Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Term Project updates...

Okay, this shall be my journal for this term's project as well. After much thoughts, i guess i will settle on analysing a band piece since i'm such a 'band-person' and analysing one work would probably be more relevant... Will definitely look into other 20th Century Music, and i will leave that for this little avenue in the later posts for BLOGGING ASSIGNMENT!

Was making a choice between David Maslanka's "Give us this day (short symphony) but decided that i would settle on...
"Gloriosa" Symphonic Poem for Band by Yasuhide Ito.
I have played this piece with NTU Symphonic Band for...ALMOST A YEAR (here and there), performed publicly during our concert series, Sojourn 2009, and the second time on an international platform at the World Music Contest 2009, so it definitely brings back memories and getting to the details of the piece would be less difficult since I've been aurally accustomed (or rather) to the piece. HAHA. but i'm pretty sure the analysis part will still be a headache because it's a whole new level besides mere aural reception!

Some Youtube links for recordings:
-mvt I Oratio;
-mvt II Cantus ;
-mvt III Dies Festus

Some prior research that i have done...
-This work is composed to show the composers' view 'of the musical and philosophical combination of Japanese and western culture', in hope to find a 'balance between Japanese traditions and Western styles'.
-Composer's interest & context of composition: the history of Nagasaki and the music of Hidden Christians of the 'Edo Period' (1603- 1867) that have caused the influences of Christianity to Japan, which thus resulted in many 'japanised' gregorian chants...
-Gregorian chants and Japanese folk tunes are themes used and developed through the piece.
(will read up on the context for further understanding/ explanation!)

got a few books from nie library which hopefully gives me more insight on my term project. . .
1. COUNTERPOINT - The Polyphonic Vocal Style of the Sixteenth Century by Knud Jeppesen
-Provides 'Outline History of Contrapuntal Theory'
-'Technical Features' as well as two/three/four-part counterpoint.
-will be using this for understanding of counterpoint and there are some 'chorale' parts in the piece that i might look into specifically to see the links of these to two/three/four-part counterpoint.

2. THEMATIC PROCESS IN MUSIC - by Rudolph Reti
this book will probably help me in the research and understanding of how themes are transformed in music via different tools...

3. COMPOSITIONAL THEORY IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY - by Joel Lester

4. Composer's Insights - Chapter on Yasuhide Ito
-gives information on composer's background and some compositional approach for 'Gloriosa'.

2 comments:

ec said...

xl:
As mentioned in our meeting, the cantus-firmus compositional techniques would be relevant to your investigation of Gloriosa.
The book I was referring to is Michael Fink's Exploring Music Literature (two CF-based movement from Bach's Wachet auf). See also Owen's Modal and Tonal Counterpoint as well as the 18C counterpoint book by Robert Gauldin.
Of course, don't forget to read the New Grove article on the subject.

xl. said...

thanks dr.chong...
just wondering if the book you're referring to belongs to the nie library too? haha.