Blog 6

 Overall this class was great. I learned how to read, listen, and write about music. I get a chance to go out in my community and attend classical music concerts. I had fun blogging about my experience in those concerts. I am so glad that classical music is still around and you can easily access it anywhere you live. After this class I have learned that Tacoma has a strong classical music scene for a mid-size city.

I have learned that classical music is a conventional music following long-established principles rather than a folk, jazz, or popular tradition. Many cultures around the world have both classical and popular musical traditions, which co-exist and simply serve different, complementary roles in society.  

I have learned that artistic expression doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Some understanding of the time and place in which a particular music was created helped my understanding of the music itself. In the Middle Ages most classical music patronage from the church, and most music was vocal, with instruments used only sparingly for accompaniment. Then came the Renaissance era, and it was the first time, at that period of time, when purely instrumental music is composed. Ability to publish and distribute sheet music leads to rapid increase in diversity of such music.

After Renaissance, Baroque era came in place. Period of dramatic change, religious wars, scientific discoveries, and world exploration. Technical improvements in instrument making was also made. Many instruments familiar today, like trumpets, horns, violins, got their start in the Baroque era. There was a rise of the professional female singer. As Europeans began exploring globally, their music began to explore ‘exotic’ music of other cultures. Different styles of opera quickly develop in different areas of Europe – notably Italy, France, and England.

After Baroque era, we have Classical era. Age of Reason: advances in science and philosophy. Music was considered to be an adornment of aristocratic life.  Public concert venues, and public’s desire for the latest music, inspire productivity in composers. Classical era gave us people like Mozart and Beethoven. Mozart composed more than 40 symphonies. Composers such as Mozart and Beethoven performed their own sonatas in public – but also accessible and intimate enough to be shared in the homes of amateurs. In the classical era, the multi-movement structure became common for symphonies, sonatas, concertos, string quartets.  Today, we often perform classical symphonies with a larger modern orchestra. In the classical era, the ‘concerto grosso’ format is largely left behind, in favor of the solo concerto, featuring an ever-increasing virtuosity. The newly-invented piano is the most common solo instrument used in classical concertos. Classical era choral music was an offshoot of the Baroque tradition.  Primary genres were the Mass, the Requiem Mass and the oratorio. All of these genres were originally developed for performance in church but were eventually moved to the concert hall.  Opera continues to develop in the Classical Era, after its birth in the Baroque.

Then comes Romantic era, or Romanticism. Romanticism was a rebellion against rational, structured nature of the Classical era. Music conservatories founded in this era. Also orchestral size increases, and music moves from palace and church to concert hall. There was a rise of the virtuoso soloist and amateur music making. Piano was the most favorite instrument of virtuosos. Women were able to have careers in music as performers, teachers, and composers. As with other Romantic music, opera grows in size, scope, level of personal expression. Opera singers become international superstars. At the turn of the 20th century, some composers continued to explore romanticism, while others pushed forward with new ideas of modernism.

The reaction against Romanticism took a wide variety of forms – many different philosophies of modernism: Impressionism, Surrealism, Cubism, Expressionism, and Neoclassicism. Distinct national schools take shape across Europe. Birth of ethnomusicology that gave ability to record leads to a new, more scientific method of understanding diverse musical traditions.

Today, building on traditional concepts of virtuosity, composers begin calling for innovative and unusual vocal and instrumental effects. Some new techniques become standard by which new generations of musicians are measured. Some new techniques are only mastered by those performers who specialize in contemporary technique. Synthesizer and computer technology develops, composers experiment every step of the way. Some composers write entirely electronic music, others explore blending computer-generated sound with music played by live musicians. Technology has become completely embedded in our musical world: most of our music creation, performance, and listening experiences in some way involve technology.

 

Blog 5

The last concert that I went to was at the PLU too. This time it was Studio Series presenting “The Composer’s Forum.” It was on Sunday, December 13, 2015 at 3pm, again at the most beautiful Lagerquist Concert Hall.

This time it wasn’t as big as the last concert that I went to, but this time they played instruments and not singing. At this event they had three musical groups. Most fascinating was that they were students just like me, and they created these pieces that they presented at that concert during this semester. You never now maybe one of this pieces would be world famous one day, and I am going to be the one who heard it for the first time, at the very first presentation of it.

First composer was Alex Justice with his piece called “Time Dance,” and his crew with two trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba. This piece mainly built off rhythmic ideas that are brought together by a relatively dominant melodic line, beginning in the horn. There are a couple of places where the feel of the piece changes dramatically, meant to introduce some new rhythmic and melodic ideas. The piece is written in four-four, but notated in a complex meter, resulting in phrases that end in the middle of a bar. The composer said that this piece follows a first movement that is still in the process of being completed.

Second composer was Dalton Rouse and his piece called “Quartet.” His crew was playing on saxophone, clarinet, trombone and euphonium. Dalton said that this piece is his first attempt at composing for winds. The shift in mood throughout into whatever story one’s mind sees fit. Each voice should be thought of as a different character. It is all about imagination in this piece.

Third and fourth pieces was by the same groups, but different composers. This group used electric guitar, saxophone, keyboard, bass guitar, and drums. First was Elliott Turner and his piece called “A World of Love and Pain.” Elliott said that his piece is constructed in a simple AABA song form, reflects the contrast between a very lyrical A section and a much more harmonically complex B section, emphasizing the contrasting world of ‘love’ and ‘pain’ that this piece tries to capture. The saxophone and guitar have a uniquely mellow, distinct sound, adding to the lyricism of this piece, and jazz waltz feel has a 

natural flow to it that reflects these themes as well.                                                         

Next piece that this group played called “Why Stop?” And it was written by Marc Harper. This piece attempts to incorporate modern dance themes with the new wave of East Coast jazz. Marc said that it is a simple ABC form piece, and the overall motivation behind the B section comes from many rhythm based dance ‘breakdowns.’ This song is not intended to be complex. The main purpose is to allow an audience that does not traditionally listen to jazz, to have jazz sneak up on them. Marc also said that the title is derived from his idea that jazz musicians should not give up on their dreams of playing such a wonderful form of self-expression.

Overall the concert was great, especially the last band, these guys have a bright future ahead of them. The only thing was that the concert was super short, in our calendar it says that it would be from 3 to 5, but in reality it was like 40 minutes.

  

Blog 4

The next concert that I attended was at the Pacific Lutheran University. It was Choral Series called “The sounds of Christmas: A Festival of Lessons and Carols” presented by men’s chorus and university singers. It was on the December 4 at 8 pm, at the Largerquist Concert Hall.

It was my first visit to PLU. Their music concert hall is gorgeous. If I wasn’t taking this class I would probably never find out about the place like this. Lagerquist Hall is a beautiful venue with an outstanding acoustics. The organ at center makes the hall absolutely stunning. When you are in there you have the feeling that you are somewhere at one of the best venues in the world.

The framework of this performance was taken from the traditional service of lessons and carols. Since its creation, this service has become a staple of Christmas celebrations worldwide; the most famous version of the event is broadcast annually on BBC Radio from Cambridge, on Christmas Eve.

The Festival of Lessons and Carols was first held at King’s College in 1918. It was planned by Eric Milner-White, who at the age of 34 had just been appointed Dean of King’s after experience as an army chaplain which had convinced him that the Church of England needed more imaginative worship. A revision of the Order of Service was made in 1919 involving rearrangement of the lessons, and from that date the service has always begun with the hymn ‘Once in royal David’s city’. The backbone of the service, the lessons and the prayers, has remained virtually unchanged.

Almost immediately other churches adapted the service for their own use. A wider frame began to grow when the service was first broadcast in 1928 and, with the exception of 1930, it has been broadcast annually, even during the Second World War, when the ancient glass had been removed from the Chapel and the name of King’s could not be broadcast for security reasons. In the early 1930’s the BBC began broadcasting the service.

Wherever the service is heard and however it is adapted, whether the music is provided by choir or congregation, the pattern and strength of the service derive from the lessons and not the music. The main theme is the development of the loving purposes of God, seen through the windows and words of the Bible. The center of the service is still found by those who go in heart and mind and who consent to follow where the story leads.

The concert was very well put. I can tell that they put a lot of time and thought into setting the ambiance that would take the audience to a point of view from where they wanted to be understood from. I really liked their entrance, they entered from back on both sides of the audience. The women’s costume all matched, they wore black long flowy skirts and a velvet top. The male all looked sharp in suits and bowties. The stage was set up in such a way that all singers were visible, the men in the back and two rows of women in a semi-circle facing the audience.

Different singers would group together and take on the different numbers, so it didn’t have the same sound as the concert went on. In the center of the stage there was a piano that was used from time to time to really complete and extenuate the sound and melody of the song. My favorite part of this concert was how in included us, the audience. At the introduction portion before it all began, the conductor surprised us by saying that this was an interactive concert and that audience participation is highly encouraged. I thought that this was not only brilliant as it encouraged us to follow along and pay attention, but it made us feel as though we are a part of the show, like for a bit we could harmonize with the best of them and sound decent. The words of the parts we were to join in were printed on the program.

Blog 3

I went to see Russian Grand Ballet on October 15, 2015 at the Broadway Center in downtown Tacoma.

The Russian Grand Ballet was one of my favorite concerts that I have visited during this quarter. I was shocked when I heard that The Russian Grand Ballet is coming here to Tacoma. They presented the world famous Swan Lake. The tickets were very expensive, but it was worth it, the performance was outstanding. The main dancers were amazing, truly beautiful ballet. The Russian Grand Ballet has established a reputation for talent and versatility and has toured the world with full-length traditional ballets. The only problem that I can think of was the stage, it looked small and it felt that dancers are crowded, and they didn’t have live orchestra.

I was excited to go to the concert because I grew up in the Soviet culture, and this is something that I heard about many times when I was growing up, but I have never went. This was like a dream come true. Russian Grand Ballet was founded by and incorporated graduates from the Great Russian choreographic schools of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kiev. The principal dancers of the company came from the upper ranks of the great ballet companies and academies.

Swan Lake (from 1895), together with The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, forms part of the big three of Russian nineteenth-century ballets. Composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, together with choreographer Marius Petipa, raised both ballet music and dance as an art form to new heights with this piece. There’s a good reason why Swan Lake is so often called the ‘ballet of all ballets.’ The combination of pure romanticism, the story about love and deception, and Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet music all continue to reach new generations of audiences.  

Again, it was an outstanding presentation. The quality and acting ability of the dancers took me away to another place. Presentation quality, costumes, set, music were all very good. The professionalism and appeal of the performers was superb. The Russian Ballet is excellent at their craft, and I felt that I was privileged to be a spectator. The price I paid was good for this level of entertainment. I would recommend to visit this show to anyone.

This is the picture that i took from my seat.