Pauline Oliveros-Sound Patterns

“In Pauline Oliveros’ Jet propelled Sound Patterns, the conductor deals with precise, difficult rhythmic structures that have many changes of tempo. The singers improvise pitches with in broad areas of high, middle and low and are asked to produce a varied assortment of sounds, including whispers, tongue-clicks, lip-pops, and finger-snaps. The vocal noises, along with tone clusters produced by the pitch improvisations, create a humorous, electronic effect.”
Pauline Oliveros’ “Sound Patterns”, was written in an electronic musical form. I personally am not a fan of this type of music but I do respect someone who is. I know that in order for me to better understand this art form; I have to listen to it as a sound sculpture, or like someone creating a clay pot. With this state of mind, I can better understand what the composer is going for. For example, Sound Patterns is made up of sounds created by human voices. At first, I wanted to laugh because the sounds that are made seem like those of a six year old child. Were the art comes in is when the composer uses those sounds and creates a sound that only can be made through electronics. Its like taking one of those machines you see at a mall, were you put a penny in the machine and it flattens the penny and creates a new design. A good representation of this is when the voices are bended and create tone clusters. Another good representation is when the composer takes the click sound, with the tongue, and adds reverb to enhance the wet sound of the tongue hitting the roof of the mouth. It kind of saying you know if this person’s voice had more highs or lows in it, their voice would be perfect to my ear. That is what is happening with the sounds in this piece. The patterns of sound are apparent throughout this work.
Throughout the piece a repetition of different sounds, like those with the tongue, are played. My guess is that the composer was showing us these sounds over and over because of two reasons. First, I believe Oliveros did this because like when learning any new language, repetition is needed. Last, I believe it was used to give the listener an overall effect of what the bigger picture is of the piece. Which are different sounds played over and over again with electronic effects to create an new image or different color of sound. Personally, I do not believe that this piece should be in the canon. I do not believe for electronic music work that it is as good as some others. Also, in my opinion, no matter how many times I have listened to an electronic music I still get the same feeling that it is made up by a bunch of people who sit around all day and play on the computer and say look how smart I can be. Where is the soul in the music? Where is the heart of someone who has worked so hard on a craft or voice that they have that heart every time they play? It just seems that sounds coming at of a computer just do not give me the same effect as some creating a sound out of their human spirit. Maybe electronic music is something I have to listen too more of, but why listen to something that does not move me the first ten times?
In conclusion, Pauline Oliveros’ “Sound Patterns” was respected, but not for this listener. I do not believe it should be considered part of the canon and I would not recommend it for others to listen to. I think it is for those who are computer genius. Music to me is good if it somehow betters one’s life. That is why there are so many different types of music. I think that electronic music only betters those who make it. I could be wrong, but I have never heard anyone say I am playing Sound Patterns at my wedding. Or I want Sound Patterns played at my funeral. Either way, I hope it does better someone’s life because this type of art is not for me.

Ben Johnston: String Quartet no.4, “Amazing Grace”

Ben Johnston’s main goal was to speak clearly and intelligently to a wide audience
using avant-garde music. One of his most compelling instances of this is with his work String Quartet no. 4 “Amazing Grace.” The quartet uses three different tunings in its eleven-minute span, all of them forms of just intonation. The first form is known as Pythagorean tuning ( based on chains of pure fifths), the next is triadic just intonation ( based on pure fifths and pure major thirds), and last is known as the experimental form of extended just intonation using, in addition to pure fifths and thirds, intervals derived from the seventh partial of the overtone series ( a narrow minor 7th quite different from its equal-tempered equivalent). Using this pitch world and varies complex rhythms, the fourth string quartet is known to be one of Johnston’s greatest works.
I really enjoyed Johnston’s arrangement of “Amazing Grace.” I thought the opening was gorgeous. He uses right away the intervals of open fifths. Also, I love how he had the melody and a counter melody underneath it. I think this was a smart move on Johnston’s part because a everyday person who may not know anything about music knows the words and melody to “Amazing Grace.” Also, I like the fact he has the melody being played then takes it up an octave after the first time through the first phrase. This helped create a singing like quality to it. That is when the open fifths, Pythagorean tuning, really got to shine. The effect an interval of an open fifth gives you is a open sound. It also allows space to be filled by the other voices. The second part of this work shows off his knowledge of rhythm.
This rhythmic section still has the melody being played, but it is like the melody went into hover mode. What I mean it is like the melody is floating in the sky looking down at a city with cars, planes, and trains going on. That is the image that is created in my head when listening to this section. Later on in this piece Johnston starts to create dissidents by using minor seconds in the strings. This section is very quit. This quit section then flows into what I think might be an interlude into the next section. This section was my favorite because it starts off with three of the string players playing complex rhythms with unique harmonies. Then out of nowhere, the lead string player comes in and plays the melody on top of the three string players. This was an effective idea because while listening to the three strings, with the melody being played over the top, it created an different mood towards the melody.
At the end of all of this section the melody is played again only this time it will land on a flat nine of a dominant chord. Or, the melody will be played and the harmony will suddenly change on you. For example, on the part of the song were it goes, “How sweet the sound,” on the word sound the strings change to a darker color. Instead of a major chord they might play a dominant chord with a flat 13 or flat or sharp nine.
Overall, I really enjoyed Johnston’s “Amazing Grace.” I believe it should be recognized as part of the canon. I thought it was well thought out and organized. One way Johnston took Amazing Grace and organized it was by playing it in the variation that everyone knows it as. Then, he took it and used his own ideas and creativity and played it in ways he heard it. In return, your audience listens, with the response, “I know that song!” Then when they feel comfortable with the song, it goes in a different direction. This forces the average listener to think what just happened to my song, and that is when they really start to listen. I liked that he had the tune played normal and the way everyone knew it first. I believe this shows respect for the song and the composer who wrote it. Then I like how he kept stretching it and stretching it as if he was thinking let me see how far I can take my listeners. Then he comes back with the melody but this time with more advanced harmonies. Because of these reasons and the Johnston’s rhythmic concept, I believe this work should be considered part of the canon.

Gian Francesco Malipiero
Vivaldiana

Gian Francesco Malipiero, 1882-1973, was an Italian composer. Malipiero studied in Vience and in Bologne, and taught at the conservatory in Panama. He did studied Italian music and did important work on composers such as Montrverdi and Vivailda. Vivailda was an ordained priest and was famous for his concerto form. No piece is a better representation of that influence than the piece I decided to listen to, Gian Francesco’s “Vivaldiana.” This work is played by the Vento Philharmonic Orchestra with Peter Maag as the conductor. This piece consists of three movements, the first movement is entitled Adagio-Allegro.
The first movement starts off slow, with the cellos and basses playing the down beats in 4/4 time. I thought that this part of the song was very boring. The adagio sets up the allegro section nicely. One effective way this work does that is by having the adagio section not very long, and by having the adagio section ending cadence be a V to I. This makes you believe the tune has ended. After the cadence the Allegro section takes off with a simple theme. This theme is echoed and passed throughout each section of the orchestra. In fact, in some sections of they would play a round. This is a unique effect used throughout the first movement. Also the dynamics in the Allegro section are apparent. There is a good shift from metsso forta to fortissimo.
The second movement of the piece is entitled “Andante piu lento un poco.” This movement I thought was musical and sensitive. The strings enter at a soft dynamic while an oboe solo occurs. The entire movement never gets above a metsso piano. The piece comes off sensitive by creating space in a soft dynamic. For example, the strings hold notes for up to three to four counts. This allows space to occur was a soloist or another string player can play. The strings at a soft dynamic allow the space to be more of a listen to the space and the attack of the notes, and allow the tone of the individual instruments to fill in the space. This is opposite from the hold note with a crescendo that gives me the feeling of whets going to happen next. Another characteristic of the second movement is the use of an echo. Throughout the piece the one instrument would play a melodic line for a bar while another instrument played that same melodic line the following measure. I thought this characteristic help move the movement along.
The third and final movement of the work is entitled “Allegro, Allegro molto”. One characteristic that caught my attention was the use of the woodwinds. In this movement, Malipiero use the woodwinds to outline the chords and harmony. This was done by giving the woodwinds continuous eight note runs. In the middle of this of the movement the strings and woodwinds switch roles. The woodwinds have the melody while your strings outline the harmony. Also the use of an echo is apparent in this movement as well. Towards the end of the piece Malipiero has the strings playing while the woodwinds sit out and woodwinds play while the strings sit out. So he gives both groups roles, then they switch roles, after that they play separately, and finally at the end they play together. This movement is well organized.
Overall, I found this work to be average. I thought that everything I heard had been done before. Also the music seemed to up and down. It did not really have a taste to it. I mean it seemed by the book. I would not consider this for the canon because of these reasons. Also, He uses a lot of the same elements in all three movements. It was hard to even write about it because of this aspect and because each movement seemed short in length.

Marion Bauer
Symphonic Suite and American Youth Concerto

Marion Bauer’s composition, “Symphonic Suite and American Youth Concerto”, consists of three movements, “Andante Maestoso-Allegretto-Vivo”, “Andante ma non troppo”, and “Allegretto”. The first movement energetic, march like, and has romantic tendencies.
For example, the opening statement is a four bar phrase ending on a major chord were a piano fills in the chord with a melodic run. This creates a strong opening statement. After the fermata the strings enter repeating the first two bars of the opening statement and then playing a ii, V, I. Right when the strings land on beat one, clarinets come in with a march like style. To me, I believe Bauer was influenced by John Phillip Sousa march like style. Also the dramatic change in dynamics kept my attention throughout this movement. Running the changes on the piano created a beautiful color while the strings were playing. Another effective musical idea in this theme was the theme aimed and stretch-out beat three of the second bar. The melody is always aiming for this beat which happens to be a diminished chord. The sound is very dramatic and dark. This is where I think the romantic qualities can be heard in the first movement. Overall, I really enjoyed this first movement. I thought it was one of the better pieces of music I’ve listen to in a long time. It could be because I am an American I am listening to something that sounds familiar. Either way, I enjoyed this movement.
The second movement entitled “Andante ma no troppo,” had romantic like qualities as well. Also it made me think of a happy but yet troubled youth. The reason is, it starts off very beautiful with lush harmonies and when you think it going to land on a particular major chord the composer throws you off by landing on a dissonant chord tone. Also, out of nowhere Bauer throws in chords where your bass line moves up chromatically. This creates suspicion and anticipation. Chromatic movement was a common tool used during the romantic period. Also after the chromatics, the symphony would land on a dissonant chord than finally resolve it, and it was in ¾ time. These two effects were popular during the romantic era. Something I really enjoyed the most was how Bauer would create the feeling of hope in her music. She does this with repetition and dynamics. By having a melodic sequence played over and over again, with a crescendo. When the climax of the piece is at its peak he hits you with some surprising chord. This movement I felt was more like a nocturne mainly because I felt the “American Youth”. I really felt like that was what Bauer was aiming for.
The final movement starts off with a drum roll and beats one through four are emphasized. This immediately gave me the impression of a march. Something that really stuck out was the use of the saxophone used with strings. Also being a saxophone player, I noticed American like tendencies in his solo. For example, if this were not meant to be an American piece, you would not hear any scoops in his phrasing. That is an American “jazz” tendency. Also his vibrato is not in the French or German styles. His vibrato is fast but under the pitch which is known to be more of a jazz vibrato. Nothing could represent youthful Americans at the time than jazz. This movement has every type of American moves that you can find from marches to jazz. I really enjoyed this movement mainly because it was nice to hear a saxophone.
Overall, all three movements were fantastic to listen to. I thought it used a good mixture of European and American styles. It had some romanticism, marches, and jazz. All three pieces represented America well, especially the last movement with the saxophone. I believe that Marion Bauer’s Symphonic Suite and American Youth Concerto, is a great representation of American music. I could see this in the canon because of this reason. I know it may not come off as sophisticated as some of the earlier European composers, but considering how new of a country America is, the piece upholds the given title well. Also, another point I like to make is that America is still even to this day a fairly new country, and at the time of the piece we as a country were still in a growing up phase. Which to me means America was kind of a teenager at that time. Teenagers have a lot of cocky confidence and a lot of energy. That’s kind of how America is. That leads me to the thought that the American Youth was representing all of America and were we where as a country. For these reasons I believe this piece should be considered part of the canon.