Castrati links

For your enjoyment, here are links to the
Article
and the
Recording

I for one am thankful those days are past!

Is This Music?

Electronic Music - Notes & Vids

1. We'll listen to a bit more of the Varese piece Monday - but I wanted you to take a listen to some other stuff. Using Electronics to make music is fairly old by now - CLICK HERE to read about the 1897 Cahill Telharmoium (all 200 tons of it - it took 36 boxcars to transport). So the idea of using electronic gizmos to produce music is nothing new.
2. Ever heard of the "Hammond Organ"? You've definitely heard the sound - it's also electronic, and can be called the first commercially available sysnthesizer. (But they called it an organ because an organ would - but a "synthesizer" no one would buy.
3. Another electronic instrument - the Theremin - is the only instrument you don't touch. It's electronic, and has been used all over. Here's a BBC story about the Theremin:
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. ....and here's another performance of an artist playing a Debussy piece on the Theremin:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Watch this one, and look at how the experiments of the last century have produced something that you hear every day.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. ..and finally, an interview on "ScreenSavers" with Dr. Robert Moog, who took all the stuff the electronic musicians were doing and put it in a small, portable, easily usable (relatively speaking) case. He also demos a Theremin that the company makes.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Baroque Study Sheet (2/08 update)

This is more of an outline of major points than a real detailed list.... so there are probably some things in the text that aren't mentioned here.

Dates: 1600-1720
Elements of Baroque music: unity of mood, constant rhythm, characteristics of melodies, terraced dynamics, , predominant texture, continuo/figured bass.

Orchestra makeup. Instrumental becomes more important in later part - opera invented and vocal predominant in first half of era.
Place of music in society. How musicians could make a living.

Types of pieces:
opera - choral - cantata - oratorio - concerto (solo concerto vs. concerto grosso) - fugue - sonata - Suite (aka Dance Suite)

A-list composers:
JS Bach - Handel

Concert Report idea

One of your fellow classmates sent this in, and I though it was good thing to use as an outline when writing your concert reports. I do still want them as essay format (i.e. paragraphs and such), but these questions are a great way to organize your thoughts.

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1) Date of concert:
2) Name of location (theatre, city):
3) Name or performer(s):
4) Classifiation of music ensemble (Soloist, Quartet, Symphony, Bluegrass Band):
5) What style of music was performed (Classical, Romantic, Baroque, 20th century....)
6) What instruments, if any, were used in the performance?
7) How long was the performance. When did it begin?
8) How did the performers visually present themselves (costumes, sitting, standing
moving across the stage or stationary)?
9) I liked the concert because (describe):
10) I disliked the concert because (describe):
11) My favorite part of the concert was (explain):
12) Name two musical things you learned from viewing the performance that you
can apply to your own performance skills (explain):

WebCT news

You may remember that we're going to be using WebCT for testing. The first test will hit in 2 weeks (on 9/12). I'll announce in class exactly what the test will cover.

PLEASE login to WebCT and nose around this week. You should be able to join (if you already aren't in it) my Music Apprec section.\

I have added a direct link to Macon State's WebCT on the righthand navbar.

I will also be adding a powerpoint presentation for the textbook section 1 that will help you study.

Writing a Concert Report

HERE is an online version of the "How to Write a Concert Report" document I was mentioning in class that is on the CD-ROM (which we don't have).

It is VERY useful - read it before you head off to a concert.

Remember, you need to do TWO reports this semester. Due date: Last day of class. I will NOT accept any late ones, and you'll be happier if you get them done early.

Why? Because everyone is way overloaded starting about the first of October.

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A former student sent this to me a few years ago. I though it was good thing to use as an outline when writing your concert reports. I do still want them as essay format (i.e. paragraphs and such), but these questions are a great way to organize your thoughts.

--------------------------

1) Date of concert:
2) Name of location (theatre, city):
3) Name or performer(s):
4) Classifiation of music ensemble (Soloist, Quartet, Symphony, Bluegrass Band):
5) What style of music was performed (Classical, Romantic, Baroque, 20th century....)
6) What instruments, if any, were used in the performance?
7) How long was the performance. When did it begin?
8) How did the performers visually present themselves (costumes, sitting, standing
moving across the stage or stationary)?
9) I liked the concert because (describe):
10) I disliked the concert because (describe):
11) My favorite part of the concert was (explain):
12) Name two musical things you learned from viewing the performance that you
can apply to your own performance skills (explain):

In-Class presentation grading example

Since I was printing one to be xeroxed, I thought I'd post a version of the form that you'll be using to grade your classmates' in-class presentations:


What you'll do is circle the grade in each category, as they do the presentation. (Now, you can stop worrying about it, in case you were!)

3 2 1 0

Music played X X X X

Source Identified X X X X

Form discussed X X X X

Instrumentation covered X X X X

Interesting tidbits X X X X

Writer/Performer info X X X X

Interesting? X X X X