PART 1: Music Class Discussion Board ( Use at least 75 words for this Part) 4’33” John Cage’s composition, 4’33”, is infamous in the study of classical music. All three movements are entirely comprised of blank measures. The performer sits at the piano, and observes the measures in silence. The composer, however, never saw the composition as silent. Writing in 1954, Cage stated, “The piece is not actually silent (there will never be silence until death comes which never comes); it is full of sound, but sounds which I did not think of beforehand, which I hear for the first time the same time others hear.” Video Link: ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTEFKFiXSx4 ) We use this piece to come back to a question I asked in the beginning of the semester. What is music? What is the role of the performer in the music making process? Does the audience have a role in a musical statement? Does this piece and/or the philosophy of John Cage change your answers to these questions? ***This was my opinion about music at the beginning of the semester: Music to me is a way to express to others, a mix of melodies and harmonies that helps soothes me ***** PART 2: Music Class: Listening Assignment #6 ( Use at least 200 words for this part) Preparing for Listening Assignment #5 Read through the description and instructions for the assignment below. Purpose The purpose of Listening Journal assignments is twofold: first, to develop your critical and analytical listening skills, and second, to develop your ability to express your musical critiques and analyses in writing. This assignment will help you develop the following skills: – Aurally identifying instruments, instrument families, and various performance ensembles. – Aurally identifying formal designs in music. – Correctly employing musical terminology in writing. This assignment will help you develop the following knowledge: – Familiarity with musical compositions by style period, composer, and title. – Understanding the various performance and stylistic features of the music of this era. – Understanding the differences and similarities among individual characteristics of the representative composers of this era. Task In this module, we are listening to and discussing a number of musical works. This assignment narrows that list down and asks you to listen deeper to six selections (listed below), each highlighting key aspects of music in the Baroque era. All selections below are listed by their number on the Course Playlist. 1. Listen closely to the track at least twice. (3-5 times would be better!) Make notes of anything that stands out or is of interest to you while you listen. Remember that the text includes a Listening Outline for each track. These are available for your reference! 2. After listening, create a Word document (.doc or .docx). In a few sentences (no longer than one paragraph each), answer the questions/prompts provided for each. 3. Include your own observations. Use terminology and concepts learned in class. Selections: #31 – Ravel, Daphnis and Chloe, Suite No. 2 – Lever du jour ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcJwaPGm-YI ) – How is the imagery of pastel colors and daybreak created in this music? Consider Ravel’s use of orchestration and key centers. #32 – Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring – “Sacrificial Dance” ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6d8wacBjPQ ) – Describe the aspects of this music that can be considered “primitivism.” What are your thoughts on this? #33 – Reich, Music for 18 Musicians ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFVDqEWFTXg ) – Describe the opening motif and how it is used throughout this composition. In my experience teaching this material, I find that most people either love or hate minimalist works; there seems to be very little middle ground. Which side (if any) do you consider yourself based on this work? #34 – Williams, Star Wars (main title) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNMSAIG0dfQ ) – How is this composition similar to an overture? Does it fit the same purpose? – How is this composition similar to the works of Wagner? Give examples. #35 – Kondo, Legend of Zelda (Overworld theme) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrpWBgB6oz8 ) – Video game music is one of the fastest growing segments of new media, and it is increasingly performed by traditionally classical ensembles. Do you think, based on this recording, that video games music is a valid classical genre? Why or why not? #36 – Ellington, It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94UPeRIG2bk ) – Describe the structure of this piece. – How is swing rhythm different than classical rhythm? #37 – Bernstein, America from West Side Story ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhSKk-cvblc ) – Play close attention to the video of this piece in the playlist. How does the music support what you’re seeing? How does what you’re seeing support the music? Example Note that in the example given below, the answers are given in complete sentences and in paragraph form. Questions/prompts from the assignment are not restated. The paragraph includes musical terminology, correctly employed. Wagner, Die Walkure, Act 1 – Love Scene Die Walkure, or “The Valkyrie,” is the second and most-frequently performed opera from Wagner’s four-opera cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen. The first act of this opera ends with a dramatic love scene between Siegmund and Sieglinde. In the beginning of the scene, they are unaware that they are siblings as they have never met, but throughout the scene they gradually realize that they are related. In this scene, Siegmund extracts a sword from a tree that had previously been placed there by the god Wotan, and it is here that we hear Wagner’s sword motif. This leitmotif is heard throughout the rest of the Ring cycle.
