Observe Music

Prepare
Review the elements of music, i.e., melody, rhythm, harmony, texture, tempo, and dynamics, from the readings and videos this week.
Listen to this recording of theDance of the Swans (Links to an external site.) (Suite da Il Lago dei Cigni, Op. 20) from the ballet, Swan Lake, by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky. (You can also cut and paste:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEW24nKWR9E (Links to an external site.)).
This excerpt is brief, so please listen to it several times.
Consider your observations and emotional reactions as you listen.
Prepare a 1-2 paragraph response to each of the question clusters below. When discussing a specific part of the music, cite the time marking of the musical elements you describe just as you would cite the page of a novel of the line of a poem.
What type of ensemble is playing this music? What instruments are most prominent? What is the overall mood of the music?
Does this piece sound like it’s major or minor? Is the harmony mainly consonant or dissonant?
How would you describe the rhythm of this piece? Can you hear an underlying strong beat? How fast is the beat? Do rhythmic patterns repeat?
Is there a prominent melody? How would you describe the melody – is it a gentle, smooth melody or more “bouncy” and playful? Does the melody repeat, or is it just played once?
How would you describe the texture? Is it primarily monophonic, homophonic, or polyphonic? Do you hear more than one texture?
Is the tempo mainly fast or slow? Does it change tempos? How does the tempo affect the feeling of this music?
Is the music primarily loud or mainly soft? Does it vary dramatically between dynamics? Does the composer make use of crescendo and/or decrescendo?
This week we have discussed the elements of architecture, along with musical elements. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe famously said, “Music is liquid architecture; architecture is frozen music.” With this in mind, think of a building that expresses the feeling of this music. In other words, if the Tchaikovsky piece is the frozen music, what would the building be? Please post a photo of this building (either one you’ve taken or one from the Internet). Write 1-2 paragraphs that explain the architectural tensions in this building, main architectural details, overall style, etc. Be sure to state why you think it would communicate similar feelings to those in the Swan Lake excerpt.
You can also view the W02 Observe Music Rubric. download
Rubric
W02 Assignment: Observe Music (1)
W02 Assignment: Observe Music (1)
Criteria Ratings Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEnsemble, Instruments, Mood
What type of ensemble is playing this music? What instruments are most prominent? What is the overall mood of the music?
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeHarmony
Does this piece sound like it’s major or minor? Is the harmony mainly consonant or dissonant?
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeRhythm
How would you describe the rhythm of this piece? Can you hear an underlying strong beat? How fast is the beat? Do rhythmic patterns repeat?
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeMelody
Is there a prominent melody? How would you describe the melody – is it a gentle, smooth melody or more “bouncy” and playful? Does the melody repeat, or is it just played once?
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeTexture
How would you describe the texture? Is it primarily monophonic, homophonic, or polyphonic? Do you hear more than one texture?
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeTempo
Is the tempo mainly fast or slow? Does it change tempos? How does the tempo affect the feeling of this music?
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDynamics
Is the music primarily loud or mainly soft? Does it vary dramatically between dynamics? Does the composer make use of crescendo and/or decrescendo?
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeConnections to Architecture
This week we have discussed the elements of architecture, along with musical elements. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe famously said, “Music is liquid architecture; architecture is frozen music.” With this in mind, think of a building that expresses the feeling of this music. In other words, if the Tchaikovsky piece is the frozen music, what would the building be? Please post a photo of this building (either one you’ve taken or one from the Internet). Write 1-2 paragraphs that explain the architectural tensions in this building, main architectural details, overall style, etc. Be sure to state why you think it would communicate similar feelings to those in the Swan Lake excerpt.
5 pts
Total Points: 40

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