A final, closing post with an overview of this semester.
I enjoyed putting the music that I know in a clearer chronological order that also informed different process, patterns and evolution of musical thought. Although I will never be good with dates, I am clearer of how composers were informed of the past and how their knowledge, as well as their environment informed their music. I found it very beneficial to understand the circumstances and trends of those iconic pieces, and often just following along with the score, which I really should do more often...
It was also beneficial to come back to the subject of music history again as an adult and a working musician and approach the material not as a given fact but an evolution, as well as putting myself in composers' shoes.
The story doesn't end here, I continue to examine current day composers and further understand trends and thoughts of present day and living composers. It seems that the reactionary composition we've seen over and over is continuing now, as different streams of thought are reacting against each other - the experimental, the old fashioned, the conceptual, the crowd pleasers, the critic pleasers, the avant garde, the crossovers, the techies, the globally influenced...
Composers are trying to find their own voice in a world where it seems everything has been done, within endless possibilities and an ever growing global crow. Their only common denominator is trying to stand out.
For this last post, I wanted to share a few pieces representing some different ideas of current day composers and show the different directions composers are taking:
Gabriel Prokofiev (grandson of) - Concerto for Turntables and orchestra
(balancing technology and classical orchestra)
Karen Seigal (my former colleague) - Confessions from the Blogosphere
collaging quotes collected from blogs
(Karen is the soprano)
Chen Yi - Spring Dream
incorporating traditional Chinese music
John Zorn - Meholalot
mixing and mashing up Jewish themes, classical, rock, jazz, punk, chance and whatnot with no discrimination
It is also fitting that I end with this piece that summons our semester so very well:
thanks for a bunch of good music y'all! it's been fun
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Friday, November 29, 2013
Post WW2
There is a a very dramatic shift of music in its conception, philosophy, goal, process and effect on the audience.
WW2 has shocked the world profoundly in a number of ways, and the arts as a result have turned back on expressing idealism, progress, elitism as well as romanticism or beauty.
The artists of the world are disillusioned and have turned to a more conceptual, experimental, intellectual and less emotional work.
The question that came up for me again and again this week had to do with the definition of music, since this week's pieces stretch the meaning more and more.
Pierre Boulez (1925- ) - Structures for 2 pianos
Building on Schoenberg and Massiaen, this piece is mathematical, conceptual tone row work based on matrix, mathematical principles when it comes to the selection of pitch, rhythm and dynamic. It's hard for me to fully understand this work because I am not mathematically inclined and the explanations and diagrams of it make little sense to me. It is very carefully and meticulously planned out even though it is not something that can be heard.
With many post modern works, I feel like we are listening to audible formulas, and I don't if our ears and their perception are at all relevant to the exploration of "pitch math". This piece is not meant for auditory enjoyment but rather intellectual and scientific exploration.
John Cage (1912-1992) 4'33
John Cage is a fascinating and very interesting individual. Such an individual. I regard to him more as an original thinker, as a philosopher. I don't know if I can think of him as a composer, he notably was not a good musician. More then anyone on this list he constantly asked "what is music" of himself and his audience and challenged every barrier of it. I like to think of his creations as "sound philosophy".
In 4'33, the famous "piece" where the pianist just sits there and occasionally turns pages meant to bring awareness that even silence is music, even outside and incidental noise is music. This type of art becomes more about the concept and the reaction of the audience to that concept then about "musical talent". John Cage pushed forward the ideas opened up by Cowell and opened up the door to conceptual "sound art" that is such a big part of what current art music is today. For better or for worse.
Here he explains it for himself:
and here's my favorite 4'33
Krysztof Penderecki (1933 - ) Threnody for the victims of Hiroshima
Once again the stretch of the definition of music. With the creation of expended technique and notation Penderecki is able to get a completely different sound out of the strings and create an "auditory experience". The piece is very powerful and very effective in visualizing the tragedy. I can see Cowell's inspiration here, using the instruments unusually. I can also see the tremendous effect this piece had on future composers as well as film soundtracks. He successfully brought out sounds and an emotional response that can even be thought of as literal. May I dare to compare this to madrigal text painting?
I first was exposed to this piece in middle school, and absolutely hated it because of the way sonority and pitch was used. I didn't know how to react to a more conceptual work.
this is stupid:
Laurie Andreson - O Superman
I have a hard time being objective about this. Although I studied this piece before I still have the same problem with it - I don't find it to be any different then some other pop music, especially since the technology of the looping and the vocoder sounds incredibly outdated and sounds like something anyone can replicate on their garageband. Why is she studied in the same course as Beethoven? I don't know, I don't know how this piece made the cannon, I don't find much appeal in it intellectually, performance based or technologically. I do find merit in the text and acknowledge her use of "O Souverain...", and see her influence on present day indie artists, and I'm sure that in the 80s the technology and performance aspects of this were probably more revered but I don't think this is a timeless piece of music that can be appreciated 100 years from now...
Sorry Laurie Andreson, I do find you an intelligent, strong and creative woman and your eulogy to Lou Reed was beautifully written.
This is the "music video" for this song from the MOMA exhibit
WW2 has shocked the world profoundly in a number of ways, and the arts as a result have turned back on expressing idealism, progress, elitism as well as romanticism or beauty.
The artists of the world are disillusioned and have turned to a more conceptual, experimental, intellectual and less emotional work.
The question that came up for me again and again this week had to do with the definition of music, since this week's pieces stretch the meaning more and more.
Pierre Boulez (1925- ) - Structures for 2 pianos
Building on Schoenberg and Massiaen, this piece is mathematical, conceptual tone row work based on matrix, mathematical principles when it comes to the selection of pitch, rhythm and dynamic. It's hard for me to fully understand this work because I am not mathematically inclined and the explanations and diagrams of it make little sense to me. It is very carefully and meticulously planned out even though it is not something that can be heard.
With many post modern works, I feel like we are listening to audible formulas, and I don't if our ears and their perception are at all relevant to the exploration of "pitch math". This piece is not meant for auditory enjoyment but rather intellectual and scientific exploration.
John Cage (1912-1992) 4'33
John Cage is a fascinating and very interesting individual. Such an individual. I regard to him more as an original thinker, as a philosopher. I don't know if I can think of him as a composer, he notably was not a good musician. More then anyone on this list he constantly asked "what is music" of himself and his audience and challenged every barrier of it. I like to think of his creations as "sound philosophy".
In 4'33, the famous "piece" where the pianist just sits there and occasionally turns pages meant to bring awareness that even silence is music, even outside and incidental noise is music. This type of art becomes more about the concept and the reaction of the audience to that concept then about "musical talent". John Cage pushed forward the ideas opened up by Cowell and opened up the door to conceptual "sound art" that is such a big part of what current art music is today. For better or for worse.
Here he explains it for himself:
and here's my favorite 4'33
Krysztof Penderecki (1933 - ) Threnody for the victims of Hiroshima
Once again the stretch of the definition of music. With the creation of expended technique and notation Penderecki is able to get a completely different sound out of the strings and create an "auditory experience". The piece is very powerful and very effective in visualizing the tragedy. I can see Cowell's inspiration here, using the instruments unusually. I can also see the tremendous effect this piece had on future composers as well as film soundtracks. He successfully brought out sounds and an emotional response that can even be thought of as literal. May I dare to compare this to madrigal text painting?
I first was exposed to this piece in middle school, and absolutely hated it because of the way sonority and pitch was used. I didn't know how to react to a more conceptual work.
this is stupid:
Laurie Andreson - O Superman
I have a hard time being objective about this. Although I studied this piece before I still have the same problem with it - I don't find it to be any different then some other pop music, especially since the technology of the looping and the vocoder sounds incredibly outdated and sounds like something anyone can replicate on their garageband. Why is she studied in the same course as Beethoven? I don't know, I don't know how this piece made the cannon, I don't find much appeal in it intellectually, performance based or technologically. I do find merit in the text and acknowledge her use of "O Souverain...", and see her influence on present day indie artists, and I'm sure that in the 80s the technology and performance aspects of this were probably more revered but I don't think this is a timeless piece of music that can be appreciated 100 years from now...
Sorry Laurie Andreson, I do find you an intelligent, strong and creative woman and your eulogy to Lou Reed was beautifully written.
This is the "music video" for this song from the MOMA exhibit
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Early Modernism
After the late romantics went on to break conventions when it came to harmonic function and form, the modernists, each in their way were all about finding ways to break conventions. How much of it was their true artistic expression and how much of it was a way to be seen as original and push buttons?
Claude Debussy (1862-1912) - Prelude l'apres midi d'un faun
Although this piece started as a symphonic poem, it is more recognized as a dance piece, or from fantasia...
On one hand Debussy follows Wagner in terms of harmonic ambiguity, on the other he makes his harmonic shifts coloristic and aesthetically pretty and pleasing, hence more approachable. The piece illustrates and paints the scene with a high visual connotation which is why it got adapted to dance so quickly. The melodic ideas are approachable and enjoyable.
I have to note the type of dance and choreography by Nijinsky that was set to the piece, it as a modern and angular movement, tying in modernism in dance as well.
Debussy's coloristic and modal inspired chord progressions have inspired not only classical musicians and he is a very popular composer to quote and draw from;
Here's a Brazilian jazz version:
and here's a disco:
and even though it wasn't this piece, I wrote songs inspired by Debussy, twice!
here's one of those...
Saved, inspired by "Claire de Lune"
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) - Le Tombeau de Couperin
I've been in love with Ravel since middle school. I love his sonorities, drama, complexity and the parallel fifths.
Le Tombeau de Couperin (the tomb of Couperin) was originally written for piano but the is now more known as an orchestration manual. This is a personal piece dedicated to friends who died in WWI. This is the very opposite of both idealistic Wagner and absolute Brahms, it is probably more of a continuation of Mahler, writing emotional, personal music.
Ravel is looking at the past and creates an homage to the Baroque dance suite, while maintaining his signature impressionist style and harmonies.
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) - The Rite of Spring
This piece is so large and influential I won't even attempt to cover it in the blog. The contribution and further stepping outside the conventions in regard to rhythm, tonality, meter and overt dissonance is well known.
It also well known to have been impossible to play, and both the music and the ballet were met with total outrage. Again we see modernist composer and choreographer (same Nijinsky) teaming up and creating a sharply new sensibility.
The type of movement in this ballet is breaking all ground of formal classical training, parallel to what the music is exhibiting.
The pagan subject matter as well as the folk roots of the music can be a continuation of Weber and German opera.
The music is intellectual, and is pushing buttons and conventions as it turns to the "ugly". In opposite of the emotional, pretty impressionism.
This piece has also inspired a large amount of music outside of classical:
Jazz trio "The Bad Plus" who are known for out jazz covers have dedicated a full project to "jazzifying" the work with their own aesthetic:
My colleague and successful NYC based composer Lev Zhurbin came up with a full suite of orchestrations of the folk songs featured in "The Rite of Spring"
and I'm pretty sure the imagery from "the ring" is a connection too...
I've overstayed my welcome on this post, but I must make a quick mention of two more:
Schoenberg, who took "breaking the rules" a step further by not only not relying on tonality but eliminating the tonal system all together in favor of his 12 tone system. The result is incredibly intellectual, cerebral and unapproachable to the common listener. In that though he is continuing Wagner's notion of progress with no account to popularity.
Cowell who not only eliminated pitch, but is focusing on sound, texture, sonority and noise, to push the envelope of what is music a step further.
If Stravinsky only used dissonance as a turn for the "ugly" then these two eliminate the need or relevance for "beauty" in music all together. Listening becomes not about your emotion but intellectual exploration in Schoenberg's case, and experimentation in Cowell's.
Claude Debussy (1862-1912) - Prelude l'apres midi d'un faun
Although this piece started as a symphonic poem, it is more recognized as a dance piece, or from fantasia...
On one hand Debussy follows Wagner in terms of harmonic ambiguity, on the other he makes his harmonic shifts coloristic and aesthetically pretty and pleasing, hence more approachable. The piece illustrates and paints the scene with a high visual connotation which is why it got adapted to dance so quickly. The melodic ideas are approachable and enjoyable.
I have to note the type of dance and choreography by Nijinsky that was set to the piece, it as a modern and angular movement, tying in modernism in dance as well.
Debussy's coloristic and modal inspired chord progressions have inspired not only classical musicians and he is a very popular composer to quote and draw from;
Here's a Brazilian jazz version:
and here's a disco:
and even though it wasn't this piece, I wrote songs inspired by Debussy, twice!
here's one of those...
Saved, inspired by "Claire de Lune"
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) - Le Tombeau de Couperin
I've been in love with Ravel since middle school. I love his sonorities, drama, complexity and the parallel fifths.
Le Tombeau de Couperin (the tomb of Couperin) was originally written for piano but the is now more known as an orchestration manual. This is a personal piece dedicated to friends who died in WWI. This is the very opposite of both idealistic Wagner and absolute Brahms, it is probably more of a continuation of Mahler, writing emotional, personal music.
Ravel is looking at the past and creates an homage to the Baroque dance suite, while maintaining his signature impressionist style and harmonies.
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) - The Rite of Spring
This piece is so large and influential I won't even attempt to cover it in the blog. The contribution and further stepping outside the conventions in regard to rhythm, tonality, meter and overt dissonance is well known.
It also well known to have been impossible to play, and both the music and the ballet were met with total outrage. Again we see modernist composer and choreographer (same Nijinsky) teaming up and creating a sharply new sensibility.
The type of movement in this ballet is breaking all ground of formal classical training, parallel to what the music is exhibiting.
The pagan subject matter as well as the folk roots of the music can be a continuation of Weber and German opera.
The music is intellectual, and is pushing buttons and conventions as it turns to the "ugly". In opposite of the emotional, pretty impressionism.
This piece has also inspired a large amount of music outside of classical:
Jazz trio "The Bad Plus" who are known for out jazz covers have dedicated a full project to "jazzifying" the work with their own aesthetic:
My colleague and successful NYC based composer Lev Zhurbin came up with a full suite of orchestrations of the folk songs featured in "The Rite of Spring"
and I'm pretty sure the imagery from "the ring" is a connection too...
I've overstayed my welcome on this post, but I must make a quick mention of two more:
Schoenberg, who took "breaking the rules" a step further by not only not relying on tonality but eliminating the tonal system all together in favor of his 12 tone system. The result is incredibly intellectual, cerebral and unapproachable to the common listener. In that though he is continuing Wagner's notion of progress with no account to popularity.
Cowell who not only eliminated pitch, but is focusing on sound, texture, sonority and noise, to push the envelope of what is music a step further.
If Stravinsky only used dissonance as a turn for the "ugly" then these two eliminate the need or relevance for "beauty" in music all together. Listening becomes not about your emotion but intellectual exploration in Schoenberg's case, and experimentation in Cowell's.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Wagner...
Wagner....
Israelis have mixes feelings about Wagner. His music was banned, we only glossed over him in music classes briefly mostly with the saying "we wrote long operas, hated jews and inspired the nazis, next"
I didn't know very much about him and never even understood why him. He was by far not the only anti-semitic composer, and not the only one Germans flaunted as their national heritage, yet we have no problem listening to Bach...
It begs the familiar question of whether you should, and how can you separate the man from his work.
When a few years ago Daniel Barenboim put Wagner on the program in Israel people were outraged for months. It was a long debate whether the piece should be played, and the idea behind the ban resurfaced. Eventually Barenboim decided to perform the work, while many audience members yelled at him and left the hall.
I remember the news segment on that, an older man yelled at him "my whole family burned in the ovens, how can you play this music?" In my mind, I didn't see a connection. It wasn't Wagner or this musical piece that claimed the victims, is Wagner a projection? something tangible to be mad at and blame?
Now that I got to read more about Wagner this week, for the first time I understand that point of view clearer. Wagner did not separate the man and the music. His music was a manifestation of his extreme views. His many writings on nationalism were very influential to the Nazi views, perhaps he is a little responsible.
In 2011 the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra has officially broken the ban by performing Wagner in Germany. There is symbolism in that, perhaps we can all learn to reappropriate the past.
I don't know if I can listen to his music with absolute clarity and objectivity while being aware of the baggage that comes with it, but as a musician I can try and appreciate his contributions.
The 19th century is also the period where we can see composers of Jewish origin coming to prominent fame. Politics and music and becoming more intertwined in this period and things are getting interconnected and in general more complex.
Israelis have mixes feelings about Wagner. His music was banned, we only glossed over him in music classes briefly mostly with the saying "we wrote long operas, hated jews and inspired the nazis, next"
I didn't know very much about him and never even understood why him. He was by far not the only anti-semitic composer, and not the only one Germans flaunted as their national heritage, yet we have no problem listening to Bach...
It begs the familiar question of whether you should, and how can you separate the man from his work.
When a few years ago Daniel Barenboim put Wagner on the program in Israel people were outraged for months. It was a long debate whether the piece should be played, and the idea behind the ban resurfaced. Eventually Barenboim decided to perform the work, while many audience members yelled at him and left the hall.
I remember the news segment on that, an older man yelled at him "my whole family burned in the ovens, how can you play this music?" In my mind, I didn't see a connection. It wasn't Wagner or this musical piece that claimed the victims, is Wagner a projection? something tangible to be mad at and blame?
Now that I got to read more about Wagner this week, for the first time I understand that point of view clearer. Wagner did not separate the man and the music. His music was a manifestation of his extreme views. His many writings on nationalism were very influential to the Nazi views, perhaps he is a little responsible.
In 2011 the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra has officially broken the ban by performing Wagner in Germany. There is symbolism in that, perhaps we can all learn to reappropriate the past.
I don't know if I can listen to his music with absolute clarity and objectivity while being aware of the baggage that comes with it, but as a musician I can try and appreciate his contributions.
The 19th century is also the period where we can see composers of Jewish origin coming to prominent fame. Politics and music and becoming more intertwined in this period and things are getting interconnected and in general more complex.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Romanticism
This is such a musical comfort zone it's almost boring....
Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Beethoven is regarded as the transition from classical to Romantic. He holds on to classical aesthetics in terms of proportion, form, organization, harmony and motivic use while progressing the thought forward and stretching it - the phrases aren't always equal, the harmony is more complex, a motif is milked for all it's worth and the emotion is back, and then some.
Sonata in C minor (Pathetique) (1798)
A must for every pianist, I am familiar with this piece forwards and backwards... I approached listening to it as a comparison to a Mozart sonata and marking some of the evolution.
Form -
Like I mentioned earlier, Beethoven holds on to the form and proportion of a sonata in theory, but stretching it by giving a long and virtuosic introduction before the A theme appears.
The transitional and closing sections are also stretched and given a lot of room and personality.
The sections flow into each other more, there isn't always a cadence finishing a part, it simply hangs on a chord and the resolution is already the beginning of the next section.
Virtuosity -
More and more we see composers composing for themselves as a way to impress the audience with their playing, and this again raises the bar on virtuosity with fast passages and demanding accompaniment.
Emotion -
This isn't as level headed as Mozart's sonatas, the emotional depth of the piece comes through as the pianist and the listener really go on a journey.
Affect -
Beethoven does change topics similar to a Mozart sonata, but it done much more dramatically - as a Mozart sonata is expected to change a topic every even number of bars, Beethoven takes the freedom to either hang on to an emotion and play it out, or to change abruptly.
My appropriation contribution:
this reminded my I completely forgot to share "Bach on Banjo"! I know we're past it but it's too good. Please excuse the digression and enjoy it anyway!
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Dichterliebe (The poet's love) (1840)
A well known song cycle. I would compare it to a continuation and a progression of the Renaissance aria and song. It is just a pretty melody with pretty harmony, performed in a pretty and emotional manner.
There is simplicity to the form, and the harmony, though at times complex works to support a melody. The melody's contour, the personality of the piano, phrasing, dynamics and the performance bring up the emotion of the text. Short, approachable style that anyone can enjoy, and will probably find it "beautiful". That aesthetic is of most importance here.
Carl Maria Fon Weber (1786-1826)
According to Wikipedia "Debussy remarked that the sound of the Weber orchestra was obtained through the scrutiny of the soul of each instrument"
How's that for sentiment?
It seems the Romantic composers have gone back to the sentiment similar to the Italian madrigals where the emotion is of most importance. Unlike the madrigals the approach is less literal, but rather uses harmony, phrasing and technique to create and evoke an emotion. Another important difference is that here that emotion is achieved often with instrumental music, and not by relying on text.
We also see the use of the leitmotif both in this opera and Berlioz's "Symphony Fantastique". This is a development of working with a motif, as well as a continuation of Mozart's cymbolism and assignment of certain characters with certain keys, meter etc.
the very first youtube video I watched was of this, oh so disturbing staging:
Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Beethoven is regarded as the transition from classical to Romantic. He holds on to classical aesthetics in terms of proportion, form, organization, harmony and motivic use while progressing the thought forward and stretching it - the phrases aren't always equal, the harmony is more complex, a motif is milked for all it's worth and the emotion is back, and then some.
Sonata in C minor (Pathetique) (1798)
A must for every pianist, I am familiar with this piece forwards and backwards... I approached listening to it as a comparison to a Mozart sonata and marking some of the evolution.
Form -
Like I mentioned earlier, Beethoven holds on to the form and proportion of a sonata in theory, but stretching it by giving a long and virtuosic introduction before the A theme appears.
The transitional and closing sections are also stretched and given a lot of room and personality.
The sections flow into each other more, there isn't always a cadence finishing a part, it simply hangs on a chord and the resolution is already the beginning of the next section.
Virtuosity -
More and more we see composers composing for themselves as a way to impress the audience with their playing, and this again raises the bar on virtuosity with fast passages and demanding accompaniment.
Emotion -
This isn't as level headed as Mozart's sonatas, the emotional depth of the piece comes through as the pianist and the listener really go on a journey.
Affect -
Beethoven does change topics similar to a Mozart sonata, but it done much more dramatically - as a Mozart sonata is expected to change a topic every even number of bars, Beethoven takes the freedom to either hang on to an emotion and play it out, or to change abruptly.
My appropriation contribution:
this reminded my I completely forgot to share "Bach on Banjo"! I know we're past it but it's too good. Please excuse the digression and enjoy it anyway!
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Dichterliebe (The poet's love) (1840)
A well known song cycle. I would compare it to a continuation and a progression of the Renaissance aria and song. It is just a pretty melody with pretty harmony, performed in a pretty and emotional manner.
There is simplicity to the form, and the harmony, though at times complex works to support a melody. The melody's contour, the personality of the piano, phrasing, dynamics and the performance bring up the emotion of the text. Short, approachable style that anyone can enjoy, and will probably find it "beautiful". That aesthetic is of most importance here.
Carl Maria Fon Weber (1786-1826)
According to Wikipedia "Debussy remarked that the sound of the Weber orchestra was obtained through the scrutiny of the soul of each instrument"
How's that for sentiment?
It seems the Romantic composers have gone back to the sentiment similar to the Italian madrigals where the emotion is of most importance. Unlike the madrigals the approach is less literal, but rather uses harmony, phrasing and technique to create and evoke an emotion. Another important difference is that here that emotion is achieved often with instrumental music, and not by relying on text.
We also see the use of the leitmotif both in this opera and Berlioz's "Symphony Fantastique". This is a development of working with a motif, as well as a continuation of Mozart's cymbolism and assignment of certain characters with certain keys, meter etc.
the very first youtube video I watched was of this, oh so disturbing staging:
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Late 18th Century
As I have never been good with a clear chronological understanding of events, I am once again surprised to look at the dates of Haydn and Mozart and actually see them becoming active during Bach's time, not later.
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) - String Quartet in Eb Major, Op 33 No.2, Presto
The last movement in this string quartet also titled "The Joke". I love that ending! Haydn plays the main theme with rests in between so the audience doesn't quite know when it will return again, and then it just ends mid-phrase.
Reading though Haydn's history and his work under a patron, he was quite constricted to his patron's whimsy and wasn't able to explore composition freely. Instead he brought a personality and sense of humor to work within those restrictions.
Some musical evolution here from the previous time period:
Instrumentation
A string quartet, replacing the trio sonata, no longer relying on a chordal instrument to produce harmonies, but working them in with 4 melodic instruments. The sound of a quartet is more fluid and resembles the earlier vocal music in texture.
Form
Rondo. Music is getting fixed forms that are driven by harmonic functions and melodic motives.
Harmonic Importance
Harmonic shifts that are based on functional harmony seem to be the main prospect
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) - Symphony in G minor, No. 40
It's so fun to listen to Mozart and follow the score, it sheds even more light on his genius. I love Mozart so much.
What I love about Mozart is his effortless control of complex harmony, phrasing, orchestration, motivic development, knowledge of instruments, dynamics, sudden shifts.. I can go on and on. I love Mozart.
From my many days of playing Mozart on the piano and singing in a choir, I have grown to appreciate Mozart through participation. Especially as a choral singer, once you witness chromatic lines and key changes that are really not very easy to sing, you come away with an awe of how easy he makes everything sound.
People who aren't musicians often find Mozart boring and that his music sounds the same, I think that stems from the fact that he was so prolific and is performed in so many different mediums while still holding on to his sensibilities. My response is usually once you perform him the amount of intricacy, detail and complexity is so cleverly written that it comes off as too easy.
As promised, my appropriation selection for Mozart is "Mozart in Egypt" - An orchestra and a "classical Egyptian" ensemble going back and forth throughout the piece. I think Mozart would have liked the absurdity of it!
The attempt of weaving these two thoughts together is not always successful but is pretty interesting. There is a whole series of those.
I'm pretty sure Mozart also would have loved this Don Giovanni setting featuring girls in bikinis
Mozart's individuality as he fought for artistic right and freedom while constantly working to develop and absorb new things is inspiring.
Also inspiring is Gluck's resolution to go against patrons and diva singers to reclaim the importance of text, sentiment and musical integrity.
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) - String Quartet in Eb Major, Op 33 No.2, Presto
The last movement in this string quartet also titled "The Joke". I love that ending! Haydn plays the main theme with rests in between so the audience doesn't quite know when it will return again, and then it just ends mid-phrase.
Reading though Haydn's history and his work under a patron, he was quite constricted to his patron's whimsy and wasn't able to explore composition freely. Instead he brought a personality and sense of humor to work within those restrictions.
Some musical evolution here from the previous time period:
Instrumentation
A string quartet, replacing the trio sonata, no longer relying on a chordal instrument to produce harmonies, but working them in with 4 melodic instruments. The sound of a quartet is more fluid and resembles the earlier vocal music in texture.
Form
Rondo. Music is getting fixed forms that are driven by harmonic functions and melodic motives.
Harmonic Importance
Harmonic shifts that are based on functional harmony seem to be the main prospect
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) - Symphony in G minor, No. 40
It's so fun to listen to Mozart and follow the score, it sheds even more light on his genius. I love Mozart so much.
What I love about Mozart is his effortless control of complex harmony, phrasing, orchestration, motivic development, knowledge of instruments, dynamics, sudden shifts.. I can go on and on. I love Mozart.
From my many days of playing Mozart on the piano and singing in a choir, I have grown to appreciate Mozart through participation. Especially as a choral singer, once you witness chromatic lines and key changes that are really not very easy to sing, you come away with an awe of how easy he makes everything sound.
People who aren't musicians often find Mozart boring and that his music sounds the same, I think that stems from the fact that he was so prolific and is performed in so many different mediums while still holding on to his sensibilities. My response is usually once you perform him the amount of intricacy, detail and complexity is so cleverly written that it comes off as too easy.
As promised, my appropriation selection for Mozart is "Mozart in Egypt" - An orchestra and a "classical Egyptian" ensemble going back and forth throughout the piece. I think Mozart would have liked the absurdity of it!
The attempt of weaving these two thoughts together is not always successful but is pretty interesting. There is a whole series of those.
I'm pretty sure Mozart also would have loved this Don Giovanni setting featuring girls in bikinis
Mozart's individuality as he fought for artistic right and freedom while constantly working to develop and absorb new things is inspiring.
Also inspiring is Gluck's resolution to go against patrons and diva singers to reclaim the importance of text, sentiment and musical integrity.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Baroque
put on your wig everyone, here we go...
In a way I'm almost disappointed to be at the stage where I am familiar with most of the music, I enjoyed listening to new and modal things...
Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) - Trio Sonata #2 in D major
Corelli made a name for himself as a working musician in Rome. He got good gigs as a violinist, I assume he performed many of his own works.
There is development in this piece in several regards:\
Instrumentation -
Written for 2 violins and continuo - which is usually cello and some type of chordal instrument. This is a new development - a small chamber ensemble. Although it informally existed when various instruments were substituting or supporting part vocal music in the past, this is officially written for a small number of specific instruments and for their specific timbres and capabilities.
Form -
A sonata da chiesa, a collection of 4 movements with specific tempo and mood designation. This is also new since so far we've only seen multi-movement pieces in the church.
Although there are 4 distinct movement they are short and sweet. It obvious they were written more for entertainment then to fully explore the composer's artistry.
Imitation, counterpoint and harmonic progressions are the focus here, as well as a metric steady pulse.
Out of our key words, the one that comes to mind here is control. Corelli wrote the music he performed, as well as working basically as a gigging freelancer.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) - Prelude and Fugue in A minor
The big kahuna. We all know about his prolific writing, genius, and contribution to the development of counterpoint, theory, rhythm, motivic development and music in general.
A few notes about this piece and development through it:
Instrumentation -
Solo organ. The instrument allows a large amount of sound combinations, and with 10 fingers and 2 feet Bach milks it to its fullest potential. The instrument is part of the church (literally), bringing solo instrumental music to be part of the religious service. Although this piece among many other are more about intellectual exploration then the function they serve in the church. The sound of the organ is intimidating, maybe that's enough in a religious service...
Form-
2 parts, with especially the fugue dedicated exploring complex motivic, contrapunctal, and harmonic development while maintaining a metric steady rhythm.
Technique -
We are past 8th notes now! Similarly to Corelli, Bach played his own compositions and expand on keyboard technique and fast passages we haven't seen until now. The fact he would also improvise this stuff is baffling. Control is present here as well, not only over a large number of musical concepts but also physically with being able to execute yourself what you have written.
The affect here is awe, which is achieved by the sound of the instrument and fast, constant rhythm.
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) - Excerpts from Massiah.
Hallelujah!
Sometimes I forget Handel and Bach are complete contemporaries, history likes to list Bach as first...
Instrumentation -
4 part choir, 4 part strings and a chordal instrument realizing chords. This is now brought to a church, although we already saw similar instrumentation in the opera.It is also easy to forget Handel wrote this piece for a fairly small ensemble and the bombastic version we are familiar with is an orchestration.
Form -
An oratotio, the religious answer to opera. Multi-movement piece consisting of a plot, choral movements, solo arias and instrumentals. No recitatives however.
Technique -
This piece is a huge push forward from the Italian opera as far as complicated part writing and counterpoint.
It is also technically more demanding from the performers with fast passages in the instruments and vocal parts. Wikipedia brings an anecdote of Corelli refusing to play in Handel's orchestra because the violin part went too high, only to be shamed by Handel who produced the note.
The focus here is on Handel's ability to handle (pun intended) all the different musical elements and complexities.
In the spirit of bringing contemporary artists' interpretation of our weekly material I offer these selections:
This is my colleague, NYC cellist Jessie Reagen Mann who worked with a DJ to create beats to Bach's cello suites. The beats drop around 5:00.
and this guy, beatboxing the Badinerie:
a gospel version of "Hallelujah". it's cheesy as hell. I sang it Carnegie Hall... it was pretty bad there too...
In a way I'm almost disappointed to be at the stage where I am familiar with most of the music, I enjoyed listening to new and modal things...
Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) - Trio Sonata #2 in D major
Corelli made a name for himself as a working musician in Rome. He got good gigs as a violinist, I assume he performed many of his own works.
There is development in this piece in several regards:\
Instrumentation -
Written for 2 violins and continuo - which is usually cello and some type of chordal instrument. This is a new development - a small chamber ensemble. Although it informally existed when various instruments were substituting or supporting part vocal music in the past, this is officially written for a small number of specific instruments and for their specific timbres and capabilities.
Form -
A sonata da chiesa, a collection of 4 movements with specific tempo and mood designation. This is also new since so far we've only seen multi-movement pieces in the church.
Although there are 4 distinct movement they are short and sweet. It obvious they were written more for entertainment then to fully explore the composer's artistry.
Imitation, counterpoint and harmonic progressions are the focus here, as well as a metric steady pulse.
Out of our key words, the one that comes to mind here is control. Corelli wrote the music he performed, as well as working basically as a gigging freelancer.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) - Prelude and Fugue in A minor
The big kahuna. We all know about his prolific writing, genius, and contribution to the development of counterpoint, theory, rhythm, motivic development and music in general.
A few notes about this piece and development through it:
Instrumentation -
Solo organ. The instrument allows a large amount of sound combinations, and with 10 fingers and 2 feet Bach milks it to its fullest potential. The instrument is part of the church (literally), bringing solo instrumental music to be part of the religious service. Although this piece among many other are more about intellectual exploration then the function they serve in the church. The sound of the organ is intimidating, maybe that's enough in a religious service...
Form-
2 parts, with especially the fugue dedicated exploring complex motivic, contrapunctal, and harmonic development while maintaining a metric steady rhythm.
Technique -
We are past 8th notes now! Similarly to Corelli, Bach played his own compositions and expand on keyboard technique and fast passages we haven't seen until now. The fact he would also improvise this stuff is baffling. Control is present here as well, not only over a large number of musical concepts but also physically with being able to execute yourself what you have written.
The affect here is awe, which is achieved by the sound of the instrument and fast, constant rhythm.
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) - Excerpts from Massiah.
Hallelujah!
Sometimes I forget Handel and Bach are complete contemporaries, history likes to list Bach as first...
Instrumentation -
4 part choir, 4 part strings and a chordal instrument realizing chords. This is now brought to a church, although we already saw similar instrumentation in the opera.It is also easy to forget Handel wrote this piece for a fairly small ensemble and the bombastic version we are familiar with is an orchestration.
Form -
An oratotio, the religious answer to opera. Multi-movement piece consisting of a plot, choral movements, solo arias and instrumentals. No recitatives however.
Technique -
This piece is a huge push forward from the Italian opera as far as complicated part writing and counterpoint.
It is also technically more demanding from the performers with fast passages in the instruments and vocal parts. Wikipedia brings an anecdote of Corelli refusing to play in Handel's orchestra because the violin part went too high, only to be shamed by Handel who produced the note.
The focus here is on Handel's ability to handle (pun intended) all the different musical elements and complexities.
In the spirit of bringing contemporary artists' interpretation of our weekly material I offer these selections:
This is my colleague, NYC cellist Jessie Reagen Mann who worked with a DJ to create beats to Bach's cello suites. The beats drop around 5:00.
and this guy, beatboxing the Badinerie:
a gospel version of "Hallelujah". it's cheesy as hell. I sang it Carnegie Hall... it was pretty bad there too...
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Early Opera
I love having the perspective of approaching this historically, seeing the musical evolution that led to opera.
The courts are becoming the main patrons of not only music but arts and theater. It would make sense for the court's employees to start collaborating, especially when musicians have already been playing during intermissions.
Composers have become well versed and sophisticated with different genres of secular music; song, dance, instrumental and choral settings it is logical that those skills can lead to one body of work that showcase and explore all of those abilities and style. This also brings in the attention to words and emoting that has become so prominent.
This medium can bring together the common and cerebral music traditions, different moods, techniques and genres under one roof. It also significantly longer in length then any previous works.
There is a emphasis on entertainment as well as well musical sophistication. I assume the target audience for this was the rich and educated who wanted to be intellectually entertained.
This medium certainly shows both appropriation and complete control of all these various elements. This undertaking and masterful execution is no doubt a mark of genius.
The one drawback that opera can have is that the music is often perceived as supporting to the show and is not listened to for its own merit.
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) - Excerpts from Orfeo
Orfeo, the first opera that is still regularly performed.
The emotional range of the music orfeo is vast, from happy dances, to depiction of death and hell.
Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) - Armide
Lully, a court musician to the king of France (although "to his great distress the king was not able to attend any performances of Armide"). This seems to be a new symbol of status, such as being the musician for the Notre Dame would have been 3 centuries earlier.
This is almost 3 hours long and the harmonic language has shifted to the Baroque we all know.
I stumbled upon this very entertaining production from 2008:
Henry Purcell (1659-1695) - Dido and Aeneas
I am actually very familiar with the opera since I sang in the production in the chorus when I was younger. The parts must have been written for a more amateur production since us chorus members where quite young...
The opera was more popular privately probably so amateurs can act it.
Dido's lament of course is that famous aria with a bass ostinato.
It is very popular not only with classical musicians. Here's a version I love by 90s indie rock artist Jeff Buckley, even more powerful since he died very young.
(I was fortunate to work as his producer's assistant during my time in NYC)
The courts are becoming the main patrons of not only music but arts and theater. It would make sense for the court's employees to start collaborating, especially when musicians have already been playing during intermissions.
Composers have become well versed and sophisticated with different genres of secular music; song, dance, instrumental and choral settings it is logical that those skills can lead to one body of work that showcase and explore all of those abilities and style. This also brings in the attention to words and emoting that has become so prominent.
This medium can bring together the common and cerebral music traditions, different moods, techniques and genres under one roof. It also significantly longer in length then any previous works.
There is a emphasis on entertainment as well as well musical sophistication. I assume the target audience for this was the rich and educated who wanted to be intellectually entertained.
This medium certainly shows both appropriation and complete control of all these various elements. This undertaking and masterful execution is no doubt a mark of genius.
The one drawback that opera can have is that the music is often perceived as supporting to the show and is not listened to for its own merit.
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) - Excerpts from Orfeo
Orfeo, the first opera that is still regularly performed.
The emotional range of the music orfeo is vast, from happy dances, to depiction of death and hell.
Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) - Armide
Lully, a court musician to the king of France (although "to his great distress the king was not able to attend any performances of Armide"). This seems to be a new symbol of status, such as being the musician for the Notre Dame would have been 3 centuries earlier.
This is almost 3 hours long and the harmonic language has shifted to the Baroque we all know.
I stumbled upon this very entertaining production from 2008:
Henry Purcell (1659-1695) - Dido and Aeneas
I am actually very familiar with the opera since I sang in the production in the chorus when I was younger. The parts must have been written for a more amateur production since us chorus members where quite young...
The opera was more popular privately probably so amateurs can act it.
Dido's lament of course is that famous aria with a bass ostinato.
It is very popular not only with classical musicians. Here's a version I love by 90s indie rock artist Jeff Buckley, even more powerful since he died very young.
(I was fortunate to work as his producer's assistant during my time in NYC)
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
16th Century
There is a strong shift from French composers to the Italian/Flemish school. Most of this week's listening is in Italian.
Giovanni Perluigi de Palestrina (1595-1594) - Missa Papae Marcelli
I love this balance of modal and tonal. With out modern ears this music feels free from the constrictions of later tonal harmony while feeling a stronger tonal center and and a more familiar harmonic progression. The cadences are now dominant, and in triads, this is getting closer to that traditional harmony we all know and love.
Contemporary composers are coming back to this exact sensibility, making music sounds pretty and familiar while freeing themselves from strict tonal harmony.
There is a strong emphasis on words and the vocal parts are crafted around the words. There is play with harmonic progression and development of counterpoint in great balance between the voices.
It is possible the words are audible in reaction to the church's objection that liturgical music was losing the words and isn't focusing on devotion. I think that's a good point there.
Carlo Gesualdo de Venosa (1560-1613) - "Il parto e non piu dissi"
(why is Gesualdo known by his last name and not by "Venosa"?)
There is a coloration of the text. The mood of the text changes often dramatically based on the words sung.
I love Gesualdo, probably because of that modal/tonal/chromatic balance. He jumps around to chords that we are not used to hearing together, and yet make it all work. My goal! The first time I heard Gesualdo I contemplated quitting composing... I regained my composure and figured I have some other elements in my sleeve and not all is lost, but his music had quite an effect on me.
There is a darkness, moodiness, emotion and expressivity about his writing, perhaps that is why he evokes emotion in me as a listener. This is the first time I'm getting an emotional response since the beginning of our history timeline.
I'm sure part of that darkness came from his life story that sounds straight out of Hollywood:
A young Italian nobleman marries his cousin, she begins a long affair that is known to everyone but him. He tricks her into thinking he has left, catches her and her lover in action and kills them both. He displays their mutilated bodies in front of the palace and is immune to persecution since he is a nobleman.
He remarries, is abusive, depressed, asks servants to beat him daily, loses his children and dies in isolation.
fun.
I love this one. It's dark, chromatic, and beautiful.
Giovanni Gabrielli (1554-1612) - Canzon Septimi Toni a 8
How exciting, instrumental music! Although instrumental music isn't new and instruments were used to double or replace vocalists, it is the first time that we see formal written music for instruments only.
The properties of the music sound like "typical renaissance". The meter is steady, virtuosic soloists, music that is getting to sound very similar to baroque but still modal. This music is fun and enjoyable, and the purpose here is to entertain while still keeping a high sophistication or counterpoint, voice leading and harmony.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Humanism
John Dunstaple (1390-1453) - “Quam pulchra es”
Rhythmically this is such a contrast to Machaut. Simple long notes with some ornaments on the cadence. The emphasis here is on harmonic progression. There is a clear top melody and the bottom voices are supporting it to create clear triads. The cadences still remain as perfect intervals.
There is thought to counterpoint but the lines remain balanced - one voice moves when others sustain.
There is definitely pleasure involved in writing and listening to this lush, gentle and "pretty" sound.
This is a motet, but it is a startling difference from 14c. It is cohesive, with language, melody, part writing, harmony and form.
At first, the text baffled me - it is earthly, even a bit raunchy, and then ends with an "Alleluia" (?)
Is this a biblical poem? Yes indeed! It is from Song of Songs. The first part belongs to a male, the second to a female. I'm still not sure why it requires an Alleluia though.
Here's a translation:
How beautiful and fair you are, my beloved,
most sweet in your delights.
Your stature is like a palm-tree,
and your breasts are like fruit.
Your head is like Mount Carmel
and your neck is like a tower of ivory.
Come, my beloved, let us go into the fields
and see if the blossoms have born fruit,
and if the pomegranates have flowered.
There will I give my breasts to you.
Alleluia.
Gillaume Du Fay (1397-1474) - Kyrie from Missa L'homme Arme.
L'homme Arme (the armed man) is a folk song. It is used as a cantus firmus here.
Appropriation! It's surprising that a folk song is appropriated as a cantus firmus by the church, instead of chant.
I'm enjoying the new balance found in the counterpoint, where activity is not simultaneous. There is also a stronger harmonic progression and triadic harmony.
Josquin De Prez (1450-1521) - Missa de L'homme Arme
Wow, 6 voices. The emphasis on harmony is apparent since he is working with richer sounds, broader ranges and triadic structures.
I am witnessing the incorporation of imitation, theme development and counterpoint writing that resembles baroque practices. The Agnus Dei is gorgeous!
There is a careful balance between sustaining notes and moving notes. De Prez's biography shows that he was a choir singer, which sheds light on his careful and innovative writing. The control of the different parts and components is evident.
The cantus firmus here is also L'homme Arme, as the title suggests.
I also sang a version of L'homme Arme, a setting by Robert Dennis along with 5 other folk songs in his series "The Golden Peacock".
As I tried to find a recording of his setting, the only one I found is of the performance I was in! Sadly the camera only shows our (fabulous) conductor Phillip Cheah, but you can still listen to a different setting of the piece, if you're interested of course.
Rhythmically this is such a contrast to Machaut. Simple long notes with some ornaments on the cadence. The emphasis here is on harmonic progression. There is a clear top melody and the bottom voices are supporting it to create clear triads. The cadences still remain as perfect intervals.
There is thought to counterpoint but the lines remain balanced - one voice moves when others sustain.
There is definitely pleasure involved in writing and listening to this lush, gentle and "pretty" sound.
This is a motet, but it is a startling difference from 14c. It is cohesive, with language, melody, part writing, harmony and form.
At first, the text baffled me - it is earthly, even a bit raunchy, and then ends with an "Alleluia" (?)
Is this a biblical poem? Yes indeed! It is from Song of Songs. The first part belongs to a male, the second to a female. I'm still not sure why it requires an Alleluia though.
Here's a translation:
How beautiful and fair you are, my beloved,
most sweet in your delights.
Your stature is like a palm-tree,
and your breasts are like fruit.
Your head is like Mount Carmel
and your neck is like a tower of ivory.
Come, my beloved, let us go into the fields
and see if the blossoms have born fruit,
and if the pomegranates have flowered.
There will I give my breasts to you.
Alleluia.
Gillaume Du Fay (1397-1474) - Kyrie from Missa L'homme Arme.
L'homme Arme (the armed man) is a folk song. It is used as a cantus firmus here.
Appropriation! It's surprising that a folk song is appropriated as a cantus firmus by the church, instead of chant.
I'm enjoying the new balance found in the counterpoint, where activity is not simultaneous. There is also a stronger harmonic progression and triadic harmony.
Josquin De Prez (1450-1521) - Missa de L'homme Arme
Wow, 6 voices. The emphasis on harmony is apparent since he is working with richer sounds, broader ranges and triadic structures.
I am witnessing the incorporation of imitation, theme development and counterpoint writing that resembles baroque practices. The Agnus Dei is gorgeous!
There is a careful balance between sustaining notes and moving notes. De Prez's biography shows that he was a choir singer, which sheds light on his careful and innovative writing. The control of the different parts and components is evident.
The cantus firmus here is also L'homme Arme, as the title suggests.
I also sang a version of L'homme Arme, a setting by Robert Dennis along with 5 other folk songs in his series "The Golden Peacock".
As I tried to find a recording of his setting, the only one I found is of the performance I was in! Sadly the camera only shows our (fabulous) conductor Phillip Cheah, but you can still listen to a different setting of the piece, if you're interested of course.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Ars Nova
Philippe de Vitry
"In Arboris/Tuba..." and "Garrit gallus/In Nova..."
These are motets for 3 voices, with a different text for each voice.
One can absolutely hear the development of rhythmic notation, pulse and smaller subdivisions. The writing is very intricate, with emphasis on rhythmic variation and development. The voices sound very independent yet work very well together even to our contemporary ears, although the text is basically incomprehensible. The use of triads the way we hear them today is noticed, although the coda still remains a 5th.
The music is lively, and does not relay a heavy, religious, praying sentiment.
Gillaume de Machaut
"Kyrie" from the Mass of Notre Dame
The first recording of this I heard by "ensemble organum" was very surprising to me because of the tone and ornamentation used my the singers. I am familiar with this type of ornamentation from eastern music and found it surprising that it was acceptable in classical western music. I am interested to find out more about this tone and ornamentation in medieval music.
here it is:
I also found a rendition with brass doubling the voices. This just tells me how flexible instrumentation was back then and how much we impose a formal classical tone to something we're not sure actually sounded that way.
now, back to musical observations:
Triadic harmonies are used more frequently. There is great thought given to harmonic progression, development and voicings. The shift is apparent and stands out from the modal and more "diatonic" writing of the past.
While the rhythm sounded metric and more even with de Vitry, with Machaut the rhythmic modes overlap to create overlapping rhythmic patterns - something that I hear as "syncopation" or "3 over 2" with my modern ears...
Part of it probably has to do with the extension of range from the bottom part to the top, it sounds richer and chordal.
While the "Kyrie" is more stoic, the "Christe" has fast, ornate rhythms.
It is apparent that Machaut innovated both in harmonic and rhythmic development.
"Sumer Is Icomen In" - Anonymous
A 6 voice Rondellus - in old English and Latin.
A secular piece, light.
The bottom two parts hold down a steady accompaniment, while the upper four voices sing in canon. Rhythmically and harmonically it is on the simple side, using only a few rhythmic notes but the mastery here is envisioning how all 6 voices would sound together during the repetitions. The sound is lush, full, rhythmically busy, and very enjoyable.
"In Arboris/Tuba..." and "Garrit gallus/In Nova..."
These are motets for 3 voices, with a different text for each voice.
One can absolutely hear the development of rhythmic notation, pulse and smaller subdivisions. The writing is very intricate, with emphasis on rhythmic variation and development. The voices sound very independent yet work very well together even to our contemporary ears, although the text is basically incomprehensible. The use of triads the way we hear them today is noticed, although the coda still remains a 5th.
The music is lively, and does not relay a heavy, religious, praying sentiment.
Gillaume de Machaut
"Kyrie" from the Mass of Notre Dame
The first recording of this I heard by "ensemble organum" was very surprising to me because of the tone and ornamentation used my the singers. I am familiar with this type of ornamentation from eastern music and found it surprising that it was acceptable in classical western music. I am interested to find out more about this tone and ornamentation in medieval music.
here it is:
I also found a rendition with brass doubling the voices. This just tells me how flexible instrumentation was back then and how much we impose a formal classical tone to something we're not sure actually sounded that way.
now, back to musical observations:
Triadic harmonies are used more frequently. There is great thought given to harmonic progression, development and voicings. The shift is apparent and stands out from the modal and more "diatonic" writing of the past.
While the rhythm sounded metric and more even with de Vitry, with Machaut the rhythmic modes overlap to create overlapping rhythmic patterns - something that I hear as "syncopation" or "3 over 2" with my modern ears...
Part of it probably has to do with the extension of range from the bottom part to the top, it sounds richer and chordal.
While the "Kyrie" is more stoic, the "Christe" has fast, ornate rhythms.
It is apparent that Machaut innovated both in harmonic and rhythmic development.
"Sumer Is Icomen In" - Anonymous
A 6 voice Rondellus - in old English and Latin.
A secular piece, light.
The bottom two parts hold down a steady accompaniment, while the upper four voices sing in canon. Rhythmically and harmonically it is on the simple side, using only a few rhythmic notes but the mastery here is envisioning how all 6 voices would sound together during the repetitions. The sound is lush, full, rhythmically busy, and very enjoyable.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Early Polyphony - Viderunt Omnes
For this week's listening I wanted to focus on the development of Viderunt Omnes.
Viderunt Omnes - Leonin (1163-1190)
A few developments from the Viderunt Omnes plainchant:
1. Polyphony - 2 parts are now present. The bottom holds out long notes taken from the original chant (cantus firmus) and a higher voice embellishes. I was able to follow along with the lower part because I was looking at the "score" while listening, but I probably wouldn't be able to recognize the cantus firmus because it is lengthened significantly.
2. Effect on the listener - the words are no longer the most important thing in the listening experience, the melisma is so long that the words are hardly understood. The intention seems to me is either to impress the listeners with the higher voice part, or to put them in a more meditative state.
3. Sections - the chant has been stretched to such an extent that every few words of the original chant start a new section.
4. The plainchants do come back in between the sections, probably to get back to the original intention.
5. The purpose of the chant now seems to be more artistic then functional.
Viderunt Omnes - Perotin (1180-1225)
(I am actually very familiar with this piece since I wrote an expansion on it, transforming the parts to be played by woodwinds and adding another part to it. I called it "Viderunt Omnes and Friends")
Here are some further developments:
1. Polyphony - 4 parts. The lower holds the original cantus firmus notes while the upper three voices embellish in counterpoint.
which brings me to...
2. Counterpoint - there is a more complex thought in terms of how all 4 parts are sounding together and a real mastery in part writing is coming though.
3. Pulse - there is a sense of pulse and beat, it is easy to translate it to modern notation and feel a more even sense of phrase.
4. Imitation - the 3 upper parts use patterns that repeat as is, in variation and expansion. As more complex rhythms are introduced they are developed as imitation by the other voices and rhythmic patterns old and new mix together to create an evolving and lush sound.
5. Length - If Leonin expanded a few words into its own section that lasts about 2 minutes, Perotin is taking this farther by expanding 2 words to last as long at 5 minutes.
6. Effect on the listener - I am left impressed at the part writing technique and enjoying the lush sound and development of material. This is not a meditative, or a praying experience. It may still a religious experience to those who find it listening to music, but it is not a religious experience through text.
7. The plainchant does make an appearance in between the sections probably to bring the listener to the original intent.
In case you are interested in my expansion, here it is. Unfortunately I don't have a good recording of it. I dropped the low cantus firmus line because it is not a fun part for woodwinds and I didn't find it necessary for my purposes. I used the original upper 3 voices as an accompaniment that reminded me a lot of minimalist texture. I often displaced octaves to create a more rangy sound. The flute melody is added on.
Viderunt Omnes - Leonin (1163-1190)
A few developments from the Viderunt Omnes plainchant:
1. Polyphony - 2 parts are now present. The bottom holds out long notes taken from the original chant (cantus firmus) and a higher voice embellishes. I was able to follow along with the lower part because I was looking at the "score" while listening, but I probably wouldn't be able to recognize the cantus firmus because it is lengthened significantly.
2. Effect on the listener - the words are no longer the most important thing in the listening experience, the melisma is so long that the words are hardly understood. The intention seems to me is either to impress the listeners with the higher voice part, or to put them in a more meditative state.
3. Sections - the chant has been stretched to such an extent that every few words of the original chant start a new section.
4. The plainchants do come back in between the sections, probably to get back to the original intention.
5. The purpose of the chant now seems to be more artistic then functional.
Viderunt Omnes - Perotin (1180-1225)
(I am actually very familiar with this piece since I wrote an expansion on it, transforming the parts to be played by woodwinds and adding another part to it. I called it "Viderunt Omnes and Friends")
Here are some further developments:
1. Polyphony - 4 parts. The lower holds the original cantus firmus notes while the upper three voices embellish in counterpoint.
which brings me to...
2. Counterpoint - there is a more complex thought in terms of how all 4 parts are sounding together and a real mastery in part writing is coming though.
3. Pulse - there is a sense of pulse and beat, it is easy to translate it to modern notation and feel a more even sense of phrase.
4. Imitation - the 3 upper parts use patterns that repeat as is, in variation and expansion. As more complex rhythms are introduced they are developed as imitation by the other voices and rhythmic patterns old and new mix together to create an evolving and lush sound.
5. Length - If Leonin expanded a few words into its own section that lasts about 2 minutes, Perotin is taking this farther by expanding 2 words to last as long at 5 minutes.
6. Effect on the listener - I am left impressed at the part writing technique and enjoying the lush sound and development of material. This is not a meditative, or a praying experience. It may still a religious experience to those who find it listening to music, but it is not a religious experience through text.
7. The plainchant does make an appearance in between the sections probably to bring the listener to the original intent.
In case you are interested in my expansion, here it is. Unfortunately I don't have a good recording of it. I dropped the low cantus firmus line because it is not a fun part for woodwinds and I didn't find it necessary for my purposes. I used the original upper 3 voices as an accompaniment that reminded me a lot of minimalist texture. I often displaced octaves to create a more rangy sound. The flute melody is added on.
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