It was too cold a Spring morning in early November to be arriving at the venue of the Australian Musical Examinations Board, yet jubilant birds sang soothing tones high above in the tall trees, completely oblivious to the sense of impending misfortune that haunted the restive figure below them.
Every possibility of failure seemed to ravish the cheery ambience of the practice room inside the warm studio. The Associate Diploma was a serious exam, and very subconsciously, Anna knew that failing would mean a banishment- to go no further with her musical endeavors. It seemed more deadly than being sentenced to gaol. She stared at her own series of music books that she clutched- Bach, Haydn and other forms of weariness, and then launched into her first piece. After several miserable attempts to deliver a grand opening of a Bach Prelude and Fugue, she was being reluctantly dragged out of the practice room and into the examination room. This time, her surroundings morphed into something even more intimidating and even less
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It was a funeral piece- a piece of lament; so full of deep distress and existential angst. The melody was of blackest depression and melancholy, unraveling Rachmaninov’s brooding despair. Every fear, and every hesitation of his shuddering heart was disclosed within this piece of music. The piano evolved into a living entity, and its wail was the climax. She plunged into the fierce ‘appasionato’ of the piece as it poured despondent tears, pensive and grieving. Its heart spiraled into the fathomless deep abyss of anguish. She returned once again to the lamenting melody, shattering all the warmth and joy in the world. She claimed the sorrow as her own and embarked upon the piece’s coda. With the aura of grey becoming increasingly distinct, she rose into the climax, and ended the piece in grave despair and
As aforementioned, this suite requires that the A string of the cello must be tuned down to a G to give us open strings, G, D, G and C. This results in the cello resonating a different way from when it is regularly tuned which also produces a darker and richer timbre. (Constanza, 2012)
Bach’s Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor can conveniently be broken down into five separate sections. The first three sections of the the piece are considered to be in the passacaglia form while the last two sections are referred to as the fugue portion.
* Perfect Cadence!! – In the concept Pitch, the perfect cadence is very obvious at the end of the sections and phrases – change from the dominant to the tonic.
In Roman Catholic tradition, the requiem mass is a ritual celebration of the Last Supper within the context of a funeral. The requiem mass is distinguished from masses for other occasions by the presence of a specific text, laid out in the missal of Pope St. Pius V from 1570, and the absence of the more joyful parts of mass, such as the Gloria, and the Credo (Cave).
Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15, is the first of several pieces of music to be inspired by a tragedy in Smetana’s life. Spurred by the death of his beloved daughter Bedřiška (1851-1855), “an extraordinarily gifted child, [Smetana was inspired] to compose [his] chamber work in 1855.” (Large 65) The trio starts with feelings relating to Smetana’s anguish, followed by a dedication to the memory of his daughter torn between her life and death, and ending with a movement that gives eventual closure to Smetana’s loss.
Zig Ziglar once said, “When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal, you do not change your decision to get there.” Any journey has the potential to be a challenge, and perseverance is essential to overcome obstacles. In “Searching for Summer” by Joan Aiken, Tom and Lily set a goal to find sunlight, but things take an unexpected turn and do not proceed as planned. I think they achieve their goal, and gain even more than what they seek. As they dream of sunlight and stars, Tom and Lily can not seem to find sunlight anywhere because of the bombs from the war that block the sunlight. At Mrs. Hatching’s cottage, they achieve their goal and see the sunlight and also form new friendships.
Thesis: Wolfgang Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor has been admired and analyzed numerous times. Although it has been criticized by many, I believe deeply interpreting this piece will aid in a better understanding of the music during the Classical
Johann Sebastian Bach was born into a family of musicians. It was only natural for him to pick up an instrument and excel in it. His father taught him how to play the violin and harpsichord at a very young age. All of Bach’s uncles were professional musicians, one of them; Johann Christoph Bach introduced him to the organ. Bach hit a turning point in his life when both of his parents died at the age of ten years old. Bach’s older brother Johann Christoph Bach took him in and immediately expanded his knowledge in the world of music. He taught him how to play the clavichord and exposed him to great composers at the time. At the age of fourteen, Bach and his good friend George Erdmann were awarded a choral scholarship to the prestigious
Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21st 1685. He is the son of Johann Ambrosius. For many years, members of the Bach family had held positions such as organists, town instrumentalists, or Cantors.
The general plan of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies includes a very 'pessimistic' first movement, a sad, peaceful second movement, an allegro movement (often in dance form) and a fourth movement full of vigor. His 6th symphony, the Pathetique, is an exception. The themes are broad, decorative, and striking. The orchestration is rich - but without any attempt at spectacular effects. The last movement is slow and mournful, and recent research reveals the reason. The Pathetique was only partly finished when news spread of a homosexual 'encounter' Tchaikovsky had with a fellow student. Some believe that the composer finished the symphony as a farewell to life. The scoring is for the standard symphonic orchestra with winds, brass, strings, timpani, and other percussion instruments. It was premiered in St. Petersburg with Tchaikovsky himself leading the orchestra.
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was one of the greatest composers of Soviet Russia. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is regarded today as the father of Western music. They came from opposite ends of music history and lived in entirely different environments, but Shostakovich was undoubtedly influenced by Bach’s music, and their respective musical styles came from the same core tradition of Western music. But most importantly, underneath the obvious differences and the subtle similarities, these composers shared the same artistic spirit.
As a pianist, her career was a failure and thus we move into the climax of this story. On
Death, which is often seen as a great evil, can sometimes be seen as something for the greater good of someone. To many, death is a liberator and a comforter. It is a journey we’ll all have to embark, sooner or later. Death can be the beginning of the end to many people, an event which can bring everlasting happiness, but also a shattering sadness. The short story “The Story of an Hour,” by Kate Chopin, which was published in 1894, presents a not so common viewpoint of death. One could say that this story has brought about a brief renewing love for life with one of the main characters. On the other hand, “The Moths” by Helena Maria Viramontes shows a painful reaction to death, that is quite relatable to what one may usually experience. The death in “The Moths” can be looked at as a moment of grief in pain, but also a moment for maturity and rebirth. Moreover, “The Story of an Hour” depicts death as a problem solver and something that can bring unimaginable amounts of freedom. Death can be looked at as perhaps a sort of liberation that can bring about a renewal for life. In other aspects, death can be viewed as a moment of grief and pain. Lastly, death may work as a spark which brings another loved one back into your life.
Mozart’s Requiem is “one of the most performed and studied pieces of music in history” (Stango, n.d.). The story behind the start of this piece begins with Count Franz von Walsegg, who commissioned a requiem mass for his wife Anna (who had passed away). Throughout his work on this piece, Mozart began to get so emotionally involved with the piece that he believed that he was writing a death mass for himself. Mozart died December 5, 1791, with only half of the Requiem finished (through Lacrimosa). Franz Xaver Süssmayr finished the Requiem based on Mozart’s specifications from notes and what he had already written. The completed work is dated 1792 by Süssmayr and was performed for the first time on January 2, 1793. Mozart’s intent for this
Her love for life and the desire to live long, take an ironic twist when she sees that her husband is actually alive. Watching the husband alive in front of her is indeed the real shock of her life. It strikes with such a force that it takes her life. It is very likely that her weak heart simply could not bear, what indeed was for her, the most tragic news. Her husband’s death meant life to her which she hoped would be long enough. “She says a prayer that her life might be long to enjoy all the seasons in her life”. (Chopin 262).