Culminating Assignment
Task:
Draw a connection between traditional Western music and Jazz or Popular music styles through analysing a 20th century piece that has made use of a 'classical' music theme.
Components:
- Select an approved 20th Century jazz or popular music piece that contains a 'classical' theme from the list below. (You may use a piece you believe is suitable if it is approved by me)
| Barry Manilow's Could This Be Magic Carlos Santana's and David Matthews' Love of My Life Carmen Cavallaro's To Love Again Chumbawumba's Tub Thumping Coolio's See You When You Get There Dionne Warwick's I'll Never Fall In Love Again Electric Light Orchestra's Fifth of Beethoven Eric Carmen's Never Gonna Fall In Love Again David Usher's Black, Black Heart Jethro Tull's Bouree Saturday Night Fever's Night on Disco Mountain Trance Opera's Handel's Messiah Vanessa Mae's Vivaldi's Four Seasons Vitamin C's Graduation Song William Orbit's Adagio for Strings |
Chopin's Prelude No. 20 in C minor, Op. 28 Brahms's Symphony No. 3, Mvt 3 Chopin's Nocturne in Eb, Op. 9.2 Clarke's Trumpet Voluntary Pachelbel's Canon in D Delibes's Flower Duet from Lakmé Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto, Mvt 3 Beethoven's Fifth Symphony Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2, Mvt 2 J.S. Bach's Lute Suite in E minor BWV 966 Bouree Mussorgsky's A Night on Bald Mountain Handel's Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah Vivaldi's Finale from Summer from The Four Seasons Pachelbel's Canon in D Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings |
- Transcribe the musical quotation/theme. Is it identical in rhythm, notes, time signature and key signature in both settings?
- Through listening to both settings, harmonically analyse the setting of the quotation/theme. (Your harmonic analysis must be no more than 16 measures) Is the harmonic analysis identical or has the new artist given it a new harmonic setting? Explain.
- Analyse the general overall form of both pieces (i.e., ABA, Sonata form, etc.)
- Research both composers: dates, background, musical education and experience, etc.
- Of the recent composer, look for motives to include an excerpt from 'classical' music. If no information can be found, speculate on the composer's choice of excerpt and how it has affected the popularity of the work it is from.
- Discuss any copyright issues that may be incurred by this piece.
- Using technology, creatively fashion a new setting for the musical quotation/theme.
- Submit a hard copy of this research in a suitable format (i.e., essay, report, etc.)
- Creatively present your information to the class. (i.e., video, talk show, website, PowerPoint presentation, etc.)
N.B. All songs can be found through internet searches.
* 'Classical' refers to the concept of art music, in most cases written before 1900.