Music Analysis-“Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker
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.
Assignment is to choose one musical composition that is not on the course listening list and to approach your investigation of this piece. The composition must come from a Western music tradition and can be in any genre (Classical , 1 folk, rock, jazz, pop, etc. ).
In the first part of this assignment describe what you hear using the technical language that you have learned. How do the technical features of your chosen piece become an emotional experience for you as a listener? 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 the 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, feel free to write your essay using the first person narrative form.
Range: 1100 to 1200 words.
As a starting point, familiarize yourself with the composition by listening to it. Introduce the piece that you have selected using the technical language and provide your initial reaction to it; Then provide an explanation of how your knowledge of the historical and cultural context affects your reaction to the composition.
The paper must be in proper essay format. Use any of the standard styles of citation. 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.
Using internet resources: when researching topic must 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 you must consult such resources. Some scholarly musicological resources:
• Oxford Music Online: http://search.library.utoronto.ca/details?7911878&uuid=bb750053- 753b-4791-9c03-190a730ec5c8 (access through the UTSC library: 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.
