AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER
ORCHESTRA
One of the world’s most lauded
chamber ensembles, the Australian
Chamber Orchestra is renowned for
its inspired programming and
unrivalled virtuosity, energy and
individuality.
Its unique programming
extends across six centuries,
spanning popular masterworks,
adventurous cross-artform
projects and pieces specially
commissioned for the
ensemble.
SEE THE
ACO IN
ACTION
Outstanding Australian
violinist Richard Tognetti has
been at the helm of the ACO
since 1989.
ABOUT ERKKI- SVEN
TÜÜR
Erkki-Sven Tüür (b.1959) is an
Estonian composer. His career
has been quite diverse ranging
from studying flute and
percussion at the Tallinn Music
School
He headed the rock band
In Spe, one of Estonia’s
most popular in the 80’s.
He cemented his reputation as a
serious composer in the 90’s with
commissions from ensembles
including the Helsinki
Philharmonic, the Stockholm
Saxophone Quartet and the City
of Birmingham Symphony
Orchestra.
More information about
Tuur’s composition style can
be found here.
ACTION- PASSION- ILLUSION
(1993)
A THREE
ACTION
MOVEMENT work
with ideas quite
reminiscent of
composers such as
Bartok, Stravinsky
and even film music
of Hermann
(Psycho)
Listen to
MOVEMENT
2:
PASSION
Focuses on a sense of rhythmic drive
throughout, alluding to the title of the
movement well.
PASSION
In contrast to the first movement, it explores
more emotion with a sense of a building tension
as the texture grows throughout the movement.
Greater emphasis on legato lines in each part
that gradually build to a cluster of sound.
Pitch extremes, rhythmic complexity and
dynamic range at the climax before a diminishing
of sound at the conclusion.
Illusion
More energetic use of rhythm.
Some connections to baroque style
motifs.
Tüür deconstructs these ideas alluding
to a more postmodern treatment of
them.
AURAL/ MUSICOLOGY
•
Each sequence of Lessons provided by
the ACO will focus on developing key
skills: PERFORMANCE,
COMPOSITION and
AURAL/MUSICOLOGY.
•
This sequence of lessons will focus on
AURAL/MUSICOLOGY.
•
•
The first movement Action-PassionIllusion (Action) uses DURATION in
very specific ways to create music
reflective of the movement’s title.
The composer describes this
movement as “a vigorous movement
with two parallel developments: the
material, consisting of quavers ff and
semiquavers pp, follows rather
different paths”.
DURATION
An essential ingredient that
enables composers to create
interesting, unique,
conventional and sometimes
unconventional pieces of
music. There are three main
focuses for duration:
TEMPO
The speed of a piece of music.
Very eeffective when creating
different moods or atmosphere
within a piece.
Faster tempo often indicates more
energy, drive, action, anger, etc.
Slower tempo can often create a
more serene, calm, contemplative
atmosphere.
METER
DURATION
The underlying beat/pulse in a
piece of music creating both unity
and contrast within a piece.
Creates unity when it is clearly
identifiable.
Creates contrast when it is either
ambiguous (not easily identified)
or constantly changing.
RHYTHM
The combination of long and short
note values to create patterns.
Highly effective at creating
movement or stillness in a piece. It
can also be used to create a sense of
tempo change when the meter does
not actually change. Another
important element of rhythm is the
use of accents to place emphasis on
strong or weak beats to create
regular or irregular (syncopation)
rhythmic patterns.
METER AND
TEMPO
Let’s see how
Tüür uses these
elements of
duration in the
first movement
of his work –
“Action”
Tüür creates his sense of action
through the constant rhythmic drive
provided by the repetitive quaver
motif that persists throughout the
movement (Figure 1).
The meter is somewhat disrupted at
points due to this stabilising quaver
motif sometimes resuming on an
unexpected or weak beat (Figure 2)
TEMPO:
Tüür does not specifically make scored tempo
changes in this movement. A sense of tempo
change is achieved through his use of rhythmic
devices and articulation.
RHYTHM
This is the element that Tüür manipulates the
most to create this movement.
He juxtaposes multiple elements of duration
to achieve the “parallel development”
mentioned in his earlier description.
COMPARISON
Tüür
uses musical motifs that are reminiscent
of both Igor
LISTENING
ACTIVITY
Stravinsky’s ‘Rite of Spring’ and Bernard Hermann’s ‘Psycho’.
Using the table to help you, discuss the use of duration
elements in these score excerpts.
JUXTAPOSITION
Regular rhythms/
rhythmic grouping
(Bar 21)
Use of staccato
accents (.) on the
repeated quaver
motif (Bar 21)
EXAMPLE
Irregular rhythms/
syncopation
(Bar 22-3)
Use of classical
marcato accents (>)
on the syncopated
chords motif (Bar 223)
Use of varying note value groupings
to create rhythmic confusion and
meter ambiguity. Groupings include
Paired quavers; triplet quavers;
syncopated quaver groupings;
semiquavers; quintuplet quavers;
triplet crotchets.
(Bar 65)
b21:
b22-3:
Complete the first
example as a
group/class and then
try to complete the
other two
individually before
sharing your
thoughts with the
rest of the
group/class.
ACTION EXCERT
• METER:
EXCERCISE
• Identify the METER of the excerpt.
• Does the feel of the pulse change? If so,
how is this achieved and what is the effect?
Listen to
MOVEMENT 1:
ACTION
TEMPO:
• Identify the TEMPO of the excerpt.
• Does the feel of the tempo change? If so,
how is this achieved and what is the effect?
RHYTHM:
• Identify the RHYTHMIC features in the
excerpt. These may include repetitive
patterns, use of accents/articulation to
create rhythmic effects, use of different
note values and rests.
• Once identified, discuss the musical effects
of these compositional choices.
STRAVINSKY EXCERPT
METER:
Identify the METER of the excerpt.
Does the feel of the pulse change? If so,
how is this achieved and what is the effect?
TEMPO:
Identify the TEMPO of the excerpt.
Does the feel of the tempo change? If so,
how is this achieved and what is the effect?
RHYTHM:
Identify the rhythmic features in the
excerpt. These may include repetitive
patterns, use of accents/articulation to
create rhythmic effects, use of different
note values and rests.
Once identified, discuss the MUSICAL
EFFECTS of these compositional choices.
Listen to
The Rite
of Spring
HERMANN EXCERPT
METER:
Identify the METER of the excerpt.
Does the feel of the pulse change? If so, how
is this achieved and what is the effect?
TEMPO:
Identify the TEMPO of the excerpt.
Does the feel of the tempo change? If so,
how is this achieved and what is the effect?
RHYTHM:
Identify the rhythmic features in the excerpt.
These may include repetitive patterns, use of
accents/articulation to create rhythmic
effects, use of different note values and
rests.
Once identified, discuss the MUSICAL
EFFECTS of these compositional choices.
Listen to
PSYCHOPRELUDE
WORDS TO ASSIST WITH
TERMINOLOGY FOR AURAL TASKS
ANGUL ACCENTE
MARCATO
DRIVING
AR EMPHASI
D
CALM IDENTIFI
PULSS
JUXTAPO
METER
STACCAT
ABLE
SED
E CLEAR BEAT REPETIT
O IRREGULAR
IVE
ENERGET AMBIGU CHANGIN
ENERG
IC
G
SYNCOPATE
OUS
D
CONTEMPLAT
IVE
UNEXPEC
RHYTH
Y
MIC TENSI
ON
AURAL EXAMINATION
QUESTIONS
Now that you have completed the guided activity
above, let’s formulate the information into an
examination answer. There are THREE main steps to
successfully answering an aural examination
question:
1. READ AND UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION BEING
ASKED.
–
–
Ask yourself what the question is requiring
Rephrase the question to ensure you KNOW what
is being asked
2. STATE WHAT YOU CAN HEAR USING ACCURATE
MUSICAL TERMINOLOGY
–
–
–
KNOW your vocabulary and musical terminology
It’s always good to have a glossary of terms for
each concept that can build over time
An excellent resource for starting your glossary is
HSC Online
3. GIVE EVIDENCE FOR YOUR OBSERVATION/
ANALYSIS FROM THE EXAMPLE (AUDIO OR SCORE)
–
ALWAYS support your point by stating WHERE the
feature or occurrence is in the excerpt. You can
use bar references, section references or even
lyric references to give your examples
EXTENSION QUESTION
An excerpt from the Psycho Prelude by Hermann
will be played SIX times for you to answer the
following questions.
1. DISCUSS the ways in which various rhythms
are used in this excerpt.
2. HOW is tension created in this piece? Refer
to at least one musical concept in your
answer.
3. WITH specific reference to concepts of
music, explain how contrast is achieved in
this excerpt.
As you answer each of the questions above, go
through the 3 STEPS and gradually build up your
answer.
Over time this process will become quicker for
you until it becomes SECOND NATURE!
Listen to
PSYCHOPRELUDE
AURAL QUESTION
REMEMBER THE AURAL PAPER DOES
NOT REQUIRE YOU TO WRITE YOUR
ANSWER LIKE A LONG ANSWER OR
ESSAY STRUCTURE (Only the last
question in Music 2 requires this).
BULLET POINTS ARE FINE FOR YOUR
ANSWER.
TABLES WITH INFORMATION ARE ALSO
FINE FOR YOUR ANSWER.
When you go to the concert, use the knowledge and skills we have
explored and consider the following questions:
1.
How do the three elements of duration (meter, tempo and rhythm) contribute to the
overall effectiveness of Tüür’s work Action - Passion – Illusion?
2.
Can you identify different ways duration has been used by composers in the other
works performed in the concert? Were they similar or in contrast to how Tüür used
duration?
3.
After you have seen the concert, write down three ways you could use elements of
duration in your own composition work. Give examples from what you saw/heard at
the concert to help you remember the techniques used by Tüür and the other
composers.
TEACHER’S NOTES
Teacher's Notes for reference to the Draft Australian Curriculum: The Arts and NSW
Stage 6 Music 1 & Music 2 Syllabus.
General LIT – Reading the score, writing about the Concepts of Music (CoM).
Capabilities NUM – Identifying and discussing meter and rhythm.
ICT – Utilising internet resources.
CCT – Critically discussing the set work/s.
PSC – Sharing personal responses to set work/s.
EU – Working collaboratively with peers in group discussions.
ICU – Discussing cultural issues surrounding the set work/s.
Cross-Curriculum Links & English, Humanities and Social Sciences, Mathematics, History,
Priorities Language
Viewpoints 2 – Extend discussions into the links between the repetitive nature of
these works and that of cultural music of Asian regions (eg; Balinese,
Chinese).
TEACHER’S NOTES
NSW Stage 6 Syllabus Links –
MUSIC 1 Music of the 20th & 21st
Topic Links Centuries
Music for Small Ensembles
Music and the Related Arts
(Hermann & Stravinsky)
MUSIC 1 P – 4,5,6,7,8,10,11
Outcome Links H – 4,5,6,7,8,10,11
MUSIC 2 Music 1900 – 1945
Topic Links Music 1945-25 Years Ago
Music of the Last 25 Years
(Although the Tüür work is not
Australian)
MUSIC 2 P – 4,5,6,7,8,10,11
Outcome Links H – 4,5,6,7,8,10,11
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