The Enlightenment Era

As we move out of the focus of Folk music, we are beginning to move back to the creative roots of music and music forms. The Enlightenment Era, also known as The Classical Era, ranged from 1600-1800. Music, art, and different ways of thinking flourished in this time period. This philosophical movement brought a rise to the middle class, and as we learn in the Yudkin text, "The Enlightenment favored the human over the divine, the reason over religion, and clarity over complexity." 

To me, the most interesting aspect of The Enlightenment Period that we've focused on in class is the architecture. Many spectacular styles of architecture appeared in this era. Many cathedrals, castles, and homes glow with the Enlightenment era style of architecture called Revival Architecture. Revivalism was huge at this time, take the Panthéon in Paris for example. It was modeled after the original in Rome, using similar Greek ideas of architecture, seen in the giant columns and detailed pediment on the face of the building. It is revivalism because of the Greek aspect in the architecture, but also incorporates Enlightenment era themes with implementation of the massive dome and cross. 

 The Panthéon was originally built as a church but now its purpose is to function as a mausoleum. This style of architecture perfectly portrays what this era was about. Nothing like this was built for a long time before this structure, and it was a very coming-of-age style of it's time. The Enlightenment really focused on a new way of thinking, and when they incorporated that thinking into their music, it was also brought into their buildings and their art. In a way, the Panthéon is even different from a lot of Enlightenment Era architecture. It is large, evokes a powerful force, and seems like it is part of a higher order. The thinking of the time was to build a place for all, focusing on having an inviting style of architecture, structured around the middle class. This revivalism style was really only seen in churches and castles, and it remained popular throughout the entire time period. 

As we move through this segment of music in the Enlightenment Era, I think it is important to focus on all aspects of the time period. Music effects every way of thinking in history, and it was one of the most powerful forms of art in this era. All the art is connected, making it easy to see the hints of similar ideas in all forms of the art of this time.  

The Challenge of Defining Folk Music as a Whole

Through Bruno Nettl's An Introduction to Folk Music in the United States, we finally get a clear, descriptive study on folk music and an attempt to define it. After spending such a long time going over folk music, it was frustrating to not find a clear definition of it. Nettl says in his novel, “The notion that folk music is very old has played a part in the problem of defining it,” but I quickly learned that folk music wasn't only hard to define because of its age, but also because of its conflicting factors. Nettl uses several different comparisons within the realm of folk music to dissect this genre and help us create our own definition of folk music. 

I developed my definition through comparisons Nettl made in his novel. 

Folk Music vs. Cultivated Music

In the novel we learn that Nettl believes there is a strong difference between folk music and this "cultivated music." Cultivated music is really defined as music that is part of a culture that has been passed down through written tradition, making cultivated music a type of music that is very cookie-cutter and easily defined. The reality is that some folk music is cultivated music because folk music came long before cultivated music and folk music "has a life quite independent of its characteristic qualities." Folk music has something called style. 

Folk Music vs. So-Called Primitive Music

Primitive music to Nettl brought us back to the form of tradition this music was brought through history. Since all folk music started somewhere, it had to be passed along through a certain form. The form music is passed on through is the deciding factor of which category it is placed into. Primitive music, according to Nettl, is music from a culture passed on through oral tradition. The issue here is that Nettl is saying that primitive music only comes from cultures that lack literacy, where the music is used for ceremonial and religious events. 

Simple vs. Complex

In primitive and cultivated music, the purpose behind that music was for events, ceremonies, religion, and entertainment. It was also a strong form of communication and pastime. Because of that, Nettl describes primitive and cultivated music as complex. Folk music is, therefore, simple. It's placed in these easy forms such as AAA, AABA, ABBA, etc., making them easy to remember and simple to perform. Simplicity brings out unity where complexity brings out diversity. 

Changing Through Communal Re-creation vs. Unchanging Over Time 

Phillips Bary describes re-creation as "individual pieces of music in written tradition do not change appreciably in their performance over the years, but pieces of folk music do (the making of variants). This is the greatest distinguishing feature in folk music as opposed to cultivated music." Folk music is constantly being adapted to new forms and new sounds. It is taking from the old, using the aspects learned from the old, to created newer and more innovative music, whereas cultivated music is never-changing.

Passive vs. Participatory

There are two types of people involved in music, the listeners and the creators. Within folk music, we are inspired to become both a listener and a creator. It's the nature of folk music. Think about nursery rhymes and educational music. It's so simple and involving, it is the bare bones folk music that brings out the listener and the creator in us. That's the problem with cultivated music, the complexity behind it scares off the natural creators in us and exclusively turns us into listeners. 

Functional vs. Narrative

This comparison really takes us back to simple vs. complex. With function comes the question of how complex something needs to be to work towards the goal of the music. Music without a function belongs in a more complex society, pushing it farther away from the characteristics of folk music. Narrative music brings out a message, narrates an emotion. That is what folk music is all about. Complexity is disregarded and simplicity is embraced. The goal is to tell a story or emit a feeling. 

Nettl's constant comparisons in his novel really helped me to come to a conclusion for my definition of folk music. Although I think his wording could've been less distasteful, I agree with a lot of the points he makes about folk music. Folk music is a difficult type of music to describe. It is so vast and ever-changing. I admire Nettl's attempt to explain it all, but it is really impossible to describe something so infinitely dynamic. 

My definition: folk music is music of some simple or complex variety, originating from oral or written tradition, mastered throughout history and currently, in an manner that tells a story either through a portrayal of musical emotion and/or with lyrical creativity. 

 

Pianamerica Part 2 in the Hockett Family Recital Hall September 18, 2014

Tonight I saw my first music performance on Ithaca College's campus! The feature was Pianamerica! Part 2 in the Hockett Family Recital Hall. The school of music put on a festival of American piano music performed by the studio of Jennifer Hayghe. I have never been to such a professional piano recital, and I am sure glad I came to this because I left the hall blown away by the performances.

The first performance was "Ramble on Love" from Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier, composed by Percy Grainger, performed by Jonathan Vogtle. It opened somewhat violently. It was at a fast tempo, but nothing I could count without losing focus on the emotion of the piece. The piece seemed to escalate and then calm down, and then rise again before ending slowly and quietly. Something I noticed from this first piece was that I knew that all these songs ahead would be very complicated and that I would struggle to listen for cadences and even time signatures. What stuck out most was the amount of emotion put out from the music. It was different than all the music we listen to in class because these pieces are made to be complex and impressive. I was eager to hear more.

The second performance was "Suite for Piano, Op. 13" composed by Robert Muczynski, performed by Melody Zimmerman. There were 3 parts to this piece. The first part opened with a lot of rhythmic energy and contained short and quick notes. I couldn't identify a time signature, but I knew it was fast. I'm not sure why I kept trying to count a time signature, but I was curious to see if I could find something. The second part was a lot slower. It gave me the feeling that this part was written to go with a horror film. There were eerie phrases and a lot of delicate accents in the composition. The last part of the piece was incredibly suspenseful. It was fast and kept building up, then broke down with a very quick ending. 

Moving along to the only other piece in this first half of the night that really made a big impression on me, the 4th piece. This song had to be the most interesting of the first half of the overall production. It was called "Toccata for Piano" composed by Emma Lou Diemer, performed by Jennifer Pham. This piece was shocking. It opened and I felt like I was in danger! There was an ebb and flow to the dangerous articulation... and then all of a sudden the pianist gets up and begins pressing down on the actual strings of the piano, while still playing the keys that she is pressing down. It created this really empty sound that just added to the peril of the song. Then, she sits back down and lays an arm on the farthest left keys while she continued to play with her right hand. Next, she got up and began violently smacking the strings of the piano, making a deep thrashing sound. One hand hitting the strings, the other plucking and playing the strings like a harp! It was the most interesting piece I have ever seen played on a piano. The piece closed abruptly and the pianist seemed almost out of breath and exhausted from the emotion she just exerted in her piece. The lights then rose for intermission. 

 After intermission, there was a surprise in the hall. An extra piano and two percussionists were setting up on stage. I looked at my program and saw that "Symphonic Dances" from West Side Story, composed by Leonard Bernstein, was about to be performed. It included two pianos performed by Jennifer Hayghe and Sarah Rushing, and an original percussion part arranged by Andrew Garay and Nick Merillat. This is where I just put down my notes and sat mesmerized for the 23 minute performance. It went on and on and got better and better. I half expected to see the classic gang fight to be performed in front of me as the "Rumble" piece was played. It was nonstop foot tapping for me. As a theatre major, I was completely absorbed in the performance. The percussion implementation was perfectly arranged to match the sensations of the music. I would've paid good money to see this piece, but tonight I was treated with such an amazing performance for free. 

This was my first, and definitely not my last visit to the Hockett Family Recital Hall. Three days a week I walk through the Whalen building and I never really know what all the music students are working towards, but now I truly understand. I have a newfound respect for this kind of music and I am undeniably a fan. I can't wait to see what else Ithaca has in store for me to hear.  

 

 

Ithaca Porchfest 2014

Today I experienced my first Ithaca Porchfest! Porchfest is an annual music festival in Ithaca, NY where local family bands perform on porches, gazebos, yards, driveways, and many other suburban spots located near Thompson Park. I visited Porchfest for about 2 hours and saw about 9 different bands. Some I loved, some I didn't really enjoy... but no matter what was being played, there was a good atmosphere all around. The park and streets were filled with families and pets. You could really tell that this festival was about bringing music to the people in a very friendly and neighborly fashion. 

As I got off the bus, I followed the crowd and fellow students towards Thompson Park. The first band I saw was a folk/bluegrass string band called Long John and the Tights. They played their own music, mostly instrumental and upbeat folk songs with fast banjo plucking, an acoustic guitar, a violin, and a steady upright bass in the back. As I found myself tapping my foot, I quickly counted the 2/4 time signature used in the majority of their songs played. A few songs had some vocals, where one of the banjo players sang a few lyrics, but mostly the focus was on the string instruments and their lively sound. There was a fairly large crowd gathered and the music had a bunch of children dancing. This was a great introduction to Porchfest and I was ready to see what else the festival had to offer. 

After walking around and seeing a few other artists, I found my way to this band called The Immortal Jellyfish. When I first approached their porch, they were playing a Judy Collins cover. The crowd here was much larger than the previous stages I had been to, and I knew that these guys were a local favorite. I started to realize that they were a cover band after they continued to play songs the crowd knew, and giving shout-outs to various artists. A lot of the songs they covered I didn't recognize, but the crowd knew exactly what they were playing. Keep in mind, the age group of this concert was mostly middle aged and up, and I definitely admired the musical knowledge of the crowd. After a few covers, a percussionist joined them on stage, and one of the guitarists pulled out a silver saxophone. They immediately changed their music style from 70' pop/rock covers to a bluesy jam-band! It was really impressive and I loved how they could so easily mix up their sound. 

After a while, I left The Immortal Jellyfish to explore a few more porches nearby. One of the last few performances I stopped in on was a wife and husband band, The Reynolds. For some reason, I found myself being most attracted to the cover bands there at Porchfest. Leeann and Gary Reynolds played Fleetwood Mac, The Mamas & the Papas, the Beatles, and others. They performed a set that had classic rocks fans going crazy. I felt like they deserved a bit more of a crowd, albeit they were just covering songs and not performing any of their own material. 

I left Porchfest 2014 feeling like I was a bit more included in the community of Ithaca, and less like a student here. The music was all around very good, and I could even see myself starting to recognize cadences and certain forms that we were learning in class. Everyone was so friendly and accepting, and the main goal of this entire afternoon event was to just give people an opportunity to hear music performed by their neighbors, and to just experience live music in a free environment. I really admire the purpose and the organization behind Porchfest, and I would really push to start up a Porchfest in my own neighborhood back home. I'll see you next year, Porchfest. 

Identifying Cadence Structure

 Cadences! We've spent several days learning about them... What each does and how to identify the difference between them in a song. How hard could it be? Easy! Am I right?.... Wrong. I had some pretty high hopes going into this challenge. I had just finished a class where I was confident in my ability to identify the difference between a half cadence and an imperfect authentic cadence, and I knew for a fact that I had trained my ear enough to find the perfect authentic cadence in a phrase.

 That being said, I thought highly of myself and tried to pick something hard that I could boast about to my classmates. At first, I picked the song "Quarter Chicken Dark" by Edgar Meyer, Stuart Duncan, and Chris Thile off of The Goat Rodeo Sessions album, one of my favorite songs. There's just something slick and witty about that song, and I wanted to be able to pick it apart and find it's cadences. It starts off with Chris Thile on the mandolin with a cool sounding upright bass riff under his mandolin. I figured I could just take the first 30-45 seconds and find the cadences, but after about six listens, I realized that I couldn't even find the time signature, let alone cadence structure. The song just changes so much... it was very overwhelming. Still, it's a brilliant song. 

So, I actually developed a thought process behind my next song selection. I knew it needed to be something slower and to be something with a more apparent and steady rhythm. I also was feeling kind of bassy after hearing the upright bass in the previous song... so my thoughts took me right to "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes. I am a huge Jack White fan, and everyone has heard of "Seven Nation Army" and it fit my requirements. You figure that if it's something so catchy, people are chanting it at football games and when they want a musician to bring out an encore, that it would be pretty easy to pick out a cadence structure! Well, I quickly found the smooth and steady 4/4 time signature, but I was a bit stumped when finding cadences. All I could hear was the bass line, and I noticed it didn't change at all between phrases. Plus, the guitar is really on there when Jack wanted to shred out, and the only other sound was Meg White's bass drum giving a heavy thud. I truly couldn't even tell if there was anything other than a perfect authentic cadence, but maybe I just wasn't listening hard enough. 

Alas, I tried again. I scrambled through my Spotify library to find a song I used to listen to all the time, "American Daydream" by Electric Guest. I was still craving a killer bass line, and this fixed that perfectly. I could detect another 4/4 time signature, and this time my ear picked out some differences in these phrases. I gave the song a few listens and began listen for a cadence structure. I don't exactly have a very large knowledge of notes and scales just yet, so my decision on this cadence structure is based on some different aspects of the song. As you can hear at the beginning, the bass line ends on two different notes every phrase. The first sounds open and unresolved, and the second gives a bit more of a finished sound, kind of like it's saying "alright, time to start over again." With this knowledge, I knew the second set was a perfect authentic cadence, and I sort of had to guess with the first one (god, I wish I knew the proper vocabulary of music). The definition of a half cadence is the most unresolved cadence in a phrase, and through my reasoning, I decided to claim the first part of the phrase a half cadence.

I know I have left myself without a perfectly clear answer to what the cadence structure is, but I feel a lot better than when I first began this assignment. Although I may not be 100% sure of the structure, I have reasoning to defend my answer that this song is a HC-PAC cadence structure. Please let me know if you think differently!!

Studying Meter

As we move through our introduction to music in my ICC Seminar, we have begun studying the meter and rhythm in songs. At first, training my ear to listen to the time signature was a bit difficult. I wasn't used to it. Quickly I caught on... and I remembered a great song that has a bizarre time signature. 

The song 'Take Five' is a widely popular song, by and incredibly influential American jazz artist named Dave Brubeck. It's one of my favorite jazz songs and through this study of time signature, I figured out why I like it so much. When I started listening to music for this assignment, I knew I should start with jazz because I love how it can be smooth, funky, and almost always catchy. I knew I was a huge fan of the more upbeat and complicated sounding songs, but I didn't know what that meant until I started reading the time signature of a few songs. A lot of songs were 4/4, 4/8, some 5/8, and they really just weren't my speed (literally). When I got to 'Take Five' and counted it, I was really confused for a second. I read it as a 5/4 meter and I had to count it a few times before I confirmed that that was it's time signature. Then I thought... "Take Five" and 5/4! It all made sense. 

The song opens with a snare drum before bringing in the piano that plays with Dave Brubeck's famous 5/4 timing. Quickly, the saxophone joins. Hearing all 3 of the instruments at once is really what brings it all together. I have heard this song played many times on guitar and bass, but the saxophone/drum/piano is really how it sounds best. After a while, the saxophone fades and the drum gets louder, adding a lot of cymbal play, and it somewhat seems like a drum solo, all while the piano stays steady. This goes on for about two minutes until the drums soften, and the saxophone joins again. 

I think studying music like this is making me gain more of an appreciation for the way artists think. This is the first time I've ever gone so in depth with music and I am really enjoying it. Dave Brubeck will remain one of my favorite jazz musicians as I explore the complexity of his sound.