Vertigo-Music in Progress

Bernard Herrman’s score to “Vertigo” brought both confusing and remembering ideas when watching and listening to it. Vertigo has many motifs that make more sense when watching the movie. If I watched Hitchcock’s Vertigo without having the motifs in front of me, I would be very confused every time music would be played. There are six motifs in Vertigo that we mainly discussed in class, and they were Mirror, Carlotta, Vertigo, Sleep, Madeline, and Love. Each idea is different other then Mirror and Vertigo. Each chord is built exactly the same with e, g, and b-flat on the bottom and D natural and F sharp on top. The only difference is Mirror has a b-flat on top and Vertigo has an A natural.[1] Madeline is the main female character in Vertigo, and has her own theme. The theme generally enters whenever she is in the film. Carlotta appears whenever something is about to happen. The thing I enjoy about Carlotta is how the flute, vibraphone, and violins I and II hold half notes while the harp has this marching idea being played between these half notes. I enjoyed seeing this on paper, because I would’ve been confused mainly on this motif. Sleep resembles mainly what it takes about. The thing to remember about this motif is that it sounds a little like something Wagner wrote in his day. Herrman doesn’t resolve his 7^th chord, which is the same as Wagner. It doesn’t sound like Wagner, and that is probably the big factor between them. If someone knew Wagner and didn’t know Herrman, they would truly think Wagner wrote sleep in “Vertigo.” Lastly, love is basically when ever Scotty and Carlotta kiss or do something that looks romantic. I loved the love motif, because it’s very soothing to listen to.

These motifs also talk about things we’ve discussed in class. I think all of the motifs I mentioned above could be resembled with what we’ve talked in class. This includes things like the Semantic Web, because there is an association between text and music. With music describing what’s going on in the movie, you understand what’s going on and could also see this as a Synchresis. Synchresis is a relationship of what something sees and something we hear, so it works perfect for Vertigo.  However, I think Sleep could also be seen as both Intraopus and Extraopus Intertextuality. It’s Extraopus Intertextuality, because it sounds like something Wagner would have wrote in his time. However, Herrman wrote it, so therefore it would be Intraopus Intertextuality. The other motif’s would resemble the Intraopus Intertextuality, because it is music that Herrman created himself.

This movie in general has me still thinking after watching it. I know we talked about certain things in the movie including Herrman’s score that were confusing, but I felt we really didn’t solve these confusing thoughts. Some things I still think are confusing to me included both of the tower scenes, Madeleine and Scotty in the trees scene, and the Beauty Parlor/Scene d’amour. The tower scenes still make me wonder why Madeleine was plotted by her husband to be killed. Also the ending in the noise of a voice on the top of the church bell tower, and Madeleine look a like jumps out of window. I understand that plot behind the jump, but I am still confused on the other side of the story in why the Madeleine look alike needed to be killed. The scene in the trees also brought confusion to me. When Madeleine runs behind the trees, I thought she was running away from Scotty, and also from her past. But when Scotty went to look for her, she was behind the tree. This truly made me say “What?” out loud. The Beauty Parlor/Scene d’amour didn’t really confuse me as much as the others, because it’s really tells what’s going to happen. You get a falling scale when Scotty first notices that the person he believes looks like Madeleine is actually the one that he knew during the tower scene. This movie was fun and exciting to watch. Being someone who loves watching movies directed by Alfred Hitchcock, I enjoyed the movie.

This unit in general was very interesting. Coltrane, Reich, and Herrman each had something in common. This is being expressed by creativity when making their musical ideas. They all used Empathetic Music. Coltrane made me feel his expressions when doing his solos. His emotions are brought out in me when I listen to “A Love Supreme.” I got the feeling first hand when I did Reich. Performing something by him made me feel the idea that he was getting out to the audience. And even though sometimes it will hurt the ears, it still was ability. Lastly, Herrman’s score truly made me feel what he was writing with the motifs. Without having those first hand while watching the movie, it would’ve been hard understanding his score.

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[1] Class Notes from May 9^th, 2012

Steve Reich, man of many creative ideas.

When I first heard the name Steve Reich, I had no idea who he was or why he’s a composer. After listening to many observations done either by students in the class, or from recording done by Reich, I enjoyed every aspect by this man. One song in particular struck out to me the most, and that was Pendulum Music. Performing this for the class was both amazing and loud. Getting 2-4 microphones to give feedback through individual speakers was challenging. Getting the right speed on each microphone was also a challenge. The feedback we were getting while doing this was positive and negative. The positives being the echoing feedback while the negatives being a loud screech sound.

I enjoyed watching everyone in the classroom wonder how this was going to go. I could see people holding their ears knowing that a high pitch was on its way. And then there were people that the same faces as little child getting excited for a certain event. The joyous faces brought out this project in so many ways, and made me very interested in listening to more of Reich.

Clapping music was another song that amazed me in so many ways. Being a percussionist, and getting involved in these cross-rhythms made me emotionally excited. Having one group demonstract a pattern constant and another group do patterns to show things like off beats, ghost notes, and many more impressed me. It’s a great way to not only get the people involved on the stage, but you could encourage the audience to get involved in Clapping music.

When I listen to Reich’s Music, I feel that he makes it simple enough that anyone that wants to be musical can do his works. If people in class were able to do Pendulum Music, Clapping Music, and Piano Phase, anyone could take the time to do these. 

The use of Solos in Love Supreme

John Coltrane’s album “Love Supreme” is one of the five best selling jazz albums of all time. This album features many ideas that make it an amazing album. One thing that stuck out to me the most was the use of the percussion. Elvin Jones not only used equipment that is generally not used in the jazz world, but he also would play lots of rhythms that would make a listener have a hard time finding the beat. Jones’s use of the timpani and the gong really makes this album sound different compared to any jazz album we’ve listen to in class. His solo work in my opinion didn’t sound like what a jazz drummer would play. When I was listening to “Love Supreme” for the first time, and heard Jones’s drum solo in the III movement, I thought I was listening to drummers like Keith Moon, John Bonham, and Neil Peart. Being a drummer and have played in many jazz groups, I never heard a solo like this in the jazz world. Not even jazz drummers like Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, or Joe Morello played solos like that with their jazz groups. The solo in my opinion felt like it was in the wrong style of music.

            Another idea I found interesting was the way Coltrane’s solos were breath taking. His solo is raw and breathy, and how his higher notes sustain longer then his normal range. Some of the pieces we've heard earlier in the semester have similar ideas. All the music we’ve listen to so far either in Jazz or in the Blues generally have someone giving out a solo that expressed the way the certain individual feels. Coltrane’s solos express feelings that differ from anything else in the songs. I feel that after the firing from Miles Davis in 1957 sparked a new person to come out of Coltrane. You hear this new person in “Love Supreme.” 

Golijov's Music Philosophy

            Osvaldo Golijov’s music can be described in many ways. When I first read the text to La Pasión según San Marco’s, I was confused. Being someone who studied Spanish text for 3 years, I was confused on the use of the text. When I listened to La Pasión, heard many different cultures coming together to make music. The text was sung fluent, but the use of instruments makes me think if culture has a big role. The percussion beats in a few excerpts made me think of Africa more then Central America. After listening to La Pasión, the text made more sense to me. I also feel that La Pasión is both sacred and concert music. The concert concept coming from the use of all the vocalist and instruments through out the song. The sacred music is using the idea of religious beliefs into song. The title, “La Pasión según San Marcos,” means the Passion according to St. Mark. So Golijov has this image in mind to use sacred text and place it into concert music arranged for the Passion. This song was performed at the Bach festival, and makes me wonder why the festival and not debut it in a concert hall. I think that La Pasión could go either way in being performed in concert halls, or smaller areas. But when I look at all the writers we have talked about in Music and Philosophy, they all resemble an idea or system for making their music. I feel that John Cage, Laurie Anderson, and Osvaldo Golijov used this idea of Christianity when writing their music.

            When John Cage received text on the I Ching in 1950, it brought out a new idea and focus to his music. The book of sixty-four Chinese proverbs gave Cage ideas to generate music. This text being sacred gives me this idea that Cage thought of the use of Christianity. In fact, our notes from class on March 26^th explain that in 1946, Cage encountered Indian philosophy and music, which led to a lifelong interest in Asian aesthetics and spirituality.[1] This idea led to using non-traditional sounds into his music. His music brings out new ideas in how to make music with the uses of things outside the music world. Like in 4 minutes 33 seconds, all you hear is the noise all across the concert hall. These ideas express new ways of performing music as well as writing music.

 “Big Science” by Laurie Anderson shows Christianity use throughout the song. The use of organ throughout the song makes me think of being in a church and worshipping the Holy Father. The use of the word “Alleluia,” strongly makes me consider Christianity in her mind. As well as some of her lyrics in “Big Science” make me think of Christianity. The lyric “Golden Cities, Golden Town” resemble what heaven would look like in a Christian’s perspective in my opinion.  You want to feel welcome in a place that loves everyone who follows the rules in the bible. If you’ve been good in you life, then you should be golden to receive a golden ticket into heaven. Anderson’s use of non-traditional sounds in her music as well makes her a part of this group of writers. Her music could be thought of as more sacred music then concept music. Her use of technology in her music doesn’t really give it a concert music feeling. The use of electronic percussion, and other objects is really cool when you listen to it. But most of the electronic use is done by Anderson and not by a group of people. Laurie Anderson could also express a different role compared to Cage and Golijov. Being a female musician, Anderson would dress in ways that would hide her true identity. Sometimes I feel that when I listening to her music, the Christianity in Anderson is being locked away and stored until the right time to come out. She uses ideas that make people think of Christianity, but doesn’t express in the way she looks. Anderson short hair, and interesting outfits make me think of hiding her true beliefs.

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[1] Handout from March 26^th on John Cage

Big Science

When I first heard Anderson’s Big Science, I was confused in so many ways. When one the groups presented Big Science on Wednesday, I understood a little more of the concept of this song. Laurie Anderson’s “Big Science” has many creative ideas thrown out to produce a song. The beginning has howling which has this idea of the sounds used in Big Science. These sounds include animal sounds, human sounds, and electronic sounds. Using human sounds to make animal sounds like howling brings out science. This idea brings out an image in my mind. This image consists of being a human running from his past and heading to a new world.  This is where I get my second idea of religion brought out in Big Science. The way I see it, this human like character is leaving his own life and heading to heaven. The use of Organ in Big Science gives me this idea of religious background brought out. All signs point to Alleluia, which points to religion in the song. The lyric “Golden Cities, Golden Town” resemble what heaven would look like in a Christian’s perspective in my opinion. Her use of the organ in Big Science makes me wonder if Christianity took a huge role in making this song. I enjoyed listening to the electronic percussion in Big Science as well as the idea of a battle between the organ and electronic percussion. The lyric “Yodellayheehoo” could also be seen as both a positive and negative idea. The positive ideas being that you’ve given up your life to go up into heaven. Someone who wants to walk away from his or her past and start a new life would give a hallelujah or yodellayheehoo. The negative would be the same idea. Some one who gives up on their own life to look into a future in heaven or hell gives a negative feeling to them. So I feel that Laurie Anderson thought about using Christianity when making this song in 1982.

Freewheelin to Civil Rights

            Bob Dylan is by far one of the greatest folk musicians of all time. Growing up listening to songs that were written by Dylan, but sung by many other musicians gave me an idea that his music was very political and powerful. It wasn’t until I picked up my first guitar in 1999 when I heard of the name Bob Dylan.  My guitar teacher was a musician from the 1960s, and explained that if you want to learn easy music to play on the guitar to listen to Bob Dylan. Being someone who has idolized him since I was fourteen years old, I have noticed that his music is very political and powerful. His music wouldn’t get as much credit if there weren’t something very political going on in the United States during the early 1960’s. This music is also different from what we’ve heard so far in the class.

            In the early 1960’s, America was going through a political issue in the Civil Rights Act. When the Civil Rights began in the middle of the 50’s, it began a civil war in the United States between whites and African Americans that would last over 10 years in America. The early 1960’s was known as the second coming of the folk revival, and Dylan came into the picture at the right time. His second album “Freewheelin,” came out in May 1963 and expressed many political ideas that would be expressed all over America. The song “Blowin in the Wind” is one of my favorite songs written by Dylan and expresses many rhetorical questions. The thought of “how many roads must a man walk down, before you call him a man” is very powerful.  That lyric itself makes me think of the Civil Rights and how much more do African Americans need to walk down in the American Society before they be called a free citizen in the United States. His performance at Washington D.C. was different from all the other musicians. In the reading from our course packet, they described the performance as “singing about freedom and deliverance, but when Dylan got up on the stage he outlined class analysis of persistence and racism.”[1]

            In my opinion, I think the Civil Rights movement helped start the career of Bob Dylan. His ideas are brought out through lyrics and songs. If anyone today would write lyrics and songs like Dylan wrote in the 60’s, it would be hard to get a music career. Even Bob Dylan would struggle trying to get a musical career today if he wrote these songs today and not in the 60’s. The music he wrote was very influential to many musicians during the early 60’s.  Groups like Peter, Paul & Mary, Stevie Wonder, and many more musicians performed his music live and on albums. Many artists performed the song “Blowin in the Wind” because it’s a powerful song. Being a musician myself and perform in bars around my hometown of Minocqua Wisconsin, I love playing Blowin in the Wind. It’s a great song to listen to, and it’s also a great song to get your audience to sing along with you.

            From all the music we have heard so far in Music 344, Bob Dylan’s music is different from everything else. When listening to his music you hear a simple musical pattern. His music generally has a few chords that flow together to make it very simple to listen to. He also was a very young musician and writer compared to all the other works and writers we’ve listened to. Louis Armstrong and Bob Dylan were the only ones we’ve listened to that were young when writing all their songs. Being the same age as Bob Dylan when he came out with the Freewheelin album, I can listen to it more and understand what he was trying to get out emotionally through his songs. The whole album is amazing, and shows many different views of Bob Dylan and how he writes his music. I perform very few of his songs off this album, because most tunes on this album are meant for Dylan to sing them, and not someone to cover them. I would recommend this album to be heard by people who want to understand the idea of the Civil Right Movement, and also if they want to learn more about the political lifestyle being brought out into music. “The answer my friends is Blowin in the Wind, the answer is Blowin in the Wind.”[2]

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[1] World Wide World is Watchin from Class packet

[2] “Blowin in the Wind,” Bob Dylan off Freewheelin

Symphony #11 (DSCH)

Symphony # 11 is one of my favorite works by Shostakovich. I say this because I am a percussionist, and all the percussion he used in this symphony makes me happy. However, Shostakovich used an idea that originally started in symphony #10 and would be used later on in his works. This idea would later become his own assert and identity in his works. I am talking about the DSCH idea. This idea would have notes that went with each letter. The D had that note, S would be classified as e flat coming from the German word es, C had that note, and H is German for a b natural. An interesting idea about the DSCH is that those four notes are the same as the beginning to Copland’s Piano Variations (but was highly random when writing it)[1]

The DSCH idea is first heard in Sym. 10, but can be heard in Sym. 11. This idea is thrown all over through ideas in Sym. 11. You can hear this idea in all four movements and changing from who was performing this line. The 1^st movement had the tympani use this idea in its solo. 2^nd movement had the strings express this idea at the beginning. The strings pretty much use this idea later on in the 3^rd and 4^th movements.

Before studying Symphony #11, none of the symphonies we’ve listened to have this kind of idea brought into the picture. The symphonies we listened to before this one had ideas, and were brought out in the theme. They were used throughout the symphony. But the ideas did not express an identity of the composer. You can listen to all these symphony movements we’ve listen to, but none have the composer writing an idea that he would use as his theme. Shostakovich I feel started a new idea in expressing thoughts in music. It’s a very creative and cool idea. If I were a composer, I would maybe do something like this as well, because I want everyone to know whom I am from a little 4-note pattern written in my music.

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[1]  Class Notes from 3/7/12