Year Nine Module 4
Musical Madness of the Twentieth Century
Name: __________________ Form ____
Minimalism
What is Minimalism?_____________________________________________
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The rhythm from Steve Reich’s Clapping Music
Name: ______________________
Date of Birth: ________________
Place of Birth: ________________
Nationality: __________________
3 famous pieces of music he wrote
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Violin Phase for violin and tape (1967)
Different Trains
As a child during the years of World War II, Steve Reich used to travel across
America on the train from Chicago to NewYork because his ____________ had split up. As an adult, being
_____________, he realised that had he been born in Europe, the train journeys that he took could have
been very different. Rather than visiting his family, he would probably have been ________________ to a
concentration camp.
Different trains won a Grammy award in _____________. Why was this piece of music so revolutionary?
The piece was written for ______________ quartet and tape _________.
There are three sections:
1
2
3
Each melodic idea comes from a spoken phrase. Steve Reich used speech from interviews with people in
_________________ and ________________, before, during and after the Second World War.
He also used recordings of train whistles from Europe and America as well as air raid __________.
These noises help the listener to identify which continent we are on.
The passing of __________ is marked by recordings of voices saying 1939, 1940, 1941,
transported
time
parents
loop
sirens
America
1989
Europe
Jewish
string
Adapted from: http://www.stm-music.com/worksheets.htm
TUBULAR BELLS – THE THEME FROM THE EXORCIST
When you play
this tune you
should use all the
fingers of your
right hand. Use
the hand diagram
to help you.
E
G
A
B
C
D
1.
Before learning to play this difficult version of the tune, listen to the easier version and
to find the right notes on the keyboard
2
When you can play the easy version, learn to play it in THIRDS using two hands.
3.
Now play the tune in thirds whilst your partner adds a BASS LINE – A, G, F, E
4.
Now learn the more difficult version of the theme written above.
Aleatoric Music – Chance Music
Music where the composer doesn’t have total control over the composing process.
OR
Music in which the performers help to decide how the piece will sound
Aleatoric pieces can be different each time they are played!!
Describe your Aleatoric Piece: What did you find difficult about it?
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Compose your own Aleatoric Piece
(you’ll need a coin!)
Notes
Heads
Person 1 plays White notes only
Heads
Person 2 plays White notes only
Tails
Person 1 plays Black notes only
Tails
Person 2 plays Black and white notes
Heads
Select even number voice
Heads
Change to different voice for 2nd half
Tails
Select odd number voice
Tails
Keep original voice for whole piece.
Heads
Select a rhythm with 3 in it
Heads
Use chosen rhythm in 1st half of piece
Tails
Select a rhythm with 5 in it
Tails
Use chosen rhythm in 2nd half of piece
Voice
Rhythm
Techniques
Heads
Person 1 must play an ostinato
Heads
You must use silence
Tails
Person 2 must play a drone
Tails
You must whistle
Tempo/ Dynamics
Heads
Piece should start fast and loud
Heads
You must sing at some point
Tails
Piece should start quiet and slow
Tails
You must speak at some point
John Cage
What is the prepared piano?
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What instrument (s) does the prepared
piano sound like?
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Describe what you see John Cage doing in
Water Walk.
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Describe what happens in 4’33’’
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Describe what you see in the fourth
extract
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John Cage Composition
Sounds for landscape composition
I can...
Date
Explain what minimalism is and give
an example of a composer and
piece.
Play Tubular Bells Melody A
Play Tubular Bells Melody B
Play Tubular Bells Ostinato
Perform all Tubular Bells elements
on my own
Perform all Tubular Bells elements
with a partner
Explain what aleatoric music is and
give an example of a composer and
piece
1
6
2
7
3
8
4
9
I can give examples of extended
techniques and a relevant composer
and piece
5
10
Exam Result
I have taken part in an aleatoric
composition.
Teacher Comment
Date