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Exploring music in context

Work Count: 2318

Section 1. Exploration of A Diverse Musical Material

1.1 Introduction

For my exploration of diverse music, I have decided to study Music for Listening

and Performance (Area of Inquiry 2) and Music for dramatic impact, movement and

entertainment (Area of Inquiry 3). Through this exploration I wish to broaden my

technical knowledge in the area of music and try to explore how different composers use

musical features and techniques to convey their purposes.

For AOI 2 I will be investigating the piece the English adaptation of The Girl from

Ipanema performed by Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz and for AOI 3 I have picked from

the Firebird Suite composed by Stravinsky. The two pieces belong to the genres of Bossa

Nova and ballet orchestra compositions. Since I have only studied the piano and mainly

European classical music, Latin American music and contemporary orchestral

arrangements are unfamiliar for me. Nonetheless, the combination of music styles in

Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz’s performance of The Girl from Ipanema and the use of

techniques to compliment stage plot in the Firebird Suite are valuable insights that could

be obtained through this exploration.

1.2 Area of Inquiry 2: Music for Listening and Performance

The second area of inquiry focuses on music that focuses on music that expresses

and communicates intrinsic aesthetic values. The Girl from Ipanema performed by Astrud

Gilberto and Stan Getz is an interesting example where aesthetic values of two music styles

combined together. The Girl from Ipanema is a Bossa-Nova song originally composed by

Antonio Carlos Jobim and lyricized by Vinicious de Moraes in Portugeuse in 1962

(Gorlinski; "Vinícius de Moraes"). The later English recording in 1964 with the singer

Astrud Gilberto and saxophonist Stan Getz made the song famous in the US and later in

the world (Bush; “Stan Getz”). Bossa nova is a Brazilian musical style that evolved in the

late 1950s formed by the combination of the traditional Samba style and the style of Cool

jazz (“Bossa nova”). As such, the song had both the music aesthetics of Cool Jazz and

Latin-American.

First, this piece has resemblance of Latin-American music aesthetics through

the extensive use of syncopation both in its rhythm and melody. Syncopation is a key

element of Latin-American music. One of the most famous rhythms include the clave from

Cuban music. Bossa nova also has a widely used rhythmic pattern called the “Bossa nova

clave” as shown in Figure 1. However, the rhythmic pattern played by the drum is not fixed

unlike in Cuban music and only syncopation is maintained in the drum’s rhythm throughout

the performance (iTubeNl, et al.).

Figure 1. Bossa nova Clave (“Bossa Clave.png.”)

Syncopation is also prevalent in its melody. For example, two melodies from

both Section A and B with beats marked with red lines are shown in Figure 2.
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Figure 2. Example melodies with beats marked (Jobim and Vincius)

As shown in Figure 2, the melody melodies from both sections have significant

amount of syncopated notes from use of dotted notes, tied notes and triplets.

On the other hand, this piece also incorporates features originating from Cool Jazz
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in its instrumentation, dynamics, tempo, form, and harmony. The instruments that were

used in this recording were the marimba, saxophone, double-bass, and a drumset. The

marimba and the saxophone are not common in traditional Brazilian music and especially

in percussion-heavy samba. Instead, these two instruments are more common in the style

of Cool Jazz. In addition, the song included a saxophone solo (see upload 3 00:00-00:30),

which is common in jazz performances (iTubeNL et al.). The double-bass plays an on beat

baseline alternating between the tonic (I) and the dominant (V) of the current chord

sometimes with an approaching note added before the transition (see upload 3 00:31-00:53

bass isolated).

The influence of cool jazz could also be seen in its dynamics and tempo of the

song. The previous dominant Brazilian music genre was the samba where it is performed

in a quick tempo and in loud and dramatic dynamics. This is drastically different in the

performance of this song, where the tempo was slow, and the dynamics were comparatively

soft and stable. In this song, instruments only serve as background for the main melody.
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For example, the drum was only outlining the syncopated rhythm without complex patterns

or loud dynamics throughout the song (See upload 3 00:54-1:13 bass and voice damped).

This influence from Cool Jazz could also be seen in its chord progression. The

chord progression for the part A of this song is FM7 – G7 – Gm7 - G♭7 – FM7 - G♭7(♭5)

as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Chord Progression of Part A (Jobim and Vincius)

This chord progression encompasses the style of jazz music in its extensive use

of 7th chords and chord substitution. Chord substitutions refer to the technique where a

chord is substituted with another similar chord that acts the same in functional harmony

(Blatter). These chord substitutions make the harmony chromatic and more interesting. For

example, the G♭7 chord doesn’t belong in the original key of F, and it is a tritone

substitution of the dominant chord C7, where the original chord is moved down or up a

tritone. This substitution is shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Tritone Substitution from C7 to G♭7, resolves marked

As shown in Figure 4, when the original C7 chord is moved up a tritone (3 whole

steps), a G♭7 chord is formed. This lifts the tonic and the fifth note of the original chord by

a half-step from C to D♭ and G to G♭. However, the third and seventh of the original chord

(E and B♭) is kept in the substituted chord as shown in the second bar. The third and seventh

are the guide tones of a chord that define the harmonic quality of a chord (“Guide Tones”).

The modified two notes are also a half step away from the resolved note in the tonic chord

(D♭ to C, G♭ to F). Combined with the preserved third and seventh note, the tritone-

substitute can perform the same dominant (V) function as the original chord where it

resolved back to the tonic (I) in F major 7th. Other substitutions such as a major-minor

substitution in the fifth bar from G major to minor as shown in figure 3 also occur

throughout the piece.

In conclusion, this performance of The Girl from Ipanema from the style of

Bossa Nova expressed and communicated the aesthetics values of both Latin-American

music and Cool Jazz in terms of instrumentation, harmony, and rhythm.

1.3 Area of Inquiry 3 Music for dramatic impact, movement and entertainment
The second area of inquiry mostly focuses on creating dramatic effect and

supporting choreographed movement. This was the approach undertook by Stravinsky in

the piece “Danse Infernale” (Infernal Dance) from the Firebird Suite (1919). This piece is

a clear example of using music elements to support visual effects and drama.The Firebird

was first created as a ballet commissioned by Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes in 1910.

Stravinsky later modified the ballet score into suites for orchestral performance (“Firebird

Suite (1919 Version)”). The Firebird tells a story originating from Russian folklore,

where the protagonist Ivan defeats the monstrous Koschei with the help of the Firebird

and marries one of the thirteen trapped princesses. The Infernal Dance is the third

movement in the 1919 suite, covering the plot where the firebird enchants Koschei and
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his servants to a frenzy dance and eventually puts them to sleep (“The Ultimate Russian

Fairytale: Stravinsky's The Firebird”). The audio evidence used in this piece is from a

performance by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 2018 (Toronto Symphony).

One of the most iconic features in this piece is the opening chord repeated 7

times in the opening (see upload 3 01:14-01:29 intervals removed). A section of the

original music sheet containing the piccolo (flauto piccolo), flute (flauto grande), oboe

(oboi), and A-flat clarinet (Clarinetti in LA) is shown in figure 5.

Figure 5. Infernal Dance opening chord (Stravinsky 26)

The chord transferred on the piano is shown below in figure 6.

Figure 6. Infernal Dance opening chord on piano

The chord is essentially the combination of two chords, an A minor chord and a B

major chord. The combination of these two chords give a particular dissonant sound

because the presence of multiple 2nd intervals. A-B and E-F# form a major 2nd interval,

while E-D#, C-B form minor 2nd intervals. This chord is played by the entire orchestra
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(except for the bassoon) with sforzando (sfff) at the same time. This use of an extremely

dissonant chord played in chorus acts as a strong signal for the start of the third

movement as it contrasts with the soft ending of the last movement (see upload 3 01:30-

02:17). It also establishes the theme of the third movement of tension, which aligns with

the plot of monsters forced to dance. This chord was also used in intervals smaller and

smaller to create an approaching feeling for tension.

Syncopation of the melody was also used throughout the piece. The transposed

version of the first melody phrase on the piano and the timpani is shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7. Melody motif transposed onto the piano; beats marked (Stravinsky 26-27)

As shown in Figure 6, The first 6 bars of the phrase is syncopated by a quarter

note. This syncopation creates a sense of uneasiness and adds on to build the tension. This

melody line was also inspired by a melody in the opera Mlada by his teacher Rimsky-

Korsakov that represents a witches’ sabbath (“The Ultimate Russian Fairytale: Stravinsky's

The Firebird”). This melody line is an A natural minor scale with two non-diatonic notes,
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E-flat and F sharp (see upload 3 02:20-02:29). This creates an eerie and unnatural feeling

that resembles the devilish monsters in the story plot. This melody was also repeated

between the repeats of the opening chords, with an increase in dynamics and instruments

as the violins, violas, and other horns join in later repeats (see upload 3 02:20-02:48).

On the other hand, the firebird is depicted using different instrumentation and

lighter dynamics. Unlike the melody depicting monsters using a lot of horns, the melody

depicting the firebird uses for flutes and sometimes xylophones, and heavy basslines with

the double bass and timpani were not included (See upload 3 2:48-2:58). This makes the

whole tone of the piece lighter and ungrounded representing a bird. In addition, there was

a lot of glissando-like fast scales and tremolos played as accompaniment as shown in Figure

8. This creates an impression where the firebird is has a lot of freedom or even playing,

reflecting the plot where the firebird easily leads the dance of the monsters.

Figure 8. Example of sections depicting the firebird (Stravinsky 39)

In conclusion, the tension creates by the opening chord, the closing gaps between

repeats, the eerie melody, increasing dynamics and the non-stop fast timpani beat in the
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background all contribute to create an agitated, tense opening of the third movement that

parallels with the plot of monsters controlled to perform an “infernal” dance. On the other

hand, light instrumentation and playful accompaniments were used later in the piece also

depicted the firebird leading the dance with ease.

Section 2. Statement On the Creating Exercise

(For score see Appendix A)

My creating exercise (See upload 2 00:00-01:00) is based on my explorations in

Area of Inquiry 2 where I try to replicate the musical aesthetics of the music style of

Bossa Nova. I have drawn several musical elements from the piece to achieve this goal.

First, I tried to replicate the piece’s aesthetics in terms of its instrumentation. I used the

saxophone for the melody, piano for chord comping, and a double bass for the bassline.

For the drum set, I only used the hi-hat, cross stick, and the bass drum to create a soft

drum groove suitable for the music style.

Secondly, the style of Bossa Nova is based on jazz chord progressions, which

involves the use of chord extensions (7ths, 9ths, 13ths, etc.) and dissonance. I

incorporated these elements in my chord progression in the form of 9th chords, 6/9 chords,

diminished chords, tritone substitution, and added flat-9 dissonance as shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9. The part A chord progression used in the piece (excluding the melody)
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Third, the design of my bassline also followed the same principle where the

double-bass plays the tonic (I) and dominant (V) note of the current chord of the bar on

the 1 and 3 beat with approaching notes added before the transition as shown in Figure

10.

Figure 10. Piece bassline example with chord progression labelled below

Fourth, I also integrated syncopation into drum beat, melody and comping. For the

drum beat, the clave-like rhythms are played by cross-stick as the total dynamic of the

piece must be kept relatively low. The bass drum rhythm is the same as the double bass as

it functions similarly. An off-beat open hi-hat approaching note is also added at the end of

each bar to create a sense of movement as shown in Figure 11.

Figure 11. Drumbeat used in the piece

At last, for the piano comping, a syncopated rhythm is used throughout the

piece as shown in Figure 12. Chord changes occur three times per 2 bars and the chords

are inverted to contain 2nd intervals for dissonance.

Figure 12. Comping beat example with beats marked

Section 3. Statement On the Performed Adaptation

(See Upload 2 01:02-01:50)

(See Upload 2 01:51-02:35)

The piece I have chosen to perform an adaptation is the Inferno Dance from the

Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky. Since this piece was an orchestral work containing

many different textures, many factors had to be considered when adapting to the piano.

First, the opening chords had a very different texture and dynamic compared to

the main melody. In order to replicate this similar effect on the piano, I chose to use the

sustain pedal to colorize the chord and separate it from the main melody. I also tried to

specifically play in sforzando to separate the chord from the melody in terms of dynamics

same as in the original piece.

Secondly, the bassline played by the timpani and sometimes joined by the double

bass is constant in dynamics other than joining the striking open chord. I tried to mimic

this by maintaining the dynamic on my left hand independent from my right hand

melody.

At last, in the original piece the melody switched from the horns and strings to the

light flute (see Upload 2 01:34-01:37) to symbolize the firebird’s entrance. The bassline
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was also replaced by the quick pizzicato by the string section. In my performance I tried

to replicate this change in texture by playing in staccato without using the sustained

pedal. Nonetheless, my interpretation still has limitations as the piano can’t replicate the

timbre of the flute where notes come out in a flow.

Works Cited

“Bossa Clave.png.” Wikimedia Commons, 17 Sep. 2006,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bossa_Clave.png

“Firebird Suite (1919 Version).” LA Phil, Los Angeles Philharmonic Association,

www.laphil.com/musicdb/pieces/1765/firebird-suite-1919-version.

Blatter, Alfred. Revisiting Music Theory: A Guide to the Practice. Routledge, 2007, p.186.

“Bossa nova". Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Sep. 2014, https://www.britannica.com/art/bossa-

nova. Accessed August 5, 2021.

Bush, John. “Astrud Gilberto: Biography.” AllMusic, www.allmusic.com/artist/astrud-

gilberto-mn0000931086/biography?1628131410122.

Gorlinski, Virginia. "Antônio Carlos Jobim". Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Mar. 2021,

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antonio-Carlos-Jobim. Accessed August 5,

2021.

“Guide Tones.” The Jazz Piano Site, 17 Oct. 2018, www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-

lessons/jazz-improvisation/guide-tones/. Accessed August 6, 2021.

iTubeNL, et al. “Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz - the Girl From IPANEMA (1964) LIVE.”

YouTube, 9 Nov. 2012,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVdaFQhS86E&ab_channel=iTubeNL. Accessed

August 4, 2021.

Jobim, Antonio Carlos, and Vincius De Moraes. “THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA (Garota De

Ipanema).” Translated by Norman Gimbel, Geosci.uchicago.edu, Duchess Music

Corporation, geosci.uchicago.edu/~archer/jazz_band/sheet/girl_from_impanema.pdf.
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Accessed August 6, 2021.

“Stan Getz". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Jun. 2021,

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stan-Getz. Accessed August 5, 2021.

Stravinsky, Igor. Firebird Suite Re-orchestrated by the composer in 1919. 1919. London:

J&W. Chester, 1920. Print.

“The Ultimate Russian Fairytale: Stravinsky's The Firebird.” Houston Symphony, 22 Aug.

2019, houstonsymphony.org/stravinsky-firebird-complete/.

Toronto Symphony. “Stravinsky: Suite from the Firebird (1919 Revision) / Peter

Oundjian · Toronto Symphony Orchestra.” YouTube, 18 Jan. 2018,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHxstiIybz4&t=643s&ab_channel=TorontoSy

mphonyOrchestra.

“Vinícius de Moraes". Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Jul. 2021,

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vinicius-de-Moraes. August 5, 2021.

Appendix A: Score for Composition