MUL2010 - Discussion posts PDF

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Discussion 1 Music is an inextricable part of life and culture. In this discussion post, write your musical autobiography, explaining how your taste in music is shaped by your culture, as well as how music impacts your culture and identity. Your post should be approximately 350 words, in a narrative format. Use this discussion as an opportunity to interact with and get to know your groupmates. Consider some of the following questions to guide your thinking, but do not merely run through the list and answer them in your post:       

Where and when were you born and raised? Where are the people who raised you from? What kinds of music do you remember listening to or playing when you were growing up? What kinds of music do you like now, and why? Who are your favorite artists/groups? How have your musical tastes changed over time? (Have they?) If you play music, discuss your training and influences.

After your initial post, respond substantively to at least two of your peers. My name is Deanna Kreinbring and I am a criminology major with a minor in music performance. I graduated high school with my Associates degree through dual enrollment, so credit-wise I am a Junior. I was born and raised in Vero Beach, Florida, a small East-coast town about 3 hours south of Gainesville. In terms of family’s music background, my mom would listen to whatever station was playing music on the radio. However, I credit my music taste to my sister. She got me into bands like Fall Out Boy, AJR, Marianas Trench, and Panic! At the Disco. Through our shared music taste, I have created some of my fondest memories with her: bonding over newly released music and traveling across the state to catch our favorite artists in concert, sometimes resulting in arriving home at 3 am on a school night. I have been listening to about the same music for as long as I can remember, occasionally throwing in new artists that I discover along the way. In middle school, when I began playing violin, I did add a bit of classical music to my repertoire, my favorite being Gustav Holst’s “Mars” and “Jupiter” from The Planets. I played in orchestra for 6 years, and although I am taking a break my first year at UF, I can’t wait to jump back in. I credit my initial interest in playing music to my uncle who plays the viola, but I think my biggest influence in my musical career was my high school orchestra director who really pushed me to become a better musician and leader.

Discussion 2 Using an online video source, find an example of traditional music from a non-Western culture. Does the musical language sound different from what you are used to?  

Using the terminology learned in this chapter, write a 250-300 word post describing the differences you hear; be sure to post a link to the video as well. Then, provide a 50-75 word response to two of your groupmates that either expands on a point they made, or points out another difference in the musical language.

Deanna Kreinbring MUL2010; Marquine September 9, 2018 Non-Western Music For a traditional piece of music from a non-Western culture, I chose “Love Song” by Shaglen, a Tibetan folk song. I originally discovered it through my AP music theory course in high school and consequently rediscovered the piece while researching non-western music. The 4 time signature is and its melody is mostly conjunct with stepwise motion in the melody. 4 The composition of the piece is a sung melody by a single performer and a chordal harmony by a stringed instrument making this song an example of homophony. Through my research, I discovered this instrument to be a dranyen, a Tibetan lute. Harmonically, the form of the piece is AABC. The lyrics themselves do not really repeat in a traditional verse and chorus pattern as Western music does. The actual song itself is shorter than most Western music as well, lasting just under two minutes while pop songs are typically three and half minutes. Aside from the obvious language and instrumentation differences, this piece is similar to traditional Western music. It has an introduction followed by a verse, just like a Western pop song. It also has an instrumental break around 0:50 in the video that is comparable to a pop song. Even if the language is difficult, if not impossible, to interpret without studying the Tibetan culture, the tune has a sort of catchy rhythm and form that if you listen to it a few times, one would find themselves humming along to the melody (much like I did). This piece can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uQnxanukSg

Find two pieces of music that express opposing emotions.  

In a 250-300-word post, identify how various musical elements are used to create the mood in each. If available, provide links to your pieces within your post. Then, respond to two of your group members. Your two responses of 50-75 words each should point out additional elements and their effects OR describe how changing one or more elements in one of the pieces could result in them expressing similar emotions.

Two highly contrasting pieces of music are “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity” and “Mars, the Bringer of War” from Gustav Holst’s The Planets. These melodies are familiar to even those who do not listen to classical music. Holst composed this suite between 1914 and 1916 based on the astrological signs, not the actual astronomical planets as typically thought. When listening to “Jupiter,” feelings of hope and majesty are conveyed through a light melody played in the upper voices and a slow, waltzing tempo. Beginning at 1:42, the melody played exemplifies this slow tempo until Holst’s accelerando at 2:15 brings the feeling of joviality to the forefront. At 3:00, the main theme provides a soaring line that begins in the upper voices and slowly introduces the lower voices until 4:30 when it is played in unison between all voices. The piece at 6:36 sounds fanfare-like with the high timbre of the instruments and use of cymbals. On the other hand, “Mars” expresses feeling of anger and suspense. This is voiced through a repetitive, harsh rhythm, timbre of instruments, dissonant harmonies, and a compound meter. By giving the melody to the lower voices, it comes across as abrasive. Beginning at 3:20, the low brass gives an ominous melody, setting the mood. At 5:19, the dissonance between the two voices is almost unnerving. At the very end of the piece, the purposeful space between chords leaves the listener on edge until it finally resolves a lengthy twenty-five seconds later. “Jupiter” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu77Vtja30c&t=0s&index=5&list=PL4E1C4D296295F7A0 “Mars” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jmk5frp6-3Q

Listening Guide #1

“Someone to Watch Over Me” was composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was written for the musical Oh Kay in 1926, and it has been performed by many well-known musicians like Elton John, Julie Andrews, and Ella Fitzgerald. Sometimes referred to as "The First Lady of Song," Fitzgerald was a popular female jazz singer in the United States, and her rendition of the piece with the London Symphony Orchestra is widely popular. Musical Event:

Explanation:

0:00

Instrumental introduction

4 bar intro of strings, harp, piano, and various wind instruments

0:12

Verse 1

Singer enters with verse 1; introduces polyphony

1:14

Pentatonic scale

Singer highlights major scale with pentatonic scale leading to tonic

2:37

Pickup

Singer solo to introduce verse before accompanists join

3:06

Ritardando

Fermata for strings, singer has a cadenza for the final verse

“Someone to Watch Over Me” is a polyphonic piece. The texture is a vocal soloist with an accompaniment and countermelody from a symphonic orchestra. Ella Fitzgerald’s rendition of the song swings the eight notes and sings rubato, meaning there is no strict tempo. The structure of the piece is thirty-two bar form, AABA. The overall melody is conjunct with the occasional skips outlining the pentatonic scale, and the final bars end with a ritardando to resolve the final chord. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J94EWJ_sT2o

Discussion 4 Authenticity is considered by many an important trait of music, perhaps especially so in the context of music and ethnicity. In a 250-300 word post, analyze what might make a musical style authentic (and/or inauthentic). You are free to include audio or video files that support your post. Authenticity in music styles can be commonly characterized by unique melody, rhythm, instrumentation, and perhaps most importantly, soul. With the example of most popular music, artists will sing about any topic that will get them the most fans or downloads—most prominently money, love, or alcohol consumption. However, the question is, is this authentic? I believe that for the majority of artists, the answer is no. A popular artist like Katy Perry singing about partying on a Friday or loving her teenage boyfriend is way less authentic than African Americans singing about their religion or hope for freedom throughout the nineteenth century. In popular music, there are a few instances where an artist’s true emotions and experiences come through. When a rare artist comes into the spotlight with the ability to sing with emotion, there is no definite way to tell if they are acting or truly feeling the lyrics. With the case of African American spirituals, artists are authentic to their culture. I believe the most authentic music style is that which includes past experiences, both of the individual or ethnic group as a whole, and their beliefs, such as religion. African American spirituals were often influenced by Africanized Christianity. Another example of an authentic music style is Jalolu of West Africa. The Jali recounts the history of the past chiefs and Mandinka ethnic group itself, making it a perfect model for authenticity.

Are some kinds of music considered to be more “feminine” or more appropriate for women to perform/compose? Are any styles off limits for one sex or the other? Although women are very close to men in today’s society, there are still some genres of music considered more “feminine” or industries where women are simply underrepresented. Personally, the majority of the music I listen to features a predominant male presence, something I did not realize until this reflection. One style sometimes considered to be more appropriate for women to perform it is choral music. While there are some men and co-ed choirs, women still dominate this style and are deemed appropriate to perform by a conservative society. Another style comprised mostly of women performers and composers is pop music, with artists like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Adele dominating the scene. Rap and rock music are perfect examples of underrepresentation of the female gender in certain music styles. Over the last ten years or so, there have only been a few major female rap artists, and only a few female rock artists over the last forty years. Therefore, the genres are almost completely dominated by men. With this statement, I am not saying that women are not “permitted” to be involved in these genres of music—they are just typically viewed as masculine genres of music and that women are “better suited” for popular, country, or other genres. However, there are a few women in the rap genre like Cardi B and Nicki Minaj who are working to change this perception of masculinity in rap. Courtney Love and Stevie Nicks in the rock genre made names for themselves surrounded by men in the industry.

Module 6 Discussion Are there clear boundaries between sacred and secular music? For example: If Bach’s St. Matthew Passion is performed in a concert hall, does it remain sacred by virtue of its subject matter? What about a bàtá rhythm? What if the performers themselves are agnostic or atheist? In my opinion, one of the greatest aspects of music is its versatility. The two major categories of music are sacred, music intended for purposes of worship, and secular, music that is not intended for religious use. Although there may be a slight alteration, like the example of the Bach’s St. Matthew Passion being played in a concert hall rather than a church, it will generally have the same impact. It is still a great piece of music, and the modernization of it being played in a hall allows for the piece to get more exposure to the non-religious public. Since the subject matter itself is still sacred, the location does nothing but further publicize the work. In regards to a bàtá rhythm, however, I believe that since it is part of such a small, unique culture, its performance in a concert hall might dilute the sacredness of the art form. It is in a distinct religious language that is not easily understood by the public and translating it would completely disturb its meaning and value. If the performers themselves are agnostic or atheistic, this might slightly alter the interpretation of the piece, but I do not believe this would have a major impact on the presentation. While the music is religious in background, performers usually do not let this interfere with the overall recital. Personally, I identify as agnostic but that does not interfere with my playing of Christmas or other religious music. It is the love of the art over all.

Listening Guide #2   

An opening paragraph of 75-100 words explaining the piece and the composer/artist (stick to facts about the artist that are relevant to your piece). A conclusion of 75-100 words, summarizing the piece as a whole and contextualizing the events listed in the outline. Incorporation of at least one critical source, with appropriate citation. The links below are for databases and materials available at the UF libraries and for proper citations (footnotes) following the Chicago Manual of Style.

“Erlkönig,” or Elf King, was composed by Austrian Franz Schubert in 1815. It is based on the 1782 poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Although Schubert was only 18 when he composed it, the piece shows incredible thought with tension expressed between the two parts, a piano and a vocalist. Elf King by Franz Schubert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS91p-vmSf0 Musical Event:

Explanation:

0:12

Solo piano

Piano introduces the theme and brings the vocalist in at 0:33.

0:13

Ostinato

Establishment of a rhythm that is repeated many times throughout the piece.

1:10

Shift in tonality

Change from major to minor to emphasize the boy’s fear of the Elf King.

3:16

Shift in tonality

Elf King’s persuasion turning to force, shown with a light melody and then a darker tone.

3:46

Crescendo and stepwise motion in bass

4:00

Cadenza

Used to create suspense after the boy has been hurt. Piano stops playing while vocalist sings a solo.

As there is only one written vocalist part for three different characters, Schubert’s use of range to distinguish between the boy (high) and the father (low) is quite useful if a translation from German is not available. “Schubert explored a rather wide range of keys, including some that were fairly distant from G minor, the song's fundamental tonality” (Laki).

Works Cited https://www.britannica.com/topic/Erlkonig Laki, Peter. "Making an Old Song New." Early Music America 21, no. 1 (Spring, 2015): 23-25. https://login.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/login?URL=http://search.proquest.com/accountid=10920? url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1703521582?accountid=10920.

What kinds of music might be considered political? How might music move us to embrace or reject political ideas? In a 250-300 word post, use specific examples to demonstrate music’s relationship to politics. A few kinds of music that can be considered political under the right circumstances are hip hop, rap, and sometimes even classical pieces. “This is America” by Childish Gambino is one of the first examples of politics in popular music that comes to mind. In this song, Childish Gambino, comedian Donald Glover’s alter ego, presents controversial topics like race, police brutality, and gun violence to the public eye with almost graphic imagery. In Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 in D minor, he takes an almost satirical approach to a Slavic folk song by changing one single note. This difference, presented in the first movement, implies a darker tone and hidden meaning rather than the original upbeat piece of music admiring the country’s culture. These are only two examples of political pieces, as the underlying tone of politics can be implemented in most kinds of music. Music, especially in popular culture, can have a surprisingly big impact on politics. Music can make certain issues or viewpoints more knowledgeable to the public, like Gambino’s piece, a Kanye West song titled “Ye v. The People,” and Beyoncé’s album Lemonade. Gambino’s song brought the topic of police brutality and gun violence into conversation with his music video. Kanye West’s song showed his support for Donald Trump. Beyoncé’s Lemonade talked about the culture and identity of black women in the United States. Music like this starts the conversation and aids in keeping individuals in society, who may not be particularly interested in politics, up to date by offering viewpoints that either align with their ideas or contradict their beliefs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv2WJMVPQi8

Call to mind a war-related song (from any time period) that you know. Does it present a particular point of view? Is it persuasive? In a 250-300 word post, describe how the piece relates to war and conveys its message (for/against/neutral). In the history of conflict and war, music has been used during battle, to show support, or even express a critical view. John Lennon’s “Imagine” is an example of a song written in protest of war—the Vietnam War, to be exact. Many citizens of the United States were critical of the United States entering this war to begin with, including famous artists like John Lennon, Phil Ochs, and Willie Nelson who used their influence to write and sing about their dissent for our involvement. They believed that the United States should not be interfering, and the deaths of numerous soldiers was pointless—they died in vain for a cause they did not support. John Lennon’s piece focused more on the peace aspect through phrases like “imagine… nothing to kill or die for,” “imagine all the people living life in peace,” and “imagine… no need for greed or hunger.” The soft music, slow tempo, and simple instrumentation make this song out to be a soft ballad insinuating peace rather than war. While Lennon did not outright say through his lyrics that this was about the Vietnam War, the song was written in 1971 during the final years of the conflict and when the promotion of peace and love were strong ideals among a majority of the nation.

Plan out a love song: What kind of poem would you use? What form? What instruments? How would your music portray meaning? In a 250-300 word post, describe your love song to your groupmates. If I were to write a love song, I would most likely use a sonnet as inspiration for the lyrics. Since a sonnet is typically only fourteen lines, I would have to use some variations to the form to add length to the piece. In terms of instrumentation, I would utilize a guitar, bass guitar, piano, and percussion because I find jazz-style love songs the most appealing. My music would portray its value of love through the lyrics, singer’s tone, instrumentation, and tempo of the piece. The singer would have a soft, smooth voice full of soul to show emotion in their lyrics. The instruments I selected would give the piece a full but lyrical harmonic and counter-melodic backing to the singer’s melody. Percussion would add accents to the downbeats but nothing too big to distra...