Area of study 4
Western Classical tradition (since 1990)
They might have:
Used faster/slower tempos
Disjunct melodies
Syncopated rhythms
Extreme dynamics
Palindromic structure
Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
Irregular time signatures (5/4)
Unusual combinations of instruments
Modes instead of major/minor
Not traditional form of structure
Minimalism
Born in Brooklyn, New York to Jewish Immigrants
He was influenced by Jazz and late Romantic composers such as Wagner and Bizet
In 1921, he attended the American Conservatory in Fontainbleu, France
In mid 1930s, he began to compose music which was more accessible than the modernist compositions he had been composing
El Salon Mexico
It is deprived from 4 different traditional Mexican songs although never fully quotes any of them.
El Salon Mexico was written as a single symphonic movement
It draws heavily on traditional Mexican music
The introduction is based on the song: El Palo Verde and alternates between 3/4 and 6/8
Due to its origins in Mexican music, the key musical elements used are rhythm and metre
Features
Drones
Ostinato/looping of short motifs/cells
Layering
Augmentation/Diminution
Note subtraction/Note addition
Metamorphosis
Static harmony
Phasing
Rhythmic displacement
Composers
John Adams
Terry Riley
Steve Reich
Clapping music
Composed in 1972
Based on one six beat phrase that is repeated by one performer and then phased by the other performer. Creates complex rhythms (cross rhythms).
Originally for just 2 performers, but has been performed with lots of different performers.
Reich wanted to "create a piece of music that needed no instruments beyond the human body".
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Serialism
Techniques
Retrograde - playing the twelve tone row backwards.
Inversion - playing the twelve tone row upside down.
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