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3 global influences on Japanese music
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Summer is a film score composed by Joe Hisaishi for Kikujiro. The recording that I select, however, is from Hisaishi’s concert in 2003. When I play it on piano, I identify with the sense of liveliness and innocence it conveys, and I feel proud for making it contagious when others are around. Summer is truly a simple piece in terms of composition. In general, it is set in D major key, quadruple in meter, binary in structure, employing only a piano. It makes heavy use of ostinato in the accompaniment and syncopation in the melody line.
In the beginning, the left hand enters by carrying out the ostinato consisting of arpeggiated triads and awaits the melody. After two repeats the wavelike theme joins in with spirit and liveliness. The melody
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The left hand switches to melody and the right hand takes over the arpeggiated ostinato. In the first phrase, the leading tone is buried at the bottom of the chord and thus becomes indiscernible. Shortly it is restated in a modulated G major. The second phrase brings the key back to D major and substitutes the left-hand chords with short upward sequences, foreshadowing the true climax.
Finally, the sublime climax unleashes. It is the “beautiful sigh” again accompanied by more accentuated bass notes moving in big leaps, providing a stronger grip to the beats. Then, the original theme reappears and is cut short by removing the first repetition. Filled with echoing motives, the coda arrives as the developing bridge in disguise and finishes on a jazzy, satisfying ninth tonic chord. I could still remember how excited I was the moment I found the sheet music for Summer. I practiced it harder than I ever would for Mozart or Bach’s music. Later, whenever I played it to others and saw the smile on their faces, I realized the same emotions I felt were spread to everyone. In the end, Summer gives me the urge to make my own music so that I can present my innermost thoughts to the
The piece opens with a series of quick, fiery chords spanning almost the entire range of the piano, followed a by light staccato section in a scherzo style. The mood then changes with a long lyrical section, before fragments of the vigorous rhythmic opening section return and bring the music to a darker section that also echoes the theme of Rhapsody No. 2. The second half of the piece re-uses the melody of the lyrical section, only transposed up by a fourth, which provides a bigger contrast to the previous dark section.
Music is magical: it soothes you when you are upset and cheers you up when you are down. To me, it is a communication with souls. I listen to different genres of music. When appreciating each form of music, with its unique rhythm and melody, I expect to differentiate each other by the feelings and emotions that it brings to me. However, I would definitely never call myself “a fan of jazz” until I witnessed Cécile McLorin Salvant’s performance last Friday at Mondavi Center. Through the interpretations and illustrations from Cécile’s performance, I realized that the cultural significance and individual identity are the building blocks of jazz music that create its unique musical features and support its development.
...ng for the end. As the penultimate note, C-sharp, comes to a close, the chord, at least, resolves back to the key the piece began in, d minor. This movement of the second partita may rest in peace.
The climax is illustrated and clarified through the symbolic tearing or exposing of the bare walls. She wants to free the woman within, yet ends up trading places, or becoming, that "other" woman completely. Her husband's reaction only serves as closure to her psychotic episode, forcing him into the unfortunate realization that she has been unwell this whole time.
The piece also switches from 3/2 back to the original time, 4/2. An oboe plays on top of the ostinato, followed by the main fugue from the scherzo from a flute. A solo clarinet plays the same fugue following the flute. Both continue to play, but this time, the two are in harmony, unlike in the scherzo in which both struggled for coexistence. The same melodies are passed from the woodwinds to the brass, all the while, the ostinato starts to become more and more fragmented, “sporadic, even” (Biles, Logan). A baritone enters, playing a somber melody, and the piece ends with the basses echoing a descending step from G to
The music begins by introducing all the fundamental/primary material which the entire movement is based on. In bar 7 the violins play the first theme (in D Major) which includes the two-note descending motive and lasts until bar 25. In the last beat of bar 25 the "famous Mahlerian" major-minor duality becomes evident. The contrasting minor key theme is introduced.
Summertime fits under the category of jazz and is actually considered a lullaby and aria. The melody of the song is rather slow, although there are phrases that accelerando and crescendo are featured. Originally, the singer was a high soprano but now there are many different versions of the song. The soprano is accompanied with a standard orchestra. A homophonic texture is present throughout the piece with the instrumental music almost “singing” a chorus itself. In the latter part of the song a chorus is introduced, but not singing words but more of just vowel
This movement brings a sense of overwhelming joy and pleasure from beginning to end as it maintains a familiar mood and cadence throughout even convincing me that it is about to end before it actually does.
The first movement is in sonata form - Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso. Strings and horns appear from the distance as if they had been already playing out of earshot. The music gradually intensifies in volume until the final explosion into the first subject. Then this whole process is repeated. The first movement shows a contrast of emotion that seems to return in the recapitulation befor...
The second movement, andante, opens with a fluid piano solo introducing the theme quietly. Then, the orchestra takes it over. Everything has a soothing feel to it, bringing relaxation to the listener. It is wonderfully calming and the orchestra comes in occasionally to supplement the piano, which is often alone. The movement is very short, soon fading into silence.
Western Music has developed in many ways since the middle ages through its form, sound, and message. Throughout these different periods in western music one thing has remained constant, the true essence of music, a way to communicate with someone on a much more divine level than be by rudimentary conversation. Though Ludwig Van Beethoven and Paul McCartney may seem completely opposite they have one in common through their music they changed the world’s perception of its self
Again, by reflecting on Mozart’s arrangements and the everyday sounds of nature, for example, the simile “dry crickets call like birds” (24), it brings the persona back to her first encounter of love, and the love of music that has been lost due to time. Therefore, as Harwood yearns to become one with her own self through the journey of music, she aims to restore this longing sensation with her spirit and bodily mind with music, but this can only be achieved through time and the journey to understand herself (Beston 1975, p.
When the second theme plays, it’s noticeably less lighter and less higher in pitch from the strings. The third theme is done by the woodwind instruments like the oboe and clarinet, which preface the use of the opening motive again. The motive is soon followed by the violin. Next, there’s the repetition of the themes played in the piece so far, but not only are they repeated, they’re fleshed out into variations. The piece slows down and makes a quiet transition as the opening motive plays, jolting the instruments into action again. The themes continue to work counterpoint against each other. The triangle can be heard throughout certain sections, the clear ringing sound making an interesting contrast to the rest of the orchestra. When the movement nears its end, the instruments are initially soft and hesitant, but then pick up in tempo and volume in unison, finally cutting the piece off at a high and enthusiastic note. Bedächtig is a fun composition to listen to, and I admit that I preferred it over the other songs of the night. The main motive in Bedächtig honestly captivated me - I always perked up at that spirited combination of flute, sleigh bells, and clarinet that came in and out of the
...chestral introduction with an imperfect cadence. A strong rhythmic ¾ allegro passage, with sequences and descending scales is played by the orchestra, with timpani and cymbals. The music modulates, and a short, quiet woodwind passage is then alternated with an orchestral passage with dotted rhythms, creating a `terraced dynamics' effect. Part B begins with a major clarinet melody accompanied by pizzicato strings. A minor flute sequence follows, and is followed by a repetition of the oboe melody. A string sequence is then played, imitated by the oboe. There is a crescendo, then the rhythmic orchestral melody returns, alternated with a short flute passage. There are suspensions, descending scales and a crescendo, followed by a strong rhythmic passage with the timpani playing on the beat. Imperfect cadences are played, before the piece finishes with a perfect cadence.
Throughout this semester we have discussed an array of musical periods ranging from the Middle Ages and Renaissance to more recent modern times. As music progressed through time certain concepts such as melody, harmony, and texture changed along with the introduction of different instruments. In the early phases of music it was more directed toward religious ceremonies, but as time went on it became integrated into everyday life. Even though musical dynamics seem to change as the years go on, it has never failed to create some form of emotional response such as laughter or sadness.