by | Sep 16, 2022 | Music
Critical Essay on a Musician or Band Instructions
When learning music history and/or “appreciation,” there is an extent to which we study and absorb the critical consensus about the musicians we examine. Certain admired artists are/were great, certain other people were less great, and so on. It is important to know that this is the conventional wisdom, and it is likely that you will frequently agree. However, it is also important to have a critical ear and allow yourself to assimilate the information you are gathering and draw conclusions of your own. This assignment is an exercise to get you moving in that direction.
For this essay, you will explore the music of an artist or band (different from whoever you will be studying for your Final Project) who is relevant to this course’s subject matter (for example, an artist who is represented on the course Spotify playlist, who is mentioned at any length in the textbook, or who makes/made music in a similar style). You should do some basic research on the career and style of that musician and listen to several recordings of this musician (and, in particular, ones that your reading has suggested to be particularly significant and/or representative of that artist’s sound).
Your objective for this paper is to briefly lay out the basics of what you have read about that artist’s career and style (as discovered in your research – maximum ½ page) and then focus primarily on explaining specific ways in which your listening supports and/or contradicts the “conventional wisdom” about that artist. Likewise, read what people have said about the specific recordings to which you listened and see how your own observations line up. The website www.allmusic.com is a great resource for this kind of thing, but many other reference works and web resources are also available. There is no “correct” conclusion, of course, only the responsibility to explain yourself thoroughly and with detail.
Essay Requirements:
Approximately 2-3 pages/600-800 words
Please cite your sources – both the resources you used in your research and the recordings you listened to (ideally citing which moments in those recordings you are referring to in your observations).
by | Sep 8, 2022 | Music
Read: World Music: Traditions and Transformations by Michael Bakan Chapter 3, pp. 31-40; Chapter 5, pp. 58-59.
Watch: Touch The Sound. The link is under the course materials tab on Blackboard.
Prompt: Based upon Bakan’s discussion of rhythm, write a 500-word essay that examines in detail two different music examples of rhythm of your choosing. Explain the musical cultures they come from, the role of rhythm in the music and how these rhythms are performed. Compare and contrast these two musical examples.
by | Sep 8, 2022 | Music
Write a free form summary of the chapters covered this week submitted either as a text entry or file upload. In order for this assignment to be marked complete, you must include all of the following requirements.
Paragraph form with complete sentences
200 words minimum
Brief summary of each chapter
Include at least 2 musical terms that you find interesting
Include a comparison of at least 1 musical style to the music you enjoy listening to
by | Aug 1, 2022 | Music
Review the following resource: John Cage – 4’33” for piano (1952) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN2zcLBr_VM&ab_channel=zoomoozophone
In previous time periods, composers generally followed the accepted style of the time. This concept of time changed in the twentieth century, especially as many composers left Europe due to the world wars and settled in the United States. Rather than following a set style, composers were more concerned with creating their own style. In the early part of the twentieth century, we had many “-isms”: impressionism, expressionism, serialism, and so on. But there was one composer who challenged us on our concept of what music really is.
Discuss whether or not you agree with John Cage’s portrayal of “music” in 4’33”.
Choose one of the composers from this module (Part 7: Chapters 22–24). ” Aaron Copland” Find a composition by the composer and describe what characteristics place the composition in its specific style. Discuss how the musical elements in the twentieth century are different from the earlier time periods. Do composers still use the musical elements in the same way, or have they succeeded in creating new uses for them?
by | Jul 31, 2022 | Music
View the video above, Jimi Hendrix “Fire” Live at Stockholm Sweden 1969. You are supposed to use your knowledge gained in class by including in your report your opinion about the instruments used in the clip, information about the composer (Jimi Hendrix) and the elements of music of this clip. Please include at least 500 words in your report and be original. The type of file could be PDF, Word, or PowerPoint. Please do not include .pages files . This is an opinion report, please do not include facts but your opinion based on your web research.The questions below are posted to give you ideas for your report. Do not include them but use them as inspiration. Is the melody easy to remember?
Can you hear more than one major themes in this work? If so, could you elaborate a bit
Is the harmony consonant or dissonant?
Does the harmony determine how one perceives the music or it is determined by other elements? Please elaborate
Is the rhythm an important part of this piece?
What colors (emotions) you can described as you listen to this movement?
Is the texture (the instruments used) rich or thin at some points? Please elaborate
Can you hear an underlying story to the music?
Can you hear a basic structure in this movement?
What is your personal opinion on this musical clip?
Requirements: 500 words | .doc file
by | Jul 31, 2022 | Music
You are required to write a 5-page (double-spaced, standard tabs) research paper about a musical culture NOT covered in this course. Areas covered in this course include Indonesia, Japan, Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America, the area you will be covering is Greece. For this assignment, please use Nettl’s 3-part model, addressed in “Unit 1: Introduction” and Chapter 1 in our textbook. Focus on the Sounds, Behaviors, and Ideas or Conceptions that govern the sounds and behaviors of the musical genre/activity you choose. It’s best if you stick to a specific genre or ensemble from whatever region you choose for this research paper. For example, if you wanted to write about music from Spain, don’t try to summarize all Spanish music (too broad, too big) but pick a specific genre or activity to focus on, such as Flamenco. Want to research Hawaiian music? Stick to hula or string bands. The point is, focus on one genre or activity from a region and give in-depth details, not just a broad, surface cultural overview.
Requirements: 5 pages
