What is their effect on your reaction to the music? -

Reaction to Live Music Performance – Post-1900 Music Information page Final Submission Due 07/06/24 12:00 AM CDT Status Final Submission in progress Prompt Attending a concert of 20th-century music can be one of the most unpredictable and exhilarating musical activities you can experience, regardless of whether the music you hear is classical, jazz, Broadway, film, or rock music. The range of styles and the number of new sounds you may hear are astonishing. Concerts today also can be visual extravaganzas, complete with digital effects, light shows, photography, film projections, dancing, and even pyrotechnics. Because the music is so wide-ranging in style, audience members, too, tend to be an extremely diverse group. Professional ensembles devoted to the performance of music composed after 1900 are found in many cities and towns. Colleges and universities also are excellent sources of free lectures and concerts spanning a wide range of 20th-century genres and styles. When attending a concert of 20th century music, go with an open mind. Plan to be challenged aurally, intellectually, and emotionally. Ask yourself the following questions as you are listening: How are voices used? Do the singers make any special sound effects? Do the voices or instruments blend together, or are the individual tone colors unblended? What observations can you make regarding timbre? Are noise-like or percussive instruments used? If so, what do they look like, how are they played, and what is their effect on the music? Does the performance use taped music, special amplification, computers, synthesizers, or a combination of electronic and live music? What is their effect on your reaction to the music? Is the music consonant or dissonant? Does the music sound tonal or not? Do the program notes indicate if the music is 12 tone or aleatory? How would you describe the rhythm, tempo, and meter? Are they predictable and steady, or are they irregular? Do you notice any ostinatos? Do you notice instances of musical quotation? Does the performance include examples of mixed media? What performing forces do you hear? If instruments are used, are they traditional instruments of the western world, or are they from other locations? If you notice any unusual instruments, what do they look like and how are they played? Does the performance include any special effects, dancers, or other enhancements to the music? How did you react to the music in general? Attend a performance for music composed after 1900. After the performance, complete the following questions. What style of music did you see (classical, Broadway, rock, blues, etc.)? Think about the history of this style and trace its path back to the 19th century.

What were the origins of this music? What part of the world did it come from? Who were the first innovators of this style? How many performers were there? What was the venue? Was the music the main focus, or was it incidental to some other event (e.g., film, play, visual art, etc.)? What was the instrumentation? Were there electric instruments? Was the instrumentation typical or unusual for this style of music? Describe the different instruments’ role in the music. What type of percussion, if any, was there? Was it the dominant musical section? What kind of rhythm did the music have? Were there ostinatos? Was it indented for dance or for attentive listening? Would you consider the music mostly dissonant or mostly consonant? What gave you this impression? Was the harmony tonal or atonal? Try to describe the way in which harmony was used. So much of 20th-century music was a blend of styles. For example, film music would combine classical and rock influences, Broadway music would use elements from classical, blues, jazz, and rock style all at once, rock concerts incorporated music from around the world. Try to identify the separate musical influences in the music of the concert. Were the styles blended seamlessly, or did they feel more separate and fragmented? How did your knowledge of the many styles of 20th-century music affect your appreciation of the concert? Instructions Attend a live performance, or view a recorded concert (links supplied by instructor) that features music after 1900. After the performance, refer to the prompts in the assignment link in Connect, and write an essay on your overall reaction to the performance. It may be a good idea to have these prompt questions on hand at the performance itself, so you know what to listen for. In addition to that portion, name one piece in particular that was interesting to you, and why you found it interesting. Be sure to note who the composer of the piece is, and include some basic biological details of that composer in your essay. Make sure you reference the rubric AND assignment prompts in Connect for other necessary content. Your reaction should be at least 2, double-spaced pages in length. If you have any further questions, please contact Dr. Schrader. A schedule of live events that will be held on campus will be emailed via Blackboard by Dr. Schrader, as well as a list of links for recorded performances that will be accepted. If you will be attending another performance on your own that you believe could be used for this assignment, please email Dr. Schrader to have the performance approved. NOTE – “popular” musical genres will not be accepted for this assignment (i.e. Rock, Pop, or Country). Only performances of a “classical” or “jazz” nature will be approved, and every attempt to view a professional ensemble (i.e. OKC Philharmonic) or a semi-pro ensemble (upper-collegiate ensemble) should be made.