Concert Review - Assignment Example

Concert review Part Concert Review The first performance is a solo piano recital B by Andras Schiff. This recital was composed by Johann Sebastian Bach during the baroque period for instrumental performance with no vocal accompaniment. The tempo of the recital has been given as andante and presto. In this combination, the rate of the notes can be described to range from a walking pace to a quicker pace that is also lively. The tempo changes from the initial slow walking pace at the start of the presentation to a more lively and quick pace before receding back to a normal walking pace and continues to toggle between the two paces. The melody of the recital can be described by a short but fast shifting motive. The composer uses about four notes that the shift rapidly from one set to another. At the introduction and throughout the piece the energy and vigor depicted in the melody gives the recital a jovial or celebratory atmosphere and mood. The vigor and strength that is depicted in the piece can be likened to the mood of a carnival or an active musical dance. The harmony of the recital is also varied between an interval and a chord. In the introduction of the piece, the general harmony is an interval sounding at most two notes at a time. In the later stages of the piece, it shifts to a chord but turns back the harmony back to the interval. At the intervals, there is an underlying melody that supports the harmony. In the subsequent groups of chords, the melody is not very clear, and the progression is achieved in the recital. The variation between the interval and chords in the piece creates musical motion in the presentation. Musically it is expected that where the interval is supported by an underlying melody and thee audience perceives a level of stability, the harmony is referred to as consonance. However, in the case of a turbulent and unstable set of chords, the harmony is referred to as a dissonance. The texture of this presentation can be described as both thick and thin. First, the texture can be described as monophonic. The description of the texture is because the presentation is a solo recital that is not accompanied by any vocals. A good example of thin texture is that which contains only one part like a solo voice that is not accompanied by anything. However, some composers might have the opinion that this piece does not have a thin texture. The argument would support the counterpoint composition. In this style of composition, the composer uses the underlying harmony which is overrun by the tone of the piece. This is a texture referred to as Melody and accompaniment. In this case the piece would be described as polyphonic in nature. The performer was able to link greatly with both the audience and the performance. The body movements indicated this during the performance. The performer gave a good and direct introduction to the audience and right from the start the audience would know what to expect. In Bennett (2012), the use of the introduction is described to help the performer to build a relationship between them and the audience by acknowledging that the performance is going to take place, and it is for some audience. The audience applauded the performer from the start, and their appreciation for the performance was also given at the end of the performance. Composer research Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) He greatly contributed to the music composition during the baroque period. This composer originated from Saxe-Eisenach, a great family of musicians. The father of the composer was a director of the town musicians. Upon the death of both his parents, Bach moved to his elder brother’s home. Christophe batch was the organist at Saint Michael church in Ohrdruf. While living with an elder brother, the young batch studied performed and even copied music. He learnt how to play the clavichord from the brother and was exposed to great composers whom previously, the brother had received tutelage (Boyd, 2000). By the age of 14, Bach got a scholarship to study music at St. Michaels School in Luneburg. While here, he developed great liking for the organ and was tutored by Georg Böhm on playing an instrument. The organ became the primary instrument that the composer specialized field. In Weimar, his skill a keyboardist became well known to many and was given the opportunity to inspect a give the inaugural recital by the instrument, at St. Bonifaces Church located in Arnstadt. The composer earned a living from music related works. He became music director in many principal churches in Leipzig city in 1723, a position he held till death. While working here, Bach struggled to convince the king to increase his roles in the church but the king turned down the request. He wrote several motels that were performed by a choir in church and at weddings and funerals to earn extra income (Miles 1962). Most of Bach’s initial works included sacred cantatas that were performed by the church choir. These majorly got written for choral performance. During the baroque period, the majority of the composers applied musical ornament to their works to make the score lines more beautiful. The Italian concerto BWV 971 written by Johann Sebastian Bach is one such piece written during this period and applies ornamentation to drive its harmony. Most of his works got earmarked as the genesis of harmony. As an organist, Bach established himself a composer who can integrate foreign styles into his works. The composer stands out as a very talented individual. At childhood, he had begun writing music ad had captured the attention of many people as a mature organist and a hard-working songwriter. References BOYD, M. (2000). Bach. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bennett, M. Y. (2012). Words, space, and the audience: The theatrical tension between empiricism and rationalism. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Pp17 print MILES, R H. (1962). Johann Sebastian Bach: An Introduction to His Life and Works. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Read More