Area Of Study 6 (New Directions) Flashcards
Includes "The Rite Of Spring", "Petals" & "Three Dances" + WL
What is the context of “The Rite Of Spring”?
Who: Igor Stravinsky What: Russian ballet Where: Paris How: Large "Korsakov" stylistic orchestra Why: Ballet Russes When: 1913
Describe the melody of “Introduction”
The Rite Of Spring
Opening bassoon solo, before rising perf 4ths at fig 2
Oboe fifths at fig 5, then high D clarinet after fig 9
Describe the harmony of “Introduction”
The Rite Of Spring
Five pitches in opening bassoon solo
Constant harsh dissonance and polychordal at fig 11
Describe the tonality of “Introduction”
The Rite Of Spring
Tonality asserted by stressing key note
Distinct layers of polyscalarity at fig 6
Describe the rhythm of “Introduction”
The Rite Of Spring
Rubato with no dotted rhythms in opening
Polyrhythm at fig 11, then silence at fig 12
Describe the texture of “Introduction”
The Rite Of Spring
Monophony with polyphony balance in opening
Parallel motion at fig 7, then families at fig 11
Describe the sonority of “Introduction”
The Rite Of Spring
Opening high bassoon solo
Horizontal flutes at fig 6, then harmonics at fig 10
Describe the melody of “Augurs Of Spring”
The Rite Of Spring
Four note ostinato at fig 14, then triplets at fig 15
Conjunct bassoon at fig 19, with diatonic horn at fig 25
Describe the harmony of “Augurs Of Spring”
The Rite Of Spring
Inversion of dom 13th at fig 13, then chromatic at fig 17
Parallel 7th trumpet chords at fig 28
Describe the tonality of “Augurs Of Spring”
The Rite Of Spring
Bitonality at fig 13, then chromatic scales at fig 15
Mix of modal/melodic and minor scales at fig 28
Describe the rhythm of “Augurs Of Spring”
The Rite Of Spring
Ostinati blocks at fig 13, then cross rhythms at fig 15
Silence before fig 22, before syncopation at fig 31
Describe the texture of “Augurs Of Spring”
The Rite Of Spring
Rapid rate of change with false ending at fig 13
Fragments at fig 29, then adding ostinati at fig 30
Describe the sonority of “Augurs Of Spring”
The Rite Of Spring
Eight Augurs chord horns at fig 13
Prominent timpani before fig 22, then alto flute at fig 27
Describe the melody of “Ritual Of Abduction”
The Rite Of Spring
Diatonic woodwind at fig 37
Two notes 5th apart at fig 40 with quavers at fig 43
Describe the harmony of “Ritual Of Abduction”
The Rite Of Spring
Eb7 at fig 37 then dissonant chromatics in 2nds at fig 39
Flattened 7th C in D maj scale
Describe the tonality of “Ritual Of Abduction”
The Rite Of Spring
Mixolydian at fig 37 returns up a semitone at fig 40
Conjunct quaver idea returns 3rd lower at fig 46
Describe the rhythm of “Ritual Of Abduction”
The Rite Of Spring
Compound triple meter at fig 37
Polyrhythmic bass at fig 41, then meter changes at fig 47
Describe the texture of “Ritual Of Abduction”
The Rite Of Spring
Dissonant thick horns 2 notes 5th apart at fig 40
Homorhythms at fig 42, then loud dense chords at fig 47
Describe the sonority of “Ritual Of Abduction”
The Rite Of Spring
Prominent percussion at fig 37, then high gliss at fig 45
Sustained flute trills in final bars
WL: “Jeux” by Claude Debussy
La Mer
Blocks of chords with acciaccatura woodwind
Dotted quavers with double stopped harp
WL: “Infernal Dance” by Igor Stravinsky
Firebird
Counterpoint intro with flattened dominant
Biaphony with extensive use of hemiolas
WL: “Enemy God” by Sergei Prokofiev
Scythian Suite
Obstacle course of tuplets and grace notes
Full orchestra moves sparsely in unison
WL: “I Will Follow” by U2
Boy
Minimalistic guitar ostinato overlaps other sounds
Resonating bells with augmented note values
WL: “Shabby Old Rake Enters” by Bela Bartok
Miraculous Mandarin
Frequent slides on strings and muted brass
Perf 4th drop followed by a rising dim 3rd
WL: “Night Music” by Eleanor Alberga
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs
Chromatic alternations with ambiguous cadence
Ethereal bells with low strings sus note values
WL: “Chez Le Marie” by Igor Stravinsky
Les Noces
Min 3rd leap with clashing chromaticism
Unexpected contrasts in compound quintuple meter
WL: “Movement One” by Grazyna Bacewicz
Symphony No.4
C# aug 6th in 2nd inversion
Progressive chromatic scale with short bassoons
What is the context of “Petals”?
Who: Kaija Saariaho What: Spectral soundscape Where: Bremen How: Solo cello with opt electronics Why: Exploring sonic range When: 1988
Describe the melody of “Petals”
Petals
Chromatic overlaps at stv 4, then low C ideas at stv 17
Upwards sequence before falling modal idea at stv 10
Describe the harmony of “Petals”
Petals
Absent with rich series of overtones above F at stv 1
Generated gestures with horizontal harmony at stv 17
Describe the tonality of “Petals”
Petals
Atonal with certain dyads at stv 9
Repeated low C at stv 17
Describe the rhythm of “Petals”
Petals
Slow notated tempo with grace notes at stv 21
Dectuplets at stv 4 before syncopated tuplets at stv 10
Describe the texture of “Petals”
Petals
Ambiguous monophony at stv 1 becomes clear at stv 4
Drone textures in two parts at sec 3
Describe the electronics of “Petals”
Petals
Amplified dynamic hairpins
Reverb and harmonization max 50%
Describe the sonority of “Petals”
Petals
Pressure changes at stv 1 then sul ponti playing at stv 4
Sul tasto playing at stv 5 before glissandi at stv 17
WL: “Mad Tea Party” by Unsuk Chin
Alice In Wonderland
Swannee whistles with accented clashing trumpets
Multiphonic bent notes amongst hemiolas
WL: “Animalcules” by Natasha Barrett
Puzzle Wood
Stark scratching sounds with soft bubbly effects
Dramatic vocal squeaks in a directionless pulse
WL: “D’om Le Vrai Sens” by Kaija Saariaho
La Vue
Decorative chromatic solo clarinet passage
Pizz and arco alternations with imitative growls
WL: “Duo Improv” by Thomas Buckner & Earl Howard
Particle Ensemble
Wind vocals and rolling of objects above pedal
Gradual dynamics with polyphonic rises and falls
WL: “Book Of Mirrors” by Rozalie Hirs
Platonic ID
Swelling trill motifs with scratching chimes
Sudden pauses with changes in offset tuba
WL: “Movement Two” by Brian Ferneyhough
String Quartet No.3
Consistent sudden changes with low scratches
Additive harmonics and tuplets from monophony
WL: “Dry Mountain Stream” by Kaija Saariaho
Six Japanese Gardens For Percussion
Unpitched conjunct motion with raindrop cowbell
Sizzling dense timpani with bold dynamics
WL: “Cello Solo” by Michael Seltenreich
Lumiere Lent
Progressive tremolo down to low F
Few sustained sections ending on dyads
What is the context of “Three Dances”?
Who: John Cage What: Virtuoso work Where: New York How: Two amplified prepared pianos Why: African tala dance performance When: 1945
Describe the melody of “Three Dances”
Three Dances
First five note melodic ostinato at fig 64/73
Note addition at fig 55 then note subtraction at fig 56
Describe the timbre of “Three Dances”
Three Dances
Retains some pitch with una corda ped at fig 71/80
Tres corda ped at fig 26
Describe the item usage in “Three Dances”
Three Dances
Screws, rubbers, coins, bolts, pieces of plastic and weather strips for doors
Describe the rhythm of “Three Dances”
Three Dances
Accents at 1 then group of 3 across bar at fig 2
Crotchets and quavers only except septuplets at fig 20
Describe the texture of “Three Dances”
Three Dances
Monophonic at fig 5 before two parts at fig 6
Occassional chords at fig 17 and silence before fig 64/73
Describe the dynamics of “Three Dances”
Three Dances
Beginning forzando with cresc at fig 9
Dynamic surprises at fig 38 and 64/73
WL: “Banshee” by Henry Cowell
Piano Strings 405
Screeched rubbing of piano strings
Augmented sliding semibreves with una corda ped
WL: “Improvisation” by Volker Bertelmann
Foreign Landscapes
Metallic sounds are quiet in high range
Ethereal opening clamped strings
WL: “Room” by John Cage
She Is Asleep
Syncopation on seventh quaver
Distinctive raindrop F# pierces homorhythms
WL: “Limonium” by Kelly Moran
Bloodroot
Dense intertwining of pitched sounds
Percussive trill/mordent ornamentation
WL: “Klavierstucke Five” by Karlheinz Stockhausen
Klavierstucke
High ranged intro ends on A min 9th add 7
D# pedal with eerie high progressive rushes
WL: “Movement One” by Galina Ustvolskaya
Piano Sonata No.4
Ominous min 9th with add 4 chords in intro
Moto perpetuo bass quavers with some dyads
WL: “Part Two” by John Cage
Book Of Music
Semiquavers in both hands with metallic gongs
Hints F maj with low F and F maj scale extract
WL: “Rain At Funeral” by Augusta Read Thomas
Prarie Sketches
Element of tonality with grumbling D# pedal
Octaves followed by minor 7th with chromatic step
