October 2015 archive

In Class Stasis Theory RCL Post

What is the paradigm shift?

A paradigm shift is a transition from one way of thinking or from one set of beliefs to another. It encompasses the way that these views shifted and how they shifted to this current ideology.  It also results in a change in culture in the community or area that it has occurred in.  Even though beliefs and views change a lot, the paradigm shift focuses on the permanent aspect of this transition, instead of the more fleeting trendy side.

One of the paradigm shifts that I was thinking about focusing on is the culuture shift in America to a more accepting and tolerant view of the LGBTQ community.  I am interested in this because a lot of my friends were involved with the club at our school and it is a personal issue for them. Also, it is interesting to see how the transition from WWII where members of the community were persecuted and criminalized, to now where we have just legalized gay marriage.

Ethos

Facts

Definition

Actual Paradigm Shift I will be doing:

Paradigm Shift Paper: Change in women’s roles in the home

Fact:  From the mid-1900s family structure has moved away from a breadwinner-homemaker structure to one that is very diverse and harder to classify since more women are now in the workforce

Definition: Nuclear families are those that consist of married parents and dependent children. Breadwinner-homemaker structure is one in which the husband would be the main provider of income and the wife would keep the home in order.

Quality: Views of women have shifted which allow more women to now work outside the home and be more autonomous

Policy: Laws relating to divorce, benefits from marriage, rights of partners, common law marriages, financial responsibility etc.

 

Dies Irae

Mozart is highly regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time. One of his most well known pieces is the Requiem in D Minor. It is about an hour long and tells of death, the wrath Wolfgang-amadeus-mozart_1of God, and the judgement day. There’s much mystery surrounding this piece since it was commissioned in the last year of his life. It is known that up to the first eight bars of Lacrimosa is his own work. However, it is widely believed that his student Süssmayr completed it for him, since at the time of Mozart’s death, the Requiem was not completed, but rather existed in sections.

Dies Irae is one of the sections in the Requiem. It is part of the Sequencia, a text, which in Church is sung before the Gospel. The Dies Irae describes the Day of Judgment along with the wrath of God.  It states, “The day of wrath, that day/ Will dissolve the world in ashes!” It is performed in Latin, since that is the language of the Church. It takes a lot of stamina to be able to perform this section, because it is angry music with a multitude off-beat rhythms accompanied by running strings all performed at a very high tempo.  When you listen to this below, around 0:07 of the video you can audibly hear the whole choir draw in a breath together before starting, this is because they need a good starting breath since the song is very challenging and the beginning sets the tone for the rest of the performance.

The Latin lyrics to this section are below and you can follow along with this video of a performance of Dies Irae. I included the lyrics because the high register and rapidity of the section may make it is hard to understand the pronunciation.

Dies iræ, dies illa                                         The day of wrath, that day
Solvet sæclum in favilla,                              Will dissolve the world in ashes
Teste David cum Sibylla.                             As foretold by David and the Sibyl!

Quantus tremor est futurus,                         How much tremor there will be,
Quando Judex est venturus,                        when the Judge will come,
Cuncta stricte discussurus!                          investigating everything strictly!

Judgement Day

Judgement Day

The Dies Irae section is an incredible example of Mozart’s command of language and orchestration. On the words dies irae (Day of Wrath), a timpani rolls under the words, which resembles thunder and the wrath of God. On the words “Quantus tremor est futurus” (How much tremor there will be) there are a series of up and down scale steps in the voice to mimic “trembling”. Further more the answer to this call is “dies irae, dies illa”, but on this phrase the vocalists press into the word “dies” which creates a natural crescendo to decrescendo, which helps to show the fear and uncertainty of the people. Also on “Cuncta stricte discussurus” (Investigating everything strictly) is slower, deliberate, more pointed, or even “strict”, which helps to aurally illustrate and communicate the message.

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKJur8wpfYM

Image 1: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Wolfgang-amadeus-mozart_1.jpg

Image 2: https://images.rapgenius.com/ebd5c5cf0eb15932bf3f13dc2596cbc.1000x792x1.jpg

 

Music Theory

What most people think of when they hear music theory is “that class in high school that band kids somehow got AP credit for”.  But in reality music theory is much more than that.  Music theory studies how we practice or perform music, listen to music, why we like the music we hear, and the different possibilities that music creates. Music theory tries to give a concrete answer to why music makes us feel a certain way by analyzing the fundamental elements of music such as rhythm, harmony, or pitch.  Music theory has expanded from just music to encompass all types of sound, including silence, and how that contributes to and relates to music.

I have already talked about some important aspects of music theory such as pitch, tone, and others in passing in some of my earlier blogs.  The basis of music theory hinges upon these things and most importantly, in my opinion, notes and scales. Notes or tones or pitches can be arranged in a variety ways to create different scales and modes. Western music theory generally divides the octave into a series of twelve tones with the interval between adjacent tones is called a half step or semitone.  This is the called a chromatic scale. In this method each semitone is equidistant to the next, but this then creates a problem for tuning since, for

Chromatic Scale

example, the perfect fifth is not where there fifth is given in this method but rather a few cents off. Scales can be created by selecting and choosing sets of tones from this chromatic scale and arranging them together in patterns.  For example, major scales follow the pattern of whole step-whole step-half step-whole step-whole step-whole step-half step starting from any given note in the chromatic scale.

Image 1: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51lyQVPtrML._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Image 2: http://www.musiccrashcourses.com/scores/ChromScale.png

 

 

 

 

Pitch Please

What’s the difference between a piano and a fish? You can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish! In music, tuning is the process of adjusting the pitch tones from musical instruments in 22601order to establish typical intervals between the tones. Tuning is usually based on a fixed reference pitch, such as A = 440 Hz. Being out of tune means that the tone is either high(sharp) or low(flat) in relation to the given reference pitch. An instrument can be in tune within its own range, however, it may not be in tune if it doesn’t match A = 440 Hz, or whichever reference pitch was given. Over time instruments can become out of tune due to damage or typical wear and tear so they must be repaired or readjusted.

Tuning Fork

Tuning Fork

Tuning may be done by playing two pitches and adjusting one of them to match the other. A tuning fork or electronic tuning device may be used as a reference pitch, or a player(if it is an group) may give a pitch for everyone else to match. When playing in an ensemble, the piano is often used as a reference since it can’t be adjusted for each rehearsal. In symphony orchestras and concert bands A or B♭ is typically used as the reference pitch and is given by the principal oboist or clarinetist. A clarinet or an oboe is chosen to give the reference because they have the least fluctuation in pitch as time goes on due to the tight embouchure required for the instrument.

To tune to a specific pitch, the instrumentalist tries to match the given pitch as best as possible by either adjusting how they are producing the pitch( breath support, or posture can have a huge effect) or by adjusting the instrument, if they are using one. The different methods for controlling pitch vary depending on the instrument and the situation. Matching pitch is used with voices and is a basic skill used in ear training. For stringed instruments, such as the harp, violin, or piano, use turning pegs to increase or decrease the tension on strings so as to control the pitch. In the case of wind instruments, modifying the length of width of the tube adjusts the pitch.

Interference beats is a method that a lot of musicians use in order to match pitch, however it is typically more subjective than other methods, like electronic tuners which tell how many cents and in which direction the pitch is off. When tuning instruments using sustained tones and when the two tones are close in pitch but not identical, the difference in frequency generates beating. As the two tones approach the same pitch or frequency, the beating slows down and stops. Since the two pitches produce different periods, when they are both added together(bottom diagram) they produce a beat.  The beat is produced when the crest of one occurs at the same time as the trough of the other since then they effectively “cancel” each other out.

Graph of how beats are produced

Graph of how beats are produced

Image 1: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51oRScpu%2BPL._SY300_.jpg

Image 2: http://images.static.steveweissmusic.com/products/images/uploads/popup/WIT-922A.jpg

Image 3: http://www.met.reading.ac.uk/plato2/h-flap/phys5_7f_22.png

Between Cadets and Ticheli

The CadetsIf you’ve been following my passion blog you may remember that my favorite DCI show of all time is the Cadets performance of Between Angels and Demons. The music in Between Angels and Demons is from Frank Ticheli’s piece for band, Angels in the Architecture. For my high school wind ensemble we got to play Angels in the Architecture, which was a grueling but awesome 15 minute piece. Ticheli got his inspiration for the piece from his travels around the world to different cathedrals by looking at the different gargoyles that are all around these large structures. He was struck by the fact that some were very innocent looking while others very demonic, so he decided to write Angels in the Architecture based off of his observations and how he felt about the world. Ticheli incorporates hymns from all different religions, such as Christianity and Judaism, to make the theme of the work more universal.

The piece portrays the battle between dark and light and good and evil in two reoccurring themes. The alternation of these opposing forces creates a sort of five-part rondo form by starting off with light and then eventually ending with light again. The piece ends in the same fashion as it began with the angel singing the same comforting words, however after during the last word distantly and ominously a final shadow reappears below it all in the form of a dark and dissonant chord played by the bells and low woodwinds. In the Cadet’s performance you don’t get this slow down towards the end or the darkness to reappear but rather just the light and happiness.  This was strategic since ending quietly and with uncertainty isn’t a very good way to go for marching corps because their forte(mind the pun) is loud, controlled, and flashy, which is exactly how the Cadets ended their show. Also, for closers you want to show the judges all that you’ve got and leave them without a doubt in their mind about your ability.

2011 DCI World Championships, Aug 13, 2011 "Between Angels and Demons" Finals Score: 98.35 (1st) Semifinals Score:97.80 (1st)

The Cadets used the music from Ticheli’s work to create a show that would please the audience and still portray the battle between good and evil. Most of Ticheli’s original work remains intact in for their show, however they did take out the section drawn from a traditional Hebrew song of peace (“Hevenu Shalom Aleichem”) in the middle because it has a very different sound and feel to it compared to the rest of the piece and would be difficult to incorporate marching elements around( go to 6:38 video above to listen to this section). Even though Angels in the Architecture is an amazing piece of music and the Cadets play it with amazing execution, that is not what allowed them to take first place at DCI world finals, it was their portrayal of this fight between good and evil along with their impeccable marching skills.  The Cadets uniform is typically white pants and shoes with a maroon top and a yellow sash, however for this show half of the corps dressed in all maroon and the other in all white.  This helped immensely with the visual effects because it allowed the audience to visually see that battle happening between good and evil. Furthermore, their emotional investment in the performance can be see on their faces in the close up views provided, because they are so engaged in the performance in makes the audience’s experience that much better and fuller.  The Cadets ended up winning DCI with a record score of 98.350 out of 100.

 

*My videos used to be links but then I found out how to incorporate them into my post so that is why there is now only one link.

Link for Video #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVW_GQFGQUs

Link for Video # 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANCg3T2FRh0

Picture #1: http://dci271.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=4fd4edc6-2767-4813-bd09-41bc5c37e4e7

Picture #2: http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com

RCL #6

For your RCL blog, post a rough outline of your rhetorical analysis highlighting some key rhetorical critiques of the ad in red.

The famous We Shall Fight Them on the Beaches is the speech delivered by Churchill to the British Parliament on 4 June, 1940. In this speech, Churchill describes the military disaster in Dunkirk, and warns of a possible invasion attempt by Nazi Germany.  During all of this he perpetuates the hope of Britain’s eventual victory, even though the times seem dark.

As a war leader, Churchill needs to bring the people of Britain together and to put forward the message of victory, even when Great Britain was seriously  losing the war.  However for this to be possible, the public needs to trust him and see that he is credible. Churchill already has credibility with the people since he is the prime minister, so people naturally look to him as a leader and for advice.  Even before he became Prime Minister he had much experience in positions of authority relating to war; he served as Secretary of State for War and Air, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and First Lord of the Admiralty (Bigelow).  Since he has held such high ranking positions in the past, he appears more qualified to direct the country on what to do.

Churchill uses the description of the events that occurred at Dunkirk and on the lines and the beaches and order to draw in the audience and make them empathize with the struggle of the soldiers that were there. He creates a vivid scene so that the audience is not only informed but feels connected to the situation. This is a good example of pathos because it pulls on the heartstrings and patriotism of the British people in order to garner the support for later events. Furthermore, his absolute conviction that the British will attain victory through the will power of the nation alone also pulls on the patriotic spirit.  Also, by stating “we” he includes himself in Britain’s strife against Nazi Germany, which makes his message more relatable and the people more willing to follow since there is more of a communal mentality.

 

 

 

 

 

RCL #5

Review Unit One Rhetorical Analysis assignment requirements on ANGEL and offer up a few ads for your rhetorical analysis along with some arguments you might make. Make some observations about commonplaces, ethos, pathos, logos and other rhetorical elements you see in the pieces.

SPCA Commercials

These commercials use pathos because there is sad music playing in the background which makes the audience feel more empathic towards the animals.  Also there are depressing pictures of animals looking hurt and sad which makes the audience feel bad and want to donate to their cause.  They also use logos by putting up statistics about the animals and telling you that by 19 cents a day you can help these animals.  That doesn’t seem like a lot to help these “defenseless” animals so logically you should be able to and want to help them.  It also uses ethos by using Sarah McLachlan as a spokesperson for the animals and also the SPCA also has a good reputation nationally.

Budweiser 2014

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQB7QRyF4p4

This commercial uses pathos because it shows cute animals and a heartwarming story about friendship and commitment.  The puppy looks like it could be our own so it is devastating if they are taken away from us and because the puppy and the horse exhibit human-qualities of devotion and love it makes the message and intent more relatable. Budweiser also hopes this message of commitment and friendship between the horse and the puppy reflects their relationship with their own customers so hopefully this will encourage people to buy more of their products. Also, there is ethos because Budweiser is a very well established company so people will prefer to buy from somewhere that they are already familiar with.  There isn’t a lot of logos used in the ad because there are no words in the ad besides Budweiser, but logically if your ideals match up with Budweiser’s then you should buy their beer instead of another company’s.

 

D.S. al Fine

Homecoming is a time to go back to your Alma mater and reminisce with old friends of the past and see what the new generation is bringing to the table.  This past Saturday evening, I had the pleasure of traveling back to my hometown and my old high school to take part in the unofficial homecoming for the music program at North Penn High School.  The North Penn Marching Knights hosted their annual “Knight of Sound” at Crawford Stadium as alumni, parents, friends, and family filled the stadium to watch their beloved Knights take the field. “Knight of Sound” has always been a very exciting night for the music community of North Penn since many former Knights get to come out to see the fall show for the first time. This year the Knight’s fall show is “The Calling”, which depicts Joan of Arc’s call to lead the French to freedom. “Knight of Sound” acts as an independent marching band competition, where seven of the best bands from the region came to perform.

North Penn Marching Knights performing in exhibition

North Penn Marching Knights performing in exhibition

The home stands were packed Saturday night ranging from veteran parents to first-timers. It was easy to a seasoned eye to spot the music directors and techs dispersed through the spectators as they observed with expert eyes, watching every step, every line, and every flag toss to assess the performance. The judges that mattered, however, were out on the field, rushing in and out of formations with their handheld recorders, critiquing and awarding points. It has always been a dream of every marcher to run over a judge in the midst of competition, and senior Alex Brady almost got his wish on his last “Knight of Sound.”  It was right before the full band front and the end of the first movement, “he was looking at the drumline and wasn’t expecting a line to come bursting in right behind, and I was just inches short before he jumped out of the way.”

Drum Majors and Directors presenting the awards

Drum Majors and Directors presenting the awards

The Knights were only allowed to compete in exhibition since it was their home show, but there was still plenty of excitement to go around when the results came out.  Quakertown high school ended up unseating the reigning champs, Springford High School, and former North Penn rival.  Most importantly, Knight of Sound is a time for everyone in the North Penn Music community to reflect on their time and experience with the program.  Seniors mark it as “the beginning of the end” since there’s nothing like playing in front of your home crowd and having the stands leap to their feet.  Performing with your friends give you a rush like no other and watching my high school friends at their own senior “Knight of Sound” made me want to go back and do it over again, but unfortunately my time as a Marching Knight has already passed just as fast as the light glints off of our the helmets in the dark.

Citiations:

All photos taken from North Penn Music Aide’s Flikr account: https://www.flickr.com/photos/npma/sets/72157659081201446