Essay Instructions: This esay is for a class called Ejoyment of Music.
I have pasted the class weekly lectures below. These can be used to see what we have learned so far, which is the topic of question 1.
Please feel free to use you opinions for the questions regarding favorite composers, etc. We have covered several of the composers listed in the lectures. You may want to use one of them.
Midterm Instructions:
1. Essay form. See below for writing guidelines.
2. Correct spelling of names and places.
3. Answer each question worth at least 250 words (use word count under Tools)
Q U E S T I O N S:
1. What have you learned so far? Elaborate every point specifically. Use narrative form, not a mere factual recitation.
2. Who is your favorite composer from class and why? Give biographical narration and a description of a work of the composer. Stay with one composer only.
3. What does the statement: ”Music is not only for entertainment“ mean to you?
Writing guidelines:
Format: Double-spaced, use 12 point font.
One space after a comma, two after a period.
Style: A sentence has one single thought only.
A paragraph contains one single idea, developed within 3 to 6 sentences.
Referencing: Use separate page for references. Provide quotation, author and year of publication.
Spelling: Use spell check, but proofread as well.
Word usage: No contractions, no abbreviations, no slang or profanity.
Note: Your work is being evaluated for clarity, consistency, insight, organization, development,
Language use and vocabulary.
Lectures:
Week One
Music is way beyond pure entertainment, although it is, it has the unique capability to express emotions, has healing power, soothes and calms our restless soul and body.
We know through eyewitness accounts that the Greek plays were sung, although we have no idea how it was done. Nevertheless it became as a model for the opera as of 1600 A.D.
Customarily we categorize all the arts, not music only, into several historical periods . Since music for the most part is basically not readable until the year 1000, we do not start until that time.
Medieval period (450 to 1450)
Renaissance period (1450 to 1600)
Baroque period ( 1600 to 1750)
Classical period (1750 to 1830)
Romantic period (1830 to 1910) with the Impressionists along side especially in France.
20Th century ( 1910 to 1960)
Although music pieces have been found from the Ancient times ( undecipherable!) we have recovered several instruments form several diverse places ??" from the Sumerians (Iraq) Ukraine, Egyptians, Romans.
The Greek civilization had great esteem for music and placed it along side arithmetic, astronomy, geometry and philosophy especially during the time of Plato and Aristotle. The Romans imported Greek musicians and adopted their scales and music writing technique. Most of their instruments were adopted from the Etruscans especially the brass instruments. During performances of the gladiators at the Colosseum a hydraulic organ made “a delectable sound” according to Cicero. Unfortunately neither music nor instruments survived.
As of about the year 1000 a crude polyphony was practiced. It consisted of a parallel second part added to the existing Gregorian chant. Eastern music never attempted a similar practice. Since music writing was at best very rudimentary it has been frustrating to reconstruct these attempts.
Elements of music:
There are basically only four elements of music., melody, harmony, rhythm, and form.
MELODY can be easy, for example Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. Or can be very difficult as how many people fail to sing the National Anthem properly.
HARMONY can be sounding integrated (consonant) or it can be very strident and grating (dissonant)
RHYTHM can be even and repetitive as in marches, or dances, or can be erratic as in many East European dances.
A B A form.
Most music compositions are based on the ternary form known as ABA. Customarily it consists of two outer panels divided by a contrasting middle section, similar to our face two eyes separated by the nose. Especially during the Baroque period many dances came in three sections, Minuet, Trio and repeating Minuet. This so-called song-form emancipated into larger independent compositions in later years.
Listen to:
Maurice Ravel: several dances from Tombeau de Couperin
Peter Tchaikovsky: dances for his Nutcracker Ballet
Peter Tchaikovsky: Symphony #4 third movement Scherzo
Johannes Brahms: Symphony #2 third movement
Franz Joseph Haydn: "Suprise Symphony" third movement
Mozart: "Symphony #36" third movement
Note: (These selections can be found on YouTube or through other locations on the internet)
Week 2
This week we explore the RONDO form. It is based on a constant return of the initial few measures, the initial theme. The form originates from poetry which often repeats a line or a thought. This form is frequently used in in contemporary ballads ( ex. You light up my life).
Listen to:
Antonio Vivaldi: “ La prima vera” Spring from The Four seasons.
Louis Daquin: “Noels” for organ.
Franz Joseph Haydn: Trumpet concerto in E flat, third movement.
Ludwig Van Beethoven : “For Elise” piano.
Felix Mendelssohn: Wedding march.
George Gershwin: It’s wonderful and many other of his songs.
THEME and VARIATIONS
There are two types of Theme and Variations, sectional and continuous.
For the sectional variations a well known tune is used. The melody itself can be varied, the harmony can be altered, the rhythm can be substantially changed. Also the tempo can be modified and lastly the mood of the piece can be varied by switching for a major tonality or vice versa.
Listen to:
Beethoven: Variations on “God save the King”
Charles Ives: Variations on “America”
George Gershwin: Variation on” I got rhythm”
Mozart: Variation on “Ah! vous direz-je , maman” (twinkle, twinkle little star)
Continuous Variation is based on a continuously repeating bass line, while the upper voices make varying embellishments overhead.
Listen to:
Johann Pachelbel : Canon in d
Another aspect of continuous variation is the Basso Ostinato (i.e. three or four notes, usually in the bass, repeating incessantly). Some compositions repeat this as much as nearly a hundred times as does Bizet.
Listen to:
George Bizet:n Carillon from L’Arlesienne.
Alex Borodin: Polovtsian Dances for Prince Igor.
Igor Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms, Third movement.
SONATA ALLEGRO form.
This form waqs developed during the Classical period. It became the most used form especially for first movements of piano sonatas, quartets, symphony and even sometimes for overtures to the opera.
It consists of a large A B A form, the first section called EXPOSITION, the middle section the DEVELOPMENT, and the repeating last section the RE-EXPOSITION, usually completed by a lengthy CODA, or end tail. The expositions always have two contrasting themes. The first theme is customarily strong, assertive and very rhythmic. The contrasting second theme is usually softer, more melodious and less aggressive. The development will usually exploit their contrasting characteristics. The re-exposition restores the themes to their original intent.
Listen to
W.A. Mozart: Overture to “the Marriage of Figaro”, (here the development is omitted).
Beethoven: Symphony #5. The coda is exceptionally long!
Note: (These selections can be found on YouTube or through other locations on the internet)
Week 3
FREE FORMS
FUGUE
The fugue has no prescribed form, it is simply a procedure which reached its peak during the Baroque period, especially by Bach and his contemporaries.
The theme commonly starts by itself, soon imitated by a second voice: then, after a short link a third and sometimes a fourth voice will in turn imitate the initial theme. Then usually there is a free- wheeling section without the theme only to resume the imitation of the initial theme. This goes on indefinitely until it reaches a climax. Although it was very cerebral it became very popular and never really disappeared as later on Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Stravinsly , Britten and Hindemith all used fugal writing with great effect.
Listen to :
J.S. Bach : Toccata and fugue in d minor.
G.F.Handel: From the Messiah : For us to us a child is born.
Halleluia chorus: notice the passage on “and He …)
SACRED MUSIC
The Roman Catholic Church masses are based on five traditional sections; Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei.
Listen to:
Mozart, Beethoven (Missa Solemnis) Schubert, Vaugh Williams etc.
A special mass for the dead is called a Requiem. Especially gripping are the Dies Irae sections .
Listen to :
The dies irae from the Requiem by Berlioz and Verdi.
Some free forms are often based on a story line acting as an envelope to keep the piece coherent.
Listen to:
Smetana: The Moldau
Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique : Fourth and Fifth movements
Note: (These selections can be found on YouTube or through other locations on the internet)
