The Effect Of Music On The Performance Of A Task
The Effect Of Music On The Performance Of A Task Word Count: 1498 words A b s t r a c t The aim of this investigation is to investigate the effect of music upon the performance of a task. 30 participants completed different anagrams under each of the 3 conditions: fast, slow and no music. A two-tailed Wilcoxon test was used, as a significance level of p=0.05. This revealed that the slow music & no music; and the fast music & slow music had significant results between them. However, between the fast music & no music conditions, there was no significance. The data collected shows that slower music provides the highest level of performance, with the average score being 8.1 out of 15. Faster music gives an average performance, with no music providing the lowest level of performance. Individual differences and extraneous variables need to be accounted for, however, before firm conclusions can be drawn. B a c k g r o u n d Many studies have taken place with an aim to find out more about how music affects humans. Turner et al (1997) concluded that the amplitude of the melody is important for the task to be performed quicker. Also lowering the amplitude gave slower response times to unexpected visual effects. Similarly, Wallace (1994) concluded that a simple repetitive melody was enough to increase people's memory. It has been argued, however, that memory is not
Analytical Essay on the score of Psycho.
Analytical Essay on the score of Psycho The man behind the low woodwinds that opens Citizen Kane and the 'high pitched violins' of Psycho (1960). Bernard Herrmann was one of the most original and distinctive composers ever to work in film. He started early, winning a composition prize at 13 and founding his own orchestra at 20. After writing scores for Orson Welles' radio shows in the 1930s (including the notorious 1938 'War of the Worlds' broadcast), he was the obvious choice to score Welles' film debut, Citizen Kane (1941), and subsequently Magnificent Ambersons, The (1942), though he removed his name from the latter after additional music was added without his (or Welles') consent when the film was mutilated by a panic-stricken studio. Herrmann was a prolific film composer, producing his most memorable work for Alfred Hitchcock, for whom he wrote nine scores. He ignored the directors instructions - like Hitchcock's suggestion that Psycho (1960) have a jazz score and no music in the shower scene). He ended his partnership with Hitchcock after the latter rejected his score for Torn Curtain (1966) on studio advice. His last score was for Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976), and he died just hours after recording it. Bernard Herrmann is one of the most important film composers of the 20th century. He was one of the key figures in creating the genre of film music. He
Vaughan Williams scoring and innovative use of orchestral texture are the hallmarks of his musical language. Discuss this view referring to the 3rd movement of the 5th Symphony.
Vaughan Williams scoring and innovative use of orchestral texture are the hallmarks of his musical language. Discuss this view referring to the 3rd movement of the 5th Symphony. The beginning of the 3rd movement contains a chord sequence with a modal feel. The chords are C-A-Gm-A-Gm-A. This contains a false relation between the C? in C and the C# in A. This occurs several times throughout the movement. Also at the beginning, bar 7, there is a solo in the cor anglais, also with a modal feel again due to a C?C#. The folk-like melody harks back to his interest in folk music, an interest which ignited the beginning of a large collection of folk music, including pieces he himself and transcribed. At B there is a rising 4th sequence in the1st and 2nd violas. This sequence was also used in the 1st movement, and is used again throughout this one. During this section the violins and violas are beautifully scored, with the 2nd violins and 1st violas playing in unison and the 2nd violas play a counter-melody of sorts underneath this. Halfway through A, all the strings, excluding violins, play a chordal pattern. On top of this are dotted minims played by both the clarinets and horns. This mixture, which is not often used in orchestral pieces, creates a very relaxing sound which sit comfortably on top of the strings. Following this the rising 4ths returns in the 1st flute, which is
The bus came to a slow but steady stop. Mike grabbed his Jansport backpack as he lifted himself up from the green seat at the back of the bus. Saying goodbye to his fellow classmates, Mike and his
Brian Cook Fiction Writing Dr. Cox 2/03/05 The bus came to a slow but steady stop. Mike grabbed his Jansport backpack as he lifted himself up from the green seat at the back of the bus. Saying goodbye to his fellow classmates, Mike and his neighborhood friends piled off the bus. Walking up the long hill with one strap of his backpack on his shoulder, Mike said, "Hey Erin, are you going to the dance tomorrow?" "I think so. How about you?" "I'm not sure what were going to do," said Mike in a cool manner. It was a month into Mike's freshman year of high school and the first dance of the year was the following day. He loved everything about high school from the new friends, to the girls, and finally being on a varsity team. Mike was a basketball player, so becoming acquainted with the high school atmosphere was no problem. He had not attended a real high school party yet, but the other players on the team assured him it would come. The first major event of the year was the following night. The welcome-back dance was the first chance for many freshman guys and girls to really get to know older classmates as well as one another. However, many freshman students felt this dance would determine the rest of their year; whether you were popular with your classmates and girls or not. After the long walk and entering his house, Mike threw his backpack and shoes to the
"Chicago" review
"Chicago" Currently playing at the AdelphiTheatre Reviewed November 2002 Still running with renewed cast Direction: Walter Bobbie Music, Book & Lyrics: John Kander and Fred Ebb Choreography: Ann Reinking (based on Bob Fosse's original choreography) Cast Reviewed: Patrick Wilson, John Ellison Conlee, Andre De Shields, Jason Danieley, Romain Fruge, Marcus Neville, Kathleen Freeman and Emily Skinner If you can't get to the Westend this year to see the sassy musical Chicago you needn't worry. Come next year. It will still be here! This crowd-pleaser already has the quotes from the critics on its side. Now, eight times a week 1480 people in the AdelphiTheatre go out singing both its praises and its songs - or at least the hummable melody of one the last songs, "Razzle Dazzle". The book is by John Kander and Fred Ebb (authors of New York, New York, Cabaret and Kiss of the Spiderwoman) and originally co-written with Bob Fosse. The musical is based on the original play by Maurine Dallas Watkins. These writers know how to structure an evening with dramatic arc, smooth flow, narrative clarity, logical progression and strong theatrical images. All of those are evident in Chicago. But more importantly, they know that a musical must have heart and wear that heart on its sleeve. There is a deep-seated, salt-of-the-earth sentimentality to the piece that
Write a critical commentary on Mendelssohn's Quartet in Eb Major, Op. 12
Mendelssohn Quartet No 1 in Eb major, op.12 Born in Hamburg, February 3rd 1809, Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (known to the western world as Felix Mendelssohn) was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Recognised early on in life as being a musical prodigy, he took up piano lessons with his mother at the age of 6, giving his first public recital just 3 years later as an accompanist for a horn duo. Whilst demonstrating highly developed maturity towards creating music as a performer, Mendelssohn became a prolific composer from an early age, usually having his works performed by a private orchestra to an elite group of his wealthy parent's associates. He wrote 12 string symphonies between the ages of 12 and 14, a full orchestra symphony at aged 15 and his string octet which was written aged just 16, the latter of which began to demonstrate his true genius as a musician. Mendelssohn's style of composition was very different to that of his contemporaries such as Liszt, Berlioz and Schumann. Often labelled as the "Classical Romantic", as a composer, Mendelssohn's style was more comparable to the works of Beethoven than his contemporaries. Musicologist Edwin Evans states "Mendelssohn was born into the romantic era, but his aristocratic fastidiousness made him averse to the romantic excesses of his time, even when writing for the
Are musical influences important to a composer, or is it necessary to be original?
Are musical influences important to the composer or is it necessary to be original? Throughout musical history, from medieval plainsong and chant, through to the serialism and minimilism of the 20th century, music has evolved. I believe this evolution has occurred due to a combination of influences and originality. All composers are given an education including musical theory and instrumental lessons. The facts they learn during their education, and the pieces they play when learning an instrument form the basis of their musical influences. It is impossible to play a piece without, to a certain extent, analysing it; whether one likes the piece, or dislikes it, it becomes part of your musical background that influences you. As such, and because all composers must learn the history of music, and play music written by other composers, I do not believe that musical influences are so much something that is important to the composer, as something that is unavoidable. Whether or not it reflects in the pieces that they compose, all composers are influenced by the works of past composers. However, given that music has developed so greatly over the past few centuries, it would be impossible to say that there is no evidence of originality. Looking back, it is possible to see moments of originality that have allowed new musical techniques to be pioneered. The Mannheim school,
The ultimate question is where will music be in the future? As todays society is vastly growing with new advances in technology its hard to depict where music is headed in the future.
MUSIC IN THE FUTURE- Pamela Azzi The ultimate question is where will music be in the future? As today's society is vastly growing with new advances in technology it's hard to depict where music is headed in the future. From the past to the present it's substantial to say that we have already come a long way since Gregorian chants and church modes. However it seems as though technology has in other word become the 'figured bass' that structures most 21st century compositions. The concept of music technology is intertwined with the concept of being both musically and technologically creative. As people are always constantly striving to find ways to derive new forms of expression through music, they therefore mechanically create new devices to enable them to do so. For example such genres of music such as House, Electronic and Dance are all derived purely on the fundamental grounds of mechanical software. Without technology there wouldn't be the invention of the Keyboard or the Electric Guitar (which is used as a core instrument for 'Heavy Metal' and 'Rock' genres. Therefore technology is creating new expressions for music that will continue to expand in the future by the exploration and strive for creating new genres of music, therefore as long as people are interested in the expansion of music it will continue to grow in the future. A positive feature of technology is that
In the poem "Piano and Drums" by Gabriel Okara, Okara shows the contrasts between the past life and the modern world. Some aspects in his poem date back before the beginning of civilization
Piano and Drums Essay Introduction In the poem "Piano and Drums" by Gabriel Okara, Okara shows the contrasts between the past life and the modern world. Some aspects in his poem date back before the beginning of civilization and other aspects are of the current day and age. Theme The theme of the poem is the effect that the music has on the poet. The first stanza is the poet's response to hearing the jungle drums. So we can say that he thinks of them as a primitive instrument and he believes that there is a certain amount of violence in the rapid beating of the drums. Then in the third stanza, when he hears the piano, the poet is telling us the effect that this piano has on him. We can see that he thinks of the piano as a complex instrument. The poet also sees the piano as a different culture from the drums. He sees he complexities in the piano. He uses technical words to show this complexity "coaxing diminuendo". Structure The poem consists of four stanzas. The first three stanzas are telling us the story and the last is a conclusion. It seems that the stanzas represent the evolution of music or life. The first stanza being of the primal age where there were only drums. "Primal youth and the beginning". Here the word primal youth has been used and this means primitive. This shows that the first stanza could be the early, primitive life. The second stanza shows
Performance studies language of performing arts.
Jenny Nichols Performance studies language of performing arts Performing arts is a combination of the three art forms, dance, drama and music. We looked at how they can interlink. They interlink through the use of common language. They also interlink through the process: * Warm up * Stimulus * Brainstorms * Make decisions * Improvise * Rehearse * Refine * Perform * Evaluate For our small group pieces, we were given a stimulus, a picture by Salvador Dali, "The persistence of memory." This gives the idea of time, hard objects becoming floppy. You can see the Spanish coast, and in the see the sea a whale like creature can be seen. Small drama piece Our drama was very serious; we used different techniques to begin. We went to a dark, quiet room to sit or stand in a circle. We stood in a circle and kept in focus for 10 minutes thinking of serious, negative thoughts Warm ups for group pieces Before every performance we completed either a physical, mental or vocal warm up. For the physical warm up, we stretched everything starting from the head down to our feet. Shoulder circles . Stand straight with your feet slightly apart and knees bent. 2. Circle your shoulder round 8 times. 3. Do this clockwise and again clockwise. Arm circles . Again stand tall with feet slightly apart and knees bent again. 2. Circle your arms clockwise and anticlockwise. 3. Do this
