(AUSTRALIAN FOCUS)
Lesson 1: Techno Music
​Unprepared Listening:
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What are your first general impressions of this piece?
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What are some features you can hear?
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Research Task:
Techno Music is a genre that came about in the mid-1980s. Research this genre including information such as background, influences, notable works and composers, features etc. Find one techno work that you like and share a 30 second excerpt. Present your findings and discuss as a class.
Here are a few resources to get you started:
Aural Skills:
Dictation 3
'Popular and, in particular, 'techno' music and culture have played a large role in the development of Hindson's musical style (with his other works displaying such titles as Speed and Homage to Metallica), and Rush is no exception. The playful, up-beat and repetitive rhythms found in popular music are a prominent feature of this work. The fast and mostly accelerating tempo of Rush reinforces both the title of the piece and the influence of 'techno' music.'
https://www.fabermusic.com/music/rush-3867
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Techno features found in Rush:
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Repetitive rhythms
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Moto Perpetuo
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Cross Rhythms
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Driving beat
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Acceleration
Here are a few examples of repetitive rhythms.
Have a listen with the score and clap a few of these rhythms.
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What is a cross-rhythm?
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A cross-rhythm, also known as polyrhythm is a combination of 2 or more rhythmic layers which are in different rhythmic groupings.
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The excerpts above show the use of cross-rhythm. Identify and annotate.
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In small groups, clap some of the cross-rhythms found above.
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What is moto perpetuo?
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Moto perpetuo literally translates to perpetual motion and means a fast passage of music consisting of notes of equal length
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The excerpts above show examples of moto perpetuo.
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Click on the links and have a listen of these other well-known works that incorporate this feature. Do you recognise any of these pieces?
Go back to your techno work that you chose at the beginning of this class and have another listen.
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Are there any occurrences of the features discussed above?
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Several of Hindson's other works were also influenced by techno music such as:
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Speed (1997)
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Homage to Metallica (1998)
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Technologic 1-2 (1998)
In pairs, chose one work and take out a small section. Aurally analyse any techno features.
Present your findings with short audio clips from your chosen work.
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Lesson 2: Minimalism
You will be given some time to complete your composition.
Once complete, ensure you have uploaded the blog post 'Composition 1':
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Score
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Audio
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Analysis (if you have no completed your analysis, it will be due as HW)
Your composition portfolio should contain the follow:
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Original theme
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12 Ideas
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Complete Planner Scaffold
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Score (with annotations for your analysis)
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You are also encouraged to document all compositional processes and any additional inspirations in your portfolio.
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Your composition portfolio will be handed in next lesson.
Share your composition with the class and give a brief reflection on your original melodic idea, development and processes.
Give verbal feedback to your peers' composition.
Aural Skills:
Sight Singing Exercise 5
What is Minimalism?
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Funnily enough, we have already encountered a minimalist work, composer and some feature typical of this genre in the past few weeks.
Any guesses to what they may be?
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As a class, discuss and create a brainstorm of what you already know about minimalism (or if you don't, what you might think it involves.)
Have a listen to a section from the following two works by prominent minimalist composers;
Philip Glass and Steve Reich.
For both works, discuss unity and repetition.
Listen to Divenire (2006) - Ludovico Einaudi [1:37 - 2:55]
Practice the arrangement as a class ensemble.
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All parts can be found here.
(Resource created by owner in 2018 for an assignment task in MUED3603)