Module 6 – The Twentieth Century

Music Appreciation Module 6 – The Twentieth Century Text Book: Part Six, Chapters 1-22 The Twentieth Century Time Line -Wright brothers: first powered flight—1903 - First World War—1914-1918 - Licensed First Radio Station – 1920 - Great Depression begins—1929 - Second World War—1939-1945 - Atomic Bomb destroys Hiroshima—1945 - First LP record – 1948 - First regularly scheduled TV broadcasts - Korean War—1950-1953 - Vietnam War—1955-1975 - President Kennedy assassinated—1963 - American astronauts land on moon—1969 - CDs – 1982 - MP3s - 1991 - Terrorist attacks in the US – 2001 - New Orleans flooded – 2005 - Worldwide recession - 2007 - US/Cuba resume diplomatic relations - 2015 Developments of the Twentieth Century • rapid economic growth • advances in Civil Rights • more opportunities for women, African-American, and minority artists/composers • rapid technological advancements lead to: - sound recording - movies - radio - television - computers - internet - wifi - smart phones Changes in Music in Society • Women composers: Amy Beach Vivian Fine Ellen Zwilich (Pulitzer Prize winner) • African-Americans Composers: William Grant Still - AfroAmerican Symphony - first work by a black composer to be played by a major American orchestra George Walker (Pulitzer Prize winner) Amy Beach • Universities become the center for modern music & composers. George Walker Twentieth Century Style • early 20th century - time of revolt and great change in the arts • more changes in music than any period since the beginning of the Baroque • For the first time classical audiences turned to more familiar music of the past. • Recorded & broadcast music brought the concert hall to living room, automobile, & elsewhere. • Jazz and Pop music spread throughout the world. Musical Characteristics emancipation of dissonance • tone color - unusual playing techniques for sound effects; percussion use expanded • harmony – -new chords: polychord - 2 chords played at the same time fourth chord - tones are a fourth apart instead of a third tone clusters – tones that are a whole step or half step apart -breaks with the traditional tonal system: polytonality – two (bitonality) or more keys or tonal centers at the same time atonality - the absence of a tonal center or key -Major and minor keys no longer dominate • rhythm- emphasis upon irregularity and unpredictability • melody - no longer bound to traditional harmony àRefer to the “Music Fundamentals Review” in the ebook for examples of a polychord, tone cluster, polytonality and atonality. Impressionism • Art - art focused on light, color, & atmosphere - light reflecting on water was a favorite subject •Poetry - symbolism suggest subjects • Music - a quiet revolution in music - very flowing, dreamy sounding - subtle dynamic changes - primarily a French style Claude Debussy (1862-1918) • French impressionist composer • captures in music what Impressionist painters did in visual art • utilized the different tone colors in the orchestra Listening Activity: Impressionism Prelude a l’Apres-midi d’un faune by Claude Debussy (1894) Listening Outline: p. 319-320 - based on a poem by the French poet Mallarmé tells the story of the dreams of a faun – pagan creature that is half man/half goat - uses a whole tone scale – a scale constructed exclusively from whole steps. Debussy and Stravinsky Neoclassicism • return to the ideals of balance, structure and clarity • used musical forms of the Baroque and Classical periods but with 20th century harmonies • preferred absolute music and smaller orchestras • example: Pulcinella Suite by Stravinsky à Refer to Pulcinella Suite in M6 Web Links. Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) • • Russian composer Wrote Le Sacre du Printemp -ballet music written for Diaghelev (director of the Russian ballet in Paris) -A riot occurred at the premier of this piece in Paris. - uses ostinato - the rhythmic repetition of a group of pitches done persistently Listening Activity: Ballet Le Sacre du printemps (1913) The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky Part I: Introduction Part I: Omens of Spring—Dances of the Youths & Maidens Part I: Ritual of Abduction Listening Outline: p. 330-331 - syncopation and sudden accents - story of a primitive tribe paying tribute to the god of Spring àRefer to Rite of Spring in M6 Web Links to watch a portion of this historic ballet. Choreography begins @ 3 minutes. Photo from the premier of Le Sacre du Printemps Expressionism • Expresses very intense emotions • has been called the shriek of the inner soul • used deliberate distortions to shock audiences • used for social protest Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) • • • Born in Vienna left Europe in WWII and taught at UCLA Developed the twelve-tone system – organizes atonal composing - Pitches are played in a specific order called a tone row, set or series. - No pitch can occur more than once in the row. - Gives equal importance all 12 pitches These pitches would be arranged in the tone row: A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G# à Refer to the Music Fundamentals Review in Part VI Chapter 1 in the ebook for a demonstration of the 12-tone system. Listening Activity: Atonal Composition Mondestrunken (Moondrunk) from Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21 (Moonstruck Pierrot) by Schoenberg (1912) Vocal Music Guide: p. 339 - voice, piano, flute, violin, & cello - atonal, intentionally no key center - use of Sprechstimme, eerie sounding song/speech style that was developed by Schoenberg Listening Activity: Expressionism A Survivor from Warsaw (1947) by Arnold Schoenberg Vocal Music Guide: p. 339 - 340 - Cantata for narrator, male chorus, and orchestra Set in a Jewish concentration camp in 3 languages: English, German, and Hebrew utilizes the twelve-tone system employs sprechstimme vocal technique àRefer to Survivor from Warsaw in M6 Web Links to watch this composition. You may also listen to it in Connect Kamien. Alban Berg (1885-1935) • born in Vienna • student of Schoenberg • In 1925 he received international attention forWozzeck - atonal opera Listening Activity: Atonal Opera • Wozzeck (1925) by Alban Berg Vocal music guide: p. 342 - View video from link in M6 Web Links - Wozzeck is a soldier who is persecuted by his captain, experimented on by a doctor, and betrayed by the woman he loves. àRefer to Wozzeck in M6 Web Links to watch this composition. Bela Bartok (1881-1945) • Born in Hungary • collected and recorded peasant folksongs in remote areas • His music is influenced by folksongs. • moved to the US during WWII Listening Activity: 20th Century Orchestral Composition Concerto for Orchestra (1943) Second movement: Game of Pairs - by Bartók Listening Outline: p. 344 • show piece for orchestra virtuoso – features different instruments • commissioned by the Boston Symphony Music in America George Gershwin (1898-1937) • • • • • American composer Wrote popular music, musical theatre, and serious concert music Creator of the golden age of the American musical theater Opera – Porgy and Bess set in South Carolina Often collaborated with his brother, Ira - lyricist Listening Activity: Rhapsody in Blue • Rhapsody in Blue (1924) – By George Gershwin – Listening Outline: p. 350 - one movement work - piano and orchestra - uses jazz elements àRefer to Rhapsody in Blue in M6 Web Links to watch this composition or listen to it in the ebook. William Grant Still (1895-1978) • American composer • part of the Harlem Renaissance (19171935) – a huge blossoming of African American culture • first African-American to: - have composition performed by a major US orchestra - conduct a major orchestra - have an opera performed by a major opera company Listening Activity Afro-American Symphony (1931) Third movement by William Grant Still Listening Outline: p. 353 - uses blues elements and influenced by American Spirituals. - Still wanted to demonstrate that the blues, so often considered a lowly expression, could be elevated to the highest musical level. Aaron Copland (1900-1990) • • • • • • American composer one of the leading composers of the 20th century teacher, conductor and author used American folklore, jazz, revival hymns and folk tunes in his music Ballets include: -Appalachian Spring -Rodeo Other music: - Lincoln Portrait - Fanfare for the Common Man Listening Activity: 20th Century American Ballet Appalachian Spring (1943-44) Section 7: Theme and Variations on Simple Gifts by Aaron Copland Listening Outline: p. 356 -originally a ballet for Martha Graham (great dancer and choreographer) -won the Pulitzer Prize for music and the NY Music Critics award -This excerpt is based on the Shaker Melody “Simple Gifts.” - theme and variations form Albert Ginastera (1916 – 1983) • Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina • Student of Aaron Copland • His music -uses forceful rhythms -strong percussion -thick orchestral textures - features an Argentinean folk music influence Listening Activity: Argentinean Dance Suite Estancia Suite, Op. 8a (1941) by Ginastera Final Dance: Malambo Listening Outline p. 358 - 359 • Originally written as a ballet • Malambo – dance for men performed by gaucho Music Since 1945 the liberation of sound Representative Works Listening Activity: Chance Music • aleatoric music -composers choose aspects of music by random means Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano Sonata II (1946-1948) by John Cage (19121992) p. 369 Prepared piano is a piano with objects inserted between some of the strings. John Cage 4 3 (1952) By John Cage - still controversial! àRefer to 4 33 in M6 Web Links to watch this composition. Listening Activity: Electronic music • pieces produced electronically • uses technological advances for new music (tape, synthesizers, computers) • Composers have complete control over the composition and its performance. • unlimited selection of tone colors Varèse Poème électronique (Electronic Poem; 1958) by Edgard Varèse (1883-1965) Listening Outline: p. 370 - 371 - Created using recording tape and a wide variety of raw sounds that are electronically altered - written for the Brussels World Fair Liberation of sound - the right to make music with any and all sounds. – Varèse Listening Activity: Experimentation in Combining Rhythms Libertango(1974) by Astor Piazzolla ABA form Listening Outline: p. 372 - 373 - Listen for the two competing rhythms (seven against three). - Listen for the bandoneon (similar to an accordion). Listening Activity: Minimalism • Features: -steady pulse -repetition phrases of melodic phrases -clear tonality Short Ride in a Fast Machine by John Adams Listening Outline: p. 374 - persistent fast tempo - rhythmic drive Listening Activity: 20thc. Choral work Lux Aurumque (2000) by Eric Whitacre for a cappella chorus Listening outline p. 376 - listen for the tight harmonies àSee the M6 Weblinks to watch a performance of this piece performed by a virtual choir with Eric Whitacre conducting. Listening Activity: Program Music City Scape (2002) Third Movement: Peachtree Street by Jennifer Higdon Rondo form Listening outline p. 379-380 “…a metropolitan sound picture written in orchestra tones… Listen to her musical representation of downtown Atlanta. Listening Activity: 21st Century MultiCultural Music Inura (2009) Section 2: The Sharing by: Tania Leon For mixed chorus, strings and percussion Listening Outline: p. 381-382 -A composition based on Brazilian culture written by a Cuban. - Listen for the polyrhythms and call and response patterns that are similar to sub-Saharan African music that is in Module 9. End of Module 6! • Please check the task list and due dates to make sure that you have completed all of the items on time before proceeding to Module 7.