VPMA93: Listening to Music

In the first lecture, we discussed the following quote by John Blacking:
Even if a person describes musical experiences in the technical language of music, he is in fact describing emotional experiences which he has learned to associate with particular musical sounds.
In the sixth lecture, we approached two pieces of music by first listening to them and describing their musical features and our emotional response to them. We then discussed the context of these two pieces and how this affected and changed our reaction to these pieces.
Your assignment is to choose one musical composition that is not on the course listening list and to approach your investigation of this piece in the same manner as we did in Lecture 6. The composition must come from a Western music tradition and can be in any genre (Classical,1 folk, rock, jazz, pop, etc.2). In the first part of this assignment you will describe what you hear using the technical language that you have learned in this course. How do the technical features of your chosen piece become an emotional experience for you as a listener? You will then research the composition and discover whatever you can about the context in which the piece was composed. What compositional techniques were used to create this piece of music and what might the composer have wanted to communicate? How does the context in which the piece was written give meaning to the music and affect or change your reaction to that piece of music? Due to the nature of this assignment, please feel free to write your essay using the first person narrative form.
Guidelines:
Range: 1100 to 1200 words
As a starting point, be sure to familiarize yourself with the composition by listening to it. You will need to introduce the piece that you have selected using the technical language that you have acquired from class and provide your initial reaction to it; you will then provide an explanation of how your knowledge of the historical and cultural context affects your reaction
1 If you are thinking of choosing a multi-movement Classical work such as a symphony, focus on only one movement in your essay.
2 If you are thinking of writing your essay on a very recently composed piece of music, please begin by ensuring that there are secondary sources available to consult for the second part of your essay. If there are not, you will need to choose a different piece of music.
to the composition. Your paper must be in proper essay format.3 You may use any of the standard styles of citation. Examples may be found at http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/using-and-citing-sources-0.
An essay of this length must include a bibliography of at least four secondary sources to demonstrate that your argument is supported by balanced research. Once you have chosen your composition, a good place to begin your research is with Oxford Music Online, which may be accessed through the UTSC library: http://search.library.utoronto.ca/details?7911878&uuid=bb750053-753b-4791-9c03-190a730ec5c8 (you will need to provide your library card number or UTOR login if you are accessing the dictionary from home). The bibliography at the end of each article will provide you with further resources.
Many scholarly journals may be found on-line through the UTSC library. A good way to begin is by searching the JSTOR database: http://search.library.utoronto.ca/details?7911781&uuid=ef717e76-0238-4d86-8d6a-8de08cb9f9dc. You may then type in the name of the journal or perform a subject search – try “music,” “musicology,” “opera” or any other term that relates to your topic.
Using internet resources: please take care when researching your topic to use only those internet resources that are of reliable quality (such as scholarly journals found on-line or other resources connected with universities or other reputable institutions). While you may decide to use Wikipedia as a place to start your search, it is not acceptable to use as the basis of your research because it is known to be wrought with inaccuracies and incorrect information. Peer reviewed scholarly sources have editorial boards that ensure all information is correct, so please consult such resources.
Remember that you must cite any thoughts that are not your own through a footnote, endnote, or some other type of reference (this includes both direct quotations and ideas that are borrowed and put into your own words). It is not enough to merely list your references in your bibliography; you must refer to them when they are used directly in the body of your essay.
The attached grading rubric will provide you with guide to the features by that will be evaluated in your essay.
Writing Support:
Students who are unaccustomed to writing essays or who have difficulties with communication in English are strongly advised to take advantage of the services offered at the UTSC Writing Centre: http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/ (room 210 in the Academic Resources Centre). You
3 Due to the unconventional nature of this essay, your thesis will probably be some variation of “Upon first listening to the piece I had a certain reaction, and then after researching the composition my thoughts about the piece did/didn’t change.”
may contact the Writing Centre for help at any stage of the writing process, from developing a thesis to editing the final draft of your paper.
You will also find some U of T websites that offer advice on academic writing:
http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/handouts-and-online-resources-writing
http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice
Academic Integrity:
Academic Integrity is essential to the pursuit of learning and scholarship, and breaches in the form of plagiarism and cheating are taken very seriously. All violations of the standards of integrity found in the university’s Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters will be reported. Please familiarize yourself with aspects of academic integrity and methods of proper citation.
How not to plagiarize: http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/using-sources/how-not-to-plagiarize
How to cite sources: http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/using-and-citing-sources-0
Information regarding academic integrity: http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/aacc/academic-integrity
Submission of your essay:
You will need to submit your paper to 2 different locations:
1. Blackboard
Acceptable file type: Word only
Please use the following format to name your file:
Surname First initial of your given name Student number
Ex. KingR9999999999999
You will find instructions for submitting your paper to Blackboard here: http://portalinfo.utoronto.ca/content/submitting-assignments
2. Turnitin
A guide for students using Turnitin may be found on the course Blackboard page, or you may consult the guide found here: http://www.turnitin.com/en_us/training/student-training/submitting-a-paper
Class ID: 11008352
Enrollment password: timbre
VPMA93 Grading Rubric
Student Name: Student Number:
Content
(30)
Depth and complexity of ideas supported by rich, engaging, and/or pertinent details
(25-30)
Depth of idea development supported by developed, relevant details
(20-24)
Basic idea development; repetitious and/or underdeveloped details
(15-19)
Little or no idea development; few and/or unrelated ideals
(10-14)
Quality of research
(20)
All information relevant to topic; sufficient information provided to support all elements of topic; research in-depth and beyond the obvious, revealing new insights gained
(17-20)
Most information relevant to thesis; sufficient information provided; research of sufficient depth
(14-16)
Insufficient research; some information relevant to thesis; information provided to support some elements of topic; surface research
(11-13)
Little research apparent and/or research inappropriate to support of thesis topic
(7-10)
Format and Organization
(20)
Clear focus established and maintained; careful organization that enhances presentation
(17-20)
Consistent focus or purpose; logical organization
(14-16)
Some organization; lapses in focus and/or coherence
(11-13)
Limited or no awareness of purpose; random and/or weak organization
(7-10)
Style and mechanics (grammar and spelling)
(30)
Sophisticated and varied sentence structure and length; precise and rich language; virtually no errors in mechanics
(25-30)
Controlled and varied sentence structure; appropriate, effective language; few errors in mechanics
(20-24)
Correct sentence structure that is simplistic or awkward at times; simplistic and/or occasionally imprecise language; some errors in mechanics
(15-19)
Incorrect and/or ineffective sentence structure; incorrect and/or ineffective syntax and diction; many errors in mechanics
(10-14)
Total mark

Solution

VPMA93: Listening to Music

Frédéric Chopin’s Étude Op. 10, No. 3 in E-major belongs to a group of Chopin’s greater work, Étude, which in English means “study”.  This particular piece has sometimes been identified as tristesse meaning “sadness”. Although Chopin did not attribute this name to the piece,it has been given this name to reflect the overall tone and emotion that the listener may experience.This essay will discuss technical features, followed by the context in which this piece was composed, and finally how both factors contribute to the listener’s overall emotional experience.

            To start, we will discuss aspects of both melody and tonality. First, the melody is characterized by a set of repeating notes with a polyphonic texture. Chopin’s piece has a medium range and follows an undulating contour. Furthermore, the conjunct and disjunct motion underscores this undulating contour. Taken together, these features of melody evoke an assortment of emotions. In the beginning, the listener feels very calm and relaxed as the notes sound peaceful and have a sense of consonance.  Additionally, this sound is created by the slurring of the notes as indicated by the legato notation. The repeating phrase in the beginning also allows the listener to have a sense of where the music is going – they can anticipate what will happen next. Still, as the piece progresses, it is obvious that notes are becoming higher in pitch, following a crescendo dynamic, resulting in a more dramatic effect in the middle of the song before returning back to the calm and relaxed phrase found at the start. However, syncopation has occurred – the tempo of repeating phrase has changed, becoming more rapid and rushed. Such a change in the piece may cause a bit of a panicked state in the listener who now no longer feels a sense of calmness but rather a sense of stress and tension. As expected, this is where the piece’s tonality begins to change. Although most of the piece is in E-major, the middle of the piece is filled with chromatic notes. These chromatic notes are harsh on the listener’s ears with their dissonance ringing through. This new sound is like a chase, or an object tumbling down a staircase. It indicates something bad has or is about to occur. The piece continues in this chromatic scale for a bit before returning back to E-major scale in a much quieter volume. When the piece returns back to its calm and peaceful phrase and normal tempo, the listener feels a sense of relief. The tension has been resolved as if the terrible event at the height of the song is now over. Simultaneously, the volume fades into a decrescendo before terminating completely. We can see the piece going from A (calm and peaceful sounding) to B (aggressive sounding) back to A (calm and peaceful). As such, Étude Op. 10, No. 3 can be described as ternary form since the two sections are contrasted against one another. Supposedly, Chopin frequently chose to express his musical ideas in sections[1], providing the listener with multiple contexts. Initially, before listening to this piece, I assumed my emotions towards the song would be predominantly ones of sadness (as expected from the title, tristesse). However, I was surprised at my personal listening experience. I did not feel sadness, rather it evoked images of a dramatic experience with joy. To me, Étude Op. 10, No. 3 tells the story of someone’s peace of mind being disrupted. They start out feeling contemplative and pensive, followed by a horrible realization leading to feelings of anger and frustration but then they finally come to a state of peace as they have overcome their obstacle. Overall, the aspects of melody and the use of a chromatic scale by Chopin create a spectrum of emotions. 

            Next, we’ll examine the context scholars believe this piece was composed under. According to the Oxford Music Dictionary, an étude is a study–––specifically a short piece which aims to develop a particular characteristic of a performance technique[2]–––that helps the musician master a particular skill. Brody and Larue hypothesized (1986) that Chopin composed his Études at the request of Moscheles and Fetis for a publication called Méthode des Méthodes. They note that Chopin’s compositions typically incorporate one pattern repeated several times in different ways requiring tremendous finger, wrist and forearm capabilities due to the complexity of his pieces. [3] This is evident in Étude Op. 10, No. 3 as it follows a ternary form thereby reflecting the repetition mentioned by Brody and Larue. Others, like Walker, believe that Chopin created his Études as a means to provide himself with more difficult and complex pieces so that he could solve new technical problems. Now, one might speculate that the aggressive mood in the middle of the composition does not depict something bad occurring but rather the composer’s/ musician’s frustrations associated with such a complex piece. In fact, Chopin’s composing process was said to be lengthy and painful – his manuscripts exhibit signs of struggle with corrections found on almost every page.[4] Again, this might suggest that Chopin incorporated his own feelings of exasperation and dissatisfaction directly into his work resulting in the discordant sounds we hear. However, several scholars have recognized Chopin’s desire to stray from conventional sounds. 2 Spicer (1996) mentions that although Chopin’s music is tonal, certain excerpts are difficult to analyze, emphasizing the great amount of chromaticism in Étude Op. 10, No. 3 [5] Considering Chopin’s use of a chromatic scale, psychophysiologists examined what physiological reactions are elicited when listening to this particular Étude. They found an increased heart rate in participants when a violation of an expected chord had occurred; in this piece this occurs when it transitions from form A to form B. In addition, complex rhythmic changes in tempo are also related to an increased heart rate. Some psychologists claim that an accelerated heart rate is linked to stimulus rejection or a defense mechanism. Thus, it can be concluded that physiologically, emotions of fear or stress may be present when listening to Chopin’s Étude Op. 10, No. 3[6]. In short, although it is not clear the context in which Chopin composed Étude Op. 10, No. 3, it is capable of bringing about distinct emotions–––both psychologically and physically.

            In sum, Chopin’s Étude Op. 10, No. 3 is an emotional composition. Despite its repetitive melody, there are still elements of surprise – the technical features employed by Chopin highlight its complexity. While the context in which this composition was written in is unclear, the listener does not need it; they are free to create their own context to fit the piece as it brings about an array of emotions.

References

Brody E. and Larue J. 1986. Trois Nouvelles Etudes. The Musical Quarterly 72: 1-15

Covington V. 1987. American Music Teacher 37: 20-22

Mikutta C.A., Schwab S., Niederhauser S., Wuermle O., Strik W. and Altorfer A. 2013. Music, perceived arousal and intensity: Psyschophysiological reactions to Chopin’s “Tristesse”. Psychophysiology 50: 909-919

Oxford Music Online: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/subscriber/article/grove/music/09062?q=Chopin+Etude+in+E&search=quick&pos=45&_start=26

Spicer M. 1996. Root versus Linear Analysis of Chromaticism: A Comparative Study of Selected Excerpts from the Oeuvres of Chopin. College Music Symposium 36: 138-147

Walker A. 2010. Chopin The Voice of the Piano. American Music Teacher 59: 19-26

[1] Covington V. 1987. American Music Teacher 37: 20-22

[2] Oxford Music Online: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/subscriber/article/grove/music/09062?q=Chopin+Etude+in+E&search=quick&pos=45&_start=26

[3] Brody E. and Larue J. 1986. Trois Nouvelles Etudes. The Musical Quarterly 72: 1-15

[4] Walker A. 2010. Chopin The Voice of the Piano. American Music Teacher 59: 19-26

[5] Spicer M. 1996. Root versus Linear Analysis of Chromaticism: A Comparative Study of Selected Excerpts from the Oeuvres of Chopin. College Music Symposium 36: 138-147

[6] Mikutta C.A., Schwab S., Niederhauser S., Wuermle O., Strik W. and Altorfer A. 2013. Music, perceived arousal and intensity: Psyschophysiological reactions to Chopin’s “Tristesse”. Psychophysiology 50: 909-919