Composition Brief and Appraisal

Composition 1 - Mazurka - BRIEF I am going to write a piece of music in the style of a Mazurka, a Mazurka could be commonly found at Ballroom dances, it originated in Poland. I will be writing my piece of music to be played on the flute. My Composition will be based on aspects and features of three pieces of music, that are in my chosen style. My main piece that I have taken features from is called Anitra's Dance - it is taken from Peer Gynt. This piece is also my Performance 1. Some of the typical features that I have taken from this piece include trills. Trills are ornaments - they are performed by going to the next note up and to the original repeatedly at a very quick speed. Anitra's Dance is in the key of E Minor, which is the key that I will be using in my Composition 1, which I have decided to call *****'s Mazurka. I will also take the structure from Anitra's Dance, for example - Anitra's Dance does not have large sections, just small numbers of bars - so I will try and incorporate this into my piece. The other pieces in the style of a Mazurka that I have chosen are The Wedding March (Mazurka Op 20a) and Mazurka Fantaisie by Marcel Dupont, they also contain these features that I need - but they are not just specifically made to just be played on the flute. Composition 1 - Mazurka - APPRAISAL For my composition 1, I had to write a piece of music that was in the style

  • Word count: 671
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Music
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Dear Sir, I have been looking closely at the proposed plans for the year eleven prom. There are a few points that I would like to put forward and some strongly felt issues of many other pupils in year eleven

Michael Webb 14th Jan 2006 Prom Letter - Coursework 20 Llwynfedw Gardens Birchgrove Cardiff CF14 4NX 25 Valeymore Road, Witchurch, Cardiff, CF14 5NQ 4th January 2006 Dear Sir, I have been looking closely at the proposed plans for the year eleven prom. There are a few points that I would like to put forward and some strongly felt issues of many other pupils in year eleven. My main concerns include the venue of the prom, the music, date and time. Firstly I would like to say that I admire the fact that you have taken on this huge project, especially as there so many different varieties of young people coming to the prom. Although I acknowledge it is extremely hard to make an event like this to happen, I would appreciate it if you would take some time to look at my ideas. The choice of venue is probably the most important decision to be made. I believe the current proposal may not include the best place to hold it. My main reason being, that it is not easy to get to for all pupils, as it is not a very central part of Cardiff. I would therefore propose that the prom be held at a more easily accessible venue, for example the Angel Hotel in Cardiff City Centre. Secondly, I believe that the music is one of the most important factors of how smoothly the prom will go. I would propose that a professional Disc Jockey ought to be hired out for the night, as

  • Word count: 761
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Music
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Gradually the Short, Sharp Ringing of My Alarm Clock Enters My Ears.

Gradually the short, sharp ringing of my alarm clock enters my ears. My eyes slowly adjust to the dim morning light filtering in through the curtains. Reluctantly I lower my weary body onto the floor, and weave past the obstructions that are littered upon it. I steady myself down the stairs and into the kitchen, to prepare my breakfast. I always make sure there is time for cereal, even if it does leave me in a rush to get ready for school! Often I cycle to school. If the weather is inclement I walk with other friends that live close by. Upon entering the form room I find my class mates all involved in deep conversations on the previous days' antics and actions. On Mondays and Thursdays the colloquy frequently changes into light hearted arguments focused upon the football matches played the previous day. This usually invokes a reaction from our boastful form French tutor, who teases us over the sporting achievements his nation has achieved. In retaliation we often challenge him to either matches of tennis or football. Surprisingly he is always injured, and cannot take up the challenge. During the school day, although I am attentive and take part in lessons, I find it hard to concentrate. However, I find the work a lot easier when I am at home. Maths is a great example of this, during the lessons I find the answers to problems unobtainable, yet when I am at home I

  • Word count: 1366
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Music
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The history of Music

Lauren Wright BTEC National Diploma - Music The history of Music In this essay I will be identifying, explaining, and evaluating the history of Music whilst involving references to musical examples. The four main sections I will be evaluating are; * The origins of popular music * The styles and characteristics of popular music since 1950 * The role of at least four different leading artists/producers * The impact on instrument and recording, of the musical applications of technology. In the first section - The origins of popular music I will be concentrating on; * The music of the slaves * Gospel music * Negro Spirituals * Delta Blues * New Orleans Jazz * Ragtime * Folk and * Bluegrass I will then move onto the styles and characteristics of popular music since 1950 where I will be identifying such details as melody, rhythm, harmony, instrumentation, and structure. I will be concentrating on Rock 'n' Roll, Country and Western, Mersey beat, British Invasion, R*B, Psychedelia, Folk, Soul music, Progressive Rock, Disco, Glam Rock, Heavy metal, Reggae, Punk, New wave, Rap, Hip-Hop, Dance and Grunge. I will also look at how fashion and cultural influences such as James Dean, Teddy Boys, Flower Power, Free Love, Civil Rights Movement, Black Power, Ban the bomb, Punk, Rap and Hip-Hop, New Romantics, and drug culture have influenced musical development, as well as

  • Word count: 5319
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Music
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Camille Saint-Sans

Charles Camille Saint-Saëns Camille Saint-Saëns is a French musician who was born in the 9th of October, 1835 in Paris, France. He was raised by his mother and aunt since his father died when he was only two months old. Camille Saint-Saëns began learning how to play piano with his aunt when he was only three, where he can already read and write. Saint-Saëns had his first recital at the age of five when he accompanied a Beethoven violin sonata, although he did not make his formal debut by playing Mozart and Beethoven at Paris Salle Pleyel in 1846. He got into the Paris Conservatory at the age of 13 and played organ for two churches in his late teens. He has also been the organist for Madeleine, the most prestigious church in Paris between the years 1857 to 1876. The only school he had taught in was the L'Ecole which his students included Andre Messager and Gabriel Faure. In 1871, he went to England for the first time and played for Queen Victoria for promotion of the new French music. He married a 19 year old girl named Marie Truffot in 1875 and had two sons, but both died at very young age. Saint-Saëns separated with his wife three years later and never saw each other again. In 1886, Saint-Saëns composed the pieces Le Carnaval des Animaux (The Carnival of the Animals) and Symphony No. 3, dedicated to Franz Liszt who died that year, with his mother who died two years

  • Word count: 773
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Music
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History of Bob Marley

History of Bob Marley and the Wailers Ashley Newman Bob Marley's life is a life just like any of ours, except for that he was and still is one of the most influential artists known. His music is timeless, still managing to be popular two decades after the death of this reggae king. On February 6, 1945, in Jamaica, a star was born. Bob Marley's mother was an African American 18 year old girl, and his father was a 50 year old white Englishman (bobmarley.com, pg.2.) Growing up, Bob seldom saw his father, and grew up with his mother in Trenchtown, Jamaica; a small rural town. Bob's friends consisted of street children and one friend in particular, Neville Livingston, in which he started to create music with. In 1962, Bob was picked up by Leslie King, and was quickly put into the studio, and put out his first album, "Judge Not." The songs on the album received little attention, and had no radio play. By the next year, Bob decided to pursue his dream with a band, and he called up his friends Peter McIntosh and Neville, his old child friend (bobmarley.com, pg.4) to help him out. The name of their band, at the time, was "The Wailing Wailers." By 1963, they released an album; "Slimmer Down." The album was an automatic hit, putting the Wailing Wailers at the number one spot of the Jamaican charts for two months (bobmarley.com, pg.4.) Many saw the reggae music as tough,

  • Word count: 1028
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Music
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Social Factors of Tenisancoir

Social Factors of Tenisancoir The population of Tenisancoir is very easy to explain. There are 486,072 people living in the country today. Tomorrow there will also be 486,072 people living there. The population never changes because of the Fountain of Anti-aging. Everyone is allotted a measured proportion to keep them at their current age. Then after every fifty-year period the children are not allowed to drink anymore and the adults are given enough to make them babies again. This has gone on ever since the Great Swarm. This allows the population to never decrease but gives the people a variation in everyday life. 100% of the population of Tenisancoir are Nogoers. This religion is a religion that is completely dependent on the individual person. In Tenisancoir it is believed that a single person can have a relationship with God without having to pay tribute to a church. Everyone in the country uses sign language on a day to day basis. The ability to speak is held by every person but it is believed that the vocal chords should be reserved for only the art of music. Tenisancoir has four major cities. These are Challieve, Krinton, Sandwackerville, and Steno. Each is famous for its own contribution to the country. Challieve is known for producing the most talented tennis players and opera singers. Challieve is located on the western coast of Tenisancoir and even

  • Word count: 953
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Music
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How does Alice Walker discuss various cultural issues that faced America during the era of the story?

How does Alice Walker discuss various cultural issues that faced America during the era of the story? Religion, music and history make up the culture and tradition in the story. For the black music is a way of life, a way of defining there culture and community. They couldn't read or write or paint so they sang. This started off in churches when they sang the blues and eventually black jazz clubs became popular. When segregation was in place the whites used to go and socialize in the jazz clubs at night and then go back to segregation. Jazz developed from 'the blues'. The blues is a product of slavery. In order to relieve their misery the slaves sang the blues in the fields. This evolved into the jazz, which Gracie Mae sings. Jazz is sexy and seductive music and life as we see from the story was tough yet glamorous for jazz singers. Gracie may was violently beaten by her husbands who also stole her clothes, but this inevitably led to her becoming a strong woman. We see this when she fights with Bessie smith for her song hound dog and wins. Ironically though segregation was in place many whites g found the jazz clubs seductive. This was the beginning of the white apparition of black music we see in the story. The deacon and indeed Traynor effectively con Gracie out of her song Hound Dog. Trainer copies her black American style of singing; this in time becomes

  • Word count: 1330
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Music
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music folk music research

Folk music, in the most basic sense of the term, is music by and for the common people. The Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary defines it as "music of the common people that has been passed on by memorization or repetition rather than by writing, and has deep roots in its own culture. It is still being passed on in this way today. The folk music of Ireland (also known as Irish traditional music, Irish trad, Irish folk music, and other variants) is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the entire island of Ireland, North and South of the Border. Irish traditional music has survived more strongly against the forces of cinema, radio and the mass media than the indigenous folk music of most European countries. This was partly due to the fact that the country was not a battleground in either of the two world wars. Another significant factor was that the economy was largely agricultural, where oral tradition usually thrives. From the end of the second world war until the late fifties folk music was held in low regard. Following the success of The Clancy Brothers in the USA in 1959, Irish folk music became fashionable again. The lush sentimental syle of Delia Murphy was replaced by guitar-driven male groups such as The Dubliners. Irish showbands presented a mixture of pop music and folk dance tunes, though these died out during the seventies. The

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  • Word count: 622
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Music
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DIfferant Trains

Expressive Arts Gcse - Critical Analysis Unit 2- People and Places 'Different Trains' by Steve Reich In this Analysis I am going to be looking at 'Different trains' by Steve Reich. I will be trying to understand the reason why he created this interesting piece of music and his influences. Furthermore I am going to talk about how groundbreaking this piece is and its significance. Steve Reich was the creator of the piece, he has had a very successful career and has created other spectacular pieces such as 'It's gonna rain' (1965), 'come out' (1995) and many more. He was born in New York during 1936. He learnt about drumming at the age of 14 with New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Then he took a philosophy degree at Cornell in 1953. He carried on with further education at places like Mills Collage, where he developed an interest for African and Balinese Music. In 1966 he began performing with his own band, mostly contained percussion. Then he began to work on larger orchestral and choral forces this is when he wrote Different trains, 1988. The song won a Grammy in 1989 for best contemporary Classical composition. It was originally written for Kronos quartet string group, this contained 2 violins, 1 viola and a cello. It was founded by violinist David Harrington during 1973. After 1978, They have mainly worked from San Francisco. They specialize in new types of music and they

  • Word count: 2445
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Music
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