Study Notes on Aaron Copland's "How We Listen to Music"

HOW WE LISTEN TO MUSIC

Overview of Aaron Copland

  • Life & Career

    • Name: Aaron Copland (1900–1990)

    • Birthplace: New York City

    • Education: Studied music in New York and France

    • Achievements:

    • Early successes led to a prominent musical career

    • Activities included compositions, piano performances, teaching, and writing

    • Notable compositions:

      • Ballets: Billy the Kid (1939), John Henry (1940)

      • Symphony: El Salon Mexico (1936)

      • Avant-garde: Piano Variations (1930)

    • Books: Authored several books about music, including What to Listen for in Music (1939)

Importance of Listening to Music

  • Understanding Music

    • Many composers avoid discussing the meaning or expression in their music

    • Copland asserts the importance of understanding music's multiple dimensions

Three Planes of Listening to Music

  • General Framework

    • Copland breaks down the listening process into three hypothetical planes:

    1. The Sensuous Plane

    2. The Expressive Plane

    3. The Sheerly Musical Plane

    • These planes help clarify how we listen to music and are not exclusive but rather interconnected

The Sensuous Plane

  • Definition: The simplest form of listening focused on the enjoyment of the sound itself

  • Characteristics:

    • Listening without analytical thought

    • Engaging with music passively, similar to having music play in the background while doing other tasks

  • Common Misconceptions:

    • Many who identify as music lovers misuse this plane, attending concerts for escapism rather than engagement

    • Resulting mindset: a distraction from reality rather than an active listening experience

  • Critical Note:

    • Though the sensuous aspect is essential, it should not dominate the listening experience

    • Listeners should become more aware of different sound types and how composers utilize them

The Expressive Plane

  • Definition: The plane addressing the emotional and expressive qualities of music

  • Controversy:

    • Composers like Stravinsky distance themselves from discussions about musical expression, perceiving music as an object with its meaning

    • Copland challenges this view, asserting that all music carries expressive power

  • Dilemmas in Meaning:

    • Music does have expressive meaning but articulating that meaning is complex

    • Copland’s belief:

      • "All music has an expressive power, some more and some less."

      • Answers to what music means are often elusive and cannot be easily defined

  • Listener Interpretation:

    • Common tendency to seek concrete, definite meanings in music (thematic associations)

    • Expressions of music can evoke feelings such as serenity, exuberance, regret, triumph, fury, or delight

    • Themes may reflect a multitude of emotions rather than a single expression

  • Example:

    • Tschaikovsky is more easily “understood” compared to Beethoven, highlighting how different composers evoke different interpretive engagements

  • Complexity:

    • Analyzing pieces like Bach's fugue themes reveals varied emotional landscapes and difficulty in pinning down exact feelings

The Sheerly Musical Plane

  • Definition: Engaging with the music at the level of notes, rhythms, harmonies, and other musical elements

  • Common Pitfalls:

    • Laypersons may focus primarily on melody and rhythm, potentially neglecting harmony, tone color, and structure of the music

  • Importance of Awareness:

    • Listeners should enhance their awareness of musical materials used by composers

    • Recognizing melodies, rhythms, harmonies, and how they interact is crucial for deeper understanding

  • Form in Music:

    • Understanding musical form is vital to follow the composer's intent and thought process

Integration of the Three Planes

  • Holistic Listening:

    • The three planes should not be viewed separately; they should be integrated as they all contribute to the listening experience

    • Listeners often instinctively process all three planes simultaneously without conscious effort

  • Theatrical Analogy:

    • Sensuous Plane: Similar to the sensory experience in theater (actors, costumes, sets)

    • Expressive Plane: Comparable to emotional reactions elicited by stage events

    • Sheerly Musical Plane: Equivalent to the plot development in a play (understanding characters and narrative)

  • Ideal Listening:

    • An effective listener experiences a dual consciousness—being both immersed in the music while also critically evaluating it

    • Striving for an active, engaged mode of listening is encouraged for anyone regardless of genre, from Mozart to Duke Ellington

Conclusion

  • Active Listening:

    • The goal for listeners should be to develop a more conscious engagement with music to enhance their appreciation and understanding of various musical pieces.