Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Beethoven

Beethoven.  One of a kind!  His music fell in between the Classical and Romantic Eras; he was very innovative and set his own standard of music.  He was considered an absolute genius!  He traveled around all of Europe, writing and selling music everywhere.

He got sick and began to go deaf while he was still in his prime.  He became depressed and moved to a small town, contemplating suicide.  There he wrote what is known as his Heiligenstadt Testament, where he committed himself to keep going, and to devote his life even more to his music.

He finished his 9th Symphony around this time, but never got to hear it performed.

Romantic Time Period

Romantic Music Characteristics:
   - Very expressive
   -  Program Music:  the music tells a story
   - New forms and dissonances, more creative sound effects
   - Passionate lyrics, and music to fit them



Hector Berlioz- a very famous Romantic Composer.  Symphonie Fantastique.

He sees himself at a witches' Sabbath in the midst of a hideous gathering of shades, sorcerers and monsters of every kind who have come together for his funeral. Strange sounds, groans, outbursts of laughter; distant shouts which seem to be answered by more shouts. The beloved melody appears once more, but has now lost its noble and shy character; it is now no more than a vulgar dance tune, trivial and grotesque: it is she who is coming to the sabbath… Roar of delight at her arrival… She joins the diabolical gathering… The funeral knell tolls, burlesque parody of the Dies Irae, the dance of the witches. The dance of the witches combined with the Dies irae.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Walking in the Air - adapted from movie "The Snowman"

Elements to pay attention to:

- Instrumentation
- Creativity
- Vowel Shapes




Performed by USU Chamber Singers under the direction of Dr. Cory Evans

Circle of Life - arr. by Fidel Calalang Jr.

Elements to pay attention to:

- Sound effects
- Vocal effects
- Unity of pitch and rhythm



O Magnum Mysterium - Morten Lauridsen

Elements to pay attention to:

- Dynamic Contrast
- Unity of Sound
- Vowel Shapes
- Clarity of words
- Flow from pitch to pitch



Lord of the Rings - "In Dreams"


Thursday, September 1, 2011

Solfege Syllables


Interval Tune Names


Intervals:
Minor 2nd
Jaws
Major 2nd
Happy Birthday
Minor 3rd
Lullaby
Major 3rd
Kum Ba Yah
Perfect 4th
Here Comes the Bride
Tri Tone
The Simpsons
Perfect 5th
Twinkle, Twinkle
Minor 6th
Entertainer
Major 6th
NBC
Minor 7th
Somewhere "There's a place for us"
Major 7th
Bali Hai
Octave
Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Old MacDonald

Group 1:  Old                                             Farm!                                      O!

Group 2:          Mac                                                 E                                       And

Group 3:                   Donald                                           I                                           On

Group 4:                                 Had                                        E                                          That

Group 5:                                            A                                          I                                            Farm




Group 1:   He                                       I                                    A                              

Group 2:        Had                                     E                                   [sound]                            

Group 3:                A                                      I                                        Here

Group 4:                    [animal]                              O!                                        And

Group 5:                                E                                 With                                         A




Group 1:   [sound]                                    There                                              [sound]

Group 2:              There!                                     A                                                    Old

Group 3:                     Here                                      [sound]                                            Mac

Group 4:                              A                                            Everywhere                                   Donald

Group 5:                                  [sound]                                            A                                                  Had






Group 1:   A                          I

Group 2:       Farm                      O!

Group 3:                 E

Group 4:                        I

Group 5:                              E

Rhythm 3


Rhythm 1





Rhythm 2





Rhythm 3


Rhythm 2

Rhythm 1





Rhythm 2





Rhythm 3


Rhythm 1

Rhythm 1





Rhythm 2





Rhythm 3

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir


Video Clip of Eric Whitacre's story


Mariachi and Punk Rock

Mariachi is a type of Mexican music that is very popular throughout all of Latin America.  Here's how it sounds:



The Bronx was an American Hard Punk Band from Los Angeles, California.




One day, the Bronx did a concert with a Mariachi Band.  They enjoyed it so much that they decided to work with them to create a Mariachi Rock Band!  They changed their name for that album to "El Bronx."  Here's how it sounded:


What new types of music have you found recently that you enjoy listening to?