Experiencing Music

Chapter 3Experiencing MusicWhat You Will LearnCompare the various levels of listening to mucis, and explain how perceptive listening can enhance the listeners appreciationIdentify the intervals found within a major scaleCompare the experience of Listening to music alone with that of listening in the company of othersVocabularyAuralPerceptive listeningAestheticScaleMajor scaleintervalTextureEnsembleMonophonicMariachiVirtuoso

Musician ProfileLuciano Pavarotti

Listening to MusicAural:Hearing relatedLevels of listeningDifferent levels of attentiveness impact how we listen to musicCasual - Some music blends into the background (ambient)You may listen casually or tune this music outSensuous listening goosebump listeningInvolves an emotional reactionPerceptive listening:Listening to and appreciation a musical work for its full range of technical and expressive properties

Perceptive listeningListeners analyze the structure and elements of the musicAccentuates the expressive power of musicThe more we understand music, the more likely we are to have a peak experience heightened response when we listen both sensuously and perceptivelyAesthetic:Characterized by a heightened sensitivity to the content, form, or emotional impact of an artistic work or eventActivity 1, p. 52 CD 2:7Listen to an excerpt from John Philip Sousas Washington Post March

Becoming a Perceptive ListenerWhen we listen perceptively we rely on our knowledge of musicScaleMost music is based on some type of scale:A sequence of tones arranged in rising pitchesMajor scaleA 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 2:8Do, Re Mi

IntervalsThe way a melody is constructed often influences the way a piec of music affects usInterval:Distance in pitch between two tonesMost 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 MusicListening to music at high volume levels can seriously damage hearingActivity 5, p. 55 (handout)Experience music aloneWhen alone, we choose music to match our moodActivity 6, p. 56 CD 1:1-6For each of the 6 examples, answer the following questionsWould 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 playedWhat elements are most prominent in this music?Experiencing music togetherHow you react to music depends on the type of music and how it is being usedThe context can dictate the audiences reactionSometimes the music is secondary to the main purpose of th event.Activity 7, p. 57 CD 2:12-15Listen to the 4 examples and answer the questionsWhat 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 AloneMaking music is like other artistic expressionsPeople enjoy expressing themselves through solo performanceWhen people make music they become their own audienceActivity 8, p. 59 CD 2:16-17Listen to two Asian solo instrumental performancesCategorize each instrument (idiophone, membranophone, aerophone, etc.)Select four words that accurately describe the timbre of each instrumentSpeculate in what setting each piece might be performed

Tuning a GuitarSome call the guitar the most important musical instrument of the past 50 yearsThe guitar has 6 strings each tuned to a specific pitchThe thickest string produces the lowest toneActivity 9, p. 61DVD Tuning a GuitarCD 2:14 Hip Song

The Native American FluteThe flute is a common instrument to many cultures around the worldMade from natural a manufactured materialsDuring the late 19th and early 20th century, Native American flute playing nearly became extinctAccording to legend, the flute was given to the Native American people by the Creator for enjoyment, to ease lonelinessSome tribe sue it for quiet momentsSome use it for courting purposesA 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 himToday there is renewed interestActivity 10, p. 62 CD 2:18 Northern Plains

Performing Music TogetherMusic often functions as a form of group expressionA group can provide more texture-The way sounds are woven togetherEnsembleCooperative musical expressionOrganizing people to function together in a musically cohesive manner requires cooperationMonophonic-In unison with everyone sounding the same pitch or octave at the same timeCall and ResponseQuestion and answerCombines solo and choral responseThe leader must know all the lyrics while the choirs response is simpleCall and response is found in spirituals and gospel musicIts influence today is heard in jazz, blues, rock, rap, folk songs, and backup vocalsMixed ensemblesSome ensembles may alternate between a featured soloist and the group but not in call and responseActivity 11, p. 64 CD 2:19 /TRB 3-4Oh Happy DayHow many responses did you hear in the first chorus?Seven responsesAre all the responses exact repetitions of the call? If not, where did they changeOh Happy Day is exact but changes when washed our sins away is responded to with the words Oh Happy DayDoes 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 traditionMariachiA musical group with several violins, trumpets, large bass guitar, and special five and six-string guitarsBass guitar guitarronFive-string guitar(short and used as rhythm guitar) vihuelaThe two most popular types of Mariachi musicSon jalisciense song for JaliscoCancion ranchera a country songLa Negra is the most well known of the sones jalisciensesActivity 13, p. 65 CD 2:20

Critiquing MusicAcquiring criteria for evaluating music performancesOpinions are never wrong they are a matter of tasteOpinion is not enough in judging a work or genreEvery performance must be judged on its own meritsMusic criticsProfessionals who write about musical events, performances, and albums

Criteria for critiquing musicTimber quality of tone, range, variety, appropriateness and appealExpressiveness interpretationTechnique performers skillsPresentation choice and appropriateness of the musicImpact artists charisma

Activity 13, p. 67, CD 3:1-3 TRB 3-6The role of a criticA responsible critic will do more than condemn or rave about a performanceThey must be perceptive listenersThey must analyze and communicate their opinionsA 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 opinionActivity 14, p. 67, TRB 3-7

Luciano Pavarotti 1935-2007One of the most famous opera singersBorn in Modena, ItalyAs a child he sang in the local chorus with his fatherPerformed in his first opera at age 26Numerous recordingsStadium crowdsNessum DormaMy first, my last, my everything with Barry White

AssignmentActivity 15, p. 68 Fact & OpinionRead 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 reviewers opinionsIs 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?

AssignmentCultivating the language of criticismCritics use colorful language to communicate their reactions and judgmentsFair assessmentsActivity 16, p. 68 From the Top CD 1:5Listen to Elena Urioste play the first movement of Tchaikovskys Violin Concerto. What are some adjectives you would use to describe her performance?

Read the 2004 review of Elena Uriostes 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 critics 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 SchoolsActivity 17, p. 70, CD 3:4-7Identify difference among student musical ensemblesListen to two recordings of Hodie Christus Natus Est. One is sung by a junior high school choir, and the other by a high school groupWhat 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?AssignmentActivity 18, p. 71 CD 3:8-9Listen 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?AssignmentActivity 19, p. 71 CD 3:10-11Listen 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 - termsPerceptive listeningListening to and appreciating a musical work for its full range of technical and expressive qualitiesMariachiA musical group with several violins, two trumpets, large bass guitar, and special five and six string guitarFluteA melodic instrument used most widely by the Native AmericansAuralHearing related experiences, such as listening

Review more termsTextureThe way sounds are woven togetherAesthetic Heightened sensitivity to the content, form, or emotional impact of an artistic work or eventIntervalThe distance in pitch between two tonesMajor scaleA sequence of eight pitches built on a pattern of two whole steps, one half step, three whole steps, and one half stepKaenCousin of the harmonica used in Thailand and LaosReview even more termsMonophonicIn unison with everyone sounding the same pitch or octave at the same timeScaleA sequence of tones arranged in rising pitchesVirtuosoA performer with a brilliant, flawless techniqueEnsembleAnother name for a musical groupCall and responseA 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 guitarFrom where is mariachi style music?MexicoWho was the famous operatic tenor we discussed?Luciano PavarottiWho decides how much attention a listener give to the musicThe listenerHow much influence do music critics have on public opinion?A great dealHow 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 attentionSensuous listening means being absorbed in the music and allowing the music to move you emotionallyPerceptive listening is listening to and appreciating a musical work for its full range of technical and expressive qualitiesHow is listening alone different from listening in the company of others?Experiencing music alone allows you to choose the music to match your moodExperiencing music with others depends on the type of music and the context in which the music is performed