand Messiaen's system and perhaps his sense of symmetry. Together with bird calls, elaborate texture, and expressive depth, Messiaen developed a musical language that is breath-taking and complex. As a highly skilled church organist, much of his music demonstrates the breadth of sound capable on a pipe organ.
Unfortunately, perhaps due to the large forces required, we do not have an opportunity to perform Messiaen's music; yet there is little question as to the joy and beauty of the sound. Certainly one of the most influential and creative composers of the twentieth century.
The last 10 minutes of class, we got in our fast moving boat and traveled backward to Monteverdi where we entered the world of early opera. A brief discussion of the music drama Tancredi and Clorinda ended the class which is where we will begin again on Tuesday. See you then.
We continued discussions of our selected composers and did some listening to music. We are meeting in the music library now which is a very nice place for learning. We added to the knowledge of Copland, Ravel, and Barber, continuing on to Messiaen. The Copland discussion mentioned his use of polytonality, open texture, and experiments in 12-tone writing. We listened to the Fanfare for Common Man, parts of Rodeo, and mentioned the beautiful and stunning Red Pony score. Copland remains an important composer of American music, and a composer who was never satisfied with one level of creative expression. He is set apart by his use of folk song, rhythm experiments, and theatrical elements, all of which can be found in his music for large forms as well as smaller genres.
A brief discussion of Ravel included hearing moments of Bolero, and the Piano Concerto for the Left Hand. Ravel's impressionistic style gave way to an acceptance of older forms in a kind of quasi neo-classic approach to music. Other works such as the string quartet and Pictures at an Exhibition demonstrate Ravel's exceptional knowledge of instruments and color.
On Thursday we jumped full force into one of the greatest although not often performed music of Oliver Messiaen. We listened to Turangalila and Quartet for the End of Time. We also marveled at the youtube video of Messiaen discussing his use of bird sounds in his music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QdgUJss9BU. A theoretical look at the Modes of Limited Transposition allowed us to understand Messiaen's system and perhaps his sense of symmetry. Together with bird calls, elaborate texture, and expressive depth, Messiaen developed a musical language that is breath-taking and complex. As a highly skilled church organist, much of his music demonstrates the breadth of sound capable on a pipe organ.
Unfortunately, perhaps due to the large forces required, we do not have an opportunity to perform Messiaen's music; yet there is little question as to the joy and beauty of the sound. Certainly one of the most influential and creative composers of the twentieth century.
The last 10 minutes of class, we got in our fast moving boat and traveled backward to Monteverdi where we entered the world of early opera. A brief discussion of the music drama Tancredi and Clorinda ended the class which is where we will begin again on Tuesday. See you then.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Day 10 and Day 11
Okay, I got a little behind on blogging, but meanwhile we have been doing reports on different 20th century composers. We will do this for a couple more days, then run back to the end of the Renaissance and the Baroque period. Furthermore it is time to take a test on several items just to check ourselves.
So far we discussed Copland, Ravel, Stravinsky, and Sibelius. We have some more discussion on Barber, Messiaen, Bartok, and Prokofiev coming up. Our Copland moments included listening to Billy the Kid and talking about his use of polyrhythm and bitonality. Copland's emphasis on American folk songs gives his music a nationalistic spirit and made him known as the Dean of American Composers. Ballets, suites, film scores, concertos, chamber music, songs, and choral music comprise his immense and varied repertoire. Of greater interest is the "Copland sound" which includes open 5ths, 4ths, and expansive utilization of the harmonic series. In spite of the use of dissonance and hints of serialism, Copland's ability to open the textures, provides his music with an engaging and palatable mosaic still heard today.
Our brief minutes spent on Ravel revealed a composer steeped in classical forms but adopting a coloristic approach to music often called Impressionistic. Ravel's remarkable gifts found fruition in concertos, ballets, piano works, chamber pieces, songs, and orchestral showpieces. Known as one of the great orchestrators in music history, his Pictures at an Exhibition continues to be played frequently in concert halls. Perhaps the most performed Ravel piece is Bolero, a piece with 2 themes and a repetitious rhythm. Without a development section, Bolero never fails to elicit great emotional response from listeners and players.
Moving on to Sibelius, and one must wonder why a late Romantic is included in this discussion, we discussed his symphonies, concertos, and suites. Listening to Finlandia gave us an opportunity to talk about Finnish music and nationalism in general. Sibelius' use of orchestral padding, large forms, tonality, and vibrant orchestral textures tends to set his music apart from many of his contemporaries. Among the most beautiful pieces in orchestral repertoire is the Violin Concerto by Sibelius. A special piece demonstrating his use of tonality and layering of orchestral texture. His commitment to composing music in an older model in the midst of other more progressive composers is both admirable and anachronistic. Yet he composed at such a high level, he remains influential in today's eclectic world.
Many consider Stravinsky the greatest of 20th Century composers. From the 3 early ballets, through stunning neoclassicism, and finally serialism, Stravinsky epitomizes excellence in musical craft, expression, and creativity. Using bitonality, primitivism, complex rhythm, planing, and almost endless coloring, Stravinsky rocked the musical world with Rite of Spring. Following that shocking debut, he altered his style to a more conservative flavor drawing from classical music. Distinctly his own, Stravinsky's adoption of older forms never interfered with progressive creativity that tested the boundaries of tonality without abandoning the classical framework. Finally, in his mature years, he experimented with serialism, composing the deliciously complex Agon ballet.
The clarity, starkness, sophistication, and fastidiousness of Stravinsky's music continues to fascinate audiences and intrigue musical scholars. Each piece is a magical expression of his genius regardless of the language used at the time. 3 stages of composition, each stage being treated with utmost care, defines his illustrious career, a career that remains enviable for its prolific and complex output.
I would urge readers to listen to music of the composers studied and find a selection you like. What is your favorite Copland piece? Why? What is your favorite Stravinsky work? Sibelius? Ravel?
So far we discussed Copland, Ravel, Stravinsky, and Sibelius. We have some more discussion on Barber, Messiaen, Bartok, and Prokofiev coming up. Our Copland moments included listening to Billy the Kid and talking about his use of polyrhythm and bitonality. Copland's emphasis on American folk songs gives his music a nationalistic spirit and made him known as the Dean of American Composers. Ballets, suites, film scores, concertos, chamber music, songs, and choral music comprise his immense and varied repertoire. Of greater interest is the "Copland sound" which includes open 5ths, 4ths, and expansive utilization of the harmonic series. In spite of the use of dissonance and hints of serialism, Copland's ability to open the textures, provides his music with an engaging and palatable mosaic still heard today.
Our brief minutes spent on Ravel revealed a composer steeped in classical forms but adopting a coloristic approach to music often called Impressionistic. Ravel's remarkable gifts found fruition in concertos, ballets, piano works, chamber pieces, songs, and orchestral showpieces. Known as one of the great orchestrators in music history, his Pictures at an Exhibition continues to be played frequently in concert halls. Perhaps the most performed Ravel piece is Bolero, a piece with 2 themes and a repetitious rhythm. Without a development section, Bolero never fails to elicit great emotional response from listeners and players.
Moving on to Sibelius, and one must wonder why a late Romantic is included in this discussion, we discussed his symphonies, concertos, and suites. Listening to Finlandia gave us an opportunity to talk about Finnish music and nationalism in general. Sibelius' use of orchestral padding, large forms, tonality, and vibrant orchestral textures tends to set his music apart from many of his contemporaries. Among the most beautiful pieces in orchestral repertoire is the Violin Concerto by Sibelius. A special piece demonstrating his use of tonality and layering of orchestral texture. His commitment to composing music in an older model in the midst of other more progressive composers is both admirable and anachronistic. Yet he composed at such a high level, he remains influential in today's eclectic world.
Many consider Stravinsky the greatest of 20th Century composers. From the 3 early ballets, through stunning neoclassicism, and finally serialism, Stravinsky epitomizes excellence in musical craft, expression, and creativity. Using bitonality, primitivism, complex rhythm, planing, and almost endless coloring, Stravinsky rocked the musical world with Rite of Spring. Following that shocking debut, he altered his style to a more conservative flavor drawing from classical music. Distinctly his own, Stravinsky's adoption of older forms never interfered with progressive creativity that tested the boundaries of tonality without abandoning the classical framework. Finally, in his mature years, he experimented with serialism, composing the deliciously complex Agon ballet.
The clarity, starkness, sophistication, and fastidiousness of Stravinsky's music continues to fascinate audiences and intrigue musical scholars. Each piece is a magical expression of his genius regardless of the language used at the time. 3 stages of composition, each stage being treated with utmost care, defines his illustrious career, a career that remains enviable for its prolific and complex output.
I would urge readers to listen to music of the composers studied and find a selection you like. What is your favorite Copland piece? Why? What is your favorite Stravinsky work? Sibelius? Ravel?
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Day Nine
We slid back over to an earlier time and began talking about the Renaissance. Although not necessarily those most exciting topic (especially compared with John Cage or Karlheinz Stockhausen), one cannot deny the inherent beauty in much of the music nor its influence on later generations. The congruent independence of polyphony lends itself to opportunities for both collective and individual expression of line. Never is this more true than much of the choral music of the Renaissance where beauty, shape, text, and form come together in glorious emotional and musical highs. While we learn the academic impetus behind the music of the Renaissance, and consider its unending influence, let us not ignore its remarkable ability to effect us through rich and sensitive polyphony.
The Renaissance period is an exciting time musically due to two pervading concepts that occurred. One is the methodical but certain progress from modality to tonality. This happened as musica ficta became more prevalent and as composers wrestled with its ubiquity in polyphony. Eventually a consistent use of musica ficta in the same melodic location formed a new key with the necessity for a key signature. The second event, while not necessarily musical, created a musical environment that exists to the present time. That is the Reformation and Counter Reformation. With the events of the Reformation ultimately leading to Protestantism and the Counter Reformation causing a resurgence of Roman Catholic piety, composers found themselves in a mild quandary, whether to write music in the traditions of the past or push forward with something new.
We talked about some facts regarding the period including some scholarship of the time. I pointed out the value of knowing something about Tinctoris and Zarlino, and discussed the concept of Cantus Firmus. We then waded into the world of Renaissance polyphony by singing a motet of Victoria. Separating the Renaissance into sacred music and secular music, we discussed the madrigal, the motet, the mass, and dance music. We mentioned many composers of the time and talked about text painting, modality, the polychoral music of Gabrieli, and the beauty of much of the music of Palestrina.
We did attempt to point out the distinction between composers who adopted a "traditional" approach to the music as opposed to those who pushed for something new. Gesualdo was mentioned and a brief reference to Monteverdi, who will need to be discussed further.
We listened to several examples of the music and left the room feeling warmed by the beauty of polyphony of the Renaissance (at least I hope so!). So who is your favorite composer of the time period. Is there a place for this music in churches today?
The Renaissance period is an exciting time musically due to two pervading concepts that occurred. One is the methodical but certain progress from modality to tonality. This happened as musica ficta became more prevalent and as composers wrestled with its ubiquity in polyphony. Eventually a consistent use of musica ficta in the same melodic location formed a new key with the necessity for a key signature. The second event, while not necessarily musical, created a musical environment that exists to the present time. That is the Reformation and Counter Reformation. With the events of the Reformation ultimately leading to Protestantism and the Counter Reformation causing a resurgence of Roman Catholic piety, composers found themselves in a mild quandary, whether to write music in the traditions of the past or push forward with something new.
We talked about some facts regarding the period including some scholarship of the time. I pointed out the value of knowing something about Tinctoris and Zarlino, and discussed the concept of Cantus Firmus. We then waded into the world of Renaissance polyphony by singing a motet of Victoria. Separating the Renaissance into sacred music and secular music, we discussed the madrigal, the motet, the mass, and dance music. We mentioned many composers of the time and talked about text painting, modality, the polychoral music of Gabrieli, and the beauty of much of the music of Palestrina.
We did attempt to point out the distinction between composers who adopted a "traditional" approach to the music as opposed to those who pushed for something new. Gesualdo was mentioned and a brief reference to Monteverdi, who will need to be discussed further.
We listened to several examples of the music and left the room feeling warmed by the beauty of polyphony of the Renaissance (at least I hope so!). So who is your favorite composer of the time period. Is there a place for this music in churches today?
Friday, September 18, 2009
Day Eight
Today is musical theater day with emphasis placed on the music, influence, and significance of Leonard Bernstein. Bernstein's music is understood better by an understanding of his worldview and his genius. As a first-class pianist, conductor, author, speaker, and composer, Leonard Bernstein's complete brilliance including originality, creativity, and personal charisma found an audience that reached an entire world. While his legacy may be the Overture to Candide, which happens to be the most played orchestral work in the world, and the music from West Side Story, it is in the areas of music theater, symphonies, choral music, and chamber music that he excelled.
But the music cannot be understood without addressing Bernstein's worldview and the philosophy that led to his eclecticism. His commitment to writing music that could relate to all age groups, religions, cultures, and nationalities gave him a type of universal religion not far from a variation of pantheism. This unusual collectivism gave his music a blend of sophistication mixed with popular culture. Musicians embracing music primarily for entertainment often find Bernstein's music to be overly-complicated, academic, and unusual. Cultivated musicians, conversely, often believe Bernstein's music is geared for a wide audience and therefore leans on the simplistic side and is given to cultural idioms of the time period.
Ironically, in a way, these criticisms are justified particularly when one studies only pockets of Bernstein's output. Yet taken as a whole, Bernstein's music is extraordinary in its complexity, beauty, energy, and creativity. It is perhaps his Mass, written for the opening of the Kennedy Center, that demonstrates his eclectic spirit as well as his controversial originality. We listened to several part of this engaging work, and I pointed out the usage of mixed meter, rock inflections, jazz idioms, and the religious qualities of the work. I encourage you to acquire a recording and listen to it; yet I also must qualify that it contains some inappropriate language. The work is guaranteed to make someone upset! But it also contains beautiful and shimmering music that exemplifies his style and his philosophy.
We listened to Chichester Psalms, part of Symphony No. 2, and a few measures of Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs. These selections demonstrate mastery of harmony, counterpoint, melody, and orchestra. They further show Bernstein's eclectic incorporation of jazz idioms, religious worldview, and dramatic emotional content. We concluded our Bernstein discussion with a brief look at West Side Story and his love of music theater.
The next few minutes we discussed Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Jerome Kern, Frederick Lowe, Andrew Loyd Webber, and Cole Porter. Obviously many others contributed to American music theater, which may be a form of opera, and Broadway continues to be a vital part of American culture today. We spent a few minutes discussing the role of harmony in music theater with the reminder that songs containing rich harmony tend to "rise" to the top as music and withstand the test of time for excellence.
We now jump backwards to the Renaissance for a couple of days of discussion of polyphony and development. It promises to be fun for all!
But the music cannot be understood without addressing Bernstein's worldview and the philosophy that led to his eclecticism. His commitment to writing music that could relate to all age groups, religions, cultures, and nationalities gave him a type of universal religion not far from a variation of pantheism. This unusual collectivism gave his music a blend of sophistication mixed with popular culture. Musicians embracing music primarily for entertainment often find Bernstein's music to be overly-complicated, academic, and unusual. Cultivated musicians, conversely, often believe Bernstein's music is geared for a wide audience and therefore leans on the simplistic side and is given to cultural idioms of the time period.
Ironically, in a way, these criticisms are justified particularly when one studies only pockets of Bernstein's output. Yet taken as a whole, Bernstein's music is extraordinary in its complexity, beauty, energy, and creativity. It is perhaps his Mass, written for the opening of the Kennedy Center, that demonstrates his eclectic spirit as well as his controversial originality. We listened to several part of this engaging work, and I pointed out the usage of mixed meter, rock inflections, jazz idioms, and the religious qualities of the work. I encourage you to acquire a recording and listen to it; yet I also must qualify that it contains some inappropriate language. The work is guaranteed to make someone upset! But it also contains beautiful and shimmering music that exemplifies his style and his philosophy.
We listened to Chichester Psalms, part of Symphony No. 2, and a few measures of Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs. These selections demonstrate mastery of harmony, counterpoint, melody, and orchestra. They further show Bernstein's eclectic incorporation of jazz idioms, religious worldview, and dramatic emotional content. We concluded our Bernstein discussion with a brief look at West Side Story and his love of music theater.
The next few minutes we discussed Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Jerome Kern, Frederick Lowe, Andrew Loyd Webber, and Cole Porter. Obviously many others contributed to American music theater, which may be a form of opera, and Broadway continues to be a vital part of American culture today. We spent a few minutes discussing the role of harmony in music theater with the reminder that songs containing rich harmony tend to "rise" to the top as music and withstand the test of time for excellence.
We now jump backwards to the Renaissance for a couple of days of discussion of polyphony and development. It promises to be fun for all!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Day Seven
Okay, I got a little behind so this may be brief. Not only that the class period itself was rather brief due to the Fall revival. Yet we needed to discuss Xenakis and John Cage a little more. We listened to Xenakis and watched the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yztoaNakKok. While the students generally did not respond with shouts of acclamation, perhaps some did find some merit in the sound that matches the visual image.
But the point of the Xenakis excerpt is to relate the visual imagery and the architectural designs to the changes in sound. While our perspective may relate the sounds to fear or agitation, this is probably a socialized reaction and not necessarily associated to truth. Preference for particular sounds is certainly respected and acknowledged, but since the human spirit has a great capacity for creativity, respect for the original, including textures, should be given to the person who wrote the music. In this case--Xenakis.
Our discussion took us to John Cage and his views of sound and silence. Perhaps in the end, the ambiguity of what is music is actually liberating and oddly enriching. Furthermore, maybe by increasing our awareness of music's potential and our ability to hear all around us as music, we grow as humans and as musicians. Maybe, too, such acknowledgment allows us to demystify the creative process and the organized system we know as music. At the same time, perhaps broadening our views of music helps us to give greater respect to the discipline, the cognition, and the skill of music regardless of its final product.
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But the point of the Xenakis excerpt is to relate the visual imagery and the architectural designs to the changes in sound. While our perspective may relate the sounds to fear or agitation, this is probably a socialized reaction and not necessarily associated to truth. Preference for particular sounds is certainly respected and acknowledged, but since the human spirit has a great capacity for creativity, respect for the original, including textures, should be given to the person who wrote the music. In this case--Xenakis.
Our discussion took us to John Cage and his views of sound and silence. Perhaps in the end, the ambiguity of what is music is actually liberating and oddly enriching. Furthermore, maybe by increasing our awareness of music's potential and our ability to hear all around us as music, we grow as humans and as musicians. Maybe, too, such acknowledgment allows us to demystify the creative process and the organized system we know as music. At the same time, perhaps broadening our views of music helps us to give greater respect to the discipline, the cognition, and the skill of music regardless of its final product.
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Thursday, September 10, 2009
Day Six
We began about 2 minutes late with almost all the class present and started discussing experimental music, post 1950. Any discussion of experimental music cannot be made without an understanding of two things: music of John Cage and a broad definition of music. A good video of John Cage helps articulate his view of music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcHnL7aS64Y. Cage's experiments in sound including prepared piano led the way to the "happenings" movement of the 1960s. Happenings were musical and extra-musical experimental events that qualify as sound or aural events in time (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happening). Happenings have led to performance art of today which seems to be reserved for nightclubs or college activities on certain campuses. But there is no denying the influence of the various musical experiments of the 60s.
If music is sound, regardless of its system or organization, and regardless of man's attempt to compartmentalize its role and purpose, then it stands to reason that music is only limited by man's creative spirit. With that in mind, we jumped into some sounds and music that are being performed today. The influence of John Cage cannot be overemphasized, but equal to Cage, although in a more traditional framework, is the music of Edgar Varese. We listened to Arcana and a little bit of Ameriques and discussed the sounds and approach of Varese. A bit strident at times, shocking, yet oddly sensitive, Varese's music opened the door to new sounds and textures for future composers.
The composers Ligeti, Lutoslawski, Babbit, Xenakis, and Stockhausen to name just a few have all been involved with experimentation and searching for new sounds and aural expression. A riveting recording of Kontakte by Stockhausen led us to a wide variety of opinions and discussion. Some students are uncomfortable with music that cannot be performed live. Others enjoyed the complexity of sound but tended to associate that with particular images. Kontakte then took us to a different kind of piece called Helicopter String Quartet by Stockhausen. Each member of the string quartet plays inside a flying helicopter where the sound is heard on the ground by the audience. We listened to approximately 6 minutes of the lengthy piece and all of us were pretty taken with the concept and the resulting sound. Perhaps this is due to the direct imagery of 4 helicopters, not sure though.
A quick shift of thought took us back to minimalism, landing on the music of Phillip Glass. We listened to a few examples and discussed his remarkable career in film music. Historically, minimalism grew out of the tension of the 1960s with a pulsating, process-oriented style exemplified by Terry Riley and Steve Reich. Eastern mysticism and subtle development in increments characterize minimalism. Beginning with early efforts including Einstein on the Beach, Philip Glass has had a tremendous influence on music. In an almost unprecedented rise, Philip Glass's career took a meteoric rise several years and he became one of the most sought after film composers of our time.
We concluded with comments about minimalism and other kind of music of today. It was not quite an earth-shattering day, but we did cover some modern material, leaving all us feeling both enriched and maybe a little confused. What is music? Is there a place for experimentalism in today's world? Do you like Minimalism in music?
If music is sound, regardless of its system or organization, and regardless of man's attempt to compartmentalize its role and purpose, then it stands to reason that music is only limited by man's creative spirit. With that in mind, we jumped into some sounds and music that are being performed today. The influence of John Cage cannot be overemphasized, but equal to Cage, although in a more traditional framework, is the music of Edgar Varese. We listened to Arcana and a little bit of Ameriques and discussed the sounds and approach of Varese. A bit strident at times, shocking, yet oddly sensitive, Varese's music opened the door to new sounds and textures for future composers.
The composers Ligeti, Lutoslawski, Babbit, Xenakis, and Stockhausen to name just a few have all been involved with experimentation and searching for new sounds and aural expression. A riveting recording of Kontakte by Stockhausen led us to a wide variety of opinions and discussion. Some students are uncomfortable with music that cannot be performed live. Others enjoyed the complexity of sound but tended to associate that with particular images. Kontakte then took us to a different kind of piece called Helicopter String Quartet by Stockhausen. Each member of the string quartet plays inside a flying helicopter where the sound is heard on the ground by the audience. We listened to approximately 6 minutes of the lengthy piece and all of us were pretty taken with the concept and the resulting sound. Perhaps this is due to the direct imagery of 4 helicopters, not sure though.
A quick shift of thought took us back to minimalism, landing on the music of Phillip Glass. We listened to a few examples and discussed his remarkable career in film music. Historically, minimalism grew out of the tension of the 1960s with a pulsating, process-oriented style exemplified by Terry Riley and Steve Reich. Eastern mysticism and subtle development in increments characterize minimalism. Beginning with early efforts including Einstein on the Beach, Philip Glass has had a tremendous influence on music. In an almost unprecedented rise, Philip Glass's career took a meteoric rise several years and he became one of the most sought after film composers of our time.
We concluded with comments about minimalism and other kind of music of today. It was not quite an earth-shattering day, but we did cover some modern material, leaving all us feeling both enriched and maybe a little confused. What is music? Is there a place for experimentalism in today's world? Do you like Minimalism in music?
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Day Five
We completed the Middle Ages discussion with a flare today, amidst further discussion on organum, the Italian Ars Nova, French Ars Nova and development of polyphony. We tossed around trouveres, troubadours, minnesingers, meistersingers, and minstrels along with a brief mention of the amazing invention known as the printing press. Quite a bit of time was spent talking about the merits of www.lcsproductions.net, an excellent and concise website that provides links, explanations, and definitions of terms.
We reminded each other of the different kinds of Masses, additions to the mass, the development of the motet, and the various dances used in secular music. Unfortunately, the mad race through the Middle Ages resulted in all of us having a peripheral and maybe superficial knowledge of the music of the time, but I reminded everyone of the number of resources available for additional research. We also discussed Guido d'Arezzo, and Musica Enchiriadis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musica_enchiriadis). It would be a good idea to know a little more about this for your future!
An abrupt stop and we jumped a few centuries to the present time. A philosophical discussion about the palette of musical opportunity and the eclecticism of today's musical world led us to listen to a variety of music. We heard a little Corigliano, Michael Martin Murphy, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, and stopped on Phillip Glass. Further discussion revolved around music for entertainment versus cultivated music. A couple of students mentioned that some music seems to bridge the gap between the two general styles and one student maintains that music will continue to "meld" the two distinctions into one.
We ended the lively discussion where everyone had a slightly differing opinion on music of today and the role of entertainment and cultivated music by landing on Phillip Glass and his extraordinary success in the film industry. An assignment was made to name 5 film scores by Glass. We will begin Thursday with a more indepth discussion of minimalism followed by the experimentalism of the the 1950's and 60s.
So what do you think is the difference between art or cultivated music and music for entertainment? Should we study music for entertainment at all in the college curriculum?
See you Thursday.
We reminded each other of the different kinds of Masses, additions to the mass, the development of the motet, and the various dances used in secular music. Unfortunately, the mad race through the Middle Ages resulted in all of us having a peripheral and maybe superficial knowledge of the music of the time, but I reminded everyone of the number of resources available for additional research. We also discussed Guido d'Arezzo, and Musica Enchiriadis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musica_enchiriadis). It would be a good idea to know a little more about this for your future!
An abrupt stop and we jumped a few centuries to the present time. A philosophical discussion about the palette of musical opportunity and the eclecticism of today's musical world led us to listen to a variety of music. We heard a little Corigliano, Michael Martin Murphy, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, and stopped on Phillip Glass. Further discussion revolved around music for entertainment versus cultivated music. A couple of students mentioned that some music seems to bridge the gap between the two general styles and one student maintains that music will continue to "meld" the two distinctions into one.
We ended the lively discussion where everyone had a slightly differing opinion on music of today and the role of entertainment and cultivated music by landing on Phillip Glass and his extraordinary success in the film industry. An assignment was made to name 5 film scores by Glass. We will begin Thursday with a more indepth discussion of minimalism followed by the experimentalism of the the 1950's and 60s.
So what do you think is the difference between art or cultivated music and music for entertainment? Should we study music for entertainment at all in the college curriculum?
See you Thursday.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Day Four
Starting with the end, we listened to Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner. What musical elements in this marvelous piece did you notice? How did the piece make you feel? In what specific ways, does the piece represent Romanticism? It was different to jump ahead a few hundred years and suddenly discuss one piece in the Romantic period. Perhaps in the end, striving for an emotional response is what music is all about.
We began the day by jumping in the deep water of early music. Our talk was rather superficial and general, skipping through a few hundred years fairly quickly, but still informative. Becoming too detailed would prevent further necessary discussions of other great topics! We discussed monody, plainchant, plainsong, early notation, Gregorian chant, and church modes. We recited 7 of the modes in order: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, and Locrian, deliberately avoiding much discussion of the hypo varieties.
A brief talk of tropes, sequences, and conductus explained how music came to be added to the Mass and how composers were needed to develop these additions. Much of the additions were born out of practical necessity to have music during the Mass. Since text was also needed with the music, eventually the motet was developed.
Spending some time on meter and rhythm, we alluded to the rhythmic modes used in sacred and secular music and then looked at how meter signatures developed. It really is a fascinating study and explains where we get the C that most people call "common" time. For an indepth understanding, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mensural_notation
Organum is an early type of polyphony that likely resulted from the overtones in a Cathedral. There are different kinds of organum and different approaches to organum including melismatic organum and free organum with varying types of motion used, syllabic, oblique, and contrary. Eventually the voices became more independent, resulting in what we know of as polyphony. Passing through French Ars Nova, the Italian Ars Nova, Trouveres, Troubadours and host of other terms related to early music, we landed on Machaut where we discussed Isorhythm. An understanding of Talea and Color is central to knowing what Isorhythm means and how it is used in music. We looked at an example of this, referencing the amazingly clever piece My end is my beginning by Machaut. I will send a pdf of this piece to you by email.
You may ask what is the value of this kind of clever approach to music? It has to do with unifying the elements of a piece. A piece of music becomes consistent within itself through its unifying elements. Otherwise we simply have a gushing of complex emotions without any consistency. Isorhythm is simply one way, albeit an excellent way, of giving a piece unity.
Another "exciting" day in music 4000. Please read the early music articles in www.lcsproductions.net. We will discuss the reading on Tuesday and then jump into some recent developments of music. See you then!
We began the day by jumping in the deep water of early music. Our talk was rather superficial and general, skipping through a few hundred years fairly quickly, but still informative. Becoming too detailed would prevent further necessary discussions of other great topics! We discussed monody, plainchant, plainsong, early notation, Gregorian chant, and church modes. We recited 7 of the modes in order: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, and Locrian, deliberately avoiding much discussion of the hypo varieties.
A brief talk of tropes, sequences, and conductus explained how music came to be added to the Mass and how composers were needed to develop these additions. Much of the additions were born out of practical necessity to have music during the Mass. Since text was also needed with the music, eventually the motet was developed.
Spending some time on meter and rhythm, we alluded to the rhythmic modes used in sacred and secular music and then looked at how meter signatures developed. It really is a fascinating study and explains where we get the C that most people call "common" time. For an indepth understanding, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mensural_notation
Organum is an early type of polyphony that likely resulted from the overtones in a Cathedral. There are different kinds of organum and different approaches to organum including melismatic organum and free organum with varying types of motion used, syllabic, oblique, and contrary. Eventually the voices became more independent, resulting in what we know of as polyphony. Passing through French Ars Nova, the Italian Ars Nova, Trouveres, Troubadours and host of other terms related to early music, we landed on Machaut where we discussed Isorhythm. An understanding of Talea and Color is central to knowing what Isorhythm means and how it is used in music. We looked at an example of this, referencing the amazingly clever piece My end is my beginning by Machaut. I will send a pdf of this piece to you by email.
You may ask what is the value of this kind of clever approach to music? It has to do with unifying the elements of a piece. A piece of music becomes consistent within itself through its unifying elements. Otherwise we simply have a gushing of complex emotions without any consistency. Isorhythm is simply one way, albeit an excellent way, of giving a piece unity.
Another "exciting" day in music 4000. Please read the early music articles in www.lcsproductions.net. We will discuss the reading on Tuesday and then jump into some recent developments of music. See you then!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Day Three
Today we continued discussing the tests and focused on the various terms. We also dealt with the list of pieces of music and did some listening at the end of class. We again covered a wide gamut of music including early music, serialism, and American musicals. In fact we discussed Richard Rodgers, George Gershwin, and Irving Berlin. My questioning of the lasting value of Irving Berlin was gently questioned when a student pointed out that as long as we sang "God Bless America" and "White Christmas" Irving Berlin would always be remembered!
Our brief discussion of Gershwin took us to a funny story involving Ravel, followed by the acknowledgment of Porgy and Bess as the culminating work of Gershwin's career. Speaking of Ravel, we discussed Bolero and how it is used in helping autistic children. It has two themes plus rhythm and was composed in reaction to the excess development style preferred by the Germans. Ironically Bolero does indeed develop but not in the traditional way.
In discussing Richard Rodgers we listed several musicals including King and I, Sound of Music, South Pacific, State Fair, Oklahoma, Cinderella, and many others. He worked with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein and before that Lorenz Hart.
Our talk of early music revolved around Machaut and went into Gesualdo and finally Buxtehude. We spent some time on the Concerto Grosso concept in the Baroque and had a brief discussion of the Mannheim School which is considered the beginning of the symphony. The Stamitzes (Johann and Carl) were part of the Mannheim school and helped develop the orchestra, particularly the clarinet and the violin.
There are plenty of things left to discuss such as opera, lied, expressionism, modes, isorhythm, avant garde, and many composers, but at the same time we have had some healthy discussions. One thing we spent time on was neoclassicism. Of course, I tricked the class by playing Prokofiev's Classical Symphony. It sounds rather Mozartian at times but a careful listening reveals enough modernisms to take it out of the Classical period. Yet many composers of the 20th Century seemed to enjoy the "looking back" idea and adopted several of the concepts of the classical period. Probably the most well-known was Stravinsky who spent the middle of his illustrious career writing music in a neoclassic vein. Other composers who experimented with this idea include Respighi, Hindemith, Barber to an extent, Ravel, and Lukas Foss.
After listening to some music we ended rather stimulated to learn more music (at least that is my wish!). Time to discuss early music.
Our brief discussion of Gershwin took us to a funny story involving Ravel, followed by the acknowledgment of Porgy and Bess as the culminating work of Gershwin's career. Speaking of Ravel, we discussed Bolero and how it is used in helping autistic children. It has two themes plus rhythm and was composed in reaction to the excess development style preferred by the Germans. Ironically Bolero does indeed develop but not in the traditional way.
In discussing Richard Rodgers we listed several musicals including King and I, Sound of Music, South Pacific, State Fair, Oklahoma, Cinderella, and many others. He worked with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein and before that Lorenz Hart.
Our talk of early music revolved around Machaut and went into Gesualdo and finally Buxtehude. We spent some time on the Concerto Grosso concept in the Baroque and had a brief discussion of the Mannheim School which is considered the beginning of the symphony. The Stamitzes (Johann and Carl) were part of the Mannheim school and helped develop the orchestra, particularly the clarinet and the violin.
There are plenty of things left to discuss such as opera, lied, expressionism, modes, isorhythm, avant garde, and many composers, but at the same time we have had some healthy discussions. One thing we spent time on was neoclassicism. Of course, I tricked the class by playing Prokofiev's Classical Symphony. It sounds rather Mozartian at times but a careful listening reveals enough modernisms to take it out of the Classical period. Yet many composers of the 20th Century seemed to enjoy the "looking back" idea and adopted several of the concepts of the classical period. Probably the most well-known was Stravinsky who spent the middle of his illustrious career writing music in a neoclassic vein. Other composers who experimented with this idea include Respighi, Hindemith, Barber to an extent, Ravel, and Lukas Foss.
After listening to some music we ended rather stimulated to learn more music (at least that is my wish!). Time to discuss early music.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Day Two
Today we got started a little late but jumped in and began to discuss the various ways to approach music history. It is weak to study music history chronologically by time periods due to the lack of precision of date. For example, we often point to the death of Beethoven as the start of the Romantic era in music, but truthfully Romanticism began long before 1827 and certainly Beethoven himself could be considered a Romantic composer. In addition, it is silly to claim the Baroque era began in 1600 and ended in 1750. Yet from a general style sense and perhaps a social development angle, there is a certain amount of truth in dividing up music by time periods.
Another system might be the study of root movement and harmonic development. Some may say that the Renaissance (1400-1600) emphasizes the perfect 5th, the Baroque (1600-1750) the perfect 4th, Classical (1750-1827) the major 3rd, Romantic (1827-1900) the minor 3rd, Impressionism the major 2nd, and the 20th century emphasizes the half-step. Yet, there are plenty of arguments against this kind of approach as well. Other approaches to a study of music history include a social kind of thought unique to each country. While this has weakness (very slippery to try to label all Germans a certain way), nationalism certainly must play a role in studying music history.
We spent a few minutes discussing the nature of music, the future of music (is it headed toward microtones?) and what music means. In this discussion we established that a tone poem tells a story or has an extra-musical meaning whereas absolute music does not. Yet, a listener may ascribe meaning to music based on the sound and the association of the sound. In fact, it is likely that listeners often associate sound with something non-musical such as a feeling or an object or an event or even a person. This then expands music's meaning to the level beyond simply sound.
On the other hand, perhaps it is true that all sound is music in that sound results from vibration. Regardless of the organization of the sounds or the human responses to the sound, it seems to me that music is simply sound. We may prefer a certain type of system or a texture or even a quality, but ultimately preference does not define the nature of music, it only defines our own taste and preferred system. Since I find this to be suspicious, I have an expanded definition of music to include all sounds regardless of the organized (or lack of organized) system or the human response.
Jumping into the exam, we discussed each term and composer to try to establish the time framework. We spent a little more time on the terms that reference earlier music such as tropes and sequences, conductus, and organum. It would be beneficial for the students to look up these terms and place them in the context of the Middle Ages and the Roman Catholic Mass.
We discussed Minimalism, 12-tone (panchromaticism), serialism, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Webern, and Berg. We spent a little time on Mahler and Dvorak and talked about the folk-song influence. It was all quite enlightening I'm sure and fun. We are looking forward to the next class period where we will finish the tests and do some listening.
We also pointed out the value of the website www.lcsproductions.net for an excellent overview of music including styles, composers, time periods, and terms. I would like you to review the middle ages essays and follow up on the links provided. You will need to go to the Music History portion on the website. I also encourage you to study the composers list.
Another system might be the study of root movement and harmonic development. Some may say that the Renaissance (1400-1600) emphasizes the perfect 5th, the Baroque (1600-1750) the perfect 4th, Classical (1750-1827) the major 3rd, Romantic (1827-1900) the minor 3rd, Impressionism the major 2nd, and the 20th century emphasizes the half-step. Yet, there are plenty of arguments against this kind of approach as well. Other approaches to a study of music history include a social kind of thought unique to each country. While this has weakness (very slippery to try to label all Germans a certain way), nationalism certainly must play a role in studying music history.
We spent a few minutes discussing the nature of music, the future of music (is it headed toward microtones?) and what music means. In this discussion we established that a tone poem tells a story or has an extra-musical meaning whereas absolute music does not. Yet, a listener may ascribe meaning to music based on the sound and the association of the sound. In fact, it is likely that listeners often associate sound with something non-musical such as a feeling or an object or an event or even a person. This then expands music's meaning to the level beyond simply sound.
On the other hand, perhaps it is true that all sound is music in that sound results from vibration. Regardless of the organization of the sounds or the human responses to the sound, it seems to me that music is simply sound. We may prefer a certain type of system or a texture or even a quality, but ultimately preference does not define the nature of music, it only defines our own taste and preferred system. Since I find this to be suspicious, I have an expanded definition of music to include all sounds regardless of the organized (or lack of organized) system or the human response.
Jumping into the exam, we discussed each term and composer to try to establish the time framework. We spent a little more time on the terms that reference earlier music such as tropes and sequences, conductus, and organum. It would be beneficial for the students to look up these terms and place them in the context of the Middle Ages and the Roman Catholic Mass.
We discussed Minimalism, 12-tone (panchromaticism), serialism, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Webern, and Berg. We spent a little time on Mahler and Dvorak and talked about the folk-song influence. It was all quite enlightening I'm sure and fun. We are looking forward to the next class period where we will finish the tests and do some listening.
We also pointed out the value of the website www.lcsproductions.net for an excellent overview of music including styles, composers, time periods, and terms. I would like you to review the middle ages essays and follow up on the links provided. You will need to go to the Music History portion on the website. I also encourage you to study the composers list.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Class One
We discussed the format of this course and reiterated the importance of attendance. Much of the class will be discussion and listening with information presented on this blog. In addition, the classes will be videoed and placed on this blog for perusal. We are working to develop a comprehensive understanding of the history of music including all styles of music and its theoretical components. Recognizing this is an ambitious project, we will capsulize much of the information with the hope that students will supplement through web resources available. Rather than approaching this course chronologically, we have decided to play ping-pong with music history by starting at the beginning then bouncing to the present. As we move forward and backward, the plan is to end with the Romantic period! Kind of different, but we established that most weakness seem to be in the areas of early music
We then took our first examination to determine our own weaknesses and begin the process of synthesizing and assimilating the vast quantities of musical information. We did not discuss a mental approach to the test, since doing so would might prejudice the overall thinking, but we did discuss the two ways (actually there are more) to approach the time periods of music history. In a discussion of Richard Strauss for example, it is difficult and almost anathema to pigeon-hole his music into Romantic or 20th Century. He was primarily a "Romantic" composer in style, operating mostly in the 20th Century.
We took a moment to play some trivia with regard to composers who wrote nine symphonies=Beethoven, Schubert, Dvorak, Bruckner, and Mahler. We also discussed how Palestrina wrote 104 Masses. Oddly Haydn wrote 104 Symphonies as well. A little more trivia: was Handel an English composer or German. We decided to consider him more English due to the success he experienced while in England.
So the hour concluded by grading our own tests which we will continue doing on Thursday. See you then.
We then took our first examination to determine our own weaknesses and begin the process of synthesizing and assimilating the vast quantities of musical information. We did not discuss a mental approach to the test, since doing so would might prejudice the overall thinking, but we did discuss the two ways (actually there are more) to approach the time periods of music history. In a discussion of Richard Strauss for example, it is difficult and almost anathema to pigeon-hole his music into Romantic or 20th Century. He was primarily a "Romantic" composer in style, operating mostly in the 20th Century.
We took a moment to play some trivia with regard to composers who wrote nine symphonies=Beethoven, Schubert, Dvorak, Bruckner, and Mahler. We also discussed how Palestrina wrote 104 Masses. Oddly Haydn wrote 104 Symphonies as well. A little more trivia: was Handel an English composer or German. We decided to consider him more English due to the success he experienced while in England.
So the hour concluded by grading our own tests which we will continue doing on Thursday. See you then.
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