M100: Music Appreciation Lecture on the 20 th Century Ben Tibbetts, T.A. Welcome! Please sign the...

M100: Music Appreciation Lecture on the 20th Century

Ben Tibbetts, T.A.

Welcome! Please sign the attendance at the back of the room.

Thursday April 18, 2013

Welcome! Please sign the attendance at the back of the room.

Make sure to sign for your section.

A Friendly Reminder About

CLASS ETIQUETTEClass ends @ 2:15pm or until dismissed



~ and ~



~ and ~

Cell phones should be silenced and put away

TODAY’S AGENDA

• Introduction to music in the 20th century (p. 335-359)

TODAY’S AGENDA


• Claude Debussy

TODAY’S AGENDA


• Claude Debussy• Listening Log: Voiles

TODAY’S AGENDA


• Claude Debussy• Listening Log: Voiles• Additional supplemental listening, videos

and material

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Perhaps the single most remarkable aspect of music in the 20th century is…

INTRODUCTION

Perhaps the single most remarkable aspect of music in the 20th century is…

…for the first time, listeners could hear music whenever and wherever they wanted to, without going to concerts.

INTRODUCTION

• Thomas Edison invented the cylinder disk in 1877. The recording quality was very poor.

INTRODUCTION


• In 1897, the 78 rpm disks were introduced.

INTRODUCTION


• In 1897, the 78 rpm disks were introduced.• Radio stations appeared in the early 1920's.

INTRODUCTION


• In 1897, the 78 rpm disks were introduced.• Radio stations appeared in the early 1920's.• Tape cassettes, CD’s, etc. all eventually appear in

the 20th century.

INTRODUCTION

Today, we take this ability for granted. In the course of human history, sound recording is recent.

INTRODUCTION


Earliest complete musical composition from the ancient world: “The Song of Seikilos” carved on a grave pillar between 200 BC and AD 100

INTRODUCTION


Earliest complete musical composition from the ancient world: “The Song of Seikilos” carved on a grave pillar between 200 BC and AD 100

Around 2000 years of recorded music history, recorded sound only been in existence for 100 years

INTRODUCTION

• Pace of musical change, like pace of life itself, increased dramatically

INTRODUCTION


• People had more access to more music and greater musical diversity

INTRODUCTION


• People had more access to more music and greater musical diversity

• More composers began composing in more diverse styles.

SOME COMPOSERS…

SOME COMPOSERS…

• ...wrote for an increasing mass-market audience

SOME COMPOSERS…

• ...wrote for an increasing mass-market audience• ...created novel approaches to music by writing

works without a tonal center and without a clear sense of meter or regular rhythm

SOME COMPOSERS…



• ...incorporated sounds from music of non-Western cultures

SOME COMPOSERS…




• ...wrote works that called into question the nature of music itself

SOME COMPOSERS…





• ...opened up the realm of timbre by using electronically generated sounds

SOME COMPOSERS…

• ...wrote for an increasing mass-market audience• ...created novel approaches to music by writing works

without a tonal center and without a clear sense of meter or regular rhythm



• ...opened up the realm of timbre by using electronically generated sounds

• ...did something else

MODERNISM

Modernism - A spirit that took hold in all the arts in the early 20th century, representing…

MODERNISM


• …a quest for novelty that far exceeded any such drive in the past

MODERNISM


• …a quest for novelty that far exceeded any such drive in the past

• …a disregard for tradition

MODERNISM

Pablo Picasso's "Violin and Grapes" (1912)

MODERNISM

Pablo Picasso's "Violin and Grapes" (1912)• Retains elements of representation--one can

recognize certain aspects of both a violin and some grapes

MODERNISM



• But the sense of perspective is heavily distorted: we see the violin from several different angles all at once.

MODERNISM



• But the sense of perspective is heavily distorted: we see the violin from several different angles all at once.

• This style of painting is known as “cubism”.Painting next slide

SOME 20TH-CENTURY COMPOSERSWE WILL PROBABLY COVER / MENTION


• Claude Debussy (1862-1918)


• Claude Debussy (1862-1918)• Charles Ives (1874-1954)


• Claude Debussy (1862-1918)• Charles Ives (1874-1954)• Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)


• Claude Debussy (1862-1918)• Charles Ives (1874-1954)• Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)• Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)


• Claude Debussy (1862-1918)• Charles Ives (1874-1954)• Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)• Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)• John Cage (1912-1992)


• Claude Debussy (1862-1918)• Charles Ives (1874-1954)• Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)• Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)• John Cage (1912-1992)• Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)


• Claude Debussy (1862-1918)• Charles Ives (1874-1954)• Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)• Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)• John Cage (1912-1992)• Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)• Philip Glass (1937-present)

SOME 20TH-CENTURY COMPOSERSWE PROBABLY WON'T COVER


• Bela Bartok (1881-1945)


• Bela Bartok (1881-1945)• Germaine Tailleferre (1892-1982)


• Bela Bartok (1881-1945)• Germaine Tailleferre (1892-1982)• William Grant Still (1895-1978)


• Bela Bartok (1881-1945)• Germaine Tailleferre (1892-1982)• William Grant Still (1895-1978)• Aaron Copland (1900-1990)


• Bela Bartok (1881-1945)• Germaine Tailleferre (1892-1982)• William Grant Still (1895-1978)• Aaron Copland (1900-1990)• Ruth Crawford (1901-1953)


• Bela Bartok (1881-1945)• Germaine Tailleferre (1892-1982)• William Grant Still (1895-1978)• Aaron Copland (1900-1990)• Ruth Crawford (1901-1953)• Tania Leon (1943-present)


• Bela Bartok (1881-1945)• Germaine Tailleferre (1892-1982)• William Grant Still (1895-1978)• Aaron Copland (1900-1990)• Ruth Crawford (1901-1953)• Tania Leon (1943-present)• Tan Dun (1957-present)


• Bela Bartok (1881-1945)• Germaine Tailleferre (1892-1982)• William Grant Still (1895-1978)• Aaron Copland (1900-1990)• Ruth Crawford (1901-1953)• Tania Leon (1943-present)• Tan Dun (1957-present)• And hundreds more… (these are just some of the

names listed in the book)

THE TONIC & TONALITY


Tonic - a single note


Tonic - a single note• The note around which a key or scale is

centered.



centered.• When played in context, it sounds like "home

base".



centered.• When played in context, it sounds like "home

base".

Example: the tonic of a piece in Ab major would be Ab.

Tonal (adjective) or tonality (noun) – generally, a style of musical writing that


• establishes a tonic as a harmonic and melodic center of gravity


• establishes a tonic as a harmonic and melodic center of gravity

• thus creating potential for a strong sense of resolution and closure

VIDEO:HEARING THE TONIC / BOBBY MCFERRIN

(Bobby McFerrin known for "Don't Worry, Be Happy".)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gjreHt0tRI




ATONALITY

ATONALITY

Atonal (adjective) or atonality (noun) - A style of writing

ATONALITY


• establishes no harmonic or melodic center of gravity

ATONALITY



• in which all notes are of equal weight and significance.

ATONALITY



• in which all notes are of equal weight and significance.

In atonal [or non-tonal] music, there is no clear tonic.

VIDEO: THE RITE OF SPRING (STRAVINSKY) - FANTASIA

Stravinsky's well-known ballet, "The Rite of Spring", is largely atonal because the music does not establish a clear tonic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3VqcTDf6l4




MODERNISM

Like Wagner’s music, Stravinsky’s early music was controversial for its use of dissonance.

MODERNISM

Like Wagner’s music, Stravinsky’s early music was controversial for its use of dissonance.

In Paris, May 1913, some of the novel harmonies and sounds in Igor Stravinsky's ballet "The Rite of Spring" were so shocking, they caused a riot in the concert auditorium.

CLAUDE DEBUSSY

(1862-1918)French composer

CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862-1918)

Along with Maurice Ravel (1875–1937, seen right), was one of the most important figures associated with “impressionist” music

CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862-1918)

Along with Maurice Ravel (1875–1937, seen right), was one of the most important figures associated with “impressionist” music

You may have heard his famous solo piano piece Clair de Lune

"VOILES"

Listening Log: Debussy’s Voiles (1909) for solo piano, from a set of twelve preludes.

(pronounced “vall”; translates to “sail” or “veil”)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrVyQhUM5C4

Performance by Arturo MichelangeliItalian pianist

We will listen to this pieceagain later on today.



IMPRESSIONISM"Voiles" is a good example of impressionist music.


Impressionism (noun) or impressionist (adjective) - An artistic movement

focused on sensations, perceptions, and light



focused on sensations, perceptions, and light less focus on the direct representation of objects.



focused on sensations, perceptions, and light less focus on the direct representation of objects. In music, term was used by critics to describe

harmonies, melodies, and forms they considered indistinct.



focused on sensations, perceptions, and light less focus on the direct representation of objects. In music, term was used by critics to describe

harmonies, melodies, and forms they considered indistinct.

characterized by a blurring of elementsblurring of elements.

IMPRESSIONISM

In Claude Monet's painting "Impression: Sunrise" (1872), a few objects are recognizable—two boats and the sun, for instance—but Monet's emphasis is on capturing the mood of early morning on the water.

Painting next slide

IMPRESSIONISM

Impressionist music tends to avoid clear cadences and rhythmic patterns, and the music often seems to ebb and flow with a fluid sense of motion.

IMPRESSIONISM

Impressionist music tends to avoid clear cadences and rhythmic patterns, and the music often seems to ebb and flow with a fluid sense of motion.

Emphasis on timbre as a compositional tool.

Looking more closely at Voiles.

But first, a quick review…

HALF STEPS AND WHOLE STEPS


• Half step - The smallest distance between two adjacent notes on a piano (white or black), such as C to C#.



• Whole step - Two half steps. On the piano, a whole step skips exactly one key, white or black.



• Whole step - Two half steps. On the piano, a whole step skips exactly one key, white or black.

• Diatonic scale - A scale consisting of seven notes: five whole steps (W) and two half steps (H). The diatonic scale is arranged in this pattern:

W-W-H-W-W-W-H.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Diatonic_scale_on_C.mid



HARMONY IN "VOILES"

When listening to "Voiles", most people don't feel a sense of any harmonic center. One of the reasons for this is Debussy's use of the whole tone scale in this piece.

HARMONY IN "VOILES"


Whole tone scale - A scale with only whole steps, no half steps

HARMONY IN "VOILES"



• eliminates any sense of a tonal center.

HARMONY IN "VOILES"



• eliminates any sense of a tonal center.• Arranged like: W-W-W-W-W-W

HARMONY IN "VOILES"



• eliminates any sense of a tonal center.• Arranged like: W-W-W-W-W-W

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Whole_tone_scale_on_C.ogg




MELODY IN “VOILES”MELODY: Instead of clear themes, Debussy presents

what sound more like fragments of themes than actual self-sufficient melodies.

MELODY IN “VOILES”MELODY: Instead of clear themes, Debussy presents

what sound more like fragments of themes than actual self-sufficient melodies.

Here is the notation of the opening to "Voiles". Notice how short this "melody" is. It is comprised of a downward contour, ending with a leap upward.

MELODY IN “VOILES”None of the themes presented in this piece have particularly

sharp profiles: each is as fluid as a sail or veil, altered slightly every time it returns. Instead of a kind of musical narrative, Debussy is presenting something more like a succession of slowly changing images.

DYNAMICS IN "VOILES"DYNAMICS: Except for one

brief passage in the middle, the entire work is written at the level of piano (soft) or pianissimo (very soft).

DYNAMICS IN "VOILES"DYNAMICS: Except for one

brief passage in the middle, the entire work is written at the level of piano (soft) or pianissimo (very soft).

This extremely low dynamic reinforces the nonpercussive timbre of the instrument, as the pianist touches the keys lightly, even wiping or caressing rather than simply striking them for greater dynamic control.

RHYTHM IN “VOILES”

RHYTHM: Although notated in duple meter, "Voiles" provides the listener with almost no sense of a fixed metrical pattern.



Most music in duple meter would follow a pattern of 1-2 1-2 1-2 with a strong accent on the downbeat, but this music resists any such pattern.



Most music in duple meter would follow a pattern of 1-2 1-2 1-2 with a strong accent on the downbeat, but this music resists any such pattern.

Instead, it seems to float or drift,

again evoking the images

suggested by the work's title.

FORM IN “VOILES” All the elements discussed to this point--timbre,

dynamics, rhythm, harmony--combine to create a sense of nondirectional form. The music never seems to be moving toward a particular goal.



There is a climax of sorts in the middle, when the music becomes louder and more rhythmically animated for a brief moment before returning to its original tempo and dynamic, but this feels like just one more event in a series of seemingly random events.



There is a climax of sorts in the middle, when the music becomes louder and more rhythmically animated for a brief moment before returning to its original tempo and dynamic, but this feels like just one more event in a series of seemingly random events.

Even the ending seems inconclusive. The music stops, but does not convey any strong sense of closure.

A SECOND LISTEN TO "VOILES"





REVIEWING TODAY'S VOCABULARY

Modernism - A spirit that took hold in all the arts, in the early twentieth century, representing a quest for novelty that far exceeded any such drive in the past. It was characterized by a disregard for tradition.


Tonic - The note around which a key or scale is centered. (When played in context, it sounds like "home base".)


Tonal (adjective) or Tonality (noun) - A style of writing that establishes a central note (the tonic) as a harmonic and melodic center of gravity, creating the potential for a strong sense of resolution and closure.


Atonal (adjective) or Atonality (noun) - A style of writing that establishes no harmonic or melodic center of gravity; all notes are of equal weight and significance.


Whole tone scale - A scale with only whole steps, no half steps; this eliminates any sense of a tonal center. In other words, the whole tone scale is arranged in this pattern: W-W-W-W-W-W.


Impressionism (noun) or impressionist (adjective) - An artistic movement focused more on sensations, perceptions, and light than on the direct representation of objects. In music, the term was used by critics of the early twentieth century to describe harmonies, melodies, and forms they considered indistinct.

Questions?

FINAL REMINDERS & HOMEWORK

FINAL REMINDERS & HOMEWORK• What is Music, Part 2 on Moodle—download,

complete the assignment, due next class


complete the assignment, due next class• Read pages 366-382 and 455-460


complete the assignment, due next class• Read pages 366-382 and 455-460• Be thinking about / working on your final projects


complete the assignment, due next class• Read pages 366-382 and 455-460• Be thinking about / working on your final projects• Missed concerts/assignments?

Make sure you’re caught up.

Questions/concerns?

Talk to your T.A.

Have a good weekend!

M100: Music Appreciation Lecture on the 20 th Century Ben Tibbetts, T.A. Welcome! Please sign the...

Documents

Transcript of M100: Music Appreciation Lecture on the 20 th Century Ben Tibbetts, T.A. Welcome! Please sign the...