You are to select one video from the following website that lists the top 10 videos of the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s to review.  Once you have selected your video provide us with (1) an analysis of how the cinematography is used to enhance the music and (2) a brief description of cinematography techniques commonly used in the video.

Videos:

http://www.billboard.com/features/the-30-best-music-videos-ever-poll-results-1005299822.story#/features/the-30-best-music-videos-ever-poll-results-1005299822.story

Cinematography Techniques:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinematic_techniques

Comment on the video below.  Comment on the visual aspects as well as the audio.  Taking all elements into consideration, did this video successfully demonstrate the intent of the performer? Why or why not?

Cat O’ Nine Tails (Tex Avery Directs The Marquis De Sade)-John Zorn

This eclectic work for string quartet from 1991 (performed by the Kronos String Quartet) is in what is called “progressive” form, meaning that it doesn’t repeat material and is, in effect, a one-way trip.  Aside from the instrumentation, about the only thing that remains stable about it is it’s stylistic instability.  You’ll hear what I mean.  What other music does this?

Using the criteria in the course outline please complete your two paragraphs on this performance/lecture.

Watch the video below and comment on the following points:

1) Is this improvisation a “legitimate” piece of music (whatever that means to you)? Why or why not?

2) How does this improvisation work (or not work) as music?

3) Perhaps most important: In what ways did the performers communicate with each other during the improvisation?

This is a work that uses several different approaches to musical texture.  Describe some of them and share your impressions of the work as a whole.  There are stylistic nods to music of various cultures here, including familiar ones.  Can you identify some of them?  The composer is Mike Patton, vocalist and leader of several music projects including Mr. Bungle (heard here), Fantomas, Tomahawk, Faith No More, composer of video game and film music, and multi-media performance artist.  What do you think might be his musical influences?

Goodbye Sober Day

(Text)

Your lips say one thing
But the drugs they think another
How can I massage
This inter-galactic ulcer?

Goodbye sober day

Hello milky way…

Pin my ear to the wisdom post
Hang me up and drain me dry
Mend my shipwrecked spirit
Lift the veil from my eyes

Goodbye sober day
The years grew wings and flew away

Ghosts of the past become barbarians
Of the future…
And I still pity you
Because what you said was true

Goodbye sober day
Hello milky way…

May your sun be blown out just like a candle
May your sea burn like tar
May your sky be rolled up like a scroll
May your blue moon drip with blood

What would they say
If you went up in smoke?
If I dug you up
And made soup of your bones?

Goodbye sober day

Hi all!  I’m sorry about this technical glitch.  The address has been replaced and now works.  Thanks Andrew for the fix, but I’m not sure that folks saw it in the replies section, so I’ll re-post here. Please post by Monday at 12:00 noon and Happy Homecoming!

Please watch the following above video and add your own two paragraph post.  See the course syllabus assignment description for more detail of what should be in your post.  You are encouraged to read/respond to the work of others.

Listen to the following arrangements.  Please comment on how they work/what makes them work, or talk about why they didn’t work if you didn’t think they did.  Make sure that you note musical elements that have been changed.  Do the performers/arrangers capture the “essence” of the tunes?  If you think they do, how much of that “essence” did they keep (in the second video, there are sometimes only hints of the tune)?  The first is a guitar arrangement of Stevie Wonder’s song “Superstition”.  In the video, the guitarist shows the parts separately and then puts them together to play the song.  The second video is Rachel Barton-Pine playing her arrangement of “Happy Birthday” on the violin.  She is an amazing player.  She arranged a Theme and Variations on the tune, which, in itself is a set of several arrangements on the tune.  Your comments are due Monday, October 1 by 12:20pm–Enjoy!

Watch the videos with good speakers/earphones.  Read the program notes posted on the site for the Violin piece.  The second one is just for fun.  For the Alexander Schubert piece, comment on both your thoughts about the music and the implications of the technology.  The “synthesizer” in this work is a computer program called Max/MSP that can be programmed to do just about anything with audio.  In this piece, the violinists sounds (the source) are both amplified and sent to the computer where they are processed by the synthesis program.  How they are processed (modified/modifier) is the result of the way the synth is programmed and the violin bow becomes, in effect, the controller for the synth.

Alexander Schubert Weapon of Choice for Violin and Sensor

Monkeys and others

As this was posted late (!) it will due Monday, instead of Friday. Thanks for your understanding!

Please watch the following two videos and add your own two paragraph post.  See the course syllabus assignment description for more detail of what should be in your post.  You are encouraged to read/respond to the work of others.