Musical Styles
By Jeffrey B Langlois | June 10, 2008
The word “classical” as it relates to music, is certainly an often misused term. Many people use it to refer to any piece of music played by an orchestra. Some people use that term to refer to any music that they cannot categorize into jazz, pop, or country. This is not proper use of the term.
In the following essay I shall attempt to describe the differences in musical styles from late renaissance through the early part of the twentieth century. I will emphasize the differences between baroque and classical styles.
I have heard people refer to the music of J.S. Bach as classical music. This is rather amusing, since the classical style did not exist until Bach had been long dead. I think the misuse of this term comes from the misconception that it is some sort of laudatory term. It is not. It is merely a label that is applied to the music that was in vogue from about 1770, until around 1800. The music of this period is called classical because the main form employed in this music, sonata form, uses proportions that are considered classical because of their association with the so-called classical period of the Greeks.
Categories: Classical | 2 Comments »
Art Equals Peace
By Geejay Arriola | May 7, 2008
It is actually very sad, and at the same time funny to be presenting papers, or conducting workshops on Peacebuilding through the Arts because Arts is really about peace—it has one and the same meaning, only the spelling is different. Yet, time and again, we have to convince other people, especially funding bodies that what we do is essentially peacemaking.
An example of how Art equals Peace is this experience I had when I attended the Flying Circus Project 2000 in Singapore. The 21-day workshop-interaction organized by Theatreworks, Ltd. based in Singapore gathered 75 dance, theatre, music, traditional, visual, and film artists all over Asia, many of who did not speak English. Of course there were translators. All the time, we were sitting on the floor in circles or semi-circles. There were sessions where we would listen to an artist resource person who would share his/her work. We would watch live performances, video shows, and slideshow presentations of these artists’ works, after which, we would talk endlessly about the presentation, where we argued a lot. Some discussions became heated or boring enough for some of us to leave these sessions. The only time that we laughed together and felt our kinship and solidarity was when we performed together. These were the moments of pure peace and contentment. In the end, some of us who have become real friends agreed in one of our over-lunch teté-a-tetés that whenever we opened our mouths to talk about an idea and try to convince the others about this idea, an argument ensues. But all philosophical and pedagogical differences are wiped out when we break into song or dance.
Categories: CULTURE | 2 Comments »
History of the String Quartet
By Jeffrey B Langlois | April 26, 2008
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries there was a much greater distinction between music for public and private entertainment than is generally the case nowadays. Symphonies, concertos, and operas were intended for the most part, to be public entertainment. Chamber music was intended as private entertainment for those who could afford it. It was meant to be played in the chamber room of an aristocrat, and an audience of less than twenty people was assumed by the composer.
There were many types of chamber music, some with piano, some without, some with wind instruments, and some without, but its distinguishing feature is that there is only one instrument to a part. There was even a market for chamber music arrangements of symphonies. Beethoven made a piano trio arrangement of his second symphony shortly after its premiere. This was the last symphony to be arranged for a chamber group.
Categories: Classical | 1 Comment »
Music Education Bloggers: 42 and still counting
By Geejay Arriola | April 15, 2008
Our community of Music Education (ME) bloggers is increasing. Mustech’s campaign to draw in 100 ME bloggers by 2009 is gaining ground. And I seriously doubt it’s going to be just 100.
If you want to be counted, go visit Music Technology website, founded and originally authored by Joseph Pisano.
Mustech’s campaign slogan:
100 Music Education Bloggers (ME Too!) for 2009
Become a ME Blogger today, join Our “Global Conversation” about
music, education, and technology!
Categories: Music Communities | 1 Comment »
Sonata Form
By Jeffrey B Langlois | March 31, 2008
In order to fully appreciate the classical style, i.e., the style that was in vogue in Europe from about 1770 until circa 1800, it is necessary to understand sonata form. Sonata form is sometimes called first-movement-sonata -form because it was almost always the form used for first movements of every type of composition. And the word ‘sonata’ preceding the word ‘form’ is because its first widespread use was in the sonata. Before I discuss the structure of sonata form I should caution you not to think that composers of the classical period were writing music in some sort of contrived or formulaic manner. They certainly were not. Nonetheless, any style can be defined by certain parameters, if that is the right word. The concept of sonata form was actually thought up by music theorists after sonata form had become a lost art. It was the intention of these theorists to create an analysis of the music of the best composers of the recent past so that new composers would have a model to go by.
Categories: Classical | No Comments »
Sid Gomez Hildawa, 1962-2008
By Geejay Arriola | March 31, 2008
I learned just a few minutes ago that artist, poet, and friend Sid Gomez Hildawa, head of the Visual Arts Department of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and award-winning (Palanca) poet, has succumbed to typhoid and dengue.
He actually made it home from the hospital just two days ago and everyone thought he was going to recuperate. But the universe had other plans.
Categories: CULTURE | No Comments »
Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro”
By Jeffrey B Langlois | March 25, 2008
On May 1st, 1786, something quite unique and extraordinary was premiered at a private court theater in Vienna. When Mozart had announced to the world that he and his Italian librettist friend, Lorenzo Da Ponte had created something totally new and unique, it was not idle sales hype. “Le Nozze di Figaro” was totally unlike any opera that the world had ever before heard.In opera, whether serious or comic, the standard formula was an alternating pattern of recitative and aria, with an occasional duet and maybe one or two choral pieces (The French and British preferred more choral numbers in their operas). The action was carried forth in the recitatives, and each aria would represent the singer’s reaction to the preceding action. Each aria was sort of an emotional vignette.
Categories: Classical | No Comments »
Global Cooling: music from the “great peaceful womb”
By Geejay Arriola | March 19, 2008
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The album opens with my favorite in the collection—a soft, soothing lilt of a song sung sweetly by a voice of quiet courage:
Halina’t ako’y samahan / Come, join me
Mga inang nagbubunga ng bukas / Mothers who bear the fruits
of tomorrow
Sa mundo ni Inang kapayapaan / In the world of Mother Peace
Na may malayang pag-ibig / Where there is free love
Thus sings Maree Contaoi in the song “Inang Kapayapaan,” which she wrote for Global Cooling: the first Mothers for Peace Singout and Songwriting Competition.
Categories: Asian, Philippine | No Comments »
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