Singing Nature's Tune: The Whale - Essay Example

? Section/# The Whale The Animal The whale is the largest variety of mammal that is extent on this planet. As such,its sheer size coupled with the environment with which it lives provides the animal a unique relationship with the environment and the habitat with which it lives. As one might expect, due to the sheer size of the animal, it is usually not particularly fast or agile. During the course of a normal day the animal will rise from out of the depths of the sea, seek out the surface, expunge the air it has held in its lung and inhale for another descent into the depths. Oftentimes this methodical rise and descent is accented by one or two acrobatic flips into the ocean air. Instrument + Range Although difficult to express the range of actions and shades of feelings, for this particular animal and the actions it undertakes in a given day I believe a bass violin would be the best instrument to suit this purpose. In this way the low bass would symbolize the size and strength of the animal whereas the higher tenor sounds that could be generated along the upper reaches of the fingerboard could help to symbolize the shades of meaning, and thrill that the animal must feel when it rises to the surface and/or jumps into the ocean air. Musical Dynamics Not surprisingly, the musical style must take on the dynamics of power, suspense, and thrill in order to accurately represent the actions of the cheetah. As such, the best model with which to do all of these things would be that of the classical symphony. The style and musical presence that could be provided would be sufficient to paint the mood and the strength that the animal engenders. Although some might consider the dynamics to necessarily be mundane due to the fact that the animal is not one of a great deal of action; however, this could be countered by the magnificence and power that the animal displays in all of its movements. Rather than a piece that relies on the integrated speed and tempo fast action, the work could display a broad use of building dynamics coupled with crescendos and decrescendos and progressions in order to achieve the desired result. Texture Although the entire symphony would be utilized, the string sections would be relied upon to the greatest degree to provide the listener with the sense of a rush and climb and subsequent descent that would be manifest . Likewise, as the animal approaches the surface, the texture would fill to provide use of all violins, cellos, and bass violins to provide the sense that the desired goal and/or action is nearly completed. Likewise, with the jump into the ocean air, I would employ use of the first violin section with the brass. This would be affected by having the violins run a quick progression of notes to indicate the jump then suspend their music while the brass section provides a powerful solitary note to be concluded by a strong conclusion of the action by the cymbals/percussion section. Rhythm Section As described multiple times already, it will be up to the individual musical elements to help to describe the power, magnificence, and strength of the whale (Rothenberg, 2012). However, the rhythm section will be relied up on heavily to provide the listener with the accompany actions that the whale undertakes. Likewise, the timpani will be used to emphasize the power and strength that are exhibited in nearly every action. Further percussion will serve to accent the movements and activities to include the jump and subsequent crash back into the ocean water. Likewise, a snare drum could easily be used to denote the release of the oxygen the whale has been holding in its lungs for such a very long period of time. Melody Style In this piece the melody style that will be employed will be that of a conjunct melody. By using such a means of melodical expressions, the slow, methodical, graceful, and majestic movements that the whale makes during its ascent and subsequent descent could be amplified to the listener. Likewise, the pitch of the melody will necessarily reside mostly in the lower range of notes to express the depths of the sea from whence the animal rises and the size and grace that the animal displays. However, as the animal rises, the notes will concurrently rise with it to denote the ascension and closing distance between the surface of the water. Melody Qualities Similar to the need of having the piece conjunctly organized, it is also necessary to include chord progressions underscore the grace and power that ebbs and flows with the movements of the majestic animal. Similarly, dissonance could be employed with relation to the process of exhaling as the horns could perform a dissonant blast to indicate the fury and tension that is released upon every expulsion of air that the animal takes multiple times each day. Furthermore, dissonant chords could again be employed as the animal begins its dive back into the depths to display the sense of mystery and suspense of the unknown that awaits the creature at such depths. Similarly, upon the rise of the animal legato notes to emphasize the methodical purposeful and rhythmic motions of the animal should necessarily be employed. Dynamics: Similarly, the dynamics of the piece are vital in conveying the attitudes and layers of meaning that the animal exhibits. As the whale is rising from the depths, expecting the coming release and the satisfaction that the fresh air will provide, the music will crescendo from a mezzo piano into a gradually forte. Upon the release of the air and the subsequent time spent on the surface, forte will be held gradually reducing to a mezzo forte as the animal makes the final run up to the jump into the ocean air above the surface. During this action, the dynamics will give way to ff as this style is best to portray the exclamatory nature of the action that the animal has undertaken. Likewise, once the action is completed and the dive back into the depths of the abyss begins the dynamics will reflect this by gradually reducing from the highpoint of the ff that was exhibited at the surface to a mezzo piano that was extent in the beginning of the piece to describe the creatures movements and actions at great depths. Work Cited ROTHENBERG, DAVID. "Singing Nature's Tune." USA Today Magazine 139.2786 (2010): 58-60. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. Read More