Sunday, January 24, 2016
Michael Markowski
Michael Markowski is a twenty-first century composer who has written many award-winning pieces for band. Markowski is quite young, but he is gaining popularity rapidly because of his immense talents and beautiful works. My band performed perhaps one of his most famous pieces to date, Shadow Rituals, last year. This is the song my band recorded and submitted to the Iowa Band Masters Association last year in attempts to be selected as the High School Class 4A Band at the festival. To be selected is an extremely big deal and a great honor. My band was selected to perform at the festival last year, and one of our opening pieces was Shadow Rituals. This year, we are going to play City Trees, another popular piece written by Markowski. While Rituals is a very fast, upbeat tune, City Trees is much calmer and slower. I am looking forward to rehearsing this piece very much, and I cannot wait for Markowski to create more beautiful pieces of music.
Suite of Old American Dances Music Review
Suite of Old American Dances by Robert Russell Bennett is a very popular band piece composed in 1949. It consists of five difficult movements that include Cake Walk, Schottische, Western One-Step, Wallflower Waltz, and Rag. My band is currently working on this piece and I absolutely love it.
I. Cake Walk
The first movement was inspired by a traditional competition among black slaves. The slaves would put on a play for their white masters, who served as the judges. The master would choose his favorite skit and would reward the slave(s) with a cake. This is how the competition became known as the 'Cake Walk'. This movement is very fast and upbeat with many different sections that reflect the stages of the competition.
II. Schottische
This movement was written based off of a Scottish round dance, hence the name. It is very similar to a polka, but it is a little slower. The style switches between two types of playing throughout the movement. At the beginning the song is very light and dance-like, and then it quickly moves to a very loud and rambunctious section with almost no transition. This switch occurs several times throughout the piece.
III. Western One-Step
The Western One-Step is a variation of an early ballroom dance. This dance was often a precursor to the foxtrot. It is a very catchy movement filled with lots of sound. This movement is interesting because many instruments that usually do not have the melody carry the tune, such as the trombones.
IV. Wallflower Waltz
The fourth movement of this piece is a charming 20th century take on the classic Viennese waltz. It is a soothing tune with its familiar 1-2-3 meter. This movement is very light and beautiful. It features large english horn and trumpet solos throughout. In addition, there are many special mutes and playing styles used by the brass in order to create unique, distinct sounds.
V. Rag
The wonderful conclusion to the Suite features a bright and wild take on ragtime music. The piece is full of syncopated rhythms and 2-against-3 patterns that challenge the players. Rag is written in cut time and it very upbeat and fast, making for a fitting conclusion to the celebrated tune by Bennett.
I. Cake Walk
The first movement was inspired by a traditional competition among black slaves. The slaves would put on a play for their white masters, who served as the judges. The master would choose his favorite skit and would reward the slave(s) with a cake. This is how the competition became known as the 'Cake Walk'. This movement is very fast and upbeat with many different sections that reflect the stages of the competition.
II. Schottische
This movement was written based off of a Scottish round dance, hence the name. It is very similar to a polka, but it is a little slower. The style switches between two types of playing throughout the movement. At the beginning the song is very light and dance-like, and then it quickly moves to a very loud and rambunctious section with almost no transition. This switch occurs several times throughout the piece.
III. Western One-Step
The Western One-Step is a variation of an early ballroom dance. This dance was often a precursor to the foxtrot. It is a very catchy movement filled with lots of sound. This movement is interesting because many instruments that usually do not have the melody carry the tune, such as the trombones.
IV. Wallflower Waltz
The fourth movement of this piece is a charming 20th century take on the classic Viennese waltz. It is a soothing tune with its familiar 1-2-3 meter. This movement is very light and beautiful. It features large english horn and trumpet solos throughout. In addition, there are many special mutes and playing styles used by the brass in order to create unique, distinct sounds.
V. Rag
The wonderful conclusion to the Suite features a bright and wild take on ragtime music. The piece is full of syncopated rhythms and 2-against-3 patterns that challenge the players. Rag is written in cut time and it very upbeat and fast, making for a fitting conclusion to the celebrated tune by Bennett.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Less Commonly Known Band Instruments
Everyone is aware of the main instruments that are used in band, such as flute, clarinet, trumpet, and tuba. Apart from these well known instruments, there are many more that are not as common and not used in all pieces of music. Sometimes when a composer wants a certain part to sound a certain way, he writes a part for an odd instrument that is not used very commonly. Similarly, sometimes a composer wants to feature that instrument in a solo or small group, so he incorporates it into the music. The instruments I will be discussing include piccolo, english horn, and cornet. There are many others, of course, but they are less confusing than these three. For example, there are instruments such as alto flute, soprano saxophone, and bass trombone that are not used very commonly in music. However, it is easier to understand them because they are simply deeper or higher versions of the main instruments, as the name suggests.
A talented, advanced flute player will have to learn how to play piccolo sometime in their studies if they wish to continue music to a certain level. A piccolo is much smaller than a flute, and it looks quite different. While most flutes are silver or gold, piccolos are often jet black or a dark colored wood and roughly less than half the size. Piccolos are very high pitched and are able to play notes higher than any other instrument. An unskilled player often makes harsh, shrill noises that are not pleasing to the ear. However, a talented flutist is able to make the piccolo sound just as good as he/she does with the flute. Piccolos, like flutes, are very hard to tune and do not sound good when two are playing together out of tune. Because of this, it is extremely rare for there to be more than one piccolo player in the band at a time. Piccolo is actually the most common of these three unknown instruments. Many songs call for a piccolo, people just do not know it.
While most flutists start learning piccolo at a younger age, oboists do not start playing english horn until much later in their musical careers. I learned how to play english horn when I was a freshman in high school, which is younger than most. A piece we were performing called for an enormous english horn solo in the beginning, so the duty fell unto me. An english horn is about twice the size of an oboe and it is much deeper. I love the sound of the english horn because it is extremely dark and rich. When playing english horn, I feel very regal and majestic. It looks exactly the same as the oboe with one exception: the bell at the bottom of an english horn is puffed up, so it looks like there is a ball of something stuck inside. The bell of an oboe has a slight flare towards the end, but it does not have a lump at the bottom. Not many songs call for an english horn, so it is rare that you would need one. Even less common is an english horn solo, like the one I mentioned above. Most composers do not think to incorporate and english horn part, let alone write a solo for it. However, I think it is a beautiful instrument and I would love to get the opportunity to play it more often.
The final instrument is the cornet. Cornet and trumpet are extremely similar, almost exactly the same in fact. There is only one tiny, unnoticeable difference between them: the way their bells are shaped. Trumpets have cylindrical bores that are consistent throughout the whole length of the tubing while cornets have conical bores that gradually decrease in size down the length of the tubing. The instruments sound and look basically the same, so they are practically interchangeable. Once in a while, pieces of music call for a section of cornets instead of a section of trumpets. The difference in sound is so miniscule I do not see the point, but some composers are extremely picky about their choice of instruments.
I always find it interesting to play or listen to pieces that use odd, uncommon instruments. It adds character to the music and I find those pieces much more enjoyable.
A talented, advanced flute player will have to learn how to play piccolo sometime in their studies if they wish to continue music to a certain level. A piccolo is much smaller than a flute, and it looks quite different. While most flutes are silver or gold, piccolos are often jet black or a dark colored wood and roughly less than half the size. Piccolos are very high pitched and are able to play notes higher than any other instrument. An unskilled player often makes harsh, shrill noises that are not pleasing to the ear. However, a talented flutist is able to make the piccolo sound just as good as he/she does with the flute. Piccolos, like flutes, are very hard to tune and do not sound good when two are playing together out of tune. Because of this, it is extremely rare for there to be more than one piccolo player in the band at a time. Piccolo is actually the most common of these three unknown instruments. Many songs call for a piccolo, people just do not know it.
The final instrument is the cornet. Cornet and trumpet are extremely similar, almost exactly the same in fact. There is only one tiny, unnoticeable difference between them: the way their bells are shaped. Trumpets have cylindrical bores that are consistent throughout the whole length of the tubing while cornets have conical bores that gradually decrease in size down the length of the tubing. The instruments sound and look basically the same, so they are practically interchangeable. Once in a while, pieces of music call for a section of cornets instead of a section of trumpets. The difference in sound is so miniscule I do not see the point, but some composers are extremely picky about their choice of instruments.
I always find it interesting to play or listen to pieces that use odd, uncommon instruments. It adds character to the music and I find those pieces much more enjoyable.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Rhythmic Interpretation
Rhythm is defined as "a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound". In music, rhythm is typically very uniform and set and there is not much lenience. The rhythms are divided up perfectly and mathematically with the tempo so they are extremely precise and always accurate. However, we as humans are not robots, so it is impossible to make everything we play mechanical and perfect with math. We can get pretty darn close, but in actuality our rhythms and what we play will never be absolutely in time and flawless. It is simply impossible. This is part of how we get rhythmic interpretation.
It becomes harder to play perfectly in time the more complicated the rhythms become. Half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, or basically any multiple of four not rhythms are typically easier to play in time. More difficulty comes with groupings of three or five or some other odd number. Since the rhythms are more complicated, it is easier to interpret them in more different ways. Although not everything is perfectly in time, there are multiple ways that can be correct.
Oftentimes musicians stretch or emphasize rhythms during solos. It is their time to shine, and it shows musicality if you do it correctly. Certain notes in a phrase are more important than others, so it makes sense to hold on to those a little longer than written. Doing such makes the piece more musical and that shows great skill and understanding of music.
In music, there is no right or wrong way to be musical or interpretive. The ability to improvise or slightly change things is what makes music interesting and beautiful.
It becomes harder to play perfectly in time the more complicated the rhythms become. Half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, or basically any multiple of four not rhythms are typically easier to play in time. More difficulty comes with groupings of three or five or some other odd number. Since the rhythms are more complicated, it is easier to interpret them in more different ways. Although not everything is perfectly in time, there are multiple ways that can be correct.
Oftentimes musicians stretch or emphasize rhythms during solos. It is their time to shine, and it shows musicality if you do it correctly. Certain notes in a phrase are more important than others, so it makes sense to hold on to those a little longer than written. Doing such makes the piece more musical and that shows great skill and understanding of music.
In music, there is no right or wrong way to be musical or interpretive. The ability to improvise or slightly change things is what makes music interesting and beautiful.
Diction
The definition of diction is "the choice and use of words and phrases in speaking or writing". We have learned about this term a lot over the past semester in my AP Language and Composition class. However, this term has a slightly different meaning in music. In music, diction can be defined as "the pronunciation and enunciation of words in singing". Oftentimes, when singers are singing their lines they are told to use their diction to enunciate the words they are singing. This is especially stressed in show choir. During the concert choir season, the directors often tell their students to use 'show choir diction'.
When young students sing, they do not always think about how their words sound to their audience. The students know the lyrics and the words they are singing, so they do not think about if their audience can understand them and what they are saying. Sometimes singers do not concentrate on pronunciation and it just sounds like they are singing mush. The words are not distinct or clear and it is impossible to decipher the lyrics. To avoid this the singers must be sure to always make sure they pronounce both the beginnings and the ends of their words. Perhaps the hardest words to do this with are words that end with the letter 't'. It is easy to simply run the middle of these words into the beginning of the next word without fully pronouncing the 't' sound. However, if you actually take the time to think about it, it is easy to make your words sound clear and crisp to the audience.
When young students sing, they do not always think about how their words sound to their audience. The students know the lyrics and the words they are singing, so they do not think about if their audience can understand them and what they are saying. Sometimes singers do not concentrate on pronunciation and it just sounds like they are singing mush. The words are not distinct or clear and it is impossible to decipher the lyrics. To avoid this the singers must be sure to always make sure they pronounce both the beginnings and the ends of their words. Perhaps the hardest words to do this with are words that end with the letter 't'. It is easy to simply run the middle of these words into the beginning of the next word without fully pronouncing the 't' sound. However, if you actually take the time to think about it, it is easy to make your words sound clear and crisp to the audience.
Life as an Instrument Repair Technician
Instrument repair technicians are very valuable in the area of music. Instruments can break or get damaged very easily, so it is important to know someone in the area who can repair it for you. Studying to be a repair technician is hard work, but it pays off once you achieve a certain level of mastery.
Many instrument repair technicians do not repair every single instrument known to man. Usually technicians specialize in a certain section or area of instruments. For example, a technician may specialize in just repairing woodwind instruments, or just brass instruments. They do this because repair technicians have to be able to play all the instruments they repair. In order to assess the problem, you often have to play the instrument to see what is wrong. Similarly, when the technician thinks he or she is done repairing, he or she must play the instrument again to make sure it is all fixed. Learning to play every single instrument at a high level is extremely hard work, so the technicians usually stick to the category that their primary instrument is in. If I were a customer looking for someone to repair my instrument, I would trust a woodwind repair technician more than I would trust someone who repairs all kinds of instruments because I would think that the woodwind specialist is better at dealing with my instrument.
Instrument repair technicians generally make a decent salary and a good living. Instruments are not cheap, and neither is repairing them. Technicians can charge more money for their services because it really is hard work that is expected to be done with top notch quality. Technicians typically make much more money than professional musicians or private lesson teachers. Another perk of being an instrument repair technician is that you often get to run your own business. Some technicians work out of a music shop or go into business with a store, but most run their own studios. Being your own boss is very nice, but it is also sometimes hard keeping up with running your own business. However, overall, I think the benefits outweigh the negative aspects.
When I go to college, I know for sure I would like to major in some type of music. I do not know what I want to do with music yet, but I have certainly considered studying to become an instrument repair technician. Taking thins apart and seeing how they work fascinates me, so I believe it is something I would enjoy doing for a living. Other types of music careers I have considered include a professional musician, a private lesson teacher, or a band director. I love playing my instrument, but I know it is not likely that I will have a very easy life doing that as my profession. I do not like the idea of teaching lessons privately as much because my mom was a private lesson teacher for flute, so I have first hand knowledge of what it is like. It is a hard job, but it is also very rewarding seeing how much you can impact a student's life. Seeing them achieve success brought my mother great joy often. I have considered being a band director for a long time now. My band director is also my private lesson teacher, so we are much closer than she is with most students. She has advised me to not become a band director, as have others in the area. It is an extremely stressful job trying to teach students sometimes, but like private lessons, I believe it can also be extremely rewarding. I do not know what I wish to do yet, but I am sure that as long as it is in the area of music I am making the right decision.
Many instrument repair technicians do not repair every single instrument known to man. Usually technicians specialize in a certain section or area of instruments. For example, a technician may specialize in just repairing woodwind instruments, or just brass instruments. They do this because repair technicians have to be able to play all the instruments they repair. In order to assess the problem, you often have to play the instrument to see what is wrong. Similarly, when the technician thinks he or she is done repairing, he or she must play the instrument again to make sure it is all fixed. Learning to play every single instrument at a high level is extremely hard work, so the technicians usually stick to the category that their primary instrument is in. If I were a customer looking for someone to repair my instrument, I would trust a woodwind repair technician more than I would trust someone who repairs all kinds of instruments because I would think that the woodwind specialist is better at dealing with my instrument.
Instrument repair technicians generally make a decent salary and a good living. Instruments are not cheap, and neither is repairing them. Technicians can charge more money for their services because it really is hard work that is expected to be done with top notch quality. Technicians typically make much more money than professional musicians or private lesson teachers. Another perk of being an instrument repair technician is that you often get to run your own business. Some technicians work out of a music shop or go into business with a store, but most run their own studios. Being your own boss is very nice, but it is also sometimes hard keeping up with running your own business. However, overall, I think the benefits outweigh the negative aspects.
When I go to college, I know for sure I would like to major in some type of music. I do not know what I want to do with music yet, but I have certainly considered studying to become an instrument repair technician. Taking thins apart and seeing how they work fascinates me, so I believe it is something I would enjoy doing for a living. Other types of music careers I have considered include a professional musician, a private lesson teacher, or a band director. I love playing my instrument, but I know it is not likely that I will have a very easy life doing that as my profession. I do not like the idea of teaching lessons privately as much because my mom was a private lesson teacher for flute, so I have first hand knowledge of what it is like. It is a hard job, but it is also very rewarding seeing how much you can impact a student's life. Seeing them achieve success brought my mother great joy often. I have considered being a band director for a long time now. My band director is also my private lesson teacher, so we are much closer than she is with most students. She has advised me to not become a band director, as have others in the area. It is an extremely stressful job trying to teach students sometimes, but like private lessons, I believe it can also be extremely rewarding. I do not know what I wish to do yet, but I am sure that as long as it is in the area of music I am making the right decision.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Arranging Music
In music, an arrangement is a musical reconceptualization of a previously composed work. It may differ from the original work by means of reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or development of the formal structure. Arranging differs from orchestration in that the latter process is limited to the assignment of notes to instruments for performance by an orchestra, concert band, or other musical ensemble. Arranging "involves adding compositional techniques, such as new thematic material for introductions, transitions, or modulations, and endings...Arranging is the art of giving an existing melody musical variety."
When arranging music, it is important to consider many elements such as instrumentation, balance, style, and much more. Oftentimes arrangements are of pieces that were written as solos for a single instrument and piano. When arranging such solos, the arranger must not only come up with other lines and melodies and harmonies, but he or she must also consider the instrumentation. If you write a part for too many instruments, the balance will be thrown off and the piece will not sound very sophisticated or good. Another important thing to consider when arranging a piece is style. Unless the arranger intends to change the style of the song drastically, he or she must pay very close attention to the articulations and styles the original composer used in the original piece. Keeping consistent articulations and tempos helps aid this process.
Overall, arranging is very hard work and it takes a lot of skill and time to master it. I hope to be able to learn how to compose and arrange music proficiently some day, but I still have a lot left to learn. :)
When arranging music, it is important to consider many elements such as instrumentation, balance, style, and much more. Oftentimes arrangements are of pieces that were written as solos for a single instrument and piano. When arranging such solos, the arranger must not only come up with other lines and melodies and harmonies, but he or she must also consider the instrumentation. If you write a part for too many instruments, the balance will be thrown off and the piece will not sound very sophisticated or good. Another important thing to consider when arranging a piece is style. Unless the arranger intends to change the style of the song drastically, he or she must pay very close attention to the articulations and styles the original composer used in the original piece. Keeping consistent articulations and tempos helps aid this process.
Overall, arranging is very hard work and it takes a lot of skill and time to master it. I hope to be able to learn how to compose and arrange music proficiently some day, but I still have a lot left to learn. :)
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