|
| |
|
| | |
Syllabus FALL
2007
MUSC
2100
Department
of Performing Arts
Millsaps College | Jackson, MS
The Evolution
of Style in Western Music
LISTENING
TO LIVE MUSIC: The Concert Report
Here
are some ideas which can be points of departure,
or models for you to find the right words to write
about the music you are hearing. Concert reports
should be, on average, two to three pages, double-spaced.
No citation is necessary. While you may include information
learned from program notes, do NOT quote huge sections
at length in order to 'pad' your report. Honest
effort at engaging the music on an intellectual
and emotional level is all I'm looking for.
The
Concert as a Whole
Begin your report with
a brief description of the concert, including
the name and type of the performing group or soloists
and the music you heard.
Describe your general
reaction to the concert. Did you enjoy it? Did this
event make you feel like going to other concerts in
the near future?
Individual
Compositions
In discussing individual
compositions, you may want to cover some of the following
points. (I don't expect you to go into this much detail
about every piece, but it would be good if I can see
evidence of this kind of listening in a fair portion
of the program.)
-
Musical
styles. How did the composition correspond
to what you know about the musical style period
in which it was composed--baroque, classical, romantic,
etc.? Your appreciation of a work is often enhanced
when you recognize its musical style.
- Musical genres.
What was the genre of the piece? (Piano Concerto, Symphony, etc.).
What musical forms were employed--theme and variations, sonata form,
ABA, etc.?
- Memorable features.
What features of the piece were most memorable--for example, did
you tend to remember slower, lyrical sections; or triumphant parts;
or fast, exciting parts? Were there any striking melodies and rhythms?
Were there any unusual vocal, instrumental, or electronic effects?
- Musical themes.
Were there several contrasting sections or themes within a movement?
Did you recognize variations of particular themes (development) or
reappearances of musical ideas in different sections or movements?
- Emotions, images,
and ideas. Did the composition evoke in you specific feelings
or thoughts? Describe how the music depicted mood, character, drama.
Tell how they relate to the form of the piece or movement.
-
Comparisons
with other works. It is often illuminating
to compare a work with other works on the program,
or with other works you have studied, noting similarities
and differences.
- Performance Your
discussion of performance will be more subjective:
-
Emotional
projection. Did you think that the performer(s)
succeeded in projecting the emotional meaning
of the work?
- Virtuosity. How difficult
(in terms of performance) did the music sound to you?
- Personal interpretation. Did
the artist inject his or her personality into the performance,
or did it seem to you to be a more 'respectful' approach (in
other words, was it more about the music, or about the performer?)
|
|
|
|
