Week Three - Thinking about Time

The Use of Rhythm across Genres of Music

As musicians in Western culture, the importance rhythm plays in music is often forgotten. While time signatures and tempo markings dictate how many beats there are in a measure and how fast to play them, Western music usually stays to a simple 4/4 pattern. However, there are many other ways to interpret rhythm that are explored in other cultures and time periods. Rhythm is essential to creating music, and the unique and different ways of creating beats shapes the music that is created. In this paper, plainchant, West African music, and classical European music will be examined to see how they use rhythm to create their iconic sound.

Plainsong or plainchant is the expression of prayer in a melodic form. Gregorian chant is perhaps the most well-known form of plainsong. It is the singing of religious prose. Gregorian chant has been believed to be around since the 7^th century. Gregorian chant is monophonic, which means that it is just a melody; there is no harmony. Gregorian chant is sung a cappella, but starting in the 18^th and 19^th centuries it began to feature organ. Singers of Gregorian chant must be aware that it is considered a prayer, not a performance. Gregorian chant is in free rhythm, meaning that it has no predictable beat. Instead, chant goes with the natural flow of prose. This is because it is believed that, “Music with a strong beat appeals more to the carnal part of man” ("Four Traits of”). However, the flowing prose of chant appeals to the intellect and spirituality of man. Here is a recording of Benedictine Monks singing Gregorian chant. Notice the free rhythm and the emphasis on the prose of the prayer:

Qur’an recitation is also a form of plainchant that is in free rhythm. Qur’an recitation is unique from Gregorian chant in that, “…while there are detailed rules for rhythm and also for pronunciation and sectioning, melody is completely free” (Wade 73). Those who recite the Qur’an must study how to properly recite for many years. Many learn the techniques to have the proper timing and phrasing. It is important to note that Qur’an recitation is not considered music in the Islamic culture.

While plainchant does not rely on a set beat, West African tribal music on the other hand is set to a consistent beat. The most famous West African instrument is the djembe. It is a “goblet-shaped drum” that is classified as a “membranophone” instrument in “the percussion family” ("Boston's Djembe Drumming”). During the performance, the djembe may start the song or may join in after a vocalist has started. The djembe has the ability to change the beat of the song. The instrument is often used to accompany dancing. The djembe can produce many types of pitches, depending on where it is struck on the drum head. To properly learn how to play the djembe, one must intensively study with a drumming master.

Classical music has helped shape modern music, with its unique rhythms, units of time, and different speeds it takes on. Take, for example, "Fur Elise," written in the 3/8 time signature:

Written by the deaf German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who composed mostly in the Classical and Romantic Eras.  The 3/8 time signature means that there are three beats in a measure and also that an 8th note gets one beat. Especially concerning "Fur Elise" there is almost a constant subdivision of the notes within the piece.  Beethoven also gave it the tempo marking of "poco moto," meaning a little motion, which corresponds with the subdivision and 3/8 time signature very well, creating a fluid, constantly moving piece that is relatively fast. The piece contains an ostinato, which is a reoccurring motive within a piece. In "Fur Elise," Beethoven sometimes strays from the ostinato, but often comes back to the same reoccurring sequence.  

On the same note, the composition "Triumphal March," from the opera "Aida," by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, includes an ostinato as well.  The same repeated sequence of trumpet and strings working together in a call and response, occurs over and over throughout the piece.  However, this piece is set in a 4/4 time signature, meaning there are 4 beats per measure, and a quarter note gets one beat.  In this piece, it seems that Verdi is playing with the sense of rhythm. While listening to it, there is emphasis on every note rather than the emphasis being on the 1 and 3, or 2 and 4, as many other classical pieces do. The tempo marking is "allegro maestoso," meaning to play majestically fast.  This recording does the piece justice: 

The piece "An der schönen blauen Donau" (The Blue Danube Waltz) is played wonderfully in this video:

 

This waltz was composed by Johann Strauss II, an Austrian composer, around 1867.  Many people believe him to be the “Waltz King” because he wrote so many waltz pieces that are relatively famous in the classical music world.  Waltz music is composed in 3/4 time, with three beats per measure. Almost always, the emphasis is on the first note of the measure, however sometimes the emphasis is on the 1 and 3.  Many waltz songs have a tempo marking of "andante" or "andantino," usually meaning faster.  However, some composers take liberty with the standard waltz tempo and compose slower waltzes.  Without a doubt, waltzes are one of the most popular types of classical music.

Many different cultures take many different stances on rhythm and speed. The few mentioned above only cover a very small portion of what the world has to offer in abstract rhythms and beats. However, many cultures influence one another in their music, whether it be for religious purposes or for pure enjoyment. 

Logan Kropp did the research and writing on plainchant, African djembe, and the work cited.
Sierra Marsh did the research and writing on European classical music.

Works Cited

Biography.com Editors. "Johann Strauss Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2015. 

"Boston's Djembe Drumming Community School & Shop." History of The Djembe. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.

"Four Traits of Gregorian Chant." Unam Sanctam Catholicam. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.

Wade, Bonnie C. Thinking Musically: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. New York: Oxford UP, 2004. Print. 

Week Two - Thinking about Instruments

 The Evolution of the Piano

“The piano did not have even a marginally successful steel frame until about 1820’s,” according to Bonnie C. Wade’s Thinking Musically. It is somewhat difficult to think that one of the most popular instruments in Western culture at one time was not an important fixture of many households.  The piano came to be popular over hundreds of years and through the hard work of numerous builders and related instruments. In the Sachs-Hornbostel system, pianos fall under the category of chordophones, which are instruments that produce sound by hitting a sting and causing vibration. Pianos originated from similar chordophone instruments, such as the clavichord and the harpsichord, to create the pianos that are known today. Pianos have evolved over hundreds of years, improving the quality and sound. 

The evolution of the piano was extremely immense and happened over hundreds of years throughout Europe.  The first known descendant of the piano is the clavichord, which flourished from the 13th to 19th centuries.  The sound it creates is very different from the sound people know to come from modern pianos. The clavichord creates an almost high buzzing pitch when the strings are hit.  If the strings are hit properly, it can produce a vibrato like tone.  However, the keyboard is much smaller than the modern day piano.  The physical appearance of the clavichord is ostentatious, fitting for the times that it was most popular.  The lid and the rectangular body of the instrument is very colorful and there are engravings on the wood depicting stories and tales.  The people that would own these instruments were usually wealthy and could afford to have their clavichords ornately decorated.  The virginal and spinet are very similar to the clavichord in this way; they are both decorated elaborately, but have slightly different shapes.  These two are part of the harpsichord family, which is more advanced than the clavichord.  For example, the harpsichord has two or more sets of strings allowing for different tonal qualities, yet the clavichord does not.  The harpsichord first appeared in Italy around the 16th century.  It became so popular throughout Europe that the English, Germans, French, and Flemish started developing their own versions of the harpsichord.  The era that used the harpsichord the most was the Baroque period. The composers Bach and Handel embraced it with a passion.

However, in the mid 18th century, the harpsichord was starting to compete with the piano-forte.  The piano-forte took the world by storm when it came out, because it was able to change dynamics based on how hard the key was pressed, and no other chordophone had ever been able to do that before.  There were many different components to this piano, such as new hammer mechanisms, an overhead damper system, and a new support system was created for the new types of strings that were being used.  

The piano-forte amazed the musical world, so an attempt was made to create an upright piano-forte that was more affordable. This instrument was very similar to the upright piano that is known today.  This new version of the piano-forte was called a “cottage piano” because it was much smaller, more affordable, and more available to people.  In the 19th and 20th centuries, these pianos were mostly found in the home rather than on the stage.

Square Grand Pianos were popular during the Victorian era. They were found on the stage and in wealthy, high class homes.  Square Grand Pianos were popular for a very long time, however, not many exist anymore. People believed that they were too large and cost too much, so many of them were destroyed or used for fire wood.  However, in their prime, they were beautiful and elaborate. Here is a video of a Square Grand Piano restoration project:

The modern grand piano was created in the late 1800’s. It has a full 88 keys, and is more durable and stable than the pianos before it. The strings on the piano are thicker to create a fuller, richer sound. It is one of the most used and versatile instruments in the world today.

While the construction of the piano is important to the music, the compositions are equally important. “Prior to [Johann Sebastian] Bach and his contemporaries, music created for keyboard instruments (harpsichord, clavichord and organ) often does not work very well when played on the modern piano” (“Great Classical Pianist"). Nowadays, many composers write music specifically for piano. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the grand piano was the main source of entertainment. For entertainment, high class people would hire pianists to play for an evening. Oftentimes, pianists would play four hand pieces that were originally composed for full orchestras.

The modern changes to the piano have brought new techniques of playing. For example, Beethoven’s original markings on his famous “Sonata Quasi una Fantasia,” or more commonly known as “Moonlight Sonata,” read, “This entire piece must be played very delicately and without dampers” (qtd in. Palmer). Modern pianists play this piece by using the damper pedal, yet when the piece was composed, “…the dampers were lifted by a knee lever rather than by a pedal” (Palmer). Here is a recording of Ukrainian-American pianist Valentina Lisitsa playing the first movement of Moonlight Sonata on a modern grand piano.

As time passes, the ways in which people compose and play music on keyboards will change just as they have in the past. Currently, new forms of keyboards are being introduced, such as electronic keyboards. Electronic keyboards can be come in many different shapes and forms, keyboards that attempt to emulate a real piano with weighted, 88 keys, to MIDI controllers with 49 keys. Every time a new piano is created in the past, it increases in tonal quality, in the number of keys, and new mechanisms to contribute to the new sound. Who knows what keyboards will look like 200 years from now?  

Sources
"A Brief History Of The Piano - Sono Music." Sono Music RSS. N.p., 02 Sept. 2014. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. 
Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. 
"Great Classical Pianist Composers." Great Classical Pianist Composers. Forte-Piano-Pianissimo, n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2015.
Palmer, William A., Morton Manus, and Amanda Vick Lethco. Alfred's Basic Piano Recital 6. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
Wade, Bonnie C. Thinking Musically: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. New York: Oxford UP, 2004. Print. 

 
Work Done:
Sierra Marsh wrote the portions on the history of the piano.
Logan Kropp wrote the introduction, conclusion, and the composition section. He also created the blog.

Week One - Thinking About Music

Music and Emotions

Music allows for the exploration of ones emotions and feelings. Musicians are able to express themselves, leading to a near therapeutic experience.  This trend in music is found in many cultures. In Chinese culture, performers add their own twist each time they perform a melody by “adding flowers" (Wade 10).  This form of improvisation allows each musician to add their own personality and individuality to the music.  In Irish culture, it is considered aesthetically pleasing to change how a melody is played, adding new flourishes and embellishments every time.  Another form of self-expression in music is logogenic, or music that emphasizes the importance of its lyrics, such as reggae.  Music is an escape from reality and therapeutic for many people, in many forms, in many cultures.

One form of therapeutic relief for musicians is expressing their feelings through improvisation techniques.  Musicians struggling with inner demons or pressures from society, turn to their music and improvisation to help them through their difficult times, it can be an absolute escape from reality for them.  For example, modern choral and piano composer, Ola Gjeilo, often uses piano improvisations in his compositions. Gjeilo said, “There is something special about making music in the moment, because it is affected by everything: the audience, the atmosphere, the energy of the audience….” Watch this interview with Ola Gjeilo talking about improvising on the piano:

By improvising, Gjeilo is able to express the experience he is feeling in the moment through the music he makes.  By doing these improvisations, he creates a therapeutic agent for himself.  The music allows him to express any feelings he may have in a healthy, effective way.  This is similar to  a patient of a psychologist or psychotherapist creating a safe environment that would aid them through whatever struggle they are battling.  As Stevie Wonder once said, "Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand." Improvising music allows for a form of self-expression that indirectly expresses feelings.  For example, a piece of music may sound sad if it is in a minor key, yet it is never said that it is sad. Rather, the emotions the musicians feel are expressed through the music.  Music psychology actually studies these theories about the connection between therapy and music further in depth.

Furthermore, many of the youth in Jamaica find that there are countless pressures on them from society.  Pressures such as, “the government, educational system, the media, capitalist philosophies, the developed civilization, the destruction of the earth, the inequality, the separating illusions of racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia etc” (Wade 10).  All of the expectations put onto them from their elders stresses the young adults out.  The adolescents need an escape from this crazy world that they have been thrust into.  As a result, the young Jamaicans turn to reggae and the reggae culture as a way of expressing themselves and releasing the tension and stress that they endure everyday.  Reggae provides the young adults with a therapeutic emotional outlet.  The celebratory and energetic songs provide a sense of community for the youth. They can bond over the music that is therapeutic and expresses their troubles and beliefs.  A sense of belonging, especially for people who are in the same situations, can be healing all on its own.  Also, many of the songs created by reggae artists give a sense of “power to the people” and “come from the heart” (Wade 10).  Here is an example of a reggae song called “The Song of Liberation" by the Nazarenes: 

In a world that is full of social justice issues and questionable situations having possibly negative outcomes, reggae gives these adolescents a positive, healthy emotional outlet that can express thoughts that might not be popular in the mainstream.  Since much of reggae is logogenic it allows adolescents to feel a deeper connection with the musicians creating the music and with their own emotions.   Allowing for release of expression for many people, in more than just Jamaican and reggae cultures.

Numerous cultures throughout the world turn to music for more than just entertainment.  Music can have multiple purposes, including those not obvious at first glance.  Musicians and listeners alike gain much from the therapeutic music they make or listen to.

Sources

"Music Psychology | Psychology of Music | Music in Education | Music and Children|." Association for Natural Psychology. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2015.
Wade, Bonnie C. Thinking Musically: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. New York: Oxford UP, 2004. Print.

Work Completed:

Sierra Marsh wrote the information on reggae music, the concluding paragraph, and edited the final product. Logan Kropp created the blog, wrote the introduction paragraph, and the information on Ola Gjeilo and improvisation.