Concert: Fri March 22

A concert with a Caveat:
[look it up if you don't know what that means!]

Coleman Hill Jazz Concert
Presented by Jones, Cork & Miller
Come early, with blanket and picnic ready for a fantastic evening of music from the Joey Stuckey Band overlooking one of the most beautiful views of Macon, Georgia at night!
6-8 p.m. -  Free admission

The Caveat:
I'm keyboardist for the band - but don't try to be "nice" and butter me up! I want honest writing and opinions, so don't be afraid to write something negative. I grade these based on your writing, NOT whether I agree with your opinions!

Quick notes for a rainy Monday 2/25

Check D2L for

1. Classical powerpoint file
2. Calendar entries for concerts that count. Do NOT assume they are correct, though - things can change since I typed them up!

Test 2 will be RIGHT after Spring break - so don't let your brain go to mush over the break!

Mercer percussion ensemble concert this Friday. It's going to be verrrrry interesting, and fun - and FREE - AND it counts for a concert report. Ya just can't beat that!

Feb 6 class recording posted to D2L

I just posted the recording of the Feb 6 class. Head over to D2L, in the
Music Appreciation class --> Baroque folder.
You'll see the mp3 there, as well as the powerpoint.

Several good concerts coming up - check the D2L calendar [which has several listed - it is NOT everything going on, though. Check the Friday Macon Telegraph!]

Test News

IF you left something in PSC109, it's in my closet office...er...cubbyhole.

The score you saw on EZtest is NOT complete - the listening hasn't been added to it. Your test score will be [questions answered correctly] + [listening score] / 69.. which will give you your score out of 100 points.

Each listening example is worth a half-point each.

Apologies for the blank question. Oh, well, more work for me...D'oh! That one won't count at all on your test score.

When will it be scored? I will be grading them over the next day or so, between lessons and rehearsals and meetings and and and..... I'm hoping to get them posted to the D2L gradebook by end of day Friday.

Have an excellent weekend - See you Monday, ready to dive into the Baroque period!

Pix from Fall 2012 posted

If youa re still on the email list from Fall 2012 - you might like to know that the pix from our recording session have been posted at

http://on.fb.me/VPd3n4

FYI!

Free Concert: Thursday night in Rehearsal Hall

Since "Classical" music is more complex than Popular styles, it is often helpful to know a bit about what you are going to hear, and to actually get familiar with the piece beforehand. It is FAR more interesting that way [and thus it'll be easier to write the concert report!].

Below the graphic are some notes and links.

CONCERT ETIQUETTE

1. If the concert has already started, DO NOT ENTER until you hear applause.
2. TURN OFF THE ELECTRONIC GIZMOS before you enter the room!
3. You generally applause only at the end of the ENTIRE piece [ie. NOT between movements] - thought somebody may go ahead and applaud anyway.
4. This material is extraordinarily difficult, and requires a tremendous amount of concentration by the performer.....so out of respect for the several thousand hours of preparation [yes, that number is correct], do nothing to distract the performer!

The Beethoven Waldstein Sonata is a 3 movement piece - that means that there are 3 primary sections to it, and Dr. Altman will pause in between each one and "reset". Each movement is a difference mood and speed.

Wikipedia article - Youtube search [pick any of them towards the top of the list]

The Stravinsky piece

is renowned for its notorious technical and musical difficulties. All three movements include wild and rapid jumps which span over two octaves, complex polyrhythms, extremely fast scales, multiple glissandos, and tremolos. [Wikipedia]

i.e. you are going to see and hear some incredibly difficult music. Watch Dr.Altman's hands - they will be flying!   Youtube search

Chopin wrote many pieces for piano, most of them shorter in length than the other pieces on this program. These are all meant to capture the character of a moment, as opposed to the epic Beethoven sonata. Mazurkas and Polonaises are Polish folk dances - Chopin has written music that would remind you those dances [if you were Polish!] but that goes well beyond just the simple folk dance music.

• Ballade - recording available on the wikipedia page
• Mazurka
• Polonaise

Kamien Connect problem - FIXED!

If you tried to setup teh Kamien Connect account, and were told that the class was no longer open for registration.......my apologies!

I missed a setting. It has now been [presumably] fixed!

WELCOME TO SPRING 2013

Just a post to get things started for the new semester.

If you're done with the class, you might want to UNSUBSCRIBE to keep your inbox from getting cluttered - there's a link down at the bottom of the email.

GRADES

It will be Thursday before the grades get posted into Banner (I have a funeral to attend this afternoon).

HOWEVER:

1. All the grades - even the Kamien Connect grades, are in the Vista gradebook. You can type them into the downloadable gradebook [an excel spreadsheet I've placed in Vista]
2. The final exam has been graded as well.
3. The concert reports that were turned in have been graded - they are all in my mailbox in the MCA office, inside a folder. Ask the secretary about them - and be nice. She has a difficult week this week with all the end-of-semester stuff she has to handle! 

THE LISTENING:

1. Slow Ride in a fast machine by John Adams - on your CDs. 20th C. The syncopation and instrumentation were clues, as was the use of the synth [but that's a bit tricky to hear] .
2. "Great is Thy Faithfulness" on piano - JAZZ. I mentioned to someone that it was my recording, but that is NOT true [ I forgot which file I'd uploaded]. This is a recording by a phenomenal pianist named Cyrus Chestnut. Check him out @ http://www.cyruschestnut.net!
3. Concerto Grosso #1 1985 by Zwilich-Taffe. 20th C, built around a theme by Haydn... so is a mix of 20th C. and Baroque [a.k.a. "quotation music"].
4. "Mars", from THE PLANETS by Holst. This is late Romantic orchestral music, but does foreshadow some 20th C techniques, as some of you heard. Many of you saw it as a movie score - a very programmatic thing!
5. Minimalism #2, by.......THIS CLASS! This was the recording we did the other day. I was a bit surprised at the number of people who DIDN'T catch that. See http://www.last.fm/music/Tom+Rule/Music+Appreciation+Experiments to listen to all we recorded that day.

More news later.........

Our Recordings - online!

The Aleatoric and Minimalism pieces we recorded the other day have [finally!] been edited and posted online.

Surf over to

http://www.last.fm/music/Tom+Rule/Music+Appreciation+Experiments

This semester's tracks are at the top of the album. You can download them, stash them wherever, use them to annoy siblings/pets, etc. Share the links with your family/neighbors/pet hamster/favorite enemy......!

Feel free to compare your version with other class' versions!

Some notes regarding Vista, Final Exam

Some tidbits:

1. After signing into Vista, click on Assessments. You should see a  list of the exams. Click on one, and you can see the questions, your answer, plus the correct answer.
2. This is also how you'll see how you did on the Final Exam listening - I'll be adding text in the comment box for each listening question.
3. The gradebook in Vista is a bit annoying for you guys - it shows spaces for several years worth of previous tests. Basically, just look for items [tests, scores, etc] that have a number beside them. Ignore everything else.
4. I'd explain why it's that way, but you'd be bored, and we're dropping Vista in another week anyway!
5. There is a grade spreadsheet available in Vista where you can manually type in your grade and it will calculate it for you.
6. Final Exam: new questions from 20th Century after 1945 section, plus jazz, plus the Music Biz/Tech stuff covered over the semester.....between 1 and 34,745 questions.
1. 
   
7. Final Exam listening: Could be anything on the planet that has ever been recorded. This is the question you'll see on each one: "What era is this piece from? Why do you think so?"
8. Get a handle on the basic musical characteristics of each period - that will be a good starting place. More information about your thinking is MUCH better than less.
9. In other words: Longer answers are probably a better choice, unless you can positively identify the piece. That automatically gets you the points.
10. DO NOT PANIC!

See you Monday.

Vista Grades

I just updated the Vista gradebook with Concert Report scores, Presentation Scores, and number of absences.

Check them - if something is missing or incorrect, it is YOUR responsibility to let me know!

Concert Report Deadlines

Concert Reports are due at today's class [Wed]
EXCEPT:

1. If you attended Tuesday's MSC Chamber Singers concert, turn in your concert report NO LATER THAN 11:59pm Friday night [12/7/12]. Put in my mailbox in the MCA office, OR email it to me.

2. If you attend the Thursday night Joey Stuckey Band thing at the Sports Hall of Fame [$10/ticket, starts @ 7:30] turn in your concert reports at the Final Exam Monday.

Test 3 scores and comments

I just posted the test scores AND updated the presentation score, concert reports scores, and the absences in the Vista gradebook.

 Below are the comments about 20th century - interesting stuff!

When we come back we'll finish up 20th Century with the "After 1945" segment, then some jazz.....and possibly some recording!

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Did you like or dislike the 20th century stuff? Why?

I enjoyed the 20th Century music because it included a diverse group of artists that took other cultures music and blended them together in a new form. I delight in the music that can make me feel as if I'm traveling and exposes me to sounds of foreign lands. 
 
I enjoyed the 20th century listening a lot. My favorite composer would definitely be Claude Debussy. He music is just absolutely beautiful, and he really was the foundation for other impressionist artist. 

20th century music for me was difficult to understand. I did however develop a new appreciation for music because of it. 
 
I like some of it, but others like poeme electronique and shard where just a bunch of sounds are put together sound terrible to me. They just come off as annoying in my opinion.

I did like most of the twentieth century stuff, although, some of it I would not listen to on the regular, but I understand where there composers are coming from. I did enjoy listening to the music, even though I could not differentiate the different pieces as well as I thought I would be able to. I guess I need to restructure my listenning study technique. 

I didn't like what I heard, mostly. It seemed like the composers were focused on being different more than producing quality. There were some great tunes, but nothing that was transcending the times as was in Mozart or Beethoven's stuff. Experimentation is the defning feature of that era to me. 

Yes, i enjoyed the pieces. Well first off I was laready a fan of Copeland. I loved listening to "Fanfare for the Common Man" on long car trips. Also when I hear his music it just feels so "American." Secondly I am a sucker for brass and strings music. The Stravinksy piece relied very heavily on brass and in some ways reminded me of the theme from Jaws. Now while the Mendelssohn(sp) piece was a romantic piece I also enjoyed it because of the wonderful string orchestra working together. Lastly, without people like Stravinsky and Varese, I wouldn't be able to enjoy artists like Skrillex and Deadmau5. 

Yes, though it is not something I usually listen I have learned the beauty in it (well some of the pieces). It has really broadened my ear for music.

I did like the 20 century songs better than the romatic songs. They to me seemed to be easier to listen to than the songs of the romantic period. Some of the songs of the 20 century were very familar to me being a trumpet player and former member of high school and a colligiate marching band, so for me some I personally had experience in playing them in a concert setting. My favorite of all the songs would probably have to be Simple Gifts Variations because that was actually one of the songs from my freshmen year in high schhol that was a part of our halftime show. 

Yes. I liked the 20th Century better than any of the listening that we have done. My mom is sucker for 20th Century music. A lot of this I have listened to in my highschool mornings getting ready for school because she would have it playing throught our home. I am a sucker for alot of brass instruments. I love hearing some strong brass in concerts. There is something about the 20th Century that hits home about being an American. Do not get me wrong, I do enjoy the other composers and music as well, but just the fact that it is American I think I am partial. 

No because it had some off the wall stuff that made me want to bang my head. Yes because some things sounded familiar to me and just music that I could enjoy 

I liked some of the 20th century pieces like Aaron Copeland's pieces because of the ability of his works to express America as a nationality. The ability of expressing, not just an emotion, but a country is interesting to me. I disliked the more abstract pieces such as the Poema Elecronic because it's harsh dissonant meaningless sounds were cool but were NOT music. Some may consider it to be music but I did not. It was just electronic sounds. I really liked Chopin even though he was not a 20th century composer.. He is my favorite our of those we have studied in the chapter.  

It was ok. I liked the romantic music better because it was easier to identify. Then again, the 20th century was easier to follow along to. 

Yes! The 20th century period was very interesting and knowledgeable thanks to you. You helped me understand the different "isms" that took place. Learning about different Afro-American composers was very informative and understanding exactly where the music came from. 

I like the 20th century stuff because, it didn't sound alike! 

I enjoyed it because music began to modernize as the world was also modernizing. The influence that jazz music has had on the music industry to this day is amazing. 

I enjoyed it. Most of the music we had on our listening CDs were songs that I had somewhat already heard. I love the Symphonies that Beethoven produced they are some of my favorite. 

I liked it! I liked how it introduces in many ways the progression into todays genres. Jazz concepts played with an orchestra is very odd and interesting to me. Its cool. 

I like the 20th century stuff because it is more diverse and easier to tell songs apart from one another, although some of it was a bit strange. 

Honestly, I dislike all the 20th century material, even the Romantic material, as well as the Baroque, Classical, and medieval. It's just hard for me to get into the music. I can possibly say that the only true song that I almost enjoy was Erlking, other than that, it was just hard for me to get into the music and thoroughly enjoy it. Maybe it is because it is not like the stuff I normally listen to, which is to me a wide range of music (rap, hip-hop, R&B, country, etc.). It just has this truely old timey feeling that my brain just seems to want to reject my ears from really tuning into it. I did better in remembering the Medieval music better than I did both the Romantic and the 20th century stuff. What I will say is that I did like that in the 20th century, they did help pave the way for musicians today to be able to do what they do, with beginning the constraints of copyrights and being able to record music, as well as sampling music from the past eras.  

NO CLASS TODAY 11/12/2012

I have no voice! I have either bronchitis or a sinus infection or the "Macon Crud" or whatever....in any case, no class today.

TEST WEDNESDAY, in PSC 109

The test will be over Romantic & 20th Century up to 1945 - i.e. the section titled 1945 and after will be covered on the final [along with jazz].

 

Vista news

I just updated the Presentation scores and Absences columns in the gradebook. You might want to pop into Vista and make sure the numbers there are correct!


We are at week #9 out of 14 in the semester. 

I have had ZERO concert reports to grade thus far.

This is not a good thing for either of us!

Those who have ears, let them hear.....

Test 2 news

It has been graded. You should be able to see your grade in Vista.

If you can't PLEASE let me know!

CURVE:
Vista says the test is worth 80 points. I'm curving this one [DON'T GET USED TO THIS!].
It will actually count 73 points.

So use 73 when typing in your score into the grade spreadsheet or when calculating your percentage score.

You HAVE downloaded the spreadsheet so you can keep track of your grades in this class, yes?

MusApp Test 2: Monday 10/15 in PSC 109

1. There are between 3 and 59,214.4 questions on the test.
2. ... and 18 listening items.
3. The extra credit is a piece you've never heard before. You are to decide which era it is from and tell my WHY you think so.
4. I suggest you know the musical characteristics of these eras, so you can make an intelligent decision!
5. I am sneaky and have been known to put different sections of the same piece on a test. You have been warned!
6. The listening is indeed online as before. It's at a different URL, so don't bother checking the previous one.
7. BRING EARBUDS / HEADPHONES!

Beethoven's 5th Symphony - 7 versions

As I said in class, the 5th Symphony - especially the 1st movement - has become extraordinarily famous. Nowadays we'd say this has become an internet meme, but obviously it predates the internet!

Here is some indication of how famous the 1st movement has become, as evidenced by these clips from youtube [of course!]

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First, the Peter Schickele/PDQ Bach version - the live sportscast!

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2: Sid Ceasar, an argument done LIVE on camera in the 1950's.

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3: Three Redneck Tenors, from their America's Got Talent appearance.

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4: Again, the Three Redneck Tenors, in their live show

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5: There was even a DISCO version - seriously, it hit the charts and stayed there for a loooong time!

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6: ...and of course, the requisite DubStep version

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7: There was even an ELO version of "Roll Over Beethoven" that incorporated the theme.

Concert News

Tonight's Mercer Piano Concert CANCELLED due to illness.

MERCER
From http://www2.mercer.edu/Music/calendar.htm

October Mercer Concerts
18-20 - Thurs.-Sat. Mercer University Opera presents
The Toy Shop
Martha Malone, director

21 - Sunday Hallelujah, Handel
Choral Society of Middle Georgia and Mercer University Choir
David Keith, conductor
Mulberry Street United Methodist Church
719 Mulberry Street, Macon
Tickets: $10 general admission/$8 stuents, seniors and military - Purchase at the door

23 - Tuesday Guest and Faculty Artist Recital
Lenora Green, soprano
Carol Goff, piano

26 - Friday Fabian Concert Series
Emerson String Quartet
Eugene Drucker, violin
Philip Setzer, violin
Lawrence Dutton, viola
David Finckel, cello
Tickets: $12/One free ticket with Mercer ID
Reserved seating: Call (478) 301-5470 to purchase

30 - Tuesday Mercer University Orchestra
Ward Stare, conductor


GCSU
http://events.gcsu.edu/concerts

The Georgia Woodwind Quartet
Featuring:
Angela Jones-Reus, flute
Jean Martin-Williams, horn
Reid Messich, oboe
D. Ray McClellan, clarinet
Amy Marinello, bassoon
When
October 2nd, 2012 7:30 PM through 8:30 PM
Location
Max Noah Recital Hall
United States
Contact
Phone: 478-445-8289

David Johnson, violin; Gregory Pepetone, piano
When
October 15th, 2012 7:30 PM through 8:30 PM
Location
Max Noah Recital Hall
United States
Contact
Phone: 478-445-8289

Faculty Brass Recital
Christopher Probst, trumpet
Clifford Towner, trumpet
Joshua Crook, French horn
Maureen Horgan, French horn
Eric Bubacz, tuba
When
October 24th, 2012 7:30 PM through 8:30 PM
Location
Max Noah Recital Hall
United States
Contact
Phone: 478-445-8289


Something Completely Different
http://www.incredibox.com/?music=50730600DFE67