Chapter 65. New Sound Palettes: Mid-Twentieth-Century American Experimentalists; Listening Guide 58: Cage: Sonata V, from Sonatas and Interludes; Listening Guide 59: Crumb: Caballito negro (Little Black Horse)
Which of the following describe George Crumb's Caballito negro? Which does not? *sung in Spanish *atonal harmony *regular duple meter *disjunct melody
*atonal harmony *disjunct melody *sung in Spanish
In what contexts is the Javanese Gamelan featured?
*shadow-puppet theater *court performers *ritual ceremonies
What piece by John Cage first performed by the pianist David Tudor in 1952 raised questions regarding definitions of music, noise, and silence?
4'33"
Which describes the form of Sonata V? 1:21
A-A-B-B
Which describes the form of Caballito negro (Little Black Horse)?
A-B-A'
Which of the following describe John Cage's Sonata V from Sonatas and Interludes and which do not? *piano produces percussive effects *irregular phrases *consistently conjunct melody *regular duple meter
Correct *piano produces percussive effects *irregular phrases Incorrect *consistently conjunct melody *regular duple meter
Which instruments accompany the voice in Crumb's Caballito negro and which do not? *violin *metallic percussion *piccolo *clarinet
Correct *piccolo *metallic percussion Incorrect *violin *clarinet
Match the musical descriptions to their correct musical works. *song scored for soprano with metallic percussion instruments and flute or piccolo and featuring extended techniques *prepared piano piece in binary form with irregular phrases and a minimal sense of harmony *Crumb, Caballito negro *Cage, Sonata V
Crumb, Caballito negro *song scored for soprano with metallic percussion instruments and flute or piccolo and featuring extended techniques Cage, Sonata V *prepared piano piece in binary form with irregular phrases and a minimal sense of harmony
True or false: The gamelan is a traditional orchestra from China.
False
Whose poetry did Crumb set in his second book of madrigals?
Federico Garcia Lorca
Which composer adapted instruments to be capable of microtonality? *Harry Partch *Henry Cowell
Harry Partch
Which statement describes the A section of Sonata V? Cage, Sonata V, section A0:20
It comprises 18 measures that are grouped into irregular phrases.
Which describes the music in this excerpt? 0:20
It is a repeat of the A section.
Which describes the music in this excerpt? 0:19
It is a repeat of the B section.
Which statements describe the A section of Sonata V? Which do not? 0:20
It is consists of a two-voice texture (one line in the right hand and one line in the left hand). It is rhythmically steady.
Which of the following statements does not describe the A section? 0:20
It is in a major key.
Which of the following statements correctly describes the A section of Sonata V from Sonatas and Interludes? 0:20
It is played by a prepared piano.
Which describes the music in this excerpt? 0:23
It is the B section.
The prepared piano required for Sonatas and Interludes approximates the sounds of a(n) -
Javanese gamelan
The prepared piano required for Sonatas and Interludes simulates a(n) _______.
Javanese gamelan
Who is the inventor of the "prepared piano"?
John Cage
Which describes the B section of Sonata V? 0:23
Rests break the music into several short passages.
Compared to the A section, the B section contains different lyrics and new music. (0:28)
T
In the A section, which line is the more rhythmically active one? Cage, Sonata V, section A 0:20
The lower sounds played by the left hand (the accompaniment).
True or false: Avant-garde musical styles called for a new arsenal of unusual performance techniques to cope with the composer's wishes.
True
True or false: Harry Partch was a serious proponent of microtonal music.
True
True or false: Henry Cowell is known for combining Asian instruments with traditional Western ensembles.
True
True or false: In Caballito negro, the singer is asked to whinny like a horse.
True
True or false: John Cage provided detailed instructions at the beginning of Sonatas and Interludes to indicate that forty-five of the piano's eighty-eight keys should be prepared by inserting nails, bolts, nuts, screws, rubber, and wood at carefully specified distances.
True
True or false: The gamelan ensemble is made up of metallic percussion instruments.
True
True or false: The works of both John Cage and George Crumb rely on the creativity of others for their works to be successful.
True
How would you describe the sound that the piccolo makes after the soprano sings the line "Caballito negro"?
a strange sound
Which statement is NOT true? a. George Crumb's compositions are only based on folk music. b. All statements are true. c. Many of George Crumb's works require vocal virtuosity. d. In composing, Crumb uses techniques and instruments from various world musics.
a. George Crumb's compositions are only based on folk music.
Which does NOT describe the prepared piano? a. microtonal tuning b. thumping, nonpitched sounds c. various objects inserted between the strings d. percussive effects
a. microtonal tuning
Which describes the harmony of Caballito negro?
atonal
Which composer adapted Indian and African instruments to fit a microtonal tuning system? a. George Crumb b. Harry Partch c. Henry Cowell d. John Cage
b. Harry Partch
In what way is John Cage's 4'33" unusual? a. It is written for toy piano. b. There is no musical content. c. It is meant to be performed on instruments designed by Partch. d. Vegetables are used as instruments.
b. There is no musical content.
George Crumb is considered to be a(n) ________ composer. a. traditionalist b. avant-garde c. symphonic d. nationalist
b. avant-garde
John Cage is considered to be a(n) ________ composer. a. traditionalist b. avant-garde c. symphonic d. nationalist
b. avant-garde
Composer Henry Cowell's innovations include a. adapting African instruments to fit a new tuning system. b. tone clusters and plucking of the piano strings. c. microtonal instruments. d. the creation of the prepared piano.
b. tone clusters and plucking of the piano strings.
The form of John Cage's Sonata V from Sonatas and Interludes is ______.
binary with each section repeated
John Cage's interests included a. the opposition between music and noise. b. non-Western scales. c. All possible answers. d. the role of silence in music.
c. All possible answers.
In the 1920s, which composer developed a scale of forty-three microtones to the octave? a. John Cage b. George Crumb c. Harry Partch d. Henry Cowell
c. Harry Partch
Who is most associated with chance music? a. Silvestre Revueltas b. George Crumb c. John Cage d. Aaron Copland
c. John Cage
John Cage experimented with chance, or _______, music. a. clustered b. microtonal c. aleatoric d. unprepared
c. aleatoric
The prevalent rhythm in Crumb's Caballito negro is meant to a. replicate the dance rhythm of the son. b. sound like rain. c. emulate the sound of a galloping horse. d. reflect the dawning sun.
c. emulate the sound of a galloping horse.
In his madrigals, George Crumb explores which of the following? a. Sprechstimme b. "white" tone c. quarter tones d. All possible answers.
d. All possible answers.
Which two composers influenced John Cage? a. Duke Ellington and Igor Stravinsky b. Aaron Copland and George Gershwin c. William Grant Still and Aaron Copland d. Henry Cowell and Harry Partch
d. Henry Cowell and Harry Partch
How does Crumb depict the images of death in Caballito negro? a. uncharacteristic consonance in otherwise dissonant sections b. sudden fortissimo chords c. ritardandos at the end of phrases d. phrases end in a downward melodic line
d. phrases end in a downward melodic line
What did George Crumb win in 1968? a. a Grammy b. the Prix de Rome c. an Academy Award d. the Pulitzer Prize
d. the Pulitzer Prize
The melody sung at the opening of Caballito negro (Little Black Horse) has a - shape and is -.
disjunct accompanied by piccolo and percussion
Caballito negro (Little Black Horse) has highly - melodies, - harmony, and regular beats but no firm sense of meter. The song is in - form (A-B-A').
disjunct atonal three-part
Listen to the following music excerpts and drag them to the correct location on the music chart.
flutter tonguing quiet neighing
In Crumb's Caballito negro, the piccolo player uses a technique similar to "rolling an R," called ______.
flutter-tonguing
Match the characteristics of John Cage's Sonata V from Sonatas and Interludes to their correct musical elements. *strong sense of tonality *A-A-B-B *regular phrasing *chromatic line *blinary *form *melody
form: A-A-B-B; binary melody: chromatic line
Match the characteristics of George Crumb's Caballito negro (Little Back Horse) to their correct musical elements. *conjunct *disjunct *A-B-A' *atonal *no strong sense of meter *duple meter *form *melody *rhythm *harmony
form: A-B-A' melody: disjunct rhythm: no strong sense of meter harmony: atonal
George Crumb composed _____ books of madrigals.
four
Which statements below describe the untraditional ways in which the soprano performs the end of the song (the A' section)?
imitating the neighing of a horse whispering the words
Which statements describe the untraditional ways in which the soprano performs the end of the song (the A' section)? Which do not? Crumb, Caballito negro A' section 0:37
imitating the neighing of a horse whispering the words
Which describes the A' section of Caballito negro (Little Black Horse)?
it begins with the soprano imitating the neighing of a horse
Which of the following statements describe the B section of Caballito negro (Little Black Horse)?
it is atonal the soprano slides between a very high and a very low pitch
Which of the following does not describe the vocal part in Caballito negro (Little Black Horse)?
it is in a regular meter
Which of the following statements describe the A section of Caballito negro (Little Black Horse)? Which do not?
it is performed by soprano voice, piccolo, and percussion it begins loudly and is performed aggressively
Which of the following statements does not describe the final passage (the A' section) from Caballito negro (Little Black Horse)?
it is performed loudly
Which describes the A' section of Caballito negro (Little Black Horse)? (0:37)
it is performed quietly
The A section of Caballito negro features flutter-tonguing in the - and a - vocal line.
piccolo disjunct
Which instrument is playing this work 0:20
prepared piano
Which instrument is playing this work? Cage, Sonata V0:20
prepared piano
Which instrument is playing this work? 0:20
prepared piano
Sonata V from Sonatas and Interludes is played on -has a melody with a -range, changing rhythmic motion, and is in -and form
prepared piano small binary
The overall structure of Cage's Sonatas and Interludes comprises ______ sonatas in groups of ______, with each group separated by a(n) ______.
sixteen; four; interlude
What are the performing forces of Caballito negro?
soprano voice, piccolo, and percussion
Which describes the meter of Caballito negro (Little Black Horse)?
strong pulses, but no firm sense of meter
The form of George Crumb's Caballito negro is ______.
ternary (three-part)
Which of the following statements describe the A section of Caballito negro (Little Black Horse)?
there are strong pulses, but no firm sense of meter the melodic contour is disjunct
Which describes the soprano melody at the very beginning of the B section?
there is sliding between a very high and a very low pitch (glissando)
Which term below does not describe the extended techniques used by the singer and the piccolo player in Caballito negro (Little Black Horse)?
violin col legno percussionist barking like a dog
In Caballito negro, Crumb instructs the soprano to sing without vibrato, with a _______ tone.
white
