Amazon Partnership and Music Samples
This page presents the assigned listening for each class.
Music Samples
Samples of many tracks are available on Amazon.com. Click on a music title and scroll down to "Listen to Samples."
| LEC # | TOPICS | LISTENING |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Welcome - Ritual Reading of the Syllabus - Overview | |
| Unit One: The Big Picture | ||
| 2 | What is "Music"? What is a "Score"? How are they Related? Cook: "Music: An Imaginary Object" |
 Gounod, Charles, after J. S. Bach. "Ave Maria." Alessandro Moreschi. Moreschi - The Last Castrato. Pearl, 1993.Traditional. "Yanguan Pass song." (Yanguan San Die.) Li Xiangting. Video. Chopin, Frederic. "Prelude in e minor, op. 28, no. 4." Martha Argerich. Chopin: 26 Préludes. Deutsche Grammophon, 1991. Ligeti, György. "San Francisco Polyphony." Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Howarth. Ligeti: Musica Ricercata; String quartet No. 1. Bis, 1994. Williams, Ralph Vaughan. "The Lark Ascending." Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Previn, Griffiths. Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 2; The Lark Ascending. Telarc, 2002. Wagner, Richard. "Prelude to Das Rheingold." Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Levine. Wagner: Das Rheingold. Polygram Records, 1990. |
| 3 | Form and Proportion; Large-scale Rhythm and Phrase Rhythm (Special Guest: Jewlia Eisenberg, Composer-performer) | The Vestibules. "The grunge song." (MP3) Gil, Gilberto, and Caetano Veloso. "Panis et circenses." Os Mutantes. Everything Is Possible: The Best of Os Mutantes. Luaka Bop, 2005. Chen, Chien-Yin. "Cloud walking." Min Xiao-Fen (pipa) et al. Purr. Tzadik Composer Series, 2003. Oswald, John. "Pocket." (Based on Count Basie, "Corner Pocket.") Plunderphonics 69/96. Seeland Records, 2001. Reis, Nando. "Ao meu redor." Marisa Monte. A Great Noise. Blue Note Records, 1997. Eisenberg, Jewlia. The Tunnel, Bread and Circuses, Expulsion and Dream of Me. |
| 4 | Speed, Volume, and Register Quiz 1 |
Legong Gamelan. "Sekar jepun." The Music of Bali, Volume 2: Tirta Sari - Legong Gamelan. Celestial Harmonies, 1997. King Crimson. "Dinosaur." THRAK. Virgin Records, 2002. Rainer, Lillian. "Taos courting flute song." Heartbeat: Voices of First Nations Women. Smithsonian Folkways, 1995. Birtwistle, Harrison. "Carmen arcadiae mechanicae perpetuum." London Sinfonietta, Howarth. Birtwistle: Secret Theatre; Silbury Air. Etcetera, 1994. Robison, Brian. "Cats' cradle." |
| 5 | Timbre |
Traditional. "La Raspa." Juan Garcia Esquivel. The Sights and Sounds of Esquivel. Bar/None Records, 2005. Berio, Luciano. "Sequenza III." Cathy Berberian. Berio: Circles; Sequenzas 1, 3 & 5. Wergo, 1993. Cowell, Henry. "Aeolian harp." Anthony de Mare. Wizards and Wildmen. CRI, 2000. ———. "The banshee." Anthony de Mare. Wizards and Wildmen. CRI, 2000. Ligeti, György. "Continuum." Elisabeth Chojnacka. György Ligeti Edition 6. Sony, 1997. |
| 6 | Texture and Articulation |
Shaheen, Simon. "Taqasim on violin." Turath: Masterworks of the Middle East. Times Square Records, 2002. Tekbilek, Faruk. "Taqasim on nay." Turath: Masterworks of the Middle East. Times Square Records, 2002. Ives, Charles. "The Unanswered Question." Orchestra of St. Lukes, Adams. American Elegies. Nonesuch, 1997. Adams, John. "Century rolls: III. Hail Bop." Cleveland Orchestra, Ax, von Dohnanyi. Century Rolls. Nonesuch, 2001. Ziporyn, Evan. "Four Impersonations: Thum nyatiti." This Is Not A Clarinet. Cantaloupe, 2001. Comunidad Aymara de Leqaya. "Sata Kallta." Creation's Journey: Native American Music. Smithsonian Folkways, 1994. |
| Unit Two: Rhythm | ||
| 7 | Symmetric Meter |
Miki, Minoru. "Hanayagi (The greening)." Keiko Nosaka. Minoru Miki Selected Works II. Camerata, 1995. Gamelan Gong Kebyar. "Swa buana paksa." Music of the Gamelan Gong Kebyar, vol. 1. Vital (City Hall), 1996. Reich, Steve. "Pulses', 'Section VI,' and 'Section VIII.' Music for 18 Musicians. Nonesuch, 1998. |
| 8 | Accent and Syncopation Quiz 2 |
Parliament. "Give up the funk (Tear the roof off the sucker.)" 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Parliament. Mercury / Universal, 2000. Stravinsky, Igor. "Augurs of spring," and "Dances of the young girls," from "The Rite of Spring." Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ozawa. Stravinsky: Rite of Spring, etc. RCA, 1999. |
| 9 | Polyrhythm and Polymeter |
Child, Peter. "In the heart of our mountains," and "Sandino was everywhere," from "Estrella." Cantata Singers and Ensemble. Peter Child: Estrella, String Quartet No. 2. New World Records, 2002. Adams, John. "Short ride in a fast machine." Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Alsop. John Adams: Shaker Loops; The Wound-Dresser; Short Ride in a Fast Machine. Naxos, 2004. Chiweshe, Stella Rambisai. "Kassahwa." Shungu. Piranha, 1997. Jobim, Antonio Carlos. "Surfboard." Roberto Menescal. Surfboard. Umvd Import, 2004. Nancarrow, Conlon. "Study no. 3a for player piano." Studies for Player Piano. Wergo, 2000. Ligeti, György. Etudes, I/6, "Automne à Varsovie." Pierre-Laurent Aimard. Ligeti Edition 3: Works for Piano. Sony, 1997. |
| 10 | Asymmetric Meter |
Bartók, Béla. "Mikrokosmos no. 133: Syncopation (3)." György Sándor. Bela Bartok: Mikrokosmos. Sony, 1993. King Crimson. "Larks' tongues in aspic, parts one and two." Larks Tongues in Aspic. E. G., 2000. McLaughlin, John. "Birds of fire." Mahavishnu Orchestra. Birds of Fire. Sony, 2000. |
| 11 | Alternatives to Meter |
Nancarrow, Conlon. "Study no. 21 [Canon X]." Studies for Player Piano. Wergo, 2000. Glass, Philip. "Spaceship." (Act IV, Scene 3.) Einstein on the Beach. Sony, 1990. Messiaen, Olivier. "Dance of fury, for the seven trumpets." Stoltzman, Kavafian, Sherry, Serkin. Quartet for the End of Time. RCA, 1989. Marshall, Ingram. "Fog tropes." Orchestra of St. Lukes, Adams. American Elegies. Nonesuch, 1991. |
| Unit Three: Melody and Harmony | ||
| 12 | Consonance and Dissonance |
Schütz, Heinrich. "Die mit tränen säen." Concerto Palatino. Schütz: Psalmen Davids. Harmonia Mundi, 1998. Ligeti, György. "Lux aeterna" London Sinfonietta Voices. Ligeti Edition 2: A Cappella Choral Works. Sony, 1997. |
| 13 | Intervals and Harmony Quiz 3 |
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| 14 | Melodic Construction and Transformation |
Johnson, Blind Willie. "Dark was the night, cold was the ground." The Complete Blind Willie Johnson. Sony, 1993. Monk, Thelonious. "Well You Needn't." The Complete 1957 Riverside Recordings. Riverside, 2006. Nelson, Willie. "Crazy." Patsy Cline. Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits. MCA, 2003. |
| 15 | Contrapuntal Relationships |
The Beatles. "I am the Walrus." Magical Mystery Tour. Capitol, 1990. They Might Be Giants. "Purple toupee." Lincoln. Restless Records, 1993. |
| 16 | Drone, Ostinato, Chaconne and Passacaglia |
Traditional (Japan). "Goshoraku." Kyoto Imperial Court Music Orchestra. Gagaku: Imperial Court Music of Japan. Lyrichord, 1993. Purcell, Henry. "When I am laid in earth." (Dido's lament.) Anne Sofie von Otter, et al. The Yellow Guide: Opera. Deutsche Grammophon, 1998. Piazzolla, Astor. "Hora cero." New Tango Sex-Tet. The Lausanne Concert. Milan Records, 2006. |
| 17 | Contrasting Harmonic Areas Quiz 4 |
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| 18 | Deadline For Final Projects | |
| Unit Four: Onward and Beyond | ||
| 19 | Sampling, Quotation, Paraphrase, and Allusion Read-through of Large-ensemble Compositions |
Example 1 Source: Mahler, Gustav. "III. In ruhig fliessender Bewegung." Mahler: Symphony No. 2. Deutsche Grammophon, 1990.Derived: Berio, Luciano. "Sinfonia III: In ruhig fliessender Bewegung." Goteborgs Symfoniker, Eotvos, Enoksson. Berio: Sinfonia / Ekphrasis. Deutsche Grammophon, 2005.Example 2 Source: Beethoven. "Symphony no. 7, IV. Allegro con brio." Beethoven: Symphonien Nos. 5 & 7. Deutsche Grammophon, 1993.Derived: Oswald, John. "Devil Gun Won't Behave," and "7th." Plunderphonics 69/96. Seeland Records, 2001. |
| 20 | Polystylism Rehearsal of Large-ensemble Compositions |
Schnittke, Alfred. "String Quartet No. 3: I. Andante." Kronos Quartet. Schnittke: Complete String Quartets. Nonesuch, 1998. Zorn, John. "Cat o' Nine Tails." Mondrian Quartet. Cartoon S&M. Tzadiz, 2000. Zappa, Frank. "Tinsel Town rebellion." (Warning: explicit lyrics.) Tinsel Town Rebellion. Rykodisc, 1995. |
| 21 | What (and How) do Sounds Mean? | |
| 21 | Dress Rehearsal of Large-ensemble Compositions Quiz 5 |
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| 22-24 | Performances Of Final Projects Post-concert Discussion of Performances |
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| 25 | Report on Your Final Project | |
| Final Examination | ||