Music 301: Compositional and
Analytical Approaches to Music Today
Click here for links to musicianship
exercises
Click here for the MIDI recording of Berio’s “Shlomit” (for
Assignment 4)
Instructors:
Lecturer: John Roeder, Room 401, (604) 822-3715. Email: j.roeder(at)ubc.ca
Tutor: Stephanie Lind, Old Aud 203, (604) 739-3851. Email: s_k_lind(at)yahoo.com
Office hours: Roeder: Fridays 9-noon or by appointment. Lind: Wednesdays 11-12, or by appointment.
Grading: 40% assignments, 25% musicianship performances and tutorial quizzes (Feb. 2/3, March 9/10, April 6/7), 35% final exam. Note: You must pass the final exam to pass the course.
Course policies:
Regular attendance is required in lectures and tutorials. Students who neglect their academic work and assignments may be excluded from the final examination. Students who are unavoidably absent because of illness or disability should report to Professor Roeder upon their return to class.
Students will be graded partly on their conduct and participation in tutorials. Students should come to tutorial prepared with any assignments, and ready to cooperate in learning and making music.
Late assignments will not be accepted, and missed examinations, tests, and quizzes may not be made up except with the permission of the instructor, such as in cases of documented illness.
Plagiarism exists when a student presents as original work materials composed by another person. Plagiarized assignments will be given a mark of zero. Students may consult with each other about the concepts and techniques needed to complete assignments, but may not share answers to assignment questions. Each student must individually complete each assignment. Plagiarism will be referred to the Dean's Office for disciplinary action.
Date
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Topic
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Assignments
due |
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January 4 |
Review of pitch-class set theory and 12-tone theory, based on Stravinsky’s In Memoriam Dylan Thomas. Focus and closure. |
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January 9 |
Boulez: “Bourreaux de solitude” from Marteau sans maître |
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January 11 |
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January 16 |
Properties of sound; components of timbre and texture |
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January 18 |
Textural composition: Penderecki: Threnody ; Ligeti, Atmosphères |
Assignment 1 |
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January 23 |
Indeterminacy and directed improvisation: the American avant garde |
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January 25 |
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January 30 |
Form and process in electroacoustic music. Xenakis, Diamorphoses II. Moment form: Stockhausen: Mixtur |
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February 1 |
Berio: Sequenze and other works |
Assignment 2 |
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February 6 |
Carter: String Quartet No. 2, Intro |
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February 8 |
Carter: Canaries; tempo modulation. |
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February 20 |
Tonalities: Corigliano, Elegy; Adams: Harmonielehre |
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February 22 |
Cross-cultural influences: Africa |
Assignment 3 |
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February 27 |
Jazz and rock: concepts of harmony, rhythm, and form; lead sheets |
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March 1 |
Digital technology: MIDI, synthesis, recording. |
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March 6 |
Pattern music and beat-class sets: Reich |
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March 8 |
Canadian currents (guest lecturer – Stephanie Lind) |
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March 13 |
Art-music/pop music crossovers. Torke: Yellow Pages |
Assignment 4 |
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March 15 |
Exoticism and quotation: Crumb: Black Angels, Ancient Voices. |
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March 20 |
Pärt: Tabula Rasa, Fratres |
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March 22 |
Gubaidulina: Hommage à T.S. Eliot; Schnittke Valse from Piano Quartet |
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March 27 |
Kurtág songs |
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March 29 |
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April 3 |
Saariaho; Sheng: Stream Flows |
Assignment 5 |
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April 5 |
Wrapup and review; course evaluation. |
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