Interpreting Music and Finding the Meaning

Through studying and analyzing ‘Maestro’ ,written by Peter Goldsworthy, and by viewing and analyzing the film ‘Edward Scissorhands’ directed by Tim Burton, it is evident that the composers of these texts allow the audience to see distinctive experiences with our eyes as well as with our minds through distinctively visual. The many visual, written and literary techniques have the ability to create a significant and impacting visual.

This journal is about the musical piece composed by a man named Benjamin Britten titled The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. This piece was surprisingly interesting to me as it created different feelings of emotions through the instruments volume, sync, and rhythm. I do like various instrumental styles of music, however, I was hesitant about listening to a classical style orchestra. Throughout the piece it seemed the sounds would constantly change, which reminded me of the early black and white cartoons that relied on classical style music to show the emotions they were trying to make the audience feel. For example, I remember a scene from an episode of the old cartoon Popeye, when there was fast paced instrumental music in the background while Popeye was saving Olive Oyl from a dangerous situation and they both were running to get to safety. The xylophone from Bitten’s composition is what made me think of that exact episode of Popeye and Olive Oly running to get to safety.

A composer depends entirely upon the nature of the film for all the clues needed to write a suitable score for a film. Brought into the production after a certain amount of film has been shot, the films concept will dictate how the composer will write the music. Whether based on the story line, or providing information by setting an atmospheric state, film music will always have different purposes between different films. Penguin Ballet by Nigel Westlake was composed to focuses upon the graceful, almost ballet like movements of the penguins underwater. Whereas, Writings on the wall by Sam Smith conveys ideas and messages which will be expressed throughout the film, especially through the use of lyrics. Although positioned within the film to provide contrasting messages, both these songs use similar musical elements to support the piece, and its position with the film. The discussion of this essay is that there are similarities between the musical elements that support the lyrics in a song and the action in a documentary. Through this, we will discuss the musical element’s of pitch, and timbre and texture.

The hit song “Halo” was performed by Beyoncé Knowles. Ryan Tedder (lead vocalist of OneRepublic), Evan Bogart and Beyoncé composed it. “Halo” will always be one of my favorite Beyoncé songs because she sings it with such a powerful voice that fits with the song and the lyrics, also not to mention the deep meaning behind the song. The great storyline and bold lyrics was a huge factor in choosing to analyze this song. I like to listen to Beyoncé songs and some of my favorites are: 7/11, If I were a Boy, Flawless, Love on Top and Lemonade. In my opinion, Beyoncé is and always will be a music legend.

Music has evolved too many different forms that we recognize today. We trace this development throughout time. Beginning in the middle ages, we have seen advancement from the Gregorian chant all the way to the Jazz of the 20th century. The current events, politics, religion, technology and composers can shape musical eras during time. Here I will look at the middle ages, renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic and twentieth century periods. I hope that a better understanding can be reached to why, when, where and who are the reasons for musical evolution.

The way in which composers convey their ideas is dependent on their use of distinctive visuals. Amanda Lohrey’s “Vertigo”, Tim Burton’s “Edward Scissorhands” and Bruce Dawe’s “Homecoming” show how the composers use the distinctively visual concept to portray a greater understanding to the audience of the themes and ideas presented in their work.

Felix Mendelssohn composed “Songs Without Words, Op. 19, No. 3” during the Romantic Period. It is known as a hunting song. The form of this song can be categorized as a rondo. This can be argued because the A theme that begins at measure 5 reappears throughout the song about two times. It comes back at measures 50 and 83. In between these A sections are a B section and a C section. The B section starts in measure 29 and the C section starts at measure 67.

The title of the book, The Rites of Spring, and the plunge into the world of the Ballet Russe in the first chapter, made clear that Eksteins intended to use Stravinsky's ballet as an image for

Ludwig van Beethoven once said, “Music, in truth, is the mediator between intellectual and sensual life”. Though he and his music were from an entirely different era, both still have relevance in our lives today. Music from the past is all around us on the radio, in commercials, and on the big screen. For example, one of Beethoven’s most famous symphonies, “Symphony No. 9”, makes an appearance in many movies. It even makes an appearance in Die Hard. Though we like to think that which is old is obsolete, we are everyday reminded that this is not true.

Almost definitely imitating the act of new life waking in the spring soil, Stravinsky starts the haunting introduction to his world-renown ballet, Rite of Spring, with a high-pitched lone bassoon. The unstable eeriness continues as a horn and pair of clarinets join in the rubato tempo. Just as everything wakes and bursts into life in spring, so does the piece as more and more instruments join in. Each instrument seems to have a different theme, but seems necessary in portraying the thick texture needed to symbolize the inevitable climactic arrival of Spring. After the orchestra has finished its first outburst and almost all instruments have initially come in, a strange harmonic effect is applied to the viola. As the orchestra draws to a

The reason why I have chosen to write about The Rite of Spring is because of the controversy that surrounded it after its premiere. The ballet was so shocking to many of the audience members because some of the concepts explored in it were so different and new to them.

What was Stravinsky trying to accomplish with The Rite of Spring? Why did he include so much dissonance and irregular rhythm? Stravinsky was trying to get fame and publicity with The Rite of Spring. The Rite of Spring, provoked a riot at its première. Depicting various scenes from pagan ritual, the work features sharp dissonances and intense rhythms with abruptly shifting accents.

I chose New Alphabet by the Eels for my final project (actually, my mom did, but that’s not important.) This song is partially about being confused and angry, which sums up my year very well. The main part of this song is talking about disregarding everything and making my own way through life, which I also do, especially the disregard everything part. This song very accurately represents me as a person, and I can also use it to talk about some things that I experienced in 8th grade. A lot of stuff happened, good and bad, and different parts of this song can represent both.

In 2001 space odyssey, as formentioned, he uses light classical music juxtaposed with the dark mysteries that surround the mission and the spaceship Discovery One. The music provides a sense of serenity as well as discombobulated feel like one might feel in space. As with all of his films there was great attention to detail and it was visually stunning as well as aesthetically pleasing. One specific shot of beauty is in the beginning of the movie titled “dawn of man” after the apes jump around the monolith, the sun is setting behind a flat topped hill and the moon is juxtaposed right above it with golden clouds all around. Also in this movie, the reoccurring theme of an unsavory character that we are manipulated into sympathizing with is HAL during the

Orchestra concerts are an example of music being presented in an emotional and artistic manner. Often people, mainly think of contemporary music when they hear about orchestra concerts. Music composed in the late 1970s to 1990s. But its music extends to much further than that. Scores have been performed from many composers in grand concerts that originate from many sources. These sources include movies, television shows, and even video games. The level of emotion that these concerts express varying from excitement, sadness, intensity, and many others. As a listener, you feel absorbed in the dramatic conducting of the composer and the unity of the orchestra as a whole. Even the setting of the concert can be cinematic as other displays show the grandeur of an orchestra. Our bodies were meant to take in the sounds of music more so than the images. What we derive happens automatically as we drown in the mixture of emotions orchestra has to offer.