Music Final

Impressionism

-France, 1860's -Denied realism, offer a suggestion, or impression -very subjective -capture a single moment -play on light, shadows, and reflection -subject is not clear -large orchestra, transparent -parallel movement -new scales and world music -non-goal oriented.

Spirituals

-Inspired by religion -Antebellum era spirituals relayed religious beliefs -Text: Biblical references; also encrypted messages Musical features: -A cappella, call and response, syncopation "Sheep, sheep, don't you know the road,"

Serialism: Twelve-tone method

-Use 12 pitches -manipulate -tone rows Method of composition in which various musical elements (pitch, rhythm, dynamics, timbre) may be ordered in a fixed series.

Modernism

-breaking away from the past -highly experimental -innovative forms and styles (new scales) more harmonic possibilities moving away from tonality.

Describe the roles that music plays in film. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of using music in films? Include examples from films you have seen.

-establishes mood -offers characters psychological insight -establish time and place -underscoring (jack I'm flying) music is for audiences benefit, characters cannot hear the music.

Expressionism

-extreme emotions, dark and disturbed -unsettling and distorted

Atonality

-music without a tonal center (home plate) -all pitches are equal -emancipation of dissonance -vocal works, successful -instrumental, less successful Total abandonment of tonality (which is centered in a key). Atonal music moves from one level of dissonance to another, without areas of relaxation.

Sprechstimme ("speech-song")

-pitches are implied -voice glides -x's on stem A vocal style in which the melody is spoken at approximate pitches rather than sung on exact pitches; developed by Arnold Schoenberg.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural movement in the 1920's and 30's that highlighted african american contributions to the countrys cultural heritiage.

Scat singing

A jazz style that sets syllables without meaning (vocables) to an improvised vocal line.

Blue note

A slight drop of pitch on the third, fifth, or seventh note of the scale, common in blues and jazz. Also bent pitch.

Blues

African American form of secular folk music, related to jazz, that is based on a simple, repetitive poetic-musical structure.

John Cage

Born in LA, he exhibited an interest in non-western scales. Cage invented what he called the "prepared piano," in which various foreign substances were inserted at crucial points in the strings of a grand piano. Cage maintained an intense interest in exploring the role of silence, which led to a composition entitled 4'33'',

Igor Stravinsky

Born in Russia, grew up in a musical environment. His music attracted the attention of impressario Serge Diaghilev, who commissioned him to write a series of ballets which made him famous. Stravinsky's musical style evolved throughout his career, from the post-Impressionism of The Firebird and the primitivism of The Rite of Spring to the controlled Classicism of his mature style (Symphony of Psalms), and finally to the twelve-tone method of his late works (Agon). In his ballets, which are strongly nationalistic

Arnold Schoenberg

Born in Vienna & took lessons in counterpoint. Schoenberg was a teacher and came closer to taking as bold a step as any composer ever has—the rejection of tonality. His "method of composing with twelve tones" firmly established him as a leader of contemporary musical thought. Early works - exemplify post-Wagnerian Romanticism. 2nd period- the atonal-Expressionist, he abolished the distinction between consonance and dissonance 3rd period- he exploited the 12 tone method

Edward Kennedy ("Duke") Ellington

Born in Washington D.C., studied piano @ age 7. played in NY jazz clubs w/ Washingtononians.

Bebop

Complex jazz style developed in the 1940s.

New Orleans-style Jazz

Early jazz style characterized by multiple improvisations in an ensemble of cornet (or trumpet), clarinet (or saxophone), trombone, piano, double bass (or tuba), banjo (or guitar), and drums; repertory included blues, ragtime, and popular songs.

Cage: Sonata V

Form: Binary Prepared Piano

Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring: part I, excerpts

GENRE: Ballet (often performed as a concert piece for orchestra)

Copland: Appalachian Spring, excerpts

Genre: Ballet Suite Medium: Symphonic orchestra Form: Theme and four variations, based on a traditional Shaker hymn Rhythm: Duple meter

Ives: Country Band March

Genre: March arranged for band Medium: Large wind ensemble with woodwinds, brass, and percussion Harmony: Harsh dissonance polytonal Texture: Polyphonic Rhythm: Mostly duple with syncopation and triplets

Adams: Dr. Atomic, excerpt

Genre: Opera Form: verse and refrain chorus and orchestra, disjunct melodies, syncopation

Higdon: blue cathedral, excerpt

Genre: Orchestral tone poem Medium: Large orchestra with many percussion instruments Form: Sectional, with a structure resembling a rondo Texture: Homophonic

Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag

Genre: Piano Rag Medium: Solo piano, played by Scott Joplin himself for a Steinway piano roll, 1910 Style: Ragtime Form: Sectional Dance

Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire, no. 18

Genre: Song cycle Medium: Solo female voice and five instrumentalists, some doubling on two instruments Form: Poetic form: Rondeau Texture: ContrapuntalStyle: "Light, ironical, satirical" (Schoenberg's words), expressionistic

William Grant Still

Grew up in little rock, Arkansas. He left college to work as a professional musician in Memphis and then New York. Still deliberately moved away from the avant-garde, however, to find his original voice in the music of his black cultural heritage. (afro-american)

Charles Ives

Ives was born in Danbury, Connecticut, the son of a U.S. Army bandleader in the Civil War. At thirteen he held a job as church organist, and at twenty he entered Yale. Ives entered buisness world b/c music would not pay enough. suffered a mental breakdown but was productive. piano sonata.

Swing/ big band

The mid-1930s to the mid-1940s, when swing was the most popular music in the United States. Important musicians of the era were Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Benny Goodman.

Emancipation of dissonance

Twentieth century composers emancipated dissonance by freeing it from the obligation to resolve to consonance.

Cool Jazz

a laid-back style characterized by dense harmonies, lowered levels of volume, moderate tempos, and a new lyricism.

Billie Holiday

a.k.a Lady day. born in philadelphia, grew up in baltimore. Moved to NY and worked as a prostitute . Sang at clubs and was discovered by a talent scout. She was one of the first black singers to break the color barrier and sing in public with a white orchestra. addict, etc. died.

Aaron Copland

born in Brooklyn, New York, and during his early twenties studied in Paris. After his return from paris, he wrote works in jazz and neoclassical styles , but realized a new public for contemporary music was being created by radio and film scores. delights international audiences. wrote . El Salón México (1936) is an orchestral piece based on Mexican melodies and rhythms.

Steve Reich

born in NYC

Primitivism

interest/influence of non-western culture artistic style of late 19th century tribal art influences harsh dissonances pounding rhythms ostinado patterns folk music quotations

prepared piano

prepared piano: Piano whose sound is altered by the insertion of various materials (metal, rubber, leather, and paper) between the strings; invented by John Cage.

Comment on the various jazz styles prominent in the US as discussed in class. Begin with the New Orleans tradition of the 1920s and briefly describe the styles that followed. Be sure to include important performers and their contributions.

swing music - duke ellington. bebop- Gillespie