Experiencing Music Chapter 3

What You Will Learn Compare the various levels of listening to mucis, and explain how perceptive listening can enhance the listener’s appreciation Identify the intervals found within a major scale Compare the experience of Listening to music alone with that of listening in the company of others

Vocabulary Aural Perceptive listening Aesthetic Scale Major scale interval Texture Ensemble Monophonic Mariachi Virtuoso

Musician Profile Luciano Pavarotti

Listening to Music Aural: Levels of listening Hearing related Different levels of attentiveness impact how we listen to music Casual - Some music blends into the background (ambient) You may listen casually or tune this music out Sensuous listening – “goosebump” listening Involves an emotional reaction Perceptive listening: Listening to and appreciation a musical work for its full range of technical and expressive properties

Perceptive listening Listeners analyze the structure and elements of the music Accentuates the expressive power of music The more we understand music, the more likely we are to have a peak experience – heightened response when we listen both sensuously and perceptively Aesthetic: Characterized by a heightened sensitivity to the content, form, or emotional impact of an artistic work or event

Activity 1, p. 52 CD 2:7 Listen to an excerpt from John Philip Sousa’s “Washington Post March”

Becoming a Perceptive Listener When we listen perceptively we rely on our knowledge of music Scale Most music is based on some type of scale: A sequence of tones arranged in rising pitches Major scale A sequence of eight pitches built on the pattern of two whole steps, one half step, three whole steps, and one half step. Activity 3, p. 53 CD 2:8 “Do, Re Mi”

Intervals The way a melody is constructed often influences the way a piec of music affects us Interval: Distance in pitch between two tones Most intervals are categorized as minor (meaning small), major (meaning large), or perfect(meaning fourths, fifths, and octaves, which are never major or minor) Activity 3, p. 54

How We Experience Music Listening to music at high volume levels can seriously damage hearing Activity 5, p. 55 (handout) Experience music alone When alone, we choose music to match our mood

Activity 6, p. 56 CD 1:1-6 For each of the 6 examples, answer the following questions Would you categorize this music as classical, traditional, or popular? What sort of mood does this music create? Where would one listen to this music? What is the source of sound? Is it sung? Instrumental? If so, what instruments were used? What is the function of the music? Where might it be played What elements are most prominent in this music?

Experiencing music together How you react to music depends on the type of music and how it is being used The context can dictate the audience’s reaction Sometimes the music is secondary to the main purpose of th event.

Activity 7, p. 57 CD 2:12-15 Listen to the 4 examples and answer the questions What is the main function of the music? Describe your reaction to the music. How would you react? What is the appropriate audience behavior? How would the event be different without the music.

Performing Music Alone Making music is like other artistic expressions People enjoy expressing themselves through solo performance When people make music they become their own audience

Activity 8, p. 59 CD 2:16-17 Listen to two Asian solo instrumental performances Categorize each instrument (idiophone, membranophone, aerophone, etc.) Select four words that accurately describe the timbre of each instrument Speculate in what setting each piece might be performed

Tuning a Guitar Some call the guitar the most important musical instrument of the past 50 years The guitar has 6 strings each tuned to a specific pitch The thickest string produces the lowest tone Activity 9, p. 61 DVD – “Tuning a Guitar” CD 2:14 “Hip Song”

The Native American Flute The flute is a common instrument to many cultures around the world Made from natural a manufactured materials During the late 19th and early 20th century, Native American flute playing nearly became extinct According to legend, the flute was given to the Native American people by the Creator for enjoyment, to ease loneliness Some tribe sue it for quiet moments Some use it for courting purposes A young man would sit outside the home of the woman he likes and play the flute, if she was interested she would come sit beside him Today there is renewed interest Activity 10, p. 62 CD 2:18 “Northern Plains”

Performing Music Together Music often functions as a form of group expression A group can provide more texture- The way sounds are woven together Ensemble Cooperative musical expression Organizing people to function together in a musically cohesive manner requires cooperation Monophonic- In unison with everyone sounding the same pitch or octave at the same time

Call and Response Question and answer Combines solo and choral response The leader must know all the lyrics while the choirs response is simple Call and response is found in spirituals and gospel music Its influence today is heard in jazz, blues, rock, rap, folk songs, and backup vocals Mixed ensembles Some ensembles may alternate between a featured soloist and the group but not in call and response

Activity 11, p. 64 CD 2:19 /TRB 3-4 “Oh Happy Day” How many responses did you hear in the first chorus? Seven responses Are all the responses exact repetitions of the call? If not, where did they change “Oh Happy Day” is exact but changes when “washed our sins away” is responded to with the words “Oh Happy Day” Does the verse use call and response? The verse uses call and response, but the soloist responds to the call by the chorus, rather than the reverse as in the choruses.

Mariachi tradition Mariachi A musical group with several violins, trumpets, large bass guitar, and special five and six-string guitars Bass guitar – guitarron Five-string guitar(short and used as rhythm guitar) vihuela The two most popular types of Mariachi music Son jalisciense – song for Jalisco Cancion ranchera – a country song “La Negra” is the most well known of the sones jaliscienses Activity 13, p. 65 CD 2:20

Critiquing Music Acquiring criteria for evaluating music performances Opinions are never wrong – they are a matter of taste Opinion is not enough in judging a work or genre Every performance must be judged on its own merits Music critics Professionals who write about musical events, performances, and albums

Criteria for critiquing music Timber – quality of tone, range, variety, appropriateness and appeal Expressiveness – interpretation Technique – performer’s skills Presentation – choice and appropriateness of the music Impact – artist’s charisma Activity 13, p. 67, CD 3:1-3 TRB 3-6

The role of a critic A responsible critic will do more than condemn or rave about a performance They must be perceptive listeners They must analyze and communicate their opinions A good critic takes in non-musical aspect such as the conductor, acoustics, and size and reaction of the audience. Music Critics influence public opinion which is a big responsibility. Your job when reading a review is to distinguish between fact and opinion Activity 14, p. 67, TRB 3-7

Luciano Pavarotti 1935-2007 One of the most famous opera singers Born in Modena, Italy As a child he sang in the local chorus with his father Performed in his first opera at age 26 Numerous recordings Stadium crowds “Nessum Dorma” “My first, my last, my everything” with Barry White

Assignment Activity 15, p. 68 Fact & Opinion Read the column from The New York Times (TRB 3-8). Underline the words or phrases that provide basic information. Circle the words or phrases that are clearly the reviewer’s opinions Is it clear that the reviewer was well informed? Was he able to back up the views expressed Did the review seem credible to you? How do you know?

Assignment Cultivating the language of criticism Critics use colorful language to communicate their reactions and judgments Fair assessments Activity 16, p. 68 From the Top CD 1:5 Listen to Elena Urioste play the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. What are some adjectives you would use to describe her performance? Read the 2004 review of Elena Urioste’s debut with the Cleveland Orchestra (TRB 3-9). Identify and circle all the “color words” – descriptive nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs – that indicate whether the critic’s reaction was favorable or unfavorable. Use the “Critical Words Worksheet” to list the positive and negative terms used. How well do they match the descriptive vocabulary you used?

Musical Artistry in Schools Activity 17, p. 70, CD 3:4-7 Identify difference among student musical ensembles Listen to two recordings of “Hodie Christus Natus Est.” One is sung by a junior high school choir, and the other by a high school group What are some of the main differences between the performances? List to two recordings of “Colonel Bogey March.” One is performed by a junior high band and the other by a high school band. Which is performed by a high school band? How do you know?

Assignment Activity 18, p. 71 CD 3:8-9 Listen to and analyze the quality of performances by two different choirs. Then write a critique comparing the two groups. Which choir would be more likely to receive a higher score from a panel of judges? Why?

Assignment Activity 19, p. 71 CD 3:10-11 Listen to the recordings by two high school jazz bands, and answer the following questions. Aside from the different timbres of vocal sounds and instrumental sounds, which performance has the stronger jazz feel? Does one ensemble seem more accomplished that the other? Why? If you could choose, which of the recordings would you buy? Why?

Review - terms Perceptive listening Mariachi Flute Aural Listening to and appreciating a musical work for its full range of technical and expressive qualities Mariachi A musical group with several violins, two trumpets, large bass guitar, and special five and six string guitar Flute A melodic instrument used most widely by the Native Americans Aural Hearing related experiences, such as listening

Review – more terms Texture Aesthetic Interval Major scale Kaen The way sounds are woven together Aesthetic Heightened sensitivity to the content, form, or emotional impact of an artistic work or event Interval The distance in pitch between two tones Major scale A sequence of eight pitches built on a pattern of two whole steps, one half step, three whole steps, and one half step Kaen Cousin of the harmonica used in Thailand and Laos

Review – even more terms Monophonic In unison with everyone sounding the same pitch or octave at the same time Scale A sequence of tones arranged in rising pitches Virtuoso A performer with a brilliant, flawless technique Ensemble Another name for a musical group Call and response A question and answer pattern in which a group responds to a leader

Review – misc. What was the most important musical instrument of the past 20 years? Electric guitar From where is mariachi style music? Mexico Who was the famous operatic tenor we discussed? Luciano Pavarotti Who decides how much attention a listener give to the music The listener How much influence do music critics have on public opinion? A great deal How do most people play guitar? The left hand presses down the strings and the right hand strums

Explain the differences among casual listening, sensuous listening, and perceptive listening. Casual listening means not giving the music your full attention Sensuous listening means being absorbed in the music and allowing the music to move you emotionally Perceptive listening is listening to and appreciating a musical work for its full range of technical and expressive qualities

How is listening alone different from listening in the company of others? Experiencing music alone allows you to choose the music to match your mood Experiencing music with others depends on the type of music and the context in which the music is performed