Listening Quiz #2 Flashcards
Who wrote Sonic Contours?
Vladimir Ussachavsky (1911-1991)
When was Sonic Contours written?
1952
Who was Ussachevsky? [3 main points]
- pioneer of EM
- co-founder of Colombia-Princeton Electronic Music Centre
- most of his EM pieces include real sounds that have been manipulated.
What does Sonic Contours sound like?
twinkly, as if you’re in space. Could also be in a horror movie.
Has a random piano part w delay/echo
Who wrote Poeme Electronique?
Edgar Varése (1883-1965)
When was Poeme Electronique written?
1957-58 ish
Poeme Electronique is acknowledged as what?
“earliest masterpieces of electronic music”
What is the context of Poem Electronique’s production? [3 main points]
- written to be used at the world’s fair in Brussels
- originally played from 3 tracks over 100s of loudspeakers
- you could walk through the piece (unique)
What does Poeme Electronique sound like?
- creaking sound, like a door
- lots of eerie noises, sounds like feedback
- FEATURES REAL SOUNDS & PURELY ELECTRONIC SOUNDS
- recurring rising three-note figure vs the electronically distorted woman’s voice
When/why did Varése stop making music?
- composed instrumental music in the 1920’s but stopped for nearly 30 years
> he was annoyed w the limitations of traditional musical instruments.
Who wrote Gesang der Junglinge?
Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928-2007)
When was Gesang der Junglinge written?
1955
main wave & sound used in Stockhausen’s piece?
- sine waves
- young boy singing excerpts from the book of Daniel
context of Gesang der junglinge?
the performance uses SPATIAL PLACEMENT»_space; was recorded on multiple tracks & played over 5 speakers surrounding the audience
The composition of Gesang der Junglingle reflects…?
…the serial thought current at the time (bc he divides speech + sound and performs operations on them)
Who wrote Variations pour une porte et un soupir?
Pierre Henry (1927-2017)
When was ‘Variations pour une porte et un soupir’ written?
1963
Who was Pierre Henry? [3 points]
- early pioneer of musique concrete
- studied at Paris Conservatoire
- from age 15 he experimented with sounds
- first formally educated musician to dedicate all energy into EM
Characterise Pierre Henry’s piece: START, MIDDLE + END
START
- door creaking
- sounds like sneakers against a gym floor
MIDDLE
- more upbeat, scratching sound
- multiple door creaks
- bed squeaks
END
- higher pitch door
- sounds like an altered trumpet sound
- aggressive knocking + exhaling
Who did Pierre Henry collab with & what did they make (1950)?
Schaeffer
composed Symphonie pour un homme seul»_space; made composition using sounds of the body
What piece did Charles Dodge write?
Any Resemblance is Purely Coincidental (1978)
What is Any Resemblance based on?
based on Enrico Caruso’s 1902 orchestra Vesti la giubba
How was Any Resemblance created?
voice was manipulated to sing
Dodge had a live pianist accompanying the piece
characterise Any Resemblance
- an opera voice
- deep, mellow piano accompaniment
Who composed Bye Bye Butterfly?
Pauline Oliveros (1932-2016)
When was Bye Bye Butterfly composed?
1965
characterise Oliveros’s piece
- sounds alien, foreign
- high pitched
- has a female voice, echoing
What was used to make Bye Bye Butterfly?
- 2 oscillators
- 2 amplifiers
- 2 tape recorders
- a turntable
What did Oliveros say the piece is about?
- saying bye to music of 19th century
- institutionalised female oppression
Who wrote Synchronisms #9 (1988)
Mario Davidovsky (1934-2019)
Characterise Synchronisms #9
- a series for the violin
- complex violin sounds, pizz. but also acro
key theme in Davidovsky’s pieces?
challenge between human and machine
who composed Le Souffle du Doux (1979)?
Daniel Arfib (1949-)
Who is Daniel Arfib?
composer of souffle du doux
- works at IRCAM, in Paris
Characterise Le Souffle du Doux [3 points]
- low frequency
- echoing blow
- harmonises the high n low freq
how did Daniel Arfib compose the piece?
- using 16 bit telemecanique comp
What did Yves Daoust compose?
Suite Baroque: Toccata (1989)
What was yves’s piece made using?
tonal harpsichord
What does the Suite Baroque Toccata sound like?
- phone ringing
- people talking in the bg (IN FRENCH)
- harpsichord
- rain, cars beeping
Who composed Temazcal (1984)?
Javier Alvarez (1955 ish)
Describe Alvarez’s piece? What does he say about his music?
- maracas, rhythmic
- sudden screeches and bangs
- “combines solo instruments w music prod. on samplers/synthesisers”
Who wrote Phonemena (1969/74)?
Milton Babbitt (1916 - 2011)
Context for Babbitt’s ‘Phonemena’? [4 points]
- composed for soprano & piano
- electronic part was written in 1975
- uses phonemes in a serial scheme
- uses a Mark II RCA Synthesiser
What does Phonemena sound like?
- woman scatting, high pitched
Who composed Come Out (1968)?
Steve Reich (1936-)
context of Come Out (1968)
- first of Reich’s minimalist pieces
- uses Daniel Hamm’s voice
- Harlem Riots 1964
- words are looped, gradually shift apart
What is the name of Annie Gosfield’s piece?
Lighting Slingers & Dead Ringers (2008)
What does Gosfield’s song sound like?
- dramatic alarm sounds (like a saw wave)
- dramatic piano
- low ominous ringing in bg
