BC Core Music 1.3

Music of the World 2

Indonesia (gamelan music)
India (Hindustani classical music)

To study a pdf of the balungan of “Bubaran Hudan Mas”, click here.

My Rhapsody Playlist

Please read (or re-read) the following sections of the textbook:
European Art Music (Chapters 4 and 5)—pg 17-38 (skip historical timelines; focus on the music)
American Vernacular Music and Jazz (Chapters 6 and 7)—pg 39-53 (skip “New School Rap”)
World Music (Chapter 8)—pg 55-64 (skip “South Indian Classical Music”, “China”, “South America”, “Argentina and Tango”, and “Klezmer”)

Music of the World 1

Beatles (recording studio as an instrument)
Ghana (West African drumming)
Puerto Rico (plena)
Trinidad (calypso)

Assignment: Read the appropriate sections of your textbook (Chapter 8), and prepare review questions for the next class.

My Rhapsody Playlist

American Vernacular Music 2

History of Jazz
- Ragtime
- Early jazz
- Swing
History of Hip hop
- Break
- Sampling

Assignment: Read Chapter 7 in your textbook (and review the end of Chapter 6 – “Old School Rap”)

If you are interested in earning extra credit by giving a short presentation on your final project topic (on the date of the final exam—see Week 10 update), please send me email ASAP. Spaces are limited and I will grant them first-come, first-served.

Playlist for Week 11:
My Rhapsody Playlist

UPDATE: Final exam dates: 12/11 (R5), 12/14 (U9A), and 12/16 (T5)

American Vernacular Music

African-American Spirituals
Anglo-American Ballads
Tin Pan Alley
Pre-War Blues (Robert Johnson)
Old-Time Country (Carter Family)
Country and Western (Hank Williams)
Rhythm and Blues (Howlin’ Wolf)
Rock and Roll (Elvis Presley)

My Rhapsody Playlist

Click below to see the full “Influences Chart” from class.
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European Music History 3

Music of the Modern Era (1900-present)

Impressionism
Primitivism
Expressionism
Aleatoric Music
Minimalism

Assignment: Read Chapter 5 and Reich, Stravinsky and Schoenberg biographies in your textbook.

My Rhapsody Playlist

European Music History 2

Music of the Classical Era (1750-1820)
Music of the Romantic Era (1820-1900)

To access the Mozart and Beethoven listening guides, click here and here.

Assignment: Finish reading Chapter 4

My Rhapsody Playlist

European Music History 1

Music of the Middle Ages (450-1450)
Music of the Renaissance (1450-1600)
Music of the Baroque (1600-1750)

Assignment: Read pg 17-25 and begin thinking about Assignment 2

My Rhapsody Playlist

ASSIGNMENT 2:

Using your Rhapsody skills and musical knowledge, please find multiple tracks that, together, fulfill seven of the following ten criteria (7 of 10). Since a single piece of music may fill two or even three criteria, you should expect to end up between three and five examples.

Find a track that contains:
-a chordophone (describe which one)
-a clear example of a reed aerophone (describe which one)
-a percussion instrument that is actually an electrophone (describe which instrument and how it is used)
-a Symphony Orchestra (describe the four sections of the ensemble and when each is audible)
-music of the Middle Ages (describe how you can tell)
-triple meter (describe the tempo)
-quadruple meter (describe the tempo)
-pianissimo dynamics (describe which section of the music)
-a crescendo that is at least five seconds long (describe the timing of the track when it happens)
-Homophony (describe the instruments in each of the two layers)

For each criterion, write a sentence or two describing how the song fits that criterion. For example, ” ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ uses electric guitar and bass guitar, which are both chordophones. It is in quadruple meter at a moderately fast tempo.” Keep your answers brief and to the point. Be sure to copy and paste a RhapLink for each track so that I can listen to it (see Assignment 1 if you forgot how).

This assignment may require you to do a bit of additional research; feel free to use your textbook as well as the internet. Also, any music that we listened to in class is off limits; you must find different examples.

Please include your name in the document name as well as in the document itself. Submit the finished assignment to the Blackboard Digital Drop Box (“Send File”). Put the following in the Name field (in this order): Assignment 2 – Your Section – Your Name

DUE DATE: 11/18 at 5:00 pm. I will not accept any late work. Please make sure that I receive it before then.

Unit 1 Exam

Assignment: none 

Dynamics
Putting the pieces together (review of Berlioz and other music)

Test Review Information
The Unit 1 Exam will take place during Week 6
The test consists of:
6 listening examples (comprising 10 questions)
3 photos of instruments to be identified
8 “category matching” questions
8 multiple choice questions
21 fill-in-the-blank questions

This totals 50 questions; each will be worth two points.
Additionally, there will be five extra credit questions each worth two points.

Please be sure to study the terminology page, instruments page, and Rhapsody playlist page.

My Rhapsody Playlist

Elements of Music 3

Timbre/Instrumentation (idiophones, membranophones, electrophones)
Ensembles (chorus/choir, symphony orchestra, jazz big band, string quartet)
Program Music vs. Absolute Music

Assignment: Bring in review questions (on Chapters 1 and 2) for next week, read this article on Berlioz and program music and check out this list of instruments.

Exam 1 will be on 10/2 (R5), 10/12 (U9A), and 10/21 (T5)

My Rhapsody Playlist