Music 25/26

Block voicing /Sectional writing

a jazz arranging technique in which instruments that belong to the same family are assigned similar music to play (so that trumpets are grouped together, or saxophones, or trombones, etc.); also called sectional writing

La creation du monde

A 1923 ballet by French composer Darius Milhaud, notable for its incorporation of jazz influences and elements of African folklore into classical music. It tells the story of the creation of the world based on African mythological themes.

La creation du monde-(Oveture and Tableau)

A jazz ballet composed by Milhaud that uses a African creation myth; divided the story into six sections,Overture(prelude),1-the chaos before creation,2-the slowly lifting darkness,the creation of trees,plants,insects,birds and beasts,3-dance of created being,man and women created,4-the desire of man and women,5-the man and women kiss-coda. The Ballets Suedios commissioned;dancers were (cubists)costumes and masks, premiered October 25,1926

Music for the theater-”Burlesque”

Song made in 1925 by Aaron Copland, has four themes; the first theme(refrain A) has a Allegro Vivo(fast and lively) tempo and is played in fortissimo, the second theme(refrain A’) is syncopated and played in violin that acts as a response to theme one, theme three (refrain B) is also highly syncopated joined by woodblock and rising motif by trombone and strings, theme four(refrain c) is a solo grotesque-muted trumpets and at the end it is played at a full ensemble fortissimo(shout chorus).

fanny brice

An American actress, comedian, and singer known for her work on Broadway and in vaudeville, particularly famous for her role in the 1964 as a star in Funny Girl, known for a Yiddish accent.

Claude Debussy

French composer who incorporated Javanese elements after hearing a gamelan orchestra performed at Universial Exposition-1889.

369th Infantry Regiment Band(Hell fighters)

The first African American combat unit to serve in World War I, known for its musical contributions and distinguished service in the war. Led by Lt. James Reese Europe.

Lt.Jame Reese Europe

Led “Hellfighters” orchestra in New York; served as musical director for Vernon and Irene Castle-first to popularize foxtrot. Alive through 1880-1919

Aaron Copland 

Composer who went to Paris in 1921, got lessons from Nadia Boulinger who encouraged him to explore jazz and arranged an his organ symphony to be played by New York symphony orchestra-led by Walter Damsroch and Boston Symphony orchestra-conducted by Serge Koussevitzky. Got a grant from Alma Wertheim of 1,000, then got 2,500 from Guggenheim foundation because of recommendations from Nadia,Serge,Walter. composed Music for the theater in 1925

Darius Milhaud

Composed La creation du monde and Le Globe Trotter; was a french composer that studied at the Paris Conservatory, when the war broke out he first helped Belgian refugees then went into propaganda after the death of a friend, followed Paul Claudel to Brazil and DC. Found interest in black jazz.

Paul Claudel

French poet and diplomat that was friends with Milhaud and was posed to Brazil as the french ambassador in 1917. (1868-1956)

Les Six(The six)

George Auric, Louis Durey, Arthur Honegger, Francis Poulenc, and Germaine Tailleferre and Milhaud. Group of composer that shared the impulse to go away from German tradition in their music.

La creation du monde

Leonard Bernstein conducted the 1926 version and was called a lave affair by critics. Concert-suite made for piano and string quartet. Uses 17 solo musicians and polytonality(bitonality) and uses D Minor for opening instruments Sax,Right hand of piano, violins, and cello while the left hand of the piano, string bass, and timpani use D major simultaneously-created ambiguous blue notes. in Tableau 1(divided into three sections A-B-C-instruments create ostinato pattern that created a heterophonic effect that moves against the meter in hemiola by pulsating into 3+3+3+3+4 groups for a total of 16- notated in 2/2 but performed in quarter not.A-incorporated a fugue launched by string bass the first to imitate is trombone, then Sax, then trumpet,after they play a counter subject. The F sharp and F natural in the third measure create parallel scales, moves through circle of fiths key changes(E-A-D) that is in Sweet Georgia Brown. B-Signaled by woodblock that features bitonal layering;displayed with the right hand(treble clef) in D Major and left hand(bass-clef) in C Major, while simultaneously creating a polymetric section by juxtaposition a six pulse ostino in the right hand against 4 pulses in the left hand, then entrancing again but in the clockwise(F-C-G-D) with trombone glissandos at the end. C- Has less polytonality but expands second theme riffs, making use of Phrygain mode from the middle ages(800-1400) that is played with white key E-E that makes a whole and half step pattern of(H-W-W-W-H-W-W) starts on C pitch, the movement of the right hand from C-D flat.

Rhapsody in Blue

Brainchild of Paul Whiteman-(wanted to make it accessible) to experiment in modern music, has famous glissando where the clarinetist bends the pitch with an upward scale of 2 and ½ octaves called the Icebreaker-added as a joke,example of Deborah Mawer’s-classicizing jazz,providing link for jazz camp and the intellectuals(Deems Taylor),performance April 21, Carnegie Hall,originally a two-piano work but Ferde Grofe-said “wait for nod,” arranged it for 23 players.

George Gershwin

Found passion for music after aunts wedding listening to Jerome Kern, worked as a song plugger, published Remick(also employed Vincent Youmans)composed for George White-Runnin Wild and Charelston and got boost from Al Jholsons song Swanee

Rhapsody in Blue

A piano concereto, composed by George Gershwin,cadenza(soloist perform without accompaniment) is a highlight,no improvisation,syncopated rhythm,include arpeggios(succession of notes on piano)resembles a sonata cycle separated into 4 sections,1-Molto Moderato(has tag of the man I love),2-Schezero,3-Adante Moderato,4-Finale(Coda),has 5 themes-Ritornello-(returning material)syncopation open and launches coda(end), key starts on B flat Major then the small grace note is lowered to A flat and the tune changes to G flat and D flat-imitating the blues scale and has Wah-Wah mute on trumpet, Train-got inspired on a train,Stride-pop dance,Shuffle-pop dance,Love-sweeping melody,written by Tchaikovsky for doomed lovers in Romeo and Juliet. has block cord

block chord

When a chord’s pitches are sounded simaltaneouslyor played in unison, creating a rich harmonic texture. This technique emphasizes the full sound of the chord rather than the individual notes.

League of Composers

Group of composers that commissioned Aaron Copland to Music of the theater

International Composers Guild

The rival of The League of Composers formed to promote new music and support avant-garde composers. commissioned Leopold Stokowiski to compose new concerts.

Mc Dowell Colony

Located in Peterborough,New Hampshire, the McDowell Colony is a renowned retreat for artists and composers, providing them with an environment to focus on their work and creativity that served as the place Copland composed part Music for the theater.

The Clouds

Located around Lake Placid and owned by Clarence Alder, this is where Copland finished Music for the theater

Music for the theater

A chamber orchestra,Composed by Aaron Copland in Navember 20,1925 with help from Koussevitzky who conducted, almost called incidental music for an imaginary drama. Reconized for having a theatrical feeling and being american in character. It is split into five movements, 1-prolougue, 2-dance, 3-interlude,4-burlesque,5-epilogue. Based on red-light district and partly inspired by Fanny brice

Sicilienne

composed by Germaine Taileferre uses a gentle duple meter and tolerance harmanies until further beat the after 3 pulses in sing song(F Major) a D flat and E flat come into for second half of measure 2 using parelle ,imor(for blues notes) the E flat(flattened 7) returns to beat 6(second half measure 3) 2 phrase-flattens mediant of Fmajor creating a A natural into A flat)based off her American husband. A- forte polychord of E major triad under B flat Major triad. B-string of 16th note triplets harmonized as parallel sixths but before triplets a hemolia breaks the compound duple regularity by creating a triple meter. a 9th chord(A-C-E-G-B) introduce A with a polychord(roots C and B flat) signals the coda

Blues

A violin sonata Composed by Maurice Ravel in 1927, has three movements, 1-Allegretto,2-Blues,3-Perpetuum mobile.Violin and Piano incompatible, George Enescu played violin and Ravel played Piano. luanches pizzicato black chods