170
Appendix
2.03
Experimental
listening
Bartok
1
Experimental listening 16 Aug 2011. EC’s preparation
Bartok: Orchestral piece ”An Evening in the Village” / ”Ein Abend auf dem Lande”
/ ”An Evening with the Szekely” , Hungarian Sketches Sz 97 no. 1.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra cond. Pierre Boulez. CD: DG 445 825-2
Abbreviations: open: open listening
foc: music-focused listening
herm: hermeneutical listening
EC’s preliminary observations and reactions, new questions, new tasks, and problems:
1st and 2nd listening: Open listenings open
The tones are ”brushed into existence”
Two kinds of music, one fluent, the other one with marked rhythm
A salient pause, music continues immediately afterwards
The last tone is like a trail of light
Soft happiness
3rd listening: Question: Foreground and background? foc
A static background is floating like surfaces of light in the sky by sunset
One tone continues from section to section, creates presence
Different backgrounds in different sections
In slow sections: first very soft, then more clear and present, last time voluminous
New tasks: Listen for transparence. Listen for form. Concentrate on the slow sections
4th listening: Question: Form? foc
A1 0’00 song
B1 0’39 dance
A2 1’01 song
B2 1’35 dance
A3 1’59 song, finished 2’47
New task: Listen for vibrato and tone quality
Appendix 2.02 Experimental listening Bartok Appendix
2.03
Experimental
listening
Bartok
2
5th listening: Question: Background in the slow sections? focA1: Falling surfaces, luminous in the beginning. Repetition of the two first surfaces, harmonic
change the second time. Surfaces unite with foreground in the last chord.A2: Background: In the beginning one sustained tone, continues downards
New question: What do you hear, pitch or harmony?A3: Not foreground and background, but statement and response.
Heaviness both in melody and accompaniment. A touch of birdsong.
New question: How many layers?
New task: Listen for background in the dancing sections6th listening: Open listening openSustained tones create continuity, especially from A1 to B1
Increasing tranquillity and fullness, calming effect7th listening: Open listening openI experience the layers visually
New tasks: Listen for the vibrato, especially in flutes. Listen for the ”shaking” movement in B28th listening: Open listening openOnly two layers in A1. Three or more layers in the dancing sections B1 and B2.
Luminous quality in A2. Multi-layered last chord in A3.New questions: When does a harmony merge completely, when do you hear separate tones?
What do you retain in your memory by now?9th listening: Question: Background in B1 and B2? focB1: three layers: jumping melody, sustained bands of tones, precise pizzicato rhythm in stringsB2: lively melody in piccolo flutes, animating bass, subdued background in the beginning, then
intensified trills on offbeats. An extra voice added in the final chordNew tasks and questions: Describe the melodic lines. What characterizes the quality of a
pizzicato? Listen for small tempo variations, rubato. What harmony in the final chord?Appendix 2.02 Experimental listening Bartok Appendix
2.03
Experimental
listening
Bartok
2
5th listening: Question: Background in the slow sections? focA1: Falling surfaces, luminous in the beginning. Repetition of the two first surfaces, harmonic
change the second time. Surfaces unite with foreground in the last chord.A2: Background: In the beginning one sustained tone, continues downards
New question: What do you hear, pitch or harmony?A3: Not foreground and background, but statement and response.
Heaviness both in melody and accompaniment. A touch of birdsong.
New question: How many layers?
New task: Listen for background in the dancing sections6th listening: Open listening openSustained tones create continuity, especially from A1 to B1
Increasing tranquillity and fullness, calming effect7th listening: Open listening openI experience the layers visually
New tasks: Listen for the vibrato, especially in flutes. Listen for the ”shaking” movement in B28th listening: Open listening openOnly two layers in A1. Three or more layers in the dancing sections B1 and B2.
Luminous quality in A2. Multi-layered last chord in A3.New questions: When does a harmony merge completely, when do you hear separate tones?
What do you retain in your memory by now?9th listening: Question: Background in B1 and B2? focB1: three layers: jumping melody, sustained bands of tones, precise pizzicato rhythm in stringsB2: lively melody in piccolo flutes, animating bass, subdued background in the beginning, then
intensified trills on offbeats. An extra voice added in the final chordNew tasks and questions: Describe the melodic lines. What characterizes the quality of a
pizzicato? Listen for small tempo variations, rubato. What harmony in the final chord?