Introduction
The performance I attended was the UTD production of "Side Show" the musical at the University Theatre on April 16, 2010. It was a performance of a Broadway musical, where music is used to tell a dramatic or comedic story. This story was of two Siamese twins sold to a freak show who later made their fortune in the Vaudeville stages of the 1930s (Program Notes).
Music
The music consisted of two elements: vocal and band backup. The vocals tended to feature a lot of vibrato from the performers, and they usually sung very loud to project out to the whole theater. Responsorial forms were very common, as the singing was the primary way of advancing the story and presenting dialogue. The band played solely as a backing instrument, accentuating and supporting the moods and motifs set by the singers (Side Show).
Performers
The performers were all either vocalists or band members. The band players were not seen much; as in most Broadway music they stayed out of sight and played a strictly supportive and mostly invisible role. The vocalists were much more prominent, as they were also actually actors in full costume. They had dialogue, some spoken but mostly sung, and definite roles they were to play. Something noteworthy was that all of the performers continued to play their part even when they were far out of the spotlight, keeping the performance dynamic. The performers also had to be very versatile and composed; they often had less than 30 seconds for wardrobe or scene changes. Finally performers were required to have many talents; they had to act, sing, dance, and even be acrobatic; all performers had to be capable of doing many things to make this show work (Side Show).
Audience
The audience was composed of two dichotomous groups: those (students) required to attend the show and others who were either friends or family of performers. The first group tended to be less engaged and in many cases left at intermission, while the second group seemed more excited since they had a stake in the play. However there were definitely some actions such as the 'Jungle King' going into the crowd that elicited strong positive reactions from nearly everyone in attendance. Also, it seemed that even the skeptics seemed to warm to the performers and enjoy the show more as it went along; the amount and volume of applause steadily increased throughout the show. Finally, I found it interesting that the theatre was almost entirely full; based on previous experience with student productions this was a far fuller house than I had previously experienced (Side Show).
Time/Space
A unique way this performance used time and space was that the show was not limited simply to the stage. Performers actually went out into the audience during some numbers, making the audience feel not as if they were just watching a musical but were actually in the story themselves. Use of light was also crucial to this performance. Spotlights were used to signify which performers were featured in given scenes, but lights were also used for effect. For example, "The Boss" was spotlighted not in a traditional fashion, but by a light from below that never allowed you to fully see his face, cloaking him in an air of mystery. Finally, while the scenery changed each time the setting changed, there was also a less subtle reminder of a new scene: a small omnipresent sign in the front right corner of the stage served to remind everyone where the show was at any point in time (Side Show).
Conclusion
The most unique elements of this performance were the way it incorporated the audience into the show by expanding the realm of the performers beyond just the stage, and the use of music not just as support for the story but as the primary vehicle by which the story was told. It appeared to be a performance especially enjoyed by the performers, and by many audience members as well (Side Show).
Works Cited
Side Show. Book By Bill Russell, Music by Henry Krieger. Dir. Kathryn Evans. University Theatre, Richardson, TX. 16 Apr. 2010.
Program notes. Side Show. 16 Apr. 2010. Richardson TX: University Theatre.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Through the Fire and The Flames, I carry on!!!
I figured I would go with a subgenre of rock that most people would be largely unfamiliar with…so prepare to have your mind blown away by the awesomeness of POWER METAL.
Power metal music is a relatively young subgenre, being able to trace its roots to bands in the 80s such as Motorhead and Dio, and more immediately to the speed metal of the 90s. These are some of the characteristics of power metal:
Loud, fast, and relatively simple drums: The drums provide a lot of volume and give all elements of metal the reputation for being “noise”.
Electric guitar: The front instrument of power metal is nearly always the electric guitar.
Clear singing: Unlike some other metal variants such as death metal, there is a clear vocal melody, usually sung by males in the upper registers.
Very high tempo: A vast majority of power metal music is very very fast, and the frenetic pace goes through the entire song.
Fantastic lyrics: The lyrics for power metal songs usually focus on themes of fantasy or of war, and finely toe the line between ridiculous and AWESOME.
I provided a relatively familiar example of power metal in the video below; anyone who has beaten Guitar Hero has probably heard (and been frustrated) by this song, and if you haven’t then sit back and enjoy 5 (abridged) minutes of awesome.
Listening Guide
0:11 -- After a short intro, the song begins in earnest with the introduction of the lead guitar and the drums in earnest
0:58 -- Here, the pre-chorus and refrain begin. The high vocals lead, and the lyrics of this section bring to mind the themes of fantasy and war.
2:27 -- In the background for the next 15 seconds or so, note the drummer playing a fairly constant and fast rhyhtm.
3:24 -- The extremely fast guitar solo. Here, the speed of the electric guitars is showcased in a responsorial format. In layman's terms, it'll melt your face off.
4:29 --The refrain makes its final appearance, once again bringing back the soaring vocals and dominant drum.
4:53 -- Rock.
Power metal music is a relatively young subgenre, being able to trace its roots to bands in the 80s such as Motorhead and Dio, and more immediately to the speed metal of the 90s. These are some of the characteristics of power metal:
Loud, fast, and relatively simple drums: The drums provide a lot of volume and give all elements of metal the reputation for being “noise”.
Electric guitar: The front instrument of power metal is nearly always the electric guitar.
Clear singing: Unlike some other metal variants such as death metal, there is a clear vocal melody, usually sung by males in the upper registers.
Very high tempo: A vast majority of power metal music is very very fast, and the frenetic pace goes through the entire song.
Fantastic lyrics: The lyrics for power metal songs usually focus on themes of fantasy or of war, and finely toe the line between ridiculous and AWESOME.
I provided a relatively familiar example of power metal in the video below; anyone who has beaten Guitar Hero has probably heard (and been frustrated) by this song, and if you haven’t then sit back and enjoy 5 (abridged) minutes of awesome.
Listening Guide
0:11 -- After a short intro, the song begins in earnest with the introduction of the lead guitar and the drums in earnest
0:58 -- Here, the pre-chorus and refrain begin. The high vocals lead, and the lyrics of this section bring to mind the themes of fantasy and war.
2:27 -- In the background for the next 15 seconds or so, note the drummer playing a fairly constant and fast rhyhtm.
3:24 -- The extremely fast guitar solo. Here, the speed of the electric guitars is showcased in a responsorial format. In layman's terms, it'll melt your face off.
4:29 --The refrain makes its final appearance, once again bringing back the soaring vocals and dominant drum.
4:53 -- Rock.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Let's go to...Gullah Gullah iiiiisland!
No not that, I meant Gullah island...my bad.
The Gullah people of South Carolina are descendants of slaves brought over from areas in Western Africa, particularly Sierra Leone, and a large part of their music culture is an effort not only to preserve their ties to their ancestral home but also to celebrate their culture, which in many ways is distinct from American culture. Since the Gullah lived in such isolation for so long, many elements of their culture remain nearly unchanged from those of their ancestors.
For instance, much of the music is in Mende or other traditional African languages, and at last count over 100,000 people in the area spoke fluent Mende. Similar to other West African forms of music as well, drums are the center of the music. In the words of Queen Quet, nominal leader of the Gullah, “everything is about rhythm”. You will hear some of the same polyrhythmic drum beats in Gullah music as in the music of such West African cultures as the Mende or Wolof.
Another characteristic of Gullah music culture is how much of it centers around religious rituals. Music is a large part of things such as funerals, worship services, and public feasts. While many Gullahs are Christian, their worship music is closer to that of West Africa than of a Georgia choir. Finally, a part of Gullah music culture that cannot be ignored is the pride taken by the Gullah in their music and heritage. To them, their music is an expression of who they are, and a reminder that they have a proud and distinct tradition, which they show the world through their music.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
More on Shakespeare in Song
This was one of the hardest papers I've ever written. Why? I actually counted my handwritten notes...I had 200 words of freaking notes!! No way I could encapsulate that all in 600 words...so I had to settle for clipped sentences and missing content. Now that I'm outside of the paper though, I can be judgmental...and that concert was awesome. To be fair, I do love Shakespeare so I'm biased...but it was a ton of fun. The music was great, the performers were really good, and the acting was a lot of fun. So while my official report is below, my personal review would read something like "This concert was freaking awesome, and I had a blast attending it- so if you didn't go to it and chose another event instead, you missed out, and should be very sad."
If they ever do an encore...everyone who reads this blog should go. Yes...EVERYONE!!
If they ever do an encore...everyone who reads this blog should go. Yes...EVERYONE!!
Performance Report 1: Shakespeare in Song
INTRODUCTION
The performance I attended was the UTD Chamber Singers performing Shakespeare in Song at the Jonsson Performance Hall. They sang songs either directly from Shakespearean plays or composed for them by various composers, as well as acting out certain scenes from the plays represented by the music. This paper aims to describe some of the characteristics of the performance.
MUSIC
The music was mainly “art music”, or music composed by the classically trained to be performed by others with such training (Young). It consisted of a full chamber chorus augmented by soloists, with a piano accompaniment. On some pieces the chorus led the piece by itself, others it acted as a supporting harmony for leading soloists. The large number of voices allowed for many notes and harmonies to be employed and also for strong changes in volume to emphasize important sections. Most of the music had regular rhythms and chord progressions, but a couple songs seemed to display more jazz-inspired beats and intervals. Each piece reflected the tone of the scene it corresponded to; somber scenes had slower tempos and mournful vocal melodies, while upbeat scenes featured faster tempo and generally higher pitched singing (Shakespeare in Song).
PERFORMERS
All of the performers (including the director) were dressed in period costumes. This gave the entire show the feel of a Shakespearean medley, as did the multiple roles of the performers: choral singer, actor, and soloist. Most performers performed at least two if not three of these roles at some point. The performers seemed to really enjoy the acting, and it helped accentuate the music. They also brought out the mood of the songs by their expression- smiling during happy pieces and looking wistful during the more reflective songs. Finally, the conductor was an integral performer; she served to coordinate the pianist and chorus, as well as to indicate proper times for applause to the audience (Shakespeare in Song).
AUDIENCE
The audience was generally students, along with some faculty and what appeared to be parents. Interestingly, few of the students were taking notes; it seemed most of them were there as friends of the performers or simply as interested public rather than for a class. As students, they often seemed unsure of protocol, especially when to applaud- as mentioned above this was remedied by the director. At times the audience also seemed detached and almost bored, but the acting scenes would always elicit strong positive response, as did some soloists. Finally, as one would expect of students the audience thinned notably after intermission; however, those that stayed tended to be the more engaged audience members (Shakespeare in Song).
TIME AND SPACE
The chorus was set in the center of the stage and took up most of it; this helped emphasize their point as the central instrument in the performance. The piano was off far to the side, also reflecting its subordination to the vocalists. Soloists usually sung and acted together at the front of the stage, but sometimes they would be on opposite sides to imply a dialogue and make the atmosphere more like that of a play. Also, to emphasize the moods and Shakespearean nature of the songs, there was a projector which projected the play the song came from along with a pictorial scene reflective of the musical mood onto a screen behind the performers (Shakespeare in Song).
CONCLUSION
By using varying rhythms and tones, sweeping volume modulations, period costumes, and changes in scenery the performance both reflected its base in Shakespearean play and worked to avoid getting repetitive and losing the audience. They attempted to portray the mood of the various scenes through the music and scenery, and this effort seemed to be generally appreciated and approved of by the audience.
Works Cited
Shakespeare in Song. Dir. Kathryn Evans. Perf. UT-Dallas Chamber Singers with Michael McVay. Jonsson Performance Hall, Richardson, TX. 26 Mar. 2010.
Young, MaryAnn. Understanding World Music: Art Music. UT-Dallas. Richardson, TX. 25 Mar. 2010. Class Lecture.
The performance I attended was the UTD Chamber Singers performing Shakespeare in Song at the Jonsson Performance Hall. They sang songs either directly from Shakespearean plays or composed for them by various composers, as well as acting out certain scenes from the plays represented by the music. This paper aims to describe some of the characteristics of the performance.
MUSIC
The music was mainly “art music”, or music composed by the classically trained to be performed by others with such training (Young). It consisted of a full chamber chorus augmented by soloists, with a piano accompaniment. On some pieces the chorus led the piece by itself, others it acted as a supporting harmony for leading soloists. The large number of voices allowed for many notes and harmonies to be employed and also for strong changes in volume to emphasize important sections. Most of the music had regular rhythms and chord progressions, but a couple songs seemed to display more jazz-inspired beats and intervals. Each piece reflected the tone of the scene it corresponded to; somber scenes had slower tempos and mournful vocal melodies, while upbeat scenes featured faster tempo and generally higher pitched singing (Shakespeare in Song).
PERFORMERS
All of the performers (including the director) were dressed in period costumes. This gave the entire show the feel of a Shakespearean medley, as did the multiple roles of the performers: choral singer, actor, and soloist. Most performers performed at least two if not three of these roles at some point. The performers seemed to really enjoy the acting, and it helped accentuate the music. They also brought out the mood of the songs by their expression- smiling during happy pieces and looking wistful during the more reflective songs. Finally, the conductor was an integral performer; she served to coordinate the pianist and chorus, as well as to indicate proper times for applause to the audience (Shakespeare in Song).
AUDIENCE
The audience was generally students, along with some faculty and what appeared to be parents. Interestingly, few of the students were taking notes; it seemed most of them were there as friends of the performers or simply as interested public rather than for a class. As students, they often seemed unsure of protocol, especially when to applaud- as mentioned above this was remedied by the director. At times the audience also seemed detached and almost bored, but the acting scenes would always elicit strong positive response, as did some soloists. Finally, as one would expect of students the audience thinned notably after intermission; however, those that stayed tended to be the more engaged audience members (Shakespeare in Song).
TIME AND SPACE
The chorus was set in the center of the stage and took up most of it; this helped emphasize their point as the central instrument in the performance. The piano was off far to the side, also reflecting its subordination to the vocalists. Soloists usually sung and acted together at the front of the stage, but sometimes they would be on opposite sides to imply a dialogue and make the atmosphere more like that of a play. Also, to emphasize the moods and Shakespearean nature of the songs, there was a projector which projected the play the song came from along with a pictorial scene reflective of the musical mood onto a screen behind the performers (Shakespeare in Song).
CONCLUSION
By using varying rhythms and tones, sweeping volume modulations, period costumes, and changes in scenery the performance both reflected its base in Shakespearean play and worked to avoid getting repetitive and losing the audience. They attempted to portray the mood of the various scenes through the music and scenery, and this effort seemed to be generally appreciated and approved of by the audience.
Works Cited
Shakespeare in Song. Dir. Kathryn Evans. Perf. UT-Dallas Chamber Singers with Michael McVay. Jonsson Performance Hall, Richardson, TX. 26 Mar. 2010.
Young, MaryAnn. Understanding World Music: Art Music. UT-Dallas. Richardson, TX. 25 Mar. 2010. Class Lecture.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Phillip Glass makes my head explode
Much like a cartoon character, or one of the Nazis at the end of "Raiders of the Lost Ark". But not necessarily in a bad way (if there is a good way for one's head to explode). I wanted to respect the professor's request to let others get a chance to speak in class, but since anyone who's had a class with me knows I am THAT GUY, who has something to say on absolutely every topic whether its well informed or not, I will not be silenced!!!!!
She said early in the semester that everyone hates the Phillip Glass lecture; I was expecting the worst, but was actually really surprised. This is the most complex music we have listened to all semester. Some of his "microscopic changes" in the music really are microscopic- so small that it almost sounds like simply a performer slightly missing rhythm, but its amazing how much effect these tiny changes have. It also makes it extremely difficult to listen to...there are so many layers to his music, so much texture, and the expressions are so subtle that its really a mental strain to listen to pick it all out. When you combine that with the fact that the meter changes every other measure...I believe that if I tried to sit through a 3 hour opera of that and try to actively listen to it, my head would literally explode, leaving me a headless corpse. That would be unfortunate for me, as I prefer my head remain intact, and was my primary reason for not wanting to attend a Phillip Glass opera.
That said...I'm really impressed by the guy. I love subtlety, and this guy defines subtlety...his music's most differentiating characteristic seems to be the use of nuance; its fascinating and by far (in my humble know-it-all opinion) the most interesting stuff we've listened to all semester. It may be minimalist, but I think he shows that minimalism is pretty far from dead, despite what some may think! (and yes...despite Glass's aversion to the term, it is minimalism.)
She said early in the semester that everyone hates the Phillip Glass lecture; I was expecting the worst, but was actually really surprised. This is the most complex music we have listened to all semester. Some of his "microscopic changes" in the music really are microscopic- so small that it almost sounds like simply a performer slightly missing rhythm, but its amazing how much effect these tiny changes have. It also makes it extremely difficult to listen to...there are so many layers to his music, so much texture, and the expressions are so subtle that its really a mental strain to listen to pick it all out. When you combine that with the fact that the meter changes every other measure...I believe that if I tried to sit through a 3 hour opera of that and try to actively listen to it, my head would literally explode, leaving me a headless corpse. That would be unfortunate for me, as I prefer my head remain intact, and was my primary reason for not wanting to attend a Phillip Glass opera.
That said...I'm really impressed by the guy. I love subtlety, and this guy defines subtlety...his music's most differentiating characteristic seems to be the use of nuance; its fascinating and by far (in my humble know-it-all opinion) the most interesting stuff we've listened to all semester. It may be minimalist, but I think he shows that minimalism is pretty far from dead, despite what some may think! (and yes...despite Glass's aversion to the term, it is minimalism.)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Figaro's Aria from "Barber of Seville"
So I watched/listened to this clip from the “Barber of Seville” (Figaro’s Aria). I have to admit that the thing that stood out most for me the first time I watched it was Figaro’s fantastic mustache, but that didn’t fall into the scope of this assignment so I had to watch it a couple more times.
Musically, a couple of things from the piece really caught my attention. First, the pitch modulation was nearly constant- there were rarely two consecutive notes of the same pitch, and if there were they were part of a repeating ascension of pitches to a climactic peak. With the exception of the end, pitch was used for emphasis- high pitch equaled high emphasis, while lower pitches were usually less stressed. Also beat-you-in-the-face obvious is the vibrato in the voice. It was so strong that I could barely understand what the vocalist was saying (hooray for subtitles!).
The speed of the piece was relatively quick the whole time. It slowed slightly for a while, in the cantabile section of the aria (at about 2:15), but even here it wasn’t especially slow, just less fast. Volume modulation was used a lot in the piece for emphasis; beginnings and endings of sections were louder, with a lot of the parts in between being quieter.
The aria was set in a marketplace presumably, with Figaro’s barber cart being the center of the action. Figaro was the only vocalist, but the others around him helped act out the scene and provide background information for it, as well as being foils for Figaro. However, he and his sweet polka-dot vest were undoubtedly the center of the show.
Musically, a couple of things from the piece really caught my attention. First, the pitch modulation was nearly constant- there were rarely two consecutive notes of the same pitch, and if there were they were part of a repeating ascension of pitches to a climactic peak. With the exception of the end, pitch was used for emphasis- high pitch equaled high emphasis, while lower pitches were usually less stressed. Also beat-you-in-the-face obvious is the vibrato in the voice. It was so strong that I could barely understand what the vocalist was saying (hooray for subtitles!).
The speed of the piece was relatively quick the whole time. It slowed slightly for a while, in the cantabile section of the aria (at about 2:15), but even here it wasn’t especially slow, just less fast. Volume modulation was used a lot in the piece for emphasis; beginnings and endings of sections were louder, with a lot of the parts in between being quieter.
The aria was set in a marketplace presumably, with Figaro’s barber cart being the center of the action. Figaro was the only vocalist, but the others around him helped act out the scene and provide background information for it, as well as being foils for Figaro. However, he and his sweet polka-dot vest were undoubtedly the center of the show.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Avatar
So today, I was all set to write my Avatar post- I got my popcorn, pulled out my laptop, and went to my local blockbuster to rent Avatar...only to find out that in fact Avatar is not out on DVD. As I did not see it in the theaters, I really don't have anything to write about. Unfortunate. However, I am looking forward to the class discussion tomorrow, I thought it would be a cool post but was under the impression when I voted for it in class that I'd be able to see it...oops. So...my bad on that. I'll be more than happy to write about renaissance music if that will make up for this, or about any other movie music? I gotta use the popcorn for something...
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Musical Ethnography of The Dallas Symphony Orchestra
INTRODUCTION
This ethnography takes a look at the music culture of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO). This is a culture that is unique within the DFW area in its repertoires, its venues, and in many of the practices contained in it. Like many symphonies, it also has a distinct culture when compared against other symphonies across the nation, and hopefully this post can show you a little about the tastefully initialed DSO and what sets them apart.
METHODOLOGY
To do the research for this paper, I primarily utilized three sources. One was the DSO’s website (www.dallassymphony.com). It is a great resource on the symphony, containing everything from their schedule to information about the venues and the symphony’s various outreach programs. It is a great resource not just for research but for any of you out there looking for more information. I also attended a concert on March 3 at the Morton Meyerson Symphony Center in downtown Dallas. This show, and the time before it, were awesome examples of the culture and provide most of the basis for this ethnography. Finally, I talked with several of my fellow concertgoers while at the event. In many cases they were able to answer some questions that the event itself posed and provided a first-person insight into the culture.
ASPECTS OF MUSIC CULTURE
Ideas About Music
One of the key elements of the DSO culture is the idea that the presentation of the music is as important as the sound of it. Watching the performers up on stage, one notices how disciplined and synchronized they are; all the members of their respective sections move and play with perfect synchronization, which creates a visually aesthetically pleasing aspect to the performance. This emphasis on a disciplined and ‘neat’ presentation can also be seen in the concertgoer etiquette. While many cultures have unwritten rules, the DSO actually has written ones such as no cell phones or cameras, no arriving late, and the requirement of appropriate dress (Dallas Symphony Orchestra Website). Not only that but they are strictly enforced; the ushers did not hesitate to mandate the removal of electronic devices anytime they saw someone with them out in order to maintain the integrity of the performance (The Music of Pink Floyd). Finally, the discipline is extended to the music performance itself. Music is performed according to preset guidelines, and there is no space given for improvisation by the performers except for some predetermined occasions. One interesting note is that this etiquette is somewhat flexible based on the music being played. For example, at my concert there were many in attendance who did not regularly attend the symphony but were huge Pink Floyd fans, and so there was a lot of applause not only after each song but even during songs- a big etiquette violation which drew some disapproving looks from regulars, but no usher reprimands. According to one fellow concertgoer I talked to, it is not unusual for the patrons to be held to different standards for less classical performances, especially those that take place during the week (Attendees of Concert).
Repertoires
Despite what one would think, the DSO actually has a very broad repertoire that extends across many types of music. They do play the Western Classical fare that you would expect, but they also play everything from jazz to opera to popular music- the last few concerts have included works from Rachmaninoff, Buddy Holly, and Wynton Marsalis. The concert I went to featured them playing Pink Floyd’s hits with a guest vocalist, and the guest musician is crucial to the repertoires. Anytime the symphony plays a type of music which requires something other than their normal complement to play (vocalist, electric guitars, etc.), a guest vocalist is brought in- you can see just how frequent this is by looking at their upcoming performance schedules (Dallas Symphony Orchestra Website). Repertoires are largely determined by the personality of the music director. Since taking over in 2008, director Jaap van Zweden has attempted to “enhance its programming and…outreach” (Dallas Symphony Orchestra Website). This is evident in concerts such as the Pink Floyd show, and his determination of the repertoire provides the DSO with a character unique from other national symphonies.
Activities Involving Music
The central activity of the DSO is undoubtedly the performance; it is the unifying event that brings together all members of the culture. However, the performance activities extend beyond the physical playing of the music. There is a restaurant in the Meyerson that many attendees visit prior to the concert to begin the social experience. Even if patrons choose not to eat there, the pre-show atmosphere is built for socialization. At my concert there was a piano playing constantly in the atrium before the show, with wine and dessert bars everywhere. There were many tables in the ample atrium for patrons to sit at and socialize, and plenty of space for those who wished to stand and chat (The Music of Pink Floyd). Interestingly, while people are allowed to view the rehearsals in a separate area, concertgoers are not allowed in the hall until 15 minutes prior to the start of the concert- people who try will be ejected (as I found out!). This forces a social situation as there is nothing else to do but hang out in the lobby and socialize. Despite this though, there is a low amount of inter-group socialization- people tend to stay within the circles they already know (The Music of Pink Floyd). A final important aspect of the performance is the intermission, which can last anywhere from 15-30 minutes. During this time people again can and do socialize.
One key element of the performances is the use of light as a signal. Culture members know that when lights go down, they need to return to the hall as the performance is about to start. Conversely, a raising of the lights in the hall means it is ok to applaud, time for an intermission, or acceptable to talk again. It is not explicitly mentioned anywhere I could find, but most attendees seemed to pick up on it pretty quickly.
Another unique thing about the DSO performance in particular is the proximity of the Meyerson to other Arts District venues such as the Dallas Museum of Art. According to one patron I spoke to it is not unusual for patrons (especially on weekends) to visit not just the symphony but the surrounding attractions all in one visit. This makes the symphony performance for them extend from just a musical event to an entire cross-genre art experience, and is something that is unique to Dallas.
Material Culture
One of the central elements of the material culture of the DSO is the dress of those in attendance. Symphony etiquette usually mandates nice dress, anything from business casual to formal evening wear (Dallas Symphony Orchestra Website). At my concert while there were many people in beautiful attire, there were actually an equal amount in t-shirts or jeans, and many in business wear. A patron I spoke to attributed this both to the show type (popular music) and to the day of the week; with it being on a weekday there is simply less time for many people to dress up (Attendees of Concert). However, on weekends and especially for more classical performances, dress is key. Another surprisingly important element, in my experience, was wine/alcohol. I estimated over 80% of the attendees enjoyed some of the alcoholic offerings before the concert while socializing (The Music of Pink Floyd). The same was true during the intermission; bathrooms were easy to use but the line for the wine bars were out the door! This provides yet another bonding element for the culture to share and socialize over. Finally, the performance hall itself is a distinguishing cultural factor of the DSO from other cultures and symphonies. The Meyerson is elaborate, ornate, and built to best enhance sound (Dallas Symphony Orchestra Website), and as the host to most DSO events is a key part of the culture.
CONCLUSION
The DSO is a complex and diverse culture, and there is no way the past 1400 words did it justice. Subcultures exist within it, and there are many more activities than just these, but I hope this was at least a good introduction to it. The themes of importance of presentation, socialization, and wide repertoires played in a symphonic context are key to this culture. If you’re curious about anything else, check out the website or even go see a performance! The DSO is a unique culture within the metroplex and a distinct member of the greater symphony culture from others throughout the world.
Works Cited
Attendees of Dallas Symphony Orchestra concert. Personal Interviews. 3 Mar. 2010.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Website. Dallas Symphony Orchestra, 2009. Web. 8 Mar. 2010.
The Music of Pink Floyd. Perf. Dallas Symphony Orchestra with Randy Jackson. Cond. Jaap van Zweden. Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas. Concert. 3 Mar. 2010.
This ethnography takes a look at the music culture of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO). This is a culture that is unique within the DFW area in its repertoires, its venues, and in many of the practices contained in it. Like many symphonies, it also has a distinct culture when compared against other symphonies across the nation, and hopefully this post can show you a little about the tastefully initialed DSO and what sets them apart.
METHODOLOGY
To do the research for this paper, I primarily utilized three sources. One was the DSO’s website (www.dallassymphony.com). It is a great resource on the symphony, containing everything from their schedule to information about the venues and the symphony’s various outreach programs. It is a great resource not just for research but for any of you out there looking for more information. I also attended a concert on March 3 at the Morton Meyerson Symphony Center in downtown Dallas. This show, and the time before it, were awesome examples of the culture and provide most of the basis for this ethnography. Finally, I talked with several of my fellow concertgoers while at the event. In many cases they were able to answer some questions that the event itself posed and provided a first-person insight into the culture.
ASPECTS OF MUSIC CULTURE
Ideas About Music
One of the key elements of the DSO culture is the idea that the presentation of the music is as important as the sound of it. Watching the performers up on stage, one notices how disciplined and synchronized they are; all the members of their respective sections move and play with perfect synchronization, which creates a visually aesthetically pleasing aspect to the performance. This emphasis on a disciplined and ‘neat’ presentation can also be seen in the concertgoer etiquette. While many cultures have unwritten rules, the DSO actually has written ones such as no cell phones or cameras, no arriving late, and the requirement of appropriate dress (Dallas Symphony Orchestra Website). Not only that but they are strictly enforced; the ushers did not hesitate to mandate the removal of electronic devices anytime they saw someone with them out in order to maintain the integrity of the performance (The Music of Pink Floyd). Finally, the discipline is extended to the music performance itself. Music is performed according to preset guidelines, and there is no space given for improvisation by the performers except for some predetermined occasions. One interesting note is that this etiquette is somewhat flexible based on the music being played. For example, at my concert there were many in attendance who did not regularly attend the symphony but were huge Pink Floyd fans, and so there was a lot of applause not only after each song but even during songs- a big etiquette violation which drew some disapproving looks from regulars, but no usher reprimands. According to one fellow concertgoer I talked to, it is not unusual for the patrons to be held to different standards for less classical performances, especially those that take place during the week (Attendees of Concert).
Repertoires
Despite what one would think, the DSO actually has a very broad repertoire that extends across many types of music. They do play the Western Classical fare that you would expect, but they also play everything from jazz to opera to popular music- the last few concerts have included works from Rachmaninoff, Buddy Holly, and Wynton Marsalis. The concert I went to featured them playing Pink Floyd’s hits with a guest vocalist, and the guest musician is crucial to the repertoires. Anytime the symphony plays a type of music which requires something other than their normal complement to play (vocalist, electric guitars, etc.), a guest vocalist is brought in- you can see just how frequent this is by looking at their upcoming performance schedules (Dallas Symphony Orchestra Website). Repertoires are largely determined by the personality of the music director. Since taking over in 2008, director Jaap van Zweden has attempted to “enhance its programming and…outreach” (Dallas Symphony Orchestra Website). This is evident in concerts such as the Pink Floyd show, and his determination of the repertoire provides the DSO with a character unique from other national symphonies.
Activities Involving Music
The central activity of the DSO is undoubtedly the performance; it is the unifying event that brings together all members of the culture. However, the performance activities extend beyond the physical playing of the music. There is a restaurant in the Meyerson that many attendees visit prior to the concert to begin the social experience. Even if patrons choose not to eat there, the pre-show atmosphere is built for socialization. At my concert there was a piano playing constantly in the atrium before the show, with wine and dessert bars everywhere. There were many tables in the ample atrium for patrons to sit at and socialize, and plenty of space for those who wished to stand and chat (The Music of Pink Floyd). Interestingly, while people are allowed to view the rehearsals in a separate area, concertgoers are not allowed in the hall until 15 minutes prior to the start of the concert- people who try will be ejected (as I found out!). This forces a social situation as there is nothing else to do but hang out in the lobby and socialize. Despite this though, there is a low amount of inter-group socialization- people tend to stay within the circles they already know (The Music of Pink Floyd). A final important aspect of the performance is the intermission, which can last anywhere from 15-30 minutes. During this time people again can and do socialize.
One key element of the performances is the use of light as a signal. Culture members know that when lights go down, they need to return to the hall as the performance is about to start. Conversely, a raising of the lights in the hall means it is ok to applaud, time for an intermission, or acceptable to talk again. It is not explicitly mentioned anywhere I could find, but most attendees seemed to pick up on it pretty quickly.
Another unique thing about the DSO performance in particular is the proximity of the Meyerson to other Arts District venues such as the Dallas Museum of Art. According to one patron I spoke to it is not unusual for patrons (especially on weekends) to visit not just the symphony but the surrounding attractions all in one visit. This makes the symphony performance for them extend from just a musical event to an entire cross-genre art experience, and is something that is unique to Dallas.
Material Culture
One of the central elements of the material culture of the DSO is the dress of those in attendance. Symphony etiquette usually mandates nice dress, anything from business casual to formal evening wear (Dallas Symphony Orchestra Website). At my concert while there were many people in beautiful attire, there were actually an equal amount in t-shirts or jeans, and many in business wear. A patron I spoke to attributed this both to the show type (popular music) and to the day of the week; with it being on a weekday there is simply less time for many people to dress up (Attendees of Concert). However, on weekends and especially for more classical performances, dress is key. Another surprisingly important element, in my experience, was wine/alcohol. I estimated over 80% of the attendees enjoyed some of the alcoholic offerings before the concert while socializing (The Music of Pink Floyd). The same was true during the intermission; bathrooms were easy to use but the line for the wine bars were out the door! This provides yet another bonding element for the culture to share and socialize over. Finally, the performance hall itself is a distinguishing cultural factor of the DSO from other cultures and symphonies. The Meyerson is elaborate, ornate, and built to best enhance sound (Dallas Symphony Orchestra Website), and as the host to most DSO events is a key part of the culture.
CONCLUSION
The DSO is a complex and diverse culture, and there is no way the past 1400 words did it justice. Subcultures exist within it, and there are many more activities than just these, but I hope this was at least a good introduction to it. The themes of importance of presentation, socialization, and wide repertoires played in a symphonic context are key to this culture. If you’re curious about anything else, check out the website or even go see a performance! The DSO is a unique culture within the metroplex and a distinct member of the greater symphony culture from others throughout the world.
Works Cited
Attendees of Dallas Symphony Orchestra concert. Personal Interviews. 3 Mar. 2010.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Website. Dallas Symphony Orchestra, 2009. Web. 8 Mar. 2010.
The Music of Pink Floyd. Perf. Dallas Symphony Orchestra with Randy Jackson. Cond. Jaap van Zweden. Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas. Concert. 3 Mar. 2010.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Challenges of Researching the DSO
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra really has not presented too many difficulties for me in putting together this musical ethnography. The only difficulty I really had was in finding the interview, or a primary source to get information from. The only real contact point the symphony offers, or at least offered me, was guest services which deals primarily with ticketing and other issues relative to the actual performances. I ended up having to just ask questions of other concertgoers at the event I went to. Actually, they ended up being really helpful especially in regards to the material culture sections; they provided some insights in that area that I don’t think any formal staff would have given me. So while it seemed like a difficulty it actually ended up working out well.
With them being such an organized culture, I didn’t experience any other significant difficulties. Event schedules are well publicized and accurate, and their website is an excellent source of information. The biggest other issue I faced was that I neglected some of the practices of the culture when scheduling it. For instance, the concert started a bit late which is apparently common, and I had forgotten about the intermission which lasts quite some time to allow for more socializing. It didn’t affect my information gathering at all, but since my event was the evening before our last exam I kind of had to sleepwalk through the test :).
All told, the DSO was a fairly easy organization to profile, and I’m really excited about the information I gathered!!!
With them being such an organized culture, I didn’t experience any other significant difficulties. Event schedules are well publicized and accurate, and their website is an excellent source of information. The biggest other issue I faced was that I neglected some of the practices of the culture when scheduling it. For instance, the concert started a bit late which is apparently common, and I had forgotten about the intermission which lasts quite some time to allow for more socializing. It didn’t affect my information gathering at all, but since my event was the evening before our last exam I kind of had to sleepwalk through the test :).
All told, the DSO was a fairly easy organization to profile, and I’m really excited about the information I gathered!!!
Monday, February 22, 2010
No love for Noh
To my devoted fan(s?) following this blog:
1) I'm sorry you have to put up with my putrid writing all semester...I think by doing that you're chilling in the 6th circle of hell with the heretics. So sorry about that.
2) I've decided not to post about Noh this week. I read about it, but honestly...I don't like it and can't bring myself to do a decent job writing about it. Sad that derivative futures contracts are more interesting to me than this revered art form of another culture...but such is my mind.
With that, this blogger is off to take a vacation evening. Good night, and good luck. (good luck reading other blogs that are hopefully less apathetic!)
1) I'm sorry you have to put up with my putrid writing all semester...I think by doing that you're chilling in the 6th circle of hell with the heretics. So sorry about that.
2) I've decided not to post about Noh this week. I read about it, but honestly...I don't like it and can't bring myself to do a decent job writing about it. Sad that derivative futures contracts are more interesting to me than this revered art form of another culture...but such is my mind.
With that, this blogger is off to take a vacation evening. Good night, and good luck. (good luck reading other blogs that are hopefully less apathetic!)
Monday, February 15, 2010
Hindustani Music...breaking it down.
I chose a rather brief piece for this posting, you can find it here
While it’s short, I think it is a great short demonstration of many of the concepts of Hindustani classical music mentioned in the book. First, it was composed of the normal elements: a drummer, a drone (provided by what appears to be a tambura), and a soloist, in this case a vocal soloist. The drone in this piece and many others I observed is fairly quiet; it is definitely meant to serve as a backdrop for the featured soloist and drummer. Also, although it is hard to pick out, it is definitely made of two notes, one of which was the tonal center; you could tell because the soloist would return to it frequently.
The style of the voice was emblematic of Indian music; there was a fairly noticeable melody with a great deal of the improvisation/ornamentation associated with Hindustani music. It sounded as if she was using the Asavri that, but I could be wrong on that. It was interesting to hear a note other then the sa being the emphasis; the vadi was definitely the dha, which in this that is a dha-komal.
The drummer was not visible but played a major role in the song. I could not tell what type of drum it was, but the rhythm was very obviously the tala tintal. The first vibhag was sam, second was the loudest and the third was khali (I apologize, I do not know how to properly conjugate that sentence). :(
From what I read and listened to, this song presents all the major elements of Hindustani classical music in just a minute and a half. Amazing how much there is to this music when you know what you’re listening for...
While it’s short, I think it is a great short demonstration of many of the concepts of Hindustani classical music mentioned in the book. First, it was composed of the normal elements: a drummer, a drone (provided by what appears to be a tambura), and a soloist, in this case a vocal soloist. The drone in this piece and many others I observed is fairly quiet; it is definitely meant to serve as a backdrop for the featured soloist and drummer. Also, although it is hard to pick out, it is definitely made of two notes, one of which was the tonal center; you could tell because the soloist would return to it frequently.
The style of the voice was emblematic of Indian music; there was a fairly noticeable melody with a great deal of the improvisation/ornamentation associated with Hindustani music. It sounded as if she was using the Asavri that, but I could be wrong on that. It was interesting to hear a note other then the sa being the emphasis; the vadi was definitely the dha, which in this that is a dha-komal.
The drummer was not visible but played a major role in the song. I could not tell what type of drum it was, but the rhythm was very obviously the tala tintal. The first vibhag was sam, second was the loudest and the third was khali (I apologize, I do not know how to properly conjugate that sentence). :(
From what I read and listened to, this song presents all the major elements of Hindustani classical music in just a minute and a half. Amazing how much there is to this music when you know what you’re listening for...
Monday, February 8, 2010
Blog Post 4
So I checked out a Googoosh performance titled “Hamseda” on youtube. At least I am hoping that’s the title and not just a word in Farsi used to describe something else…in any case here’s the link
There were a few elements of Iranian classical music that I was able to pick out in the performance, the primary one being the presence of multiple gusheh, or base melodies, that were then expanded upon throughout the piece. It was easy to tell them apart because the beat would often change suddenly in the song; some gusheh were very rhythmic, others seemed almost non-pulsatile to me. I don’t know if they were long enough to qualify as true gusheh or if they were all sections of one, but the style was definitely there. There was a lot of ornamentation both vocally and instrumentally; I don’t know if I’d necessarily call the vocals melismas, which the book described as a staple of Arab music, but it was definitely in that neighborhood, with a lot of undulation in the notes.
I thought it showed many elements of other Arab music as well. Horns and flute were quite prominent, along with what sounded like small drums; to me it resembled the ensembles described as components of Arab pop music. It’s hard for me to hear as I have little practice in hearing quarter tones, but some of the intervals used did not seem to be standard western, and were more in tune with an Arab scale. As for other influences, it definitely would have helped to be able to understand the lyrics, and see whether they were more traditional Iranian, Arab, or even more western. Finally, I thought I could hear some Latin rhythms in the more pulsatile sections; whether it was influenced by the west or it’s an effect of Latin music being influenced by the Arab world, the world (or at least I) may never know…
There were a few elements of Iranian classical music that I was able to pick out in the performance, the primary one being the presence of multiple gusheh, or base melodies, that were then expanded upon throughout the piece. It was easy to tell them apart because the beat would often change suddenly in the song; some gusheh were very rhythmic, others seemed almost non-pulsatile to me. I don’t know if they were long enough to qualify as true gusheh or if they were all sections of one, but the style was definitely there. There was a lot of ornamentation both vocally and instrumentally; I don’t know if I’d necessarily call the vocals melismas, which the book described as a staple of Arab music, but it was definitely in that neighborhood, with a lot of undulation in the notes.
I thought it showed many elements of other Arab music as well. Horns and flute were quite prominent, along with what sounded like small drums; to me it resembled the ensembles described as components of Arab pop music. It’s hard for me to hear as I have little practice in hearing quarter tones, but some of the intervals used did not seem to be standard western, and were more in tune with an Arab scale. As for other influences, it definitely would have helped to be able to understand the lyrics, and see whether they were more traditional Iranian, Arab, or even more western. Finally, I thought I could hear some Latin rhythms in the more pulsatile sections; whether it was influenced by the west or it’s an effect of Latin music being influenced by the Arab world, the world (or at least I) may never know…
Opining on the discussion with the Chinese students...
I have got to say my expectations for the discussion last Thursday were really low. I figured it was going to be a waste of time, but it was actually really enlightening and interesting. A couple things really struck me in particular.
I always thought of the traditional music of China as a homogenous genre; chordophones and pentatonic scales. While there was some of that, the forms were widely varied. The music played from the western part of China sounded more Arabic than Oriental, while the folk music from the south of China was much more like what I had expected. Not only that, but it was impressive how much even the use of the voice varied from region to region. The lyrical storytelling sounded completely different from the southern folk singing which was totally different from the Peking Opera style. It’s not shocking to me that there are different genres of music, only that in China folk music itself has so many different forms. It’s quite a vast difference from say western nations, where the folk/traditional music tends to be fairly similar.
It leads to an even more macroscopic idea, which is how fascinatingly diverse China seems to be. The students who came were of MANY ethnicities, not just what we think of as “Chinese”. Their cultures and traditions are so different and varied, and yet they are all part of one cohesive nation, and seem to have a shared identity. I had really thought the United States was the only country that was so diverse; seems I was wrong. It’s fascinating how much an hour can teach you…
(and for what it's worth, amazing how talented their business students are...those guys were good!!!!)
I always thought of the traditional music of China as a homogenous genre; chordophones and pentatonic scales. While there was some of that, the forms were widely varied. The music played from the western part of China sounded more Arabic than Oriental, while the folk music from the south of China was much more like what I had expected. Not only that, but it was impressive how much even the use of the voice varied from region to region. The lyrical storytelling sounded completely different from the southern folk singing which was totally different from the Peking Opera style. It’s not shocking to me that there are different genres of music, only that in China folk music itself has so many different forms. It’s quite a vast difference from say western nations, where the folk/traditional music tends to be fairly similar.
It leads to an even more macroscopic idea, which is how fascinatingly diverse China seems to be. The students who came were of MANY ethnicities, not just what we think of as “Chinese”. Their cultures and traditions are so different and varied, and yet they are all part of one cohesive nation, and seem to have a shared identity. I had really thought the United States was the only country that was so diverse; seems I was wrong. It’s fascinating how much an hour can teach you…
(and for what it's worth, amazing how talented their business students are...those guys were good!!!!)
Thursday, February 4, 2010
A defense of popular music
So pop music pretty much spent the morning being ripped on, and I figured in the spirit of American law I'd give it a fair defense. First, I don't think all pop lyrics are shallow and that only indie music has any value. Look at a recent pop song, Empire State of Mind. The song was written by two women from New York who had to spend an extended period of time abroad and missed their hometown; they wrote the song to combat homesickness and extol the virtues of their city. Shallow? Or heartfelt? I say the latter.
Take Weezer too...listen to their latest single (which is heard on the radio), "I Want You To". Great use of rhythm, blending of musical styles, and the lyrics describe a situation that I can almost guarantee everyone has been through in their life...again, who can't relate to that?
Finally, I know its trendy especially among college students to dismiss anything on the radio as musically worthless. Yet, I think it shouldn't be forgotten that many pop musicians got where they are because they have an immense amount of talent. Alicia Keys for instance...someone who can write music, play piano, and sing that well is pretty rare- same for Billy Joel. Mariah Carey has some of the greatest vocal range you'll ever find; Dr. Dre's ability to mix beats (which you hear in many pop songs) is unparalleled; even the much maligned Jessica Simpson has a really nice voice.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is not all pop music sucks, and it definitely does not deserve to be painted with such a broad brush. Defense rests.
Take Weezer too...listen to their latest single (which is heard on the radio), "I Want You To". Great use of rhythm, blending of musical styles, and the lyrics describe a situation that I can almost guarantee everyone has been through in their life...again, who can't relate to that?
Finally, I know its trendy especially among college students to dismiss anything on the radio as musically worthless. Yet, I think it shouldn't be forgotten that many pop musicians got where they are because they have an immense amount of talent. Alicia Keys for instance...someone who can write music, play piano, and sing that well is pretty rare- same for Billy Joel. Mariah Carey has some of the greatest vocal range you'll ever find; Dr. Dre's ability to mix beats (which you hear in many pop songs) is unparalleled; even the much maligned Jessica Simpson has a really nice voice.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is not all pop music sucks, and it definitely does not deserve to be painted with such a broad brush. Defense rests.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Faculty Concert - Post 3
Blog Post 3
The faculty concert was certainly a unique experience to go to. In the interest of space (I am a really verbose guy) I’m just going to share my thoughts on the first half of the concert, the songs played before the intermission.
First, I wanted to share my overview thoughts. The stage was small, very small for the caliber of music they were playing, which somewhat surprised me as it forced some players to be nearly hidden behind others (see: the bass man). The audience was composed nearly entirely of faculty, their families, and students who were required to be there for classes (which was a surprisingly large amount, as the house was packed). The performers were solid; I thought the most striking part of their role as that they seemed to be much more into playing certain songs than others; more on that later. Finally, although the concert was supposed to be influenced by Latin culture, in many cases I heard none of this, and Latin rhythms were notably absent from a majority of the pieces.
The opening suite by Michaud was a prime example. The first piece in the suite reminded me much more of George Gershwin (see: An American in Paris) than any Latin music. This makes sense as the composer was French, but did not fit in with the overall theme of the concert. The second and third pieces in the suite I thought were kind of cool, as they really managed to pull off polyphony quite well, but seemed to have more of a pastoral feel to them then a Latin one. The final piece was kind of murky in its tone, but I really liked it, and it seemed that both the performers and the audience were enjoying it too; I noticed a lot of note taking so there must have been something to see!
The second “semi-suite” was…curious. I understand it was written by a faculty member, and he wanted to show off his work, but honestly that music was neither Latin nor even good. It was also horribly suited for the small confines of that stage; the cymbals in the opening piece utterly drowned out the rest of the music, and the poor percussionist was left trying to strike an accented cymbal while not eliminating all the other instruments. The music itself was special, and pretty much left me with a headache. The repeating broken Dmin7 through the entirety of the second piece on the piano was especially painful. As a whole, the piece neither seemed Latin nor even inspired by its piece titles; if that was a rag, Scott Joplin just rolled over in his grave. The audience seemed to share my viewpoint; as I looked around I saw a lot of quizzical looks, confusion, and people trying to figure out just what to make of this piece. Even the performers (outside of the violinist) did not seem to be enjoying it. The pianist looked pained, the percussionist seemed to struggle, and the poor clarinetist was drowned out. Maybe I am just an uncultured cretin who cannot understand art when he hears it, but that piece was straight up awful. Amorphous atonal melodies, lots of noise, and piano inspired by a 3 year old do not artistic music make.
The final piece was a nice recovery. You could hear the Latin music in the percussion rhythms, and in the sweet sound of the electric guitar. At first I thought there were times when the guitar was drowned out, until I realized that was on purpose; the guitar played the role of the vocalist and it was beautiful. The crowed really got into it too: the sound guy was jamming, the people in front of me were making out, the drum solo thrilled the crowd, and the performers seemed to be having a blast playing the fast paced exotic rhythms. This was however the piece that accentuated the limitations of the space; as I mentioned the man playing the bass, who was an integral part of the song, was nearly shoved back into a corner. All in all though, the songs (including the impromptu “Girl from Ipanema”) left a good taste in my mouth heading into intermission. It was…good times.
The faculty concert was certainly a unique experience to go to. In the interest of space (I am a really verbose guy) I’m just going to share my thoughts on the first half of the concert, the songs played before the intermission.
First, I wanted to share my overview thoughts. The stage was small, very small for the caliber of music they were playing, which somewhat surprised me as it forced some players to be nearly hidden behind others (see: the bass man). The audience was composed nearly entirely of faculty, their families, and students who were required to be there for classes (which was a surprisingly large amount, as the house was packed). The performers were solid; I thought the most striking part of their role as that they seemed to be much more into playing certain songs than others; more on that later. Finally, although the concert was supposed to be influenced by Latin culture, in many cases I heard none of this, and Latin rhythms were notably absent from a majority of the pieces.
The opening suite by Michaud was a prime example. The first piece in the suite reminded me much more of George Gershwin (see: An American in Paris) than any Latin music. This makes sense as the composer was French, but did not fit in with the overall theme of the concert. The second and third pieces in the suite I thought were kind of cool, as they really managed to pull off polyphony quite well, but seemed to have more of a pastoral feel to them then a Latin one. The final piece was kind of murky in its tone, but I really liked it, and it seemed that both the performers and the audience were enjoying it too; I noticed a lot of note taking so there must have been something to see!
The second “semi-suite” was…curious. I understand it was written by a faculty member, and he wanted to show off his work, but honestly that music was neither Latin nor even good. It was also horribly suited for the small confines of that stage; the cymbals in the opening piece utterly drowned out the rest of the music, and the poor percussionist was left trying to strike an accented cymbal while not eliminating all the other instruments. The music itself was special, and pretty much left me with a headache. The repeating broken Dmin7 through the entirety of the second piece on the piano was especially painful. As a whole, the piece neither seemed Latin nor even inspired by its piece titles; if that was a rag, Scott Joplin just rolled over in his grave. The audience seemed to share my viewpoint; as I looked around I saw a lot of quizzical looks, confusion, and people trying to figure out just what to make of this piece. Even the performers (outside of the violinist) did not seem to be enjoying it. The pianist looked pained, the percussionist seemed to struggle, and the poor clarinetist was drowned out. Maybe I am just an uncultured cretin who cannot understand art when he hears it, but that piece was straight up awful. Amorphous atonal melodies, lots of noise, and piano inspired by a 3 year old do not artistic music make.
The final piece was a nice recovery. You could hear the Latin music in the percussion rhythms, and in the sweet sound of the electric guitar. At first I thought there were times when the guitar was drowned out, until I realized that was on purpose; the guitar played the role of the vocalist and it was beautiful. The crowed really got into it too: the sound guy was jamming, the people in front of me were making out, the drum solo thrilled the crowd, and the performers seemed to be having a blast playing the fast paced exotic rhythms. This was however the piece that accentuated the limitations of the space; as I mentioned the man playing the bass, who was an integral part of the song, was nearly shoved back into a corner. All in all though, the songs (including the impromptu “Girl from Ipanema”) left a good taste in my mouth heading into intermission. It was…good times.
Blog Post 2
I know this post is a week late, but I wanted to post it anyways for the edification of the readers. The extra credit blog posts look cool so I am not too concerned :).
For my musical ethnography, I propose to study the music of the Meyerson. The Morton H. Meyerson symphony center is home to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and plays host to many classical, pops, and other concert events. While the symphony is the primary occupant of the Meyerson, they actually have a far wider range of music than just the DSO, and this is why I believe it would be an interesting study.
I have picked out 3 concerts at the Meyerson that are between now and the ethnography due date. One is purely classical; the DSO is performing Shostakovich’s Symphony #7 on February 18-20, providing an excellent example of the core music of the Meyerson. The following week, February 26-28, they are holding a “50s Dance Party”. No orchestral music is involved here, but they are in their words “celebrating the music of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Richie Valens”; essentially they are undoing the “day the music died” and it seems intriguing to see this music performed in the context of the Meyerson. Finally, there are two events the next week of which I will attend one. On Wednesday March 3, the DSO and a vocalist present the music of Pink Floyd; as I am a huge Pink Floyd fan I think this would be really cool and just a fun event regardless. On March 5-7, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is bringing their act to the Meyerson, which is yet another genre that would be interesting to see.
As I said I plan on attending 3 of the 4 aforementioned events; I’ll take notes during each one to analyze them relative to the 4 elements of music performance, and hopefully come out with a semi-coherent ethnography for the Meyerson Symphony Center. Even though this is an assignment…I’m actually kind of excited because it looks like a lot of fun! Stay tuned…
For my musical ethnography, I propose to study the music of the Meyerson. The Morton H. Meyerson symphony center is home to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and plays host to many classical, pops, and other concert events. While the symphony is the primary occupant of the Meyerson, they actually have a far wider range of music than just the DSO, and this is why I believe it would be an interesting study.
I have picked out 3 concerts at the Meyerson that are between now and the ethnography due date. One is purely classical; the DSO is performing Shostakovich’s Symphony #7 on February 18-20, providing an excellent example of the core music of the Meyerson. The following week, February 26-28, they are holding a “50s Dance Party”. No orchestral music is involved here, but they are in their words “celebrating the music of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Richie Valens”; essentially they are undoing the “day the music died” and it seems intriguing to see this music performed in the context of the Meyerson. Finally, there are two events the next week of which I will attend one. On Wednesday March 3, the DSO and a vocalist present the music of Pink Floyd; as I am a huge Pink Floyd fan I think this would be really cool and just a fun event regardless. On March 5-7, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is bringing their act to the Meyerson, which is yet another genre that would be interesting to see.
As I said I plan on attending 3 of the 4 aforementioned events; I’ll take notes during each one to analyze them relative to the 4 elements of music performance, and hopefully come out with a semi-coherent ethnography for the Meyerson Symphony Center. Even though this is an assignment…I’m actually kind of excited because it looks like a lot of fun! Stay tuned…
Monday, January 18, 2010
Blog Post 1
To be honest, it is difficult to pin down one music culture in particular that has had more impact than any others on me. However, if I had to choose (and I do) I would say the music culture that has had the most impact on me is the grunge culture of the early 1990s, and the remnants thereof.
Many people cite the release of Nirvana’s watershed album “Nevermind” in 1991 as the key date in the emergence of grunge, but for me its impact came several years later. I was living in Iowa at the time and as an episode of South Park once joked, Des Moines is 5 years behind the rest of the world. It wasn’t until I moved to Texas in the mid ‘90s that I discovered the sound, and I was instantly in love. I’d always had a major antipathy to modern music (excluding MC Hammer) as I felt that it failed to really express any serious emotions. Yet with grunge, I felt that I had found a music culture that expressed more than cheap noise. Listening to grunge I could hear potent melodies, and in a lot of cases you can really feel the emotions behind the songs coming forth.
The grunge emergence really only lasted a few years, but the culture lived on in the music known as “post-grunge”. This still makes up a majority of what I listen to today; bands such as Collective Soul, Nickelback (before they made the jump to pop), Splender, and so many other members of the post-grunge alt-rock scene have provided me with a soundtrack for my life, with music for every occasion. Anytime I want to relive a good memory, or deal with a bad one, the grunge culture produced the music that can take me back or move me forward, and that’s a power no other culture has had over me.
Many people cite the release of Nirvana’s watershed album “Nevermind” in 1991 as the key date in the emergence of grunge, but for me its impact came several years later. I was living in Iowa at the time and as an episode of South Park once joked, Des Moines is 5 years behind the rest of the world. It wasn’t until I moved to Texas in the mid ‘90s that I discovered the sound, and I was instantly in love. I’d always had a major antipathy to modern music (excluding MC Hammer) as I felt that it failed to really express any serious emotions. Yet with grunge, I felt that I had found a music culture that expressed more than cheap noise. Listening to grunge I could hear potent melodies, and in a lot of cases you can really feel the emotions behind the songs coming forth.
The grunge emergence really only lasted a few years, but the culture lived on in the music known as “post-grunge”. This still makes up a majority of what I listen to today; bands such as Collective Soul, Nickelback (before they made the jump to pop), Splender, and so many other members of the post-grunge alt-rock scene have provided me with a soundtrack for my life, with music for every occasion. Anytime I want to relive a good memory, or deal with a bad one, the grunge culture produced the music that can take me back or move me forward, and that’s a power no other culture has had over me.
- A bunch of different people talk about the emergence of grunge here
- What's post-grunge? (note: Creed is terrible; it's only impact on me has been to inspire anger)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
My top 10
So professor asked in class yesterday what kind of music we listened to; everyone including me gave pretty much the same answer (everything). I figured I'd list my top 10 favorite songs to give a little more detail (in no particular order).
1. Rhapsody in Blue, George Gershwin (preferably the Leonard Bernstein version)
2. Clair de Lune, Claude Debussy
3. I Don't Know, Lostprophets
4. Interstate Love Song, Stone Temple Pilots
5. Special, Splender
6. Sweetest Goodbye, Maroon 5
7. If I Ain't Got You, Alicia Keys
8. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, Billy Joel
9. The Good Left Undone, Rise Against
10. Beautiful Disaster (piano version), Kelly Clarkson
Fun times, eh.
1. Rhapsody in Blue, George Gershwin (preferably the Leonard Bernstein version)
2. Clair de Lune, Claude Debussy
3. I Don't Know, Lostprophets
4. Interstate Love Song, Stone Temple Pilots
5. Special, Splender
6. Sweetest Goodbye, Maroon 5
7. If I Ain't Got You, Alicia Keys
8. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, Billy Joel
9. The Good Left Undone, Rise Against
10. Beautiful Disaster (piano version), Kelly Clarkson
Fun times, eh.
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