Chapter 1

Music Listening and You

Begins on page 2

Why Learn about Music?

Music makes life fuller and more interesting

It’s like adding color to a picture

Why Learn about Music?

Yes, you can live without music –

But your life will more complete with it!

Music Is Created for Many Different Purposes

To dance or march to

To provide a sonic background

To encourage a sense of unity in a group

To express religious feelings

For psychological satisfaction

Concert Music

Created primarily for listening

Its sounds must be interesting and satisfying or else they will be ignored or forgotten

Ordinary ≠ Extraordinary

Ordinary: “Here today, gone tomorrow”

Extraordinary: “Here today, here tomorrow”

“I know what I like”“I like what I know”

People almost always like the music they are familiar with

It’s difficult to like something you hardly know

Learning about music you do not know will open up a much larger musical world

Listening to Music

You will listen to music much better if you

Realize that hearing and listening are not the same

Listen to concert music very carefully and contemplate its sounds

Listening to Music

Each piece has features to be heard and noticed

Listen especially for them

Listening to Music

Develop different modes of listening –sensuous, expressive, and purely musical – because► Music offers the pleasure of its sounds► Music often reaches into our deepest feelings► Music fascinates us with how its sounds are

organized

Listening to Music

Develop different expectations about concert music► It does not try to grab your attention► It is not as loud as most popular music► It usually is performed without lots of actions ► It is usually longer and more complex

Listening to Music

Remember what you hear, because ► You hear only a moment of sound ► The rest is what you remember and your

guess about what will be sounded next

Listening to Music

Become more sensitive to musical sounds

Try to notice your feelings and reactions to music

Listening to Music

Use the CDs and Active Listening Guides to help you► Yes, help is ready and waiting► Take advantage of it!

Follow the Active Listening Guide for “Hoe Down” from Rodeo

Observe the overall plan of the music

Notice that the colors show the pattern of the music

Follow the arrow to know exactly what’s being sounded at that moment

Read the text material that appears at appropriate moments

Listening with the Listening Guide

The Listening Guide is on page 8► The times on the left are cumulative► The times next to the text are from the track points

Copyright © 2010 by Schirmer Cengage Learning

Listening without Any Aids

Listen to “Hoe Down” again outside of class without any visual aids

That’s the way you usually listen to music

Listening and Information

You had to use two legs to walk to class today

You need two “legs” to understand music better, especially art music► Knowledge about music► Ability to perceive its sounds

Each contributes to the other

Conclusion

Together they will make music and this course more interesting and worthwhile for you

Summary Why Learn about Music? Music Is Created for Many Different Purposes Concert Music Ordinary ≠ Extraordinary “I know what I like” “I like what I know” Listening to Music Follow the Active Listening Guide for “Hoe Down” Listening with the Listening Guide Listening without Any Aids Listening and Information Conclusion