Notes
from a friend – A few suggestions on how
to
use the suggested listening list
1. Try to always listen
attentively, at a quiet time, and when you are not distracted by other
activities. Be disciplined about this as listening is an integral part of
your IB Music preparation. Think of
listening as reading, and like reading, most people have to learn to listen.
The better prepared you are for discussion, the better you will score on
the IB exam.
2.
Listening with a good pair of headphones is suggested. Good headphones usually
provide better sound quality than home speaker systems, and they cut out other
distracting noises.
3.
I would suggest no more than one hour spent listening at a time. Take breaks
between movements or after the end of a piece. Try to create some quiet time
allowing for thought and reflection related to the music just listened to.
4. The following listening
survey is arranged chronologically. For the purposes of this project I suggest
that you listen chronologically as well. Once
you are pretty familiar with each period, add some variety and jump ahead to a
different period or a different composer for comparison.
5.
Read the CD liner notes before you listen to the work selected, not
during. Liner notes are often excellent introductions to the music on the
recording. Take advantage of these introductions to increase your knowledge of
the music. Don’t read while the
music is on. Remember that most of
us can’t read and listen attentively to music at the same time.
The study of music in this regard is not a background activity.
Also read each appropriate chapter of the Roger Kamien text: Music, An
Appreciation.
6.
I have also grouped the composers on this list by period. Instead of listening
to all the suggested works by a single composer before moving on to the next,
listen to one work and then move on to another composer within the same period.
This will allow you to grasp not only the unique stylistic features of a
particular composer, but will help you understand the stylistic characteristics
of the period.
7.
Try to listen to at least one composition on your list every night or two. This
will help you maintain continuity and help you compare and contrast different
composers. If too much time passes between listening sessions it will be
harder to remember what was heard last.
Don’t cram!! Your thoughtful investment in time throughout the course will
allow for concepts to sink in more deeply.
A word of warning though – don’t get behind. Follow the course outline and stay current with the
discussions in class.
8.
If you are having trouble understanding a particular composition, listen to it
again. This may be the hardest guideline to follow. Our natural tendency is to
simply avoid things we don't understand or can't enjoy at first hearing. What
appears unclear at first becomes more comprehensible upon repeated hearings.
Remember that a well-educated musician, who heard the first performance of
Beethoven's seventh symphony, is reported to have commented that "it
sounded like it had been composed by a drunk." Of course, we now know the
work to be a masterpiece loved by millions. Keep that story in mind when you run
into "difficult" compositions.
9.
When I list a specific work it usually means the piece is an important
masterpiece that should be studied. Sometimes I will suggest a selection. In
that case the composer wrote a number of pieces in a particular genre that are
important contributions to the repertory, but no one piece in the group is of
greater importance. In these cases
I suggest that you simply select several examples to listen to.
10.
A note about CD selection. As a general rule I don't think that any one
conductor or ensemble has a special monopoly on understanding the works of any
composer, so I don't generally suggest particular recordings.
Almost any reputable orchestra or musician will probably present an
acceptable introduction to the music under consideration. But if you would like
to enhance your overview, it is always a good idea to listen to a couple of
interpretations of a given composition. This will certainly bring an added
dimension to your understanding of the music.
In
most cases, the music on this list is available on-line, or at the City Library.
If you prefer to purchase your own CDs, my only suggestion is to consider
the Naxos label. Naxos is one of the least expensive labels on the market today
and the quality is almost always remarkably high. The label covers music of
almost every category and period. One could easily build a first class library
from just Naxos CDs.
One last suggestion
regarding CD selection. It is best to avoid recordings that advertise themselves
as "The Best of the Baroque", or "The Best of Mozart", or
any recording that has only excerpts. These recordings are usually low quality.
Always make sure that you are listening to the entire work.
Since it will understandably
take time to develop your music library, I suggest that you get started right
away. Set your radio dial to the
local classical music stations found in the Media section of this web site.
Also, remember that non-western or World Music, as well as music from pop
culture will also appear on the IB Music exam.
Download the Listening Log form, and use it as a guide on your musical
journey. Remember that listening to music is a joy, not a chore.
Enjoy the experience.
Resource:
•
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catalogs, plus other licensed independent labels
•
Listen to Classical music as well as other genres including Jazz, Blues, World
and Chinese music
•
Listen to whole CDs or individual tracks - you decide
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