Listen to the NPR All Things Considered Program “When Great Tragedy Inspires Music” and answer the following questions:
1. If Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” was not written to be a memorial piece, why do you think we as listeners assume that it is and use it for that purpose? Base your answer on the clip heard at 4:50. Discuss your observations using musical element terminology.
2. You will hear a clip of Steve Reich’s piece “WTC 9/11” (5:40). How does the composer use timbre, pitch, rhythm and other musical elements to convey emotions associated with that event?
3. Can pieces commissioned for a specific event “stand alone”? Do they have meaning out of context? Why or why not?
4. Why do you think people frequently turn to music, specifically “classical” art music during times of tragedy? Why are Memorial compositions so common?
Don't forget to respond to another student's post as part of your assignment.
1) The song is very sad sounding with the choir in the background. The song is slow and when you are listing to it, it reminds you of sad things. Like a rainy day on the beach.
ReplyDelete2) The timbre is bright, yes, I believe it is bright, bright red almost, with the piercing violins and the randomness and repeating of the recordings from that day in September.
3)Without an event happening I do not think that a lot of the music we hear today would happen. This is a weird question. Because everything is written for a reason. Ya, I think that they can stand alone. If it is good music, people will listen to it and always be a reminder of that event.
4)Because music is safe. Classical music can also show more emotion too I believe. There is soul in the music, it is real. People, when tragedy arises turn to familiar things, it could remind them of when they heard their parents or grandparents listening to classical music and it could be comforting to them. Memorial compositions are common for that reason. People have always loved classical music and they will always love it, that will never change. Because the classical music genre and how long it has been around it would make sense to write a song in a classical format. So generations to come will be able to remember that moment in our history.
1) The overall tonality of the song makes you think that a sad event or tragedy has occurred. The song is tragic and sad. There is a constant swelling of dynamics, as well as emotion. The timbre is dark, which makes some people think something bad has happened. The song is very moving, and causes people remember climatic events that have happened because the dynamics are always getting louder.
ReplyDelete2) The violins add a timbre that is shrill and bright, which I think represents the fire alarms going off in the World Trade Center. The continuous beat adds tension. The pitch is also shrill which adds panic to the piece. The piece is very climatic because of the violins and it allows us to feel at least a little of the fear that the people during 9/11 experienced.
3) I believe that pieces commissioned for a specific event can stand out alone. While some people may use a specific song for an event, it can mean something else for some other person. Music is very interpretive, and because of this, different meanings can be found in just one song.
4) Memorial compositions are common, because when words fail, there is still music. Music is a universal language and it can show what we feel when words cannot. It is easier to express our feelings about events through music than words.
5) I agree with Cole that Classical music can show more emotion.
1. Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" was not written as a memorial piece, yet many listeners assume that is was written for that purpose. I believe that this is because the song seems to be a response to a tragedy. It is written in a minor key, with a slow steady melody, giving the feeling of sadness and grief. The instruments playing the piece (string instruments) perfectly create a tone of sadness. They play the slow melody, with a mixture of high and low pitches, with balance and true emotion. The build-up of dynamics cause greater drama and sadness, making the beautiful song fit the tragedy.
ReplyDelete2. This song has a very short rhythm with short staccato notes played at a very high pitch. The computer generated "beeps" and voices associated with the plane's descent into the WTC cause even more angst and drama as associated with the actual event. The song is fast and hectic, causing stress and anxiety very closely related to the event. The high pitches cause even more anxiety and fear to pour out of the piece.
3. I believe that pieces commissioned for a specific event can definitely "stand alone." Many classical and older pieces of music that have lasted centuries have done so because of the emotions they bring out and the long lasting stories they create. Pieces written for a specific event many times are written because of the emotions, portraying them through their pieces of music, and causing a reaction from the listener. Since they can do this with or without the event, they can stand alone, becoming a lasting reminder of the event.
4. People turn to classical music during tragedy, because they best reflect those emotions. Classical music portrays emotions that words and lyrics never could. Classical music focuses more on the musical elements of a song than modern music does as it focuses more on lyrics. Memorial compositions then are so common and popular because of tragedies around that world that bring out emotions in these pieces. They are a final statement of the emotions behind the events.
5. I agree with what Ally said in number three that a memorial piece can stand alone out of context.
1. I think that we assume it as a memorial piece because it has a very dark timbre, and the overall piece is really slow and sad. There are a lot of dynamics in it where you kind of imagine that grief has overtaken everyone, but you can also imagine that people are remembering and moving on from what happened.
ReplyDelete2. The composer uses a somewhat bright timbre in the song to make the listener feel tense and confused. He also uses a lot of high pitches to make the song just a tad bit uncomfortable and to show the unease of 9/11. Lastly, the composer uses many fast-paced rhythms to create the chaos of that day.
3. I think that a piece made for a specific event can stand alone. Almost all pieces of music are made for a specific purpose, and we all interpret them in different ways. It's not any different for a piece of music made for a specific event. If a piece was made for a sad, tragic event, than people will hear it as sad and tragic whether they know what the piece was made for or not.
4. I think that people turn to music because it's the easiest way to let out their emotions. They turn to classical music a lot because it's very straight forward. It doesn't use words to portray emotion, just music, and that's all that the listeners need. Memorial compositions are common because, as I said before, music is the easiest way to let out our emotions.
5. I really liked Ally's answer to number 4. I agree with her statement, "Music is a universal language and it can show what we feel when words cannot."
1) People probably think that this is a memorial piece because it is quite sad. The key seems to be in a minor key, and there are a lot of string instruments used. It kind builds up and gets more intense, which brings out even more emotion.
ReplyDelete2) First of all, the timbre projects a scary element to it. Whenever I listen to it, even if there wasn't a clip saying "plane just crashed into the world trade center" I would be able to tell that some kind of emergency happened that was completely horrible. The rhythm doesn't have very many long notes and the pitch is very high and becomes very loud which can startle you.
3) I think that pieces can stand alone and can also be taken out of context. Even if something was made for a certain event, different people interpret things differently so they may think of the song as something that they can relate to more if they cannot relate to the actual even that is going on that the writer of the song was trying to portray.
4) People turn to music because music can be relatable. It lets people know that they are not always completely alone in their situations. It is also a great way to let emotion out, like if you were to write a song. Classical music is probably listened to a lot because it has a lot of emotion and can be very complex and dramatic.
5) I agree with what Ally said about number four.
5. I can see what Lauren is saying in number four when she says that the fast, hectic notes cause stress and anxiety. Because they do. I was getting stressed when I listened to the piece.
ReplyDelete1) I believe the song is commonly used as memorial piece because of the long notes and phrases and slow tempo. It seems to very deliberately move in a sad, regretful way. It also sounds like it's in a minor key, which adds to its sadness.
ReplyDelete2) Reich conveys the urgency of the situation by having quick, erratic rhythms. He also makes tension by using a bright, fearful tone.
3) I think music commissioned for a certain event can stand alone because, while the emotion in the music was felt by the composer (or commissioner) because of a certain event, someone else may have felt a similar emotion because of an entirely different event. So while that song carries an emotion meant for one certain event, that emotion, and thus the song, could relate to many things.
4) Music is a good way for people to hear others' emotions. It helps people connect, so they know how other people feel. That can help them find someone to relate to.
5) I agree with Kara on number four. Classical music does have a lot of emotion, and the complexity and drama can help a listener sort out their own emotions.
1. Even though "Adagio for Strings" is not a memorial piece, but we often think that it was wrote for that purpose. In this song the timbre is dark, setting the mood for the song as more of a sad and emotional song. The dynamics in this song are building up to one point, and then decrease back down causing this to become very emotional. Emotional pieces are what we usually associate with as a more of a song for tragedies and memorial. The melody in this song is slow and in a minor key causing a feeling of grief and sadness. The instrumentation of this song, done by string instruments, makes us think of this as a memorial and a song for tragedy because string instruments bring a lot of emotion into pieces.
ReplyDelete2. The timbre in this piece is very bright bringing an element of angst and suspense into the piece. The pitches of the piece are high and shrill, making us think that something bad is happening and adding panic to the atmosphere. The rhythm of this piece is very short and fast adding a hint of fear and anxiety to the listeners.
3. I think music commissioned for a certain event can defiantly stand alone and be taken out of context. Each piece that is wrote is usually wrote about a certain event that has happened, but is still remembered and played today by a lot of people because music can mean anything. Music can be taken out of context by anyone because all music is interpreted different by every single person. For example, I could see a song as emotional and moving, but another person could see the song as boring and not moving at all.
4. I think we often turn to "Classical" music because it is very moving and dramatic. A lot of classical music is wrote for certain events and tragedies that can also be used today for tragedies and memorials. Classical music has a lot emotion to it because of its different timbres, instrumentation, dynamics, and its very complex and intricate. Today a lot of music is not as emotional and moving as classical music is. I think that is why we often associate and use classical music for tragedies and memorials.
5. I agree with Cole when he said, "There is soul in the music, it is real. People, when tragedy arises turn to familiar things, it could remind them of when they heard their parents or grandparents listening to classical music and it could be comforting to them" because people generally do turn to things of comfort when tragedy arises.
1. Many music listeners associate Barker's "Adagio for Strings" as a memorial piece, but it was not actually written as such. There are many reasons that people may associate it as such, and it really isn't anything that can be prevented. Many music listeners associate stringed instruments (violin, viola, cello ect.) with sadness. It seems to be something that can’t be helped, we as music listeners just do it instinctively because many pieces associated with sadness include a string quartet. The overall timbre of the sample is very blue, which is also why many people would associate it with sadness, or even as a memorial piece. It is not an upbeat piece, and combined with all of the other elements mentioned above, it is often confused as a memorial piece.
ReplyDelete2. The clip that was played during the show was a very hectic piece. There were parts that were very high notes that provided a very shrill timbre. The beat was very quick and pulsing, which added even more tension. It is very obvious that the piece was written in association with the event because it is a very angsty piece of music.
3. Back to our first blog about music having a specific meaning, this question is very connected to that topic. If a piece can be considered a memorial piece when it was not written as one, then could a piece written as a memorial be considered as something else? I completely believe that memorial pieces or music commissioned for a specific event can stand alone because music has a different interpretation to each listener. To some, the piece may not make sense out of context, but to other avid music listeners, they may be able to find another practical application of the music.
4. Music is one of the most common outlets for people during times of tragedy, specifically classical music. The elements in classical music focus more on timbre and tone, and less on lyrics like today’s music. Classical music moves people in a way that today’s music really cannot do. Memorial compositions are very common because they are a way for people to convey their emotions in a time of tragedy. Music is always an outlet. It is a very expressive art form that anyone can turn to in a time of distress.
5. Lauren makes a great point in her response to question 3 when she refers to older pieces of music, such as compositions written by Bach or Beethoven. That music has lasted for hundreds of years, while some people today would say that it “stands out of context” in today’s society.
1) People, when listening to music, form an opinion of what they think the music means. This piece, with a very blue timbre, leads one to associate "Adagio for Strings" with sadness and mourning. Emotion, most of the time, trumps fact. People will jump to the assumption that this is a memorial piece because of the way it sounds, and because of the way it affects ones emotions, even if it wasn't written as one.
ReplyDelete2) The composer uses high and shrill pitches that convey a sense of panic. The timbre is bright, which also helps add to the sense of unease. A quick and short beat also add to a sense of panic.
3) Although a piece the was commissioned can stand alone, as they said in the NPR broadcast, they don't, and probably won't, be taken in context. A song, commissioned 200 years ago for some specific event may still be around today, but most, if not all, of the people who listen to it will not know the context of its writing, and will only appeal to their emotion to make judgments about it.
4) Classical music, above all others, conveys emotion with ease and great depth. There will never be another genre of music that can so easily capture the emotions of listeners. Music is emotion written down. There isn't any other medium that emotion travels through with such an affect as music. A writer can easily write a piece of music that can reflect what they feel about what ever tragedy they are writing for. Above all, a memorial song brings emotion to the center stage, and in no other way can someone better convey emotion than through music.
5) I agree with Melissa that classical music is very moving and dramatic.
1. I do think that this piece can stand alone very well because of the moving melody that it has along with the fact that the it has a sad mood, and there is nothing that says it has to be specifically used for 9/11. For example because of the moving dynamics and strings that are used, we tend to think of it as being for a memorial and not just 9/11.
ReplyDelete2. The composer uses very high pitch that almost gives the sense of panic. Yet the tibre to me seems dark because of the message that the composer seems to be portraying. The composer also tends to use lots of dynamics to engrave his thought and add emotion and panic to his piece.
3. I think that pieces that are meant for a specific event can stand alone because usually the specific meaning or purpose of the music gets lost in time, and therefore, the general meaning is used more often, making the piece much more flexible to be used in different settings.
4. I think people tend to turn to classical music because of amount of emotion and wide variety of settings it can be used in. For example, even though a song was written about anger, it can still sound sad because of a certain piece that a composer wanted to add to his piece. Therefore, classical music is chosen because of the emotion put into it and the wide variety of settings it can be used in.
5. I liked how Lauren on number 3 referred to Bach and old composers as an example of how the same piece of music can be used in different contexts and how one piece of music can survive for so long.