Assignment #5 - Music

Jazz

Jazz is a musical genre rooted in improvisation and interpretation.  Performers use rhythms, melodies and sounds to express themselves individually based on their emotions, the way the music is making them feel and even interactions with other musicians.  The genre combines both African and European influences to create a unique sound.  With the help of a handy little website, www.apassion4jazz.net, I was able to gather a little more background information about jazz music, its origins and its importance to the American culture.  It appears that jazz originated in the New Orleans area in the early 1900's but was rapidly taking hold in other urban areas of the country, particularly in the Southern states.  It is unique and holds a special place in American culture because it originated here and is considered to be one of the most important cultural contributions that Americans have made to the world on a large scale. 

Jazz music continues to flourish today.  Class greats such as Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong are still extremely popular while contemporary artists continue to push the envelope and make their own impact on the genre.  I have included a few clips of contemporary jazz artists that I enjoy. 

This first clip is Diane Krall performing "I Love Being Here With You". 

The second clip is a relatively new jazz artist named Esperanza Spalding performing "I Know You Know".

Peter and the Wolf

The composer of this work, Sergei Prokofiev, uses instruments to represent the characters of the story.  Peter is represented by the string section including the violin, viola, cello and bass.  The duck and the bird are represented by the oboe and the flute, respectively.  The wolf is brought to life by a member of the brass family, the french horn.  Peter's grandfather is given voice by the bassoon while the Hunters are portrayed by the woodwind family.  Gunshots from the Hunters are made using the timpani and the bass drum.

Classical Music

According our classroom discussions, classical music is noted for its clarity of form and logical development.  Classical music developed early in the history of music (estimates place its development around 500 A.D.) and has continued to evolve over time.  Some of the most famous composers of all time such as Beethoven and Mozart are considered to be classical musicians.  I have included a few clips of work from these composers.



Assignment #3

Aesthetics

 I run daily.  I run to be strong…I run to be calm…I run to be revitalized…I run to find my center.

As I set out the clouds were simply misting on me, a cold wind blowing the soft vapors across my face.  As I found my stride and settled in the rains came heavier, nature demanding my full attention.  Fat, wet drops pounded out a staccato beat on the visor of my hat…glistening drops streamed off the brim caught only by my peripheral vision.  The rhythmic sound of my footfalls and the measured exhalations of my breath joined the percussive sound of the rain…music to my soul.  Headlights catch the wet pavement and light up the stretch of black pavement ahead of me.  I feel the pound of my heart, the ignition of muscles and the strength of both.  An instinctive smile crosses salty lips.  The air smells damp, crisp, fresh.  Nature renews, as do I.

"Nessum Dorma"

I think my drawing demonstrates many of the feelings that I experienced while listening to Pavarotti’s “Nessum Dorma”.  The soft and flowing sounds of the start of the song spoke to me of peace and contentment which materialized as soft, light-colored flowing lines at the top of my drawing.  However, as the song continued the sense of emotion heightened in the song which left me reaching for more intense colors and drawing with more intensity on the bottom half of my paper.  Despite the shifts in intensity of the music at different points I still felt a sense of continuity throughout the song, just various shadings in emotion which is why I think my drawing also has a sense of cohesiveness to it; the color and intensity shifted but the flow of the lines remained the same. 

Establishing Shots in Film

The establishing shot in film serves many purposes.  First and foremost, the shot informs the viewer of the location or setting of the scene.  An establishing shot of the Eiffel Tower, for example, will quickly inform the viewer that the setting of the scene is Paris without having to directly verbalize that fact.  However, the establishing shot does more than just set the location.  It can establish season, time of day, even weather with just one single shot.  The establishing shot is critical as it gives the viewer perspective from which to frame the action and events that follow in the scene.

To demonstrate this fact, I have included a clip of the establishing shot from the film “Lord of the Rings”.  A sweeping landscape shot gives the viewer a glimpse of the countryside in which much of the film takes place while the arrival of a horse and cart sets a sense of the time period.  Additionally, the shot includes a glimpse of tiny doorways embedded in the lush greenery of the landscape.  This establishes a “fantastical” feeling for the viewer and creates a sense of intrigue and curiosity for what’s to come.