Modern Era Part Three Flashcards
Indeterminacy
a 20th-century development whereby composers introduced elements of chance and randomness into their scores and/or performances; also called aleatoric music
prepared piano
developed during the 1940s by John Cage, the piano is modified by the insertion of foreign objects (nails, screws, rubber bands as well as muting objects like pieces of leather) in between the strings as indicated by the composer to create interesting sonorities resembling gamelan
Sonatas and interludes genre, composition date, structure, performing forces, dedicated to
Genre- keyboard music
Composition date- 1946
Structure- 16 sonatas arranged in groups of 4 sonatas and 4 interludes
Performing forces- prepared piano
Dedicated to Maro Ajemian
Sonata V (Sonatas and Interludes) genre, form, texture, tempo, meter
Genre- keyboard music
Form- binary AABB
Texture- polyphonic
Tempo- 92 half note
Meter- 2/2
Sonata V (Sonatas and Interludes) notes
Section A- two-voice counterpoint centered mostly in the piano’s middle range creates a strong rhythmic drive
-material in the right hand is an inversion of the left-hand material played in augmentation
-irregular phrase lengths are perceived as short-ostinato-like patterns
-prepared piano produces a rich timbral fabric; while the performer is playing the piano keys in the traditional way, sounds from the instrument combine the usual pitched sounds with additional percussive, no-pitched sonorities
Section B- left hand continues the previous gesture ut is now punctuated by abrupt silences, the right hand sustained long notes
- textural variety achieved through parallel octave motion, wide leaps, and increased use of accents
-intermittent use of the una corda pedal imparts subtle nuances
-clangorous dissonance played ff dissipates to a hushed close
John Cage dates
1912-1992
John Cage’s musical style
-saw himself less as a composer and more as an inventor
-challenged traditional perceptions of music, art, sound, and noise and explored the intersection of those elements, focusing on rhythm and timbre as principle organizers of sound
-his experiments with non-traditional “instruments” (pots, pans, sheet metal) led him to the invention of the “prepared piano”
-used percussive elements in juxtaposition with periods of silence as form-building elements
-took graphic notation to new levels as he explored unorthodox visual renderings of the sounds he heard in his head
-introduced indeterminacy and chance elements to the music, ensuring that no piece would ever be played the same way twice, he staged “happenings”, random theatrical presentations that were minimally scripted avant-garde events integrating music, art, and life
John Cage Compositions
Music for Piano, Etudes australes, Cheap Imitation
Bacchanale
Our Spring Will
The Wonderful widow of Eighteen Springs
Imaginary Landscapes
The Seasons
Fontana Mix
Bird Cage
Electric Counterpoint first movement key signature, tempo, meter
Key signature- one sharp (implies E minor)
Tempo- fast
Meter- 4/4
minimalism in music
A style of music that evolved in the latter half of the 20th century; generally characterized by the seemingly endless repetition of short melodic patterns, complex cross rhythms, and a return to tonal/modal principles
Electric counterpoint genre, composition date, structure, performing forces
Genre- guitar music
Composition date- 1987
Structure- three movements
Performing forces- solo electric guitar accompanied by seven to twelve guitars and two bass guitars
Notes
First Movement
Key signature- one sharp (implies E minor)
Tempo- fast
Meter- 4/4
-relentlessly steady tempo and pulsation of repeated notes with uninterrupted momentum
-wave-like patterns of crescendo and diminuendo shape the material
-at m.110, delicate, dance-like syncopated motives emerge from the initial density, now more sparse texture, sudden contrast is striking
-repeated notes return and are joined and layered by seconds, thirds, and triads, while the syncopated motive continues
-extended crescendo leads to fuller harmonic sonorities
Second Movement
Key signature- four sharps
Tempo- slow
Meter- alteration of 3/4, 5/8, 4/4
-begins attacca from the first movement
-a new motive establishes a gentle and lyrical character
-from the initially reduced texture, additional voices are added, building in density
-shifting meters and constant syncopation are the rhythmic hallmarks
Third Movement
Key signature- one sharp (suggests D Mixolydian)
Tempo- fast
Meter- 3/2
-attacca from the previous movement
-as in previous movements, a motive established at the outset is repeated continuously
-begins with two guitars; additional instruments added
-strummed chords enter in m. 36, creating a new texture
Steve Reich dates
1936
Musical style Steve Reich
-combines European classical and non-Western music sources with electronic innovations
-studied African drumming at the University of Ghana; incorporated its rhythmic complexity into his compositions
-also studied Balinese gamelan music
-musical style draws from collaborations with American jazz, rock, hip-hop, and performance artists
-loops to create a constantly evolving musical density
-some of his works emphasize the process of change through the slow evolution of the melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, and contrapuntal features
Compositions of Steve Reich
Come Out
Its Gonna Rain
Different Trains
Music for Eighteen Musicians
Proverb
City Life
Clapping Music
Three Tales
The Four Sections
Variations for Winds, Strings, and Keyboards
Daniel Variations
