Transcript M100: Music Appreciation Discussion Group Tuesday January 29

M100: Music Appreciation
Discussion Group
Ben Tibbetts, T.A.
[email protected]
Thursday February 21, 2013
Welcome! Please sign the attendance at the front of the room.
Welcome Kristen’s students!
Upcoming Events
• Baroque Test next class (Tues. Feb. 26)
will cover everything pp. 85-104 and 118-165
• Thurs. Feb. 28 will be Classical Lecture
• Concert on March 2nd at 4pm
The UMass Wind Ensemble
Tuesday’s Test
Will include
• Listening / Identifying*
• Short Answer
• Essay
*anything in Listening Logs is fair game
Slides are uploaded to
http://bentibbetts.net/M100/spring2013
Today’s Agenda
• Baroque Take-Home Assignments
• Pages 146-165
• Tangent: Orchestral Instruments
Baroque Take-Home Assignments
The Baroque Era (1600-1750): Take-Home Assignment
Part #1
Some characteristics of Baroque music:
• Coexistence of polyphony and homophony
• Sophisticated, carefully designed counterpoint
(interaction between two or more independent melodies)
• Virtuosity and complexity
• Rhythmic extremes
~pp. 164-165
The Baroque Era (1600-1750): Take-Home Assignment
Part #1
Some general characteristics of the arts during this time:
• Energy and motion
• Ornamentation and extreme contrasts
• Expressing only a single emotion, or affect, within a work—
and staying consistent.
~pp. 85-91
The Baroque Era (1600-1750): Take-Home Assignment
Part #2
How rulers (i.e. King George I and Louis XIV) used music:
• Advertise wealth and dominion
• Personal entertainment
How the church (Christian Catholic) used music:
• Convey teachings
• Supplement services
• Arouse religious fervor
~pp. 85-91
The Baroque Era (1600-1750): Take-Home Assignment
Part #3
How did homophony make operas and concertos possible?
• Homophony causes a single “voice” or melody to be
emphasized and contrasted with accompanying
instruments
• In operas, homophony enabled singers to embody
individual characters.
• In concertos, homophony enabled instrumental soloists to
draw attention to themselves and showcase
technical/expressive skills.
~pp. 85-91
The Baroque Era (1600-1750): Take-Home Assignment
Part #4
The Ritornello principle:
• “The formal design of alternating Ritornello and solo
sections.”
~p. 518
Genres:
• *Concertos*
• Operatic arias
• Cantatas
• Oratorios (?)
~p. 127
(end review)
Johann Sebastian Bach (again)
1685-1750
German composer/organist
Cantatas
• Cantata – “a type of vocal genre typically sung
during a service of worship. In Italian: ‘that which
is sung,’ as opposed to sonata, ‘that which is
played.’” ~p. 515
• Bach wrote more than 200 cantatas in his lifetime.
• Today hearing selections from
Cantata 140: Awake, a Voice Calls to Us
and doing some basic music analysis
This cantata derives some text/music from an
old hymn tune.
In the last movement, Bach presents this
hymn directly
Bach’s Cantata 140: Awake, a Voice Calls to Us,
movement 7 (Chorale)
Bar Form
• This chorale exhibits bar form (or song
form) – “a melodic form in which the
opening phrase is sung twice and a
contrasting phrase follows (AAB).” –p. 515
• Name is deceptive
• Notice it’s a melodic form – referring to
structure within a melody
This is an example of homophony
• The melody is in the uppermost voice
• All the other parts provide harmonic
support
Listen Again
Bach’s Cantata 140: Awake, a Voice Calls to Us,
movement 7 (Chorale)
• In the first movement this melody is subtly woven into the
fabric of the music.
• This time, it is slower
• There are substantial pauses after each line
• And even longer pauses
between the melodic sections A | A | B
• Provides “commentary” ~p. 150
Ritornello
Here, again, we can hear the ritornello
principle at work.
The orchestra and the chorus are alternating
top priority.
Bach’s Cantata 140: Awake, a Voice
Calls to Us, movement 1 (Chorus)
George Frederic Handel (again)
1685-1759
German/British composer
Opera vs. Oratorio
Review some terms:
Opera – “a drama sung from beginning to end.” –p. 517
Recitative – “A style of singing that lies somewhere between
lyrical song and speech;” –p. 518
Aria – “Italian for ‘air’ or ‘melody’; any lyrical movement or
piece for solo voice, usually with some kind of instrumental
accompaniment.” –p. 515
Chorus – “An ensemble with multiple singers to a part;
‘chorus’ is also the name for the musical number or
movement sung by this ensemble.” –p. 515
Opera vs. Oratorio
Oratorio – “a work musically similar to an
opera but not staged, and usually on a
sacred topic.” –p. 517
Musically identical to an opera
But not staged (no costumes, actors, etc.)
Excerpts from Handel’s oratorio Messiah
He that dwelleth in heaven (recitative)
And Thou shalt break them (aria)
~From Handel’s Messiah~
TEXT:
Recitative: He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord
shall have them in derision.
Aria: Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in
pieces like a potter’s vessel.
“Those being ‘broken’ and ‘dashed’ in the text
are the heathen, the unbelievers who scorn
God.” –p. 155
How does the music capture this violent
imagery?
He that dwelleth in heaven (recitative)
And Thou shalt break them (aria)
~From Handel’s Messiah~
TEXT:
Recitative: He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord
shall have them in derision.
Aria: Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in
pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Another excerpt from Messiah:
the Hallelujah chorus
TEXT:
Hallelujah!
for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
the Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our
Lord, and of His Christ;
and He shall reign for ever and ever,
King of Kings, Lord of Lords.
Tangent:
Orchestral Instruments
Strings (group)
Excerpt from Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber
Strings: The Violin
Excerpt from Paganini’s Caprice No. 24
Strings: The Viola
Excerpt from Bach’s Partita No. 2, Giga (performed on viola)
Strings: The Cello
Excerpt from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 2, Prelude
Strings: The Bass
Excerpt from Johnterryl Plumeri’s The Cave of
Peacock Springs
Woodwinds (group)
Excerpt from Haydn’s Divertimento No. 1 in Bb Major
Woodwinds: The Flute
Excerpt from Edgar Varese’s Density 21.5
Woodwinds: The Oboe
Excerpt from C.P.E. Bach’s Sonata for solo oboe
wq. 132
Woodwinds: The Clarinet
Excerpt from Marco Oppedisano’s Glimpses
Woodwinds: The Bassoon
Excerpt from Malcolm Arnold’s Fantasy for
Solo Bassoon
Brass (group)
Excerpt from Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra
movement 2
Brass: The Horn
Excerpt from Vincent Persichetti’s Parable VIII
for solo horn
Brass: The Trumpet
Excerpt from The Carnival of Venice (folk tune)
performed by Allen Vizzutti
Brass: The Trombone
Excerpt from an improvisation by Michael
Dease
Brass: The Tuba
Excerpt from Penderecki’s Capriccio for tuba solo
Percussion: The Cymbals
Excerpt from a Vic-Firth Percussion 101 video
Percussion: The Snare Drum
Excerpt from a marching snare drum solo by
Isiah Rowser
Percussion: The Bass Drum
Excerpt provided by “Clngre” (YouTube username)
Percussion: The Timpani
Excerpt from Molto Perpetuo by Elliott Carter
Again, these slides (and those recordings of
orchestral instruments) are uploaded to
http://bentibbetts.net/M100/spring2013
Final Reminders / Homework
• Study pp. 85-104 and 118-165 for the test next
Tuesday
• Questions? Email: [email protected]