MUSICAL ANALYSIS AND JOURNAL ENTRY FOR WEEK 9
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Analysis #1- Choose any piece from your Week 9 Assigned Music
Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker - Tea (Chinese Dance)
CONTEXT: The Five Questions
Based on our class discussion of the piece, your notes, and the study slides, answer the five contextual
questions. The last question will include a SHMRG analysis.
1. Who’s playing? Usually a professional orchestra would be performing this along side a ballet crew
but, the piece has been adapted for many different ensembles at many different
levels.
2. What systems, people, People who support theater support this music. This piece comes from the play of
and/or cultures are the nutcracker and is performed by amateur high school plays to professional
supporting this music? theatrical groups.
3. Who’s listening? This type of music is enjoyed by a lot of different people because this piece is n a
lot of different types of media. I am sure that majority of people will recognize this
piece when they here it. It is also listened to by classical music enjoyers and
theatrical music enjoyers.
4. What is the relationship The original premier was not the most successful in the Russian culture but the
of the music to the play has made an impact across the entire world from when it debuted to now in
culture? modern day.
5. How does the musical SHMRG analysis. You must enter at least 2 characteristics for each category. You
content work? may write more. Write in complete sentences.
(This is your SHMRG
analysis). SOUND A) The sound of this piece is very happy and upbeat
throughout the entire piece.
B) The piece keeps the mood set by using upbeat
sounding instruments like flutes for the most part.
HARMONY A) The keeps it mood by staying in a major key for the
entire piece. This keeps the piece in a happy and upbeat
mood.
B) Neat the end of the piece to build anxiety amongst
the listeners there is some half steps and the trombones
come in so it changes the mood completely.
MELODY A) The melody is in the upper woodwinds for most of
the segment. This section of the ballet is upbeat and
happy by the looks of the dance so the melody stays like
that.
B) In the first section it is more laid back and the flute
takes over. The dances also look more elegant in this
section. When the next, higher tempo, section comes in
the dancers look more frantic because they have to
move faster.
RHYTHM A) This whole piece is extremely rhythmic and in the first
section there are eighth notes in the string section to
keep style and tempo.
B) The second section has the rhythm of an eighth note
followed by two sixteenth notes and really makes this
second section move.
Growth A) The segment of the work is separated into two
(Form) different musical parts. The first is mor laid back and the
second is more frantic. This is represented well by what
is happening visually.
B) Musically the piece starts off at the slowest tempo
and builds tension and tempo to the final note.
Based on our class discussion of the piece, your notes, the This whole work in total is ballet type music. This
study slides, or your own research, what stylistic term or might be the most popular ballet ever.
terms might you use to describe this piece of music? (Please
use musical terms; for example, “jazz” or “impressionism”
would be a good answer, while subjective adjectives such as
“beautiful” or “horrible” will not be accepted.)
Journal Entry for Week 9:
Explore ideas that relate to music, exoticism, and/or primitivism. Take this in any direction you’d like,
but here are some questions you might consider: What is exoticism and primitivism in music? What, if
any, aspects of exoticism and/or primitivism are problematic? What are some things What are some
contemporary examples of exoticism or primitivism in music? When representing people or culture
through music, what are some things we should consider as artists?
Your entry should be a minimum of 250 words. Type Your Response Here:
Primitivism in music is clear and cohesive music that has a goal on what the music is trying to
accomplish. Exoticism is a culturally driven music that has aspects of that culture that it is trying to
portray. Primitivism might be problematic in music because it wants to portray a message and has a goal
of changing the audiences mind for what it is trying to do. Not everyone will agree with the message the
piece of music is trying to portray. Exoticism might be problematic in music because of the culture that it
is getting represented. Exoticism might be an American style souse march being played and North Korea
and them not liking it. Primitivism might be Shostakovich fifth symphony being a message to Soviet
Russia and how bad their system was. Not everyone will agree with the message that is being portrayed
in the piece. I think music can represent something extremely positive. Such as Omar Thomas’s Of Our
New Day Began. This piece represents the hatred act of a gunman shooting nine innocents live just
because of racism. This is a good example of what some music can represent in contemporary music
today. A lot of modern concert band composers represent topics like this all of the time. At the end of
the day I think the composer of the piece has the ability to choose whatever they want to represent and
choose. During these days meanings of pieces become more and more complex. This can spread a lot of
positivity in the world.
Copy and paste your annotated bibliography here:
Annotated Bibliographies Assignment
The saxophone was invented in 1840 by a man named Adolph Sax. This instrument was
invented to let the woodwind sound be heard in outdoor ensembles. This allows the saxophone to
have a big sound with a unique color. This unique sound leads to saxophones being an integral
part of chamber ensembles. The saxophone quartet began taking its first steps to being a very
popular ensemble among classical saxophonists. By looking at recordings, readings, and
documentaries I will show with this album that the saxophone quartet, in the Romantic time
period, was the ensemble that pushed the world of classical saxophone into the spectrum it is at
today.
“Artist Biography by James Reel,” All Music, accessed on October 21, 2020,
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eug%C3%A8ne-bozza-mn0001222305/biography
This biography gives a lot more insight on the composer on what type of person he was.
Very popular conductores saw the saxophone as a great instrument for classical music.
Betsy Schwarm, “The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba,” accessed October 21, 2020,
https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Arrival-of-the-Queen-of-Sheba
This article shows that the instrumentation was not originally for saxophone quartet. The
recording for this piece clearly shows that the saxophone quartet imitates two oboes and strings
very well.
“Bozza, Eugene: Andante et Scherzo for Saxophone Quartet,” Meridian Winds, accessed
October 21, 2020,
https://www.meridianwinds.com/shop/c/p/Bozza-Eugene-Andante-et-Scherzo-for-Saxophone-
Quartet-x39845173.htm
This description is really important because it gives me some insight on the composer and
how he had a lot of other projects going on in the classical world. This shows that composers
saw the saxophone as a classical instrument.
“Gabriel Pierne Biography,” Amherst Saxophone Quartet, written by quartet, accessed
October 21, 2020,
http://amherstsaxophonequartet.com/content/introduction-et-variations-sur-une-ronde-populaire-
1934-gabriel-piern%C3%A9
This biography gives me more insight on the person and why he wrote it. It shows that
the saxophone was growing in popularity and people that wanted to compose for it did not have
to be a saxophone player to enjoy it.
Henry Duckham, “First-rate show by Amherst sax group,” Cape Cod Times, February 22,
2005,
http://amherstsaxophonequartet.com/content/quatuor-pour-saxophones-alfred-desenclos
This news article shows that the saxophone quartet was starting to gain momentum as a
serious chamber ensemble. Ensembles were very pleasantly surprised with this performance.
Herman Trotter, “Amherst Saxophone Quartet rises to the Occasion,” Buffalo News,
Saturday, April 10, 1999,
http://amherstsaxophonequartet.com/content/quartet-f-major-op-96-antonin-dvorak
This article shows that not everyone agrees with this type of ensemble. This article states
that the saxophone quartet does not sound very good playing this string quartet.
Herman Trotter, “Versatile sax quartet makes new friends with jaunty style,” Buffalo
News (Buffalo, NY)Tuesday, April 27, 1993.
http://amherstsaxophonequartet.com/content/grave-et-presto-jean-rivier
This news article shows that the saxophone could help people transition from classical
music to other styles. The saxophone is such a versatile instrument and the audiences were
starting to hear its full potential.
Introduction et variations sur une ronde populaire , Gabriel Pierné, Composition Notes,
1934,
http://amherstsaxophonequartet.com/content/introduction-et-variations-sur-une-ronde-populaire-
1934-gabriel-piern%C3%A9
These composition notes show what the composer was thinking when he was writing this
piece. People think that the saxophone cannot play classical era music as well as other
instruments but, this piece makes the quartet sound just as classical as a string quartet.
Johnny Salinas, “Amethyst Quartet - "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" - Handel,” Youtube
Video, June 22, 2008
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3OG4VhPJRc
This recording of one of the pieces in my album shows how good the instrumentation of
the saxophone quartet really is. Across the whole ensemble there is a very good range of
different sounds that all enhance each other.
Netherlands Bach Society, “'Little' Fugue in G Minor,” accessed on October 21, 2020
https://www.bachvereniging.nl/en/bwv/bwv-578/
This piece description is important because this is one of the most famous pieces in all of
classical music. The saxophone quartet has grown into a lot of different genres over the year but
it all started with classical era music.
“Quatuor pour Saxophones, Alfred Desenclos,” composition notes, written in 1964,
http://amherstsaxophonequartet.com/content/quatuor-pour-saxophones-alfred-desenclos
These composition notes of the piece show what the composer was thinking during these
times. This classical style piece incorporated contemporary style things to push chamber music
as a whole.
Sax Bird, “J. S. Bach. Fugue in G minor by a sax quartet,” Youtube Video, January 18,
2013,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLH47I9b0a0&lc=Ugglnru3uN-lz3gCoAEC
This recording really shows how versatile this instrumentation is. This piece was
originally written for the organ and the saxophone quartet does a really good job at imitating this
kind of sound.
“Saxophone Quartet in Bb major op. 109 - 4 saxophones (SATBar) (study score),”
Boosey and Hawks, accessed on October 21, 2020
https://www.boosey.com/shop/prod/Glazunov-Alexander-Saxophone-Quartet-in-Bb-major-op-
109-4-saxophones-SATBar-study-score/2141978
This description of the piece is very interesting because it states that this is one of the last
pieces he ever wrote but, one of the first pieces ever written for saxophone quartet. Glazonouv
saw the immense potential in the instrumentation.
“String Quartet No. 12 in F, Op. 96, “American,” description of the piece, accessed
October 22, 2020
https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/pieces/5380/string-quartet-no-12-in-f-op-96-american
This description of the string quartet gives the reader more insight on the composer of
this piece. There is a whole story on this piece and I think the composer did not think this piece
could be well adapted for saxophone quartet.
Susan Fancher, “Tackling the Glazunov Saxophone Quartet,” accessed on October 21,
2020,
http://amherstsaxophonequartet.com/content/tackling-glazunov-saxophone-quartet
This article goes into great detail about this specific quartet. There is standard repertoire
for the saxophone quartet and this piece is one of the most popular. It talks about performances
and other composers Glazonouv was inspired by.
Thomas Putnam, “Amherst Saxophone Quartet strings together a pleasant mix,” Buffalo
News (Buffalo, NY) Saturday, February 8, 1997.
http://amherstsaxophonequartet.com/content/grave-et-presto-jean-rivier
This news article is very interesting to see because it was written in comparative with
saxophone and string quartets. A lot of people did not think saxophone quartets could be as
sophisticated as the string quartets but this shows audiences were surprised.
