simplicity to complexity

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Simplicity to Complexity in terms of line . . .

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Simplicity to Complexity. in terms of line. What about lines in music?. Line in music. Melody Vocal or instrumental line General continuity, direction or process Texture “two-part texture”. a drawing by composer Igor Stravinsky. describing his music. Straight line in music?. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Simplicity to  Complexity

Simplicity to Complexity

in terms of line . . .

Page 2: Simplicity to  Complexity

What about lines in music?

Page 3: Simplicity to  Complexity

Line in music

Melody

Vocal or instrumental line

General continuity, direction or process

Texture“two-part texture”

Page 4: Simplicity to  Complexity

a drawing by composer Igor Stravinskydescribing his music

Page 5: Simplicity to  Complexity

Straight line in music?

DRONE – constant sustained tone or chord

Indian sitar music (raga)Hildegarde of Bingen

Page 6: Simplicity to  Complexity

Scales as Line(but not quite melody)

Examples of musical lines (based on scales) that are musically interesting but not quite what one would call melodies or even melodic

Beethoven, Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op 92, first movement, introduction, 1813  Robert Schumann, Quintet in Eb Major, Opus 44, third movement (scherzo), 1842

Page 7: Simplicity to  Complexity

Examples of Line in MusicThe Concept of Line in Music

Sequence of pitches in time -- often a melody. A line is sometimes referred to as a "voice" in a musical texture, even if it is played by an instrument and is not sung.Gregorian chant- note fluid melodic line, yet pitches are approached and left with a minimum of gliding or bendingVietnamese monochord - note the expressive bending of pitch

Islamic Call to Prayer 

Analogous to “smooth” line in art?

Page 8: Simplicity to  Complexity

Examples of Line in Music: Bach

Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006, 1st movement (Prelude), c. 1720 - single melodic line (performance by Hilary Hahn on VIOLIN)

Bach keyboard music with a two-part texture (2 lines)French Suite No. 2 in C minor, fourth movement (Air), 1722 (performance by Glenn Gould)

Bach fugue [video example]- fugue - copies of the same line displaced in time and register 

Page 9: Simplicity to  Complexity

Kenneth SnelsonRador, 1975brass & stainless steel21 x 17 x 6 inches

Page 10: Simplicity to  Complexity

Examples of Line in Music

Beethoven, Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op 92, second movement (1813)- lines repeated with different lines added each time

an implied line (Composite line as a gesture)Richard Strauss, Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life, 1898)

Analogous to Jackson Pollock?Witold Lutoslawski, Symphony No. 3 (1983)(conducted by the composer)

Page 11: Simplicity to  Complexity

Jackson Pollock, Lavendar Mist No. 1, 1950

[Witold Lutoslawski, Symphony No. 3 (1983)]

Page 12: Simplicity to  Complexity

Lines, what lines?

Page 13: Simplicity to  Complexity

Mark Tobey, New York, 1944, 33x21in. tempera

Page 14: Simplicity to  Complexity

Looking closer . . .

Page 15: Simplicity to  Complexity

Tobey, New York, detail

Page 16: Simplicity to  Complexity

Examples of Line in Music

Morton Feldman, Three Voices (1982)intricately intertwining lines(performed and recorded by Joan La Barbara)

Page 17: Simplicity to  Complexity

Look again …

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BOTTOM LINE

The concept of line plays a role in compositions of music and art, ranging from the simple to the

complex.

Page 19: Simplicity to  Complexity

Examples of Line in Music

John Coltrane/Don Cherry, The Invisible (1960)note complexity of line, (subtle) repetition, use of silence

Page 20: Simplicity to  Complexity

Scales as Line(but not quite melody)

Example of musical lines (based on scales) that are musically interesting but not quite what one would call melodies

Robert Schumann, Quintet in Eb Major, Opus 44, third movement (scherzo), 1842