This post is a continuation of my previous "How long is a piece of classical music?".
In that post, I examined the implications of Peter Breiner's "InstaConcerto." Breiner wrote this piece for the purpose of brevity. He composed social media posts as much as he wrote music.
Here, we will see a piece written to be unimaginably long. If successful, one performance that is going on right now could be finished by the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-(yes, that's 13 greats) grandchildren of the people that started it. Fortunately, this performance with its 639 year length is the only one of its kind.
The piece in question here is John Cage's "As slow as possible." Originally written for organ in 1987, it gets performances that last 8, 12, 24, and even 48 hours. The piano version runs between 20 and 70 minutes. An organ can sustain a longer performance, because it can hold notes indefinitely, while the sound from a piano dies away.
This super long performance takes place in the Halberstadt Cathedral in Germany. No one actually plays the piece, rather the performers move weights to different pedals when notes need to change. They don't need to worry about moving anything until September, 2020, which is the next scheduled note change. The organ being used for this performance was specially built for this piece, and the performers actually installed the pipes as they became needed for notes.
Any parameter of music can and will be exploited by composers. Since music, by its nature, manipulates time, time becomes a "go-to" way of creating interest.
Most music reflects the aesthetics and attitudes of its own time. What happens when a piece's time spans centuries? Could this piece go out of style before the performance of it is over?
Friday, September 30, 2016
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Best Musician Jokes
Musicians love to make fun of each other, and this has given way to many great jokes. This post barely scratches the surface of this body of humor, but the jokes presented here are the best of the best. If you are offended by any of these jokes, please come back with your own in comments below!
Here we go!
A violist walks into an orchestra rehearsal and sees a violinist with a shiny stainless steel bottle. The violist asks "what's that bottle you have there?" The violinist says "it's a thermos bottle; it keeps hot things hot and cold things cold." After the rehearsal, the violist quickly runs to a store and buys his very own thermos bottle. He proudly brings his new purchase to the next rehearsal. The violinist says to the violist "hey, I see you got yourself a thermos bottle. What do you have in it?" The violist says "coffee and a popsicle."
~~~
A 'C', an E-flat, and a 'G' go into a bar. The bartender says: "Sorry, but we don't serve minors." So, the E-flat leaves, and the C and the G have an open fifth between them. After a few drinks, the fifth is diminished: the G is out flat. An F comes in and tries to augment the situation, but is not sharp enough. A D comes into the bar and heads straight for the bathroom saying, "Excuse me. I'll just be a second." An A comes into the bar, but the bartender is not convinced that this relative of C is not A minor. Then the bartender notices a B-flat hiding at the end of the bar and exclaims: "Get out now! You're the seventh minor I've found in this bar tonight." The E-flat, not easily deflated, comes back to the bar the next night in a 3-piece suit with nicely shined shoes. The bartender says: "You're looking sharp tonight, come on in! This could be a major development." This proves to be the case, as the E-flat takes off the suit, and everything else, and stands there au natural. Eventually, the C sobers up, and realizes in horror that he's under a rest. The C is brought to trial, is found guilty of contributing to the diminution of a minor, and is sentenced to 10 years of DS without Coda at an upscale correctional facility. On appeal, however, the C is found innocent of any wrongdoing, even accidental, and that all accusations to the contrary are bassless.
~~~
Q: How many second violinists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: They don't go that high.
Q: What is the difference between a violist and a shopping cart?
A: A shopping cart might have a mind of its own.
Q: What is cluster harmony?
A: A bunch of french horns trying to play in unison.
Q: What is the difference between an E-flat clarinet and a deranged chicken?
A: One makes loud, squaking, unmusical sounds, and the other is a bird.
Q: What is a burning oboe good for?
A: Lighting bassoons on fire.
Q: What is the difference between a conductor and a terrorist?
A: Terrorists have sympathizers.
Q: What did the violist get on his SAT?
A: Drool.
Q: What is the best piece for a solo viola?
A: John Cage's "4:33"
Q: Did you hear about the bass section being so out of tune the conductor noticed?
A: Neither did I.
Q: What is the best way to keep a violin from being stolen?
A: Put it in a viola case.
Q: How are pirates, sopranos, and trumpet players alike?
A: They're all terror on the high C's.
Q: What is another name for a trombone?
A: A wind-driven, manually-operated, pitch approximator.
Q: What are the most dangerous words ever spoken in an orchestra rehearsal?
A: Trombones, please play that louder.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Top 10 Under-Loved Pieces of Classical Music
Some pieces of music get all the attention. If I say "Beethoven's 5th," most people know at least the first four notes. In contrast, many great pieces are swept under the rug and ignored. Social, cultural, and governmental conditions can keep a piece of music out of the limelight. Sometimes, it's a bad premiere. Sometimes, there's no good reason why a piece falls off the radar.
10) Zdeněk Fibich: Sonata in D Major for Violin and Piano
One of my new favorite Czech composers, Fibich wrote more prolifically than many more famous composers. In his relatively short life (1850-1900), Fibich worked in all the instrumental and vocal genres, writing several symphonies and other orchestral works, vocal and choral works, operas, and all different types of chamber music. The Sonata in D Major stands out as a gem with its folksy rhythms and open harmonies. I see no reason why Fibich is no more famous than he is.
~~~
9) Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Four Pieces from "Much Ado About Nothing"
The Austrian born Wunderkind, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, found his compositional voice early in life. He would improvise on the piano in a harmonic idiom that no one could have taught him. Korngold wrote incidental music for various plays early in his career. After writing incidental music for Shakespeare's " Much Ado About Nothing," he arranged an orchestral suite and a violin and piano suite. This music brings light and fun elements into Korngold's highly chromatic harmonic style.
~~~
8) Mieczysław Karłowicz: Violin Concerto, Op. 8
This is the quintessential romantic virtuoso violin concerto. With its myriad double stops, high positions, and lyrical themes, it is everything violinists love, and everything other musicians hate about violinists. Karłowicz lived through the late half of the 19th Century and a few years into the 20th. He admired Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6, and he brings a definite Tchaikovskian and Brahmsian influence to this concerto. Karłowicz only has 14 catalogued works, including this one and only violin concerto, a symphony, several tone poems, and a few songs.
~~~
7) Giovanni Sgambati: Piano Quintet No. 1, Op. 4
The Italian pianist, conductor, and composer, Giovanni Sgambati began his musical studies early. Though he was not a prodigy, he built his skills, and became a respectable musician. Sgambati wrote this Quintet in 1866 when he was 25 years old , and soon would conduct the Italian premieres of Beethoven's Third and Seventh Symphonies. Of special note in this Quintet is the quirky and delightful second movement that has its main theme in 5/8 time, which gives an asymmetric feel, and was certainly unusual at the time.
~~~
6) Anton Arensky: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 35
When you think of a string quartet, you might think of two violins, a viola, and a cello. Arensky turns this concept on its head by using two cellos and one violin with the viola in the middle. Arensky wrote this quartet shortly after the death of his friend, Pyotr Tchaikovsky in 1893, and is dedicated to the memory of Tchaikovsky. A funereal mood runs through the piece despite the joyous buildup at the end of the third and final movement. The second movement is a set of variations on Tchaikovsky's 16 Songs For Children, Opus 54, No. 5 'Legend,' and brings back the initial theme of the first movement. In the third movement, Arensky uses a Russian folk tune previously used in Beethoven's String Quartet Op. 59, No. 2. Arensky's contrapuntal treatment of this theme is scarily similar to Beethoven's.
~~~
5) Joachim Raff: Symphony No. 3 "Im Walde"
A truly underappreciated composer, Joachim Raff wrote prolifically in his 60 year life. His works span virtually every genre imaginable. Possibly his best Symphony, "Im Walde" (written in 1869) highlights his love of nature. Of his 12 Symphonies, 9 are programmatic, and 6 of those 9 are on nature themes. Raff's career resulted from an unlikely mentorship from Franz Liszt. Raff reportedly walked 50 miles through the rain to hear Liszt, arrived just in time for the concert, and was given a seat on the stage by Liszt's command. What Liszt saw in that moment, we may never know, but it is impossible to argue with Raff's catalog of compositions.
~~~
4) Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 3
A familiar composer to most classical music fans, Jean Sibelius wrote several famous pieces, including his 2nd and 5th Symphonies and his Violin Concerto. This symphony, smaller in scope and length, was simply overshadowed by other works. I first found this piece relegated to side 2 of a vinyl record that featured Sibelius's Violin Concerto. Almost classical in form, length, and sound, this symphony is a stark contrast to Sibelius's earlier grandiose works. Sibelius himself said that his Symphony No. 3 was a disappointment for the audience, because it was such a contrast from his Second Symphony.
~~~
3) Dmitri Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 2 in c sharp minor, Op. 129
Many violinists are familiar with Shostakovich's monumental Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 99, but fewer know about this one. Written in 1969, this was Shostakovich's last Concerto. This work combines all the musical and emotional ingredients typical of Shostakovich--brooding lines that weave through different keys, sardonic and strident little fanfares, and an overall bleak outlook despite a big smile on the outside.
~~~
2) Ernő Dohnányi: Piano Quintet No. 1, Op. 1
When Johannes Brahms saw the manuscript of Dohnányi's new Piano Quintet in 1895, he was very happy. This Quintet has everything a piece of romantic chamber music should have: a strong sense of tonality despite lots of chromaticism, sweeping lyrical lines, a strong sense of form, cyclical coherence (themes from previous movements returning in later movements) through the piece, and a giant plagal cadence capping everything off. AMEN to that!
~~~
1) Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 4
Now we come to to the worthy #1 on the list. Like Symphony No. 3, Symphony No. 4 by Sibelius gets dwarfed by the ever-popular Symphonies 2 and 5. Sibelius wrote this Symphony at a troubled time in his life, and it is very introspective. This piece created confusion and many strange feelings among the audience at the premiere; they saw the greatness, but didn't know how to react. Despite his sensitivities to audience reaction, Sibelius was happy with the piece and promptly prepared it to be published. This is Sibelius at his wild and wonderful best, with complex counterpoint, and a unique mix of bright and dark emotions.
10) Zdeněk Fibich: Sonata in D Major for Violin and Piano
One of my new favorite Czech composers, Fibich wrote more prolifically than many more famous composers. In his relatively short life (1850-1900), Fibich worked in all the instrumental and vocal genres, writing several symphonies and other orchestral works, vocal and choral works, operas, and all different types of chamber music. The Sonata in D Major stands out as a gem with its folksy rhythms and open harmonies. I see no reason why Fibich is no more famous than he is.
~~~
9) Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Four Pieces from "Much Ado About Nothing"
The Austrian born Wunderkind, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, found his compositional voice early in life. He would improvise on the piano in a harmonic idiom that no one could have taught him. Korngold wrote incidental music for various plays early in his career. After writing incidental music for Shakespeare's " Much Ado About Nothing," he arranged an orchestral suite and a violin and piano suite. This music brings light and fun elements into Korngold's highly chromatic harmonic style.
~~~
8) Mieczysław Karłowicz: Violin Concerto, Op. 8
This is the quintessential romantic virtuoso violin concerto. With its myriad double stops, high positions, and lyrical themes, it is everything violinists love, and everything other musicians hate about violinists. Karłowicz lived through the late half of the 19th Century and a few years into the 20th. He admired Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6, and he brings a definite Tchaikovskian and Brahmsian influence to this concerto. Karłowicz only has 14 catalogued works, including this one and only violin concerto, a symphony, several tone poems, and a few songs.
~~~
7) Giovanni Sgambati: Piano Quintet No. 1, Op. 4
The Italian pianist, conductor, and composer, Giovanni Sgambati began his musical studies early. Though he was not a prodigy, he built his skills, and became a respectable musician. Sgambati wrote this Quintet in 1866 when he was 25 years old , and soon would conduct the Italian premieres of Beethoven's Third and Seventh Symphonies. Of special note in this Quintet is the quirky and delightful second movement that has its main theme in 5/8 time, which gives an asymmetric feel, and was certainly unusual at the time.
~~~
6) Anton Arensky: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 35
When you think of a string quartet, you might think of two violins, a viola, and a cello. Arensky turns this concept on its head by using two cellos and one violin with the viola in the middle. Arensky wrote this quartet shortly after the death of his friend, Pyotr Tchaikovsky in 1893, and is dedicated to the memory of Tchaikovsky. A funereal mood runs through the piece despite the joyous buildup at the end of the third and final movement. The second movement is a set of variations on Tchaikovsky's 16 Songs For Children, Opus 54, No. 5 'Legend,' and brings back the initial theme of the first movement. In the third movement, Arensky uses a Russian folk tune previously used in Beethoven's String Quartet Op. 59, No. 2. Arensky's contrapuntal treatment of this theme is scarily similar to Beethoven's.
~~~
5) Joachim Raff: Symphony No. 3 "Im Walde"
A truly underappreciated composer, Joachim Raff wrote prolifically in his 60 year life. His works span virtually every genre imaginable. Possibly his best Symphony, "Im Walde" (written in 1869) highlights his love of nature. Of his 12 Symphonies, 9 are programmatic, and 6 of those 9 are on nature themes. Raff's career resulted from an unlikely mentorship from Franz Liszt. Raff reportedly walked 50 miles through the rain to hear Liszt, arrived just in time for the concert, and was given a seat on the stage by Liszt's command. What Liszt saw in that moment, we may never know, but it is impossible to argue with Raff's catalog of compositions.
~~~
4) Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 3
A familiar composer to most classical music fans, Jean Sibelius wrote several famous pieces, including his 2nd and 5th Symphonies and his Violin Concerto. This symphony, smaller in scope and length, was simply overshadowed by other works. I first found this piece relegated to side 2 of a vinyl record that featured Sibelius's Violin Concerto. Almost classical in form, length, and sound, this symphony is a stark contrast to Sibelius's earlier grandiose works. Sibelius himself said that his Symphony No. 3 was a disappointment for the audience, because it was such a contrast from his Second Symphony.
~~~
3) Dmitri Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 2 in c sharp minor, Op. 129
Many violinists are familiar with Shostakovich's monumental Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 99, but fewer know about this one. Written in 1969, this was Shostakovich's last Concerto. This work combines all the musical and emotional ingredients typical of Shostakovich--brooding lines that weave through different keys, sardonic and strident little fanfares, and an overall bleak outlook despite a big smile on the outside.
~~~
2) Ernő Dohnányi: Piano Quintet No. 1, Op. 1
When Johannes Brahms saw the manuscript of Dohnányi's new Piano Quintet in 1895, he was very happy. This Quintet has everything a piece of romantic chamber music should have: a strong sense of tonality despite lots of chromaticism, sweeping lyrical lines, a strong sense of form, cyclical coherence (themes from previous movements returning in later movements) through the piece, and a giant plagal cadence capping everything off. AMEN to that!
~~~
1) Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 4
Now we come to to the worthy #1 on the list. Like Symphony No. 3, Symphony No. 4 by Sibelius gets dwarfed by the ever-popular Symphonies 2 and 5. Sibelius wrote this Symphony at a troubled time in his life, and it is very introspective. This piece created confusion and many strange feelings among the audience at the premiere; they saw the greatness, but didn't know how to react. Despite his sensitivities to audience reaction, Sibelius was happy with the piece and promptly prepared it to be published. This is Sibelius at his wild and wonderful best, with complex counterpoint, and a unique mix of bright and dark emotions.
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Of Microsoft and Music
Music is everywhere. It sounds cliché, but its true. You can barely do anything without hearing music. Go into a store, there's music. Watch a TV show or movie, there's music. Music shapes our experience, influences our moods, and can even alter our thoughts. Music is powerful stuff.
We might not realize it, but software companies, especially Microsoft, have gotten on the music bandwagon. Have you ever noticed that your computer plays sounds on startup and when displaying messages? You probably have, but you probably have never thought about how these sounds are precisely engineered and composed to make you perceive a better and more refined computing experience.
Take first (going away from the title of this post) the Mac startup chime. A simple beep would convey the same message as the harmonious chord a Mac makes when you hit the power button, but that beep wouldn't convey the same feeling. The chime sounds pleasant and puts the user at ease, while a beep sounds alarming, and puts the user on edge--not what Apple wants.
Every windows release since 3.1 (all the way back in 1992) has had at least a startup sound. Starting with Windows 8, however, the startup sound has been silenced by default. Here is a page that gives the Cliff's Notes on startup sounds for various Windows releases. Even the humble "Ta Da" of Windows 3.1 served its purpose well. The operating system was new and different, and the sound put that right in everyone's faces.
The Windows 95 Startup sound became one of the iconic sounds of the Windows era. It is still known as "The Microsoft Sound." In an interview about this sound, composer, Brian Eno said in an interview "the thing from the agency said, “We want a piece of music that is inspiring, universal, blah- blah, da-da-da, optimistic, futuristic, sentimental, emotional,” this whole list of adjectives, and then at the bottom it said “and it must be 3 1/4 seconds long.” This proves that Microsoft was thinking about that first impression that the computer makes on the users when they start it up.
Beginning with Windows 95, Microsoft always included some short MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) songs hidden deep in system directories. These songs were there for product support, and due to their obscure locations deep in the bowels of the file system, users were unlikely to delete them. If someone called in with sound problems, the support technician could direct the user to open these MIDI files, thus be better able to diagnose the issue.
Microsoft could have easily thrown together some scales, sweeps, and musical nonsense that used as many MIDI instruments and parameters as possible, but would the average user would not know what to listen for. People know when they hear music, and can usually describe what they hear in it. The original set of MIDI files included a song titled "Canyon". This was great for the time of Windows 95, but it's Super-Mario-Bros.-esqe sound quickly became outdated. Not much changed with the files for several Windows versions.
Over the years, Microsoft worked with different composers, and the sounds changed with the times. The Windows 98 startup sound was futuristic and abstract. As computers were becoming more capable and accessible, this sound tapped into peoples' vision of the future at that time and the feelings that went with it. The Windows 2000 startup sound is (in my opinion) the best sound from Microsoft. This sound accompanied a major new set of features aimed at user-friendliness that we take for granted now, and the flow of the sound mirrors the new and smoother user experience.
Windows XP, released in 2001, was the most musical of all Windows versions. It played music during the system setup, before the startup sound was even heard! That is, if the sound drivers were in order. This music stays hidden away in a system folder where it is unlikely to be found. The inclusion of this song written a while before by Brian Eno was apparently a last minute decision by the development team. They had this song lying around, and members of the team in charge of the "Out of Box Experience" really wanted to use it.
The increased use of music went with the more plush experience of the new Windows version--display elements were more colorful, menus faded in and out, buttons were more 3-dimensional, and the graphics were higher resolution. Why would Microsoft stop at treating only one sense to the new experience?
Another musical facet of Windows XP was the new MIDI song. It replaced "Canyon," and exercises a wider variety of MIDI instruments and controls. It takes a trip through many different kinds of music. This song, titled "Onestop," was also included in Windows 7. The people who actually care about these things gave this song a reception about as mixed as the genres it includes. Some don't like it because it is such a musical hodgepodge, and some liked it for its variety. The variety of Onestop suits its purpose better, as it is more likely to catch a problem with MIDI playback.
Windows XP also included a good array of sample music in each user's music folder. I especially liked the Scherzo from Beethoven's 9th Symphony performed by Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony. Incidentally, Windows 7 and 8 had Richard Stolzman performing "The Maid with the Flaxen Hair." I was disappointed to look in the Windows 10 music library to find nothing at all.
Windows XP had by far the best array of system notification sounds. I especially love the scary "critical stop" sound that always signalled something bad. People loved making fun of the Windows XP sounds, probably because there was a lot of material. British conductor, Rainer Hersch and his orchestra perform among other pieces the "Windows Waltz" that puts XP sounds into a musical package. XP also spawned the "Windows Error Remix" that combines various notification sounds with a prominent role given to the critical stop. Windows developed a reputation for throwing myriad errors, and music like this reflects users' frustrations.
After XP came the infamous Windows Vista, a short lived operating system that got Microsoft into some hot water. Many features were either not ready for prime time, or poorly implemented. Vista brought a major shift in the interface design that included transparencies, animations, and a lighter and more open look. The sounds mirrored this. In addition to lighter and more transparent notification sounds, the startup sound was a four-note theme based on the four colors of the Windows logo and a rhythm that went "Win-DOWS Vis-TA"
There has been disappointingly little recent development in the musical aspect of Windows. Windows 7, 8, and 10 have notification sounds, but they all pale in comparison to those of XP. In many instances, system sounds are not played. I theorize that the shift to smaller mobile devices from desktops drives this trend. Back in the day, people would sit down at their computers, usually including a set of desktop speakers, and fire them up. Computing was an experience in itself.
Now, desktop computers are on the way out, and people rarely shut their laptops, tablets, and phones down. If there was a startup sound, it would never get played. Since people don't want their devices to be noisy, they don't generally make a wake up or log on sound. How many times do you wake your phone up in a day? A sound every time would get annoying.
Software is becoming more and more mobile oriented, which is pushing sound out. Will people want sounds back? probably not. We are to a point where we take technology for granted, and the experience of using it is nothing special. With all the noise coming at us in modern life, it may be good that our devices keep their mouths shut.
We might not realize it, but software companies, especially Microsoft, have gotten on the music bandwagon. Have you ever noticed that your computer plays sounds on startup and when displaying messages? You probably have, but you probably have never thought about how these sounds are precisely engineered and composed to make you perceive a better and more refined computing experience.
Take first (going away from the title of this post) the Mac startup chime. A simple beep would convey the same message as the harmonious chord a Mac makes when you hit the power button, but that beep wouldn't convey the same feeling. The chime sounds pleasant and puts the user at ease, while a beep sounds alarming, and puts the user on edge--not what Apple wants.
Every windows release since 3.1 (all the way back in 1992) has had at least a startup sound. Starting with Windows 8, however, the startup sound has been silenced by default. Here is a page that gives the Cliff's Notes on startup sounds for various Windows releases. Even the humble "Ta Da" of Windows 3.1 served its purpose well. The operating system was new and different, and the sound put that right in everyone's faces.
The Windows 95 Startup sound became one of the iconic sounds of the Windows era. It is still known as "The Microsoft Sound." In an interview about this sound, composer, Brian Eno said in an interview "the thing from the agency said, “We want a piece of music that is inspiring, universal, blah- blah, da-da-da, optimistic, futuristic, sentimental, emotional,” this whole list of adjectives, and then at the bottom it said “and it must be 3 1/4 seconds long.” This proves that Microsoft was thinking about that first impression that the computer makes on the users when they start it up.
Beginning with Windows 95, Microsoft always included some short MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) songs hidden deep in system directories. These songs were there for product support, and due to their obscure locations deep in the bowels of the file system, users were unlikely to delete them. If someone called in with sound problems, the support technician could direct the user to open these MIDI files, thus be better able to diagnose the issue.
Microsoft could have easily thrown together some scales, sweeps, and musical nonsense that used as many MIDI instruments and parameters as possible, but would the average user would not know what to listen for. People know when they hear music, and can usually describe what they hear in it. The original set of MIDI files included a song titled "Canyon". This was great for the time of Windows 95, but it's Super-Mario-Bros.-esqe sound quickly became outdated. Not much changed with the files for several Windows versions.
Over the years, Microsoft worked with different composers, and the sounds changed with the times. The Windows 98 startup sound was futuristic and abstract. As computers were becoming more capable and accessible, this sound tapped into peoples' vision of the future at that time and the feelings that went with it. The Windows 2000 startup sound is (in my opinion) the best sound from Microsoft. This sound accompanied a major new set of features aimed at user-friendliness that we take for granted now, and the flow of the sound mirrors the new and smoother user experience.
Windows XP, released in 2001, was the most musical of all Windows versions. It played music during the system setup, before the startup sound was even heard! That is, if the sound drivers were in order. This music stays hidden away in a system folder where it is unlikely to be found. The inclusion of this song written a while before by Brian Eno was apparently a last minute decision by the development team. They had this song lying around, and members of the team in charge of the "Out of Box Experience" really wanted to use it.
The increased use of music went with the more plush experience of the new Windows version--display elements were more colorful, menus faded in and out, buttons were more 3-dimensional, and the graphics were higher resolution. Why would Microsoft stop at treating only one sense to the new experience?
Another musical facet of Windows XP was the new MIDI song. It replaced "Canyon," and exercises a wider variety of MIDI instruments and controls. It takes a trip through many different kinds of music. This song, titled "Onestop," was also included in Windows 7. The people who actually care about these things gave this song a reception about as mixed as the genres it includes. Some don't like it because it is such a musical hodgepodge, and some liked it for its variety. The variety of Onestop suits its purpose better, as it is more likely to catch a problem with MIDI playback.
Windows XP also included a good array of sample music in each user's music folder. I especially liked the Scherzo from Beethoven's 9th Symphony performed by Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony. Incidentally, Windows 7 and 8 had Richard Stolzman performing "The Maid with the Flaxen Hair." I was disappointed to look in the Windows 10 music library to find nothing at all.
Windows XP had by far the best array of system notification sounds. I especially love the scary "critical stop" sound that always signalled something bad. People loved making fun of the Windows XP sounds, probably because there was a lot of material. British conductor, Rainer Hersch and his orchestra perform among other pieces the "Windows Waltz" that puts XP sounds into a musical package. XP also spawned the "Windows Error Remix" that combines various notification sounds with a prominent role given to the critical stop. Windows developed a reputation for throwing myriad errors, and music like this reflects users' frustrations.
After XP came the infamous Windows Vista, a short lived operating system that got Microsoft into some hot water. Many features were either not ready for prime time, or poorly implemented. Vista brought a major shift in the interface design that included transparencies, animations, and a lighter and more open look. The sounds mirrored this. In addition to lighter and more transparent notification sounds, the startup sound was a four-note theme based on the four colors of the Windows logo and a rhythm that went "Win-DOWS Vis-TA"
There has been disappointingly little recent development in the musical aspect of Windows. Windows 7, 8, and 10 have notification sounds, but they all pale in comparison to those of XP. In many instances, system sounds are not played. I theorize that the shift to smaller mobile devices from desktops drives this trend. Back in the day, people would sit down at their computers, usually including a set of desktop speakers, and fire them up. Computing was an experience in itself.
Now, desktop computers are on the way out, and people rarely shut their laptops, tablets, and phones down. If there was a startup sound, it would never get played. Since people don't want their devices to be noisy, they don't generally make a wake up or log on sound. How many times do you wake your phone up in a day? A sound every time would get annoying.
Software is becoming more and more mobile oriented, which is pushing sound out. Will people want sounds back? probably not. We are to a point where we take technology for granted, and the experience of using it is nothing special. With all the noise coming at us in modern life, it may be good that our devices keep their mouths shut.
Monday, September 5, 2016
How long is a piece of classical music?
Sometimes, limitation means inspiration. One of my first assignments in graduate school at Penn State was to write one sentence on the importance of practicing scales. The catch was the 12-word limit! I wrote a 12-word sentence, but I didn't like it, and I don't even remember it. After crossing that one out and thinking a while, I came up with an inspired, pithy, and accurate sentence:
"Practicing scales fosters the foundation of error intoleration."
Those 8 words store meaning, and feature an alliteration and a rhyme! The professor hated it because of its "preachy" tone. I can see why, but one of his rules of writing was "write your draft and cut it by a third." I did exactly that. I got an A.
What happens to a piece of classical music with similar limits? You get the "InstaConcerto."
Today's social media world emphasizes shortness of expression, and that has literally squeezed new genres of micro-art into existence. Classical musicians have recently taken to this trend. Composer, Peter Breiner wrote the "InstaConcerto" as "an experiment in art, music, social media, and composition." Each movement of this piece fits into 15 seconds, or the original time limit for sounds on Instagram.
Here is the complete performance by Avi Avital.
A good piece of micro-art is memorable, thought provoking, and leaves the audience wanting more. I think of good micro-art as a very rich chocolate cake. You eat one tiny slice and you want more, but you just can't do it.
Other composers will surely follow this trend of miniaturization, and the days of huge new classical works may be over; however, mammoth Mahler Symphonies, Beethoven's behemoth 9th, and other colossal classical works of the past are not going anywhere. The value of large-scale works remains high, but tiny works are making inroads.
So, a piece of classical music can last anywhere between 75 seconds and a couple of hours. I love miniaturization of art forms such as music and poetry, and at the same time, I hate it. On one hand, it distills works into the purest, densest expression. On the other hand, it plays into our culture of the shrinking attention span. In today's fast-paced world, few people would ever sit down and listen to a performance of Mahler's Symphony no. 1. Perhaps some may lose interest before the end of the InstaConcerto.
Thinking back to my writing about practicing scales, the assignment could have been a 3-page paper on the subject. My professor would have been stuck reading 30 papers full of fluff and B.S.--an unimaginably boring job. Instead, the class produced many fun, informative, witty, dense, and pure sentences. Writing on a tiny scale requires a different type of thought. The writer has to make tough decisions on what is most important and how to pack it. A great long novel, or symphony carries a heavier payload than a short work, but it's refreshing to see the writer's expression fully distilled.
By their nature, artists will take to any medium and limitations with which they are presented. They take strict limits and outlandish media as a challenge. What will the social media sphere come up with next? I don't know, but artists and musicians will exploit it, limits and all!
For those of you who read to the end of this post. Here is a link to the NPR News story about the InstaConcerto.
"Practicing scales fosters the foundation of error intoleration."
Those 8 words store meaning, and feature an alliteration and a rhyme! The professor hated it because of its "preachy" tone. I can see why, but one of his rules of writing was "write your draft and cut it by a third." I did exactly that. I got an A.
What happens to a piece of classical music with similar limits? You get the "InstaConcerto."
Today's social media world emphasizes shortness of expression, and that has literally squeezed new genres of micro-art into existence. Classical musicians have recently taken to this trend. Composer, Peter Breiner wrote the "InstaConcerto" as "an experiment in art, music, social media, and composition." Each movement of this piece fits into 15 seconds, or the original time limit for sounds on Instagram.
Here is the complete performance by Avi Avital.
A good piece of micro-art is memorable, thought provoking, and leaves the audience wanting more. I think of good micro-art as a very rich chocolate cake. You eat one tiny slice and you want more, but you just can't do it.
Other composers will surely follow this trend of miniaturization, and the days of huge new classical works may be over; however, mammoth Mahler Symphonies, Beethoven's behemoth 9th, and other colossal classical works of the past are not going anywhere. The value of large-scale works remains high, but tiny works are making inroads.
So, a piece of classical music can last anywhere between 75 seconds and a couple of hours. I love miniaturization of art forms such as music and poetry, and at the same time, I hate it. On one hand, it distills works into the purest, densest expression. On the other hand, it plays into our culture of the shrinking attention span. In today's fast-paced world, few people would ever sit down and listen to a performance of Mahler's Symphony no. 1. Perhaps some may lose interest before the end of the InstaConcerto.
Thinking back to my writing about practicing scales, the assignment could have been a 3-page paper on the subject. My professor would have been stuck reading 30 papers full of fluff and B.S.--an unimaginably boring job. Instead, the class produced many fun, informative, witty, dense, and pure sentences. Writing on a tiny scale requires a different type of thought. The writer has to make tough decisions on what is most important and how to pack it. A great long novel, or symphony carries a heavier payload than a short work, but it's refreshing to see the writer's expression fully distilled.
By their nature, artists will take to any medium and limitations with which they are presented. They take strict limits and outlandish media as a challenge. What will the social media sphere come up with next? I don't know, but artists and musicians will exploit it, limits and all!
For those of you who read to the end of this post. Here is a link to the NPR News story about the InstaConcerto.
Thursday, September 1, 2016
4 Biggest Practicing Mistakes
I hate lists like this, but I'm writing one anyway. Dedicated string players practice every day, thinking that's the way to improve. If you assume this, you're right, but are you getting the most out of your days and weeks practicing? Maybe not. Here are some commonly made, but rarely acknowledged mistakes that really put string players off their game of practicing.
1) Having TWDs in the studio:
TWDs (or time wasting devices) such as TV sets, smartphones, laptops, and tablets, have no place in the practice studio. You might say that it's great to be able to pull up a YouTube video of a great performer while you are practicing, but can you remember the last time you just watched only what you went there to watch? I didn't think so. There are also a lot of different apps that enable a device to be a tuner, metronome, or other musical device, but they give to the practice session far less than the device itself takes away by its mere presence. Get a tuner and a metronome. It is OK to have time set aside and a separate space to listen to recordings and watch videos. Bottom line, if it has a screen, get it out of your practice!
2) Not structuring your practice time:
Great!!! You have a two hour block of time set aside to practice. Do you know how you will spend this time? You can focus your practice time much better if you take a few minutes and plan out the next hours. Divide your time however you think you need, and write it down. Don't forget to include time for scales, etudes, and simple exercises on sound. Take a look through your repertoire, and see which movements and passages need your attention that day. Include some time for full "performances" of longer chunks of your music. Most importantly, stick to your plan. If you decide to spend 15 minutes polishing a passage, spend that time on that passage, even if you think it sounds good already--there's always something more to do. On the flip side, don't push your schedule back because you are still not satisfied with a certain section--move on and spend more time in another session.
3) Practicing what already sounds good:
This entry could also be called "avoiding what sounds bad." We like to sound good, but we have to give that up sometimes. I hear so many performances that have great moments, but one or two problem spots that just ruin the whole thing. If there are a few spots that just aren't coming together, set aside extra time for those. Beyond spending time, actively diagnose what is wrong. Usually, the problem can be reduced to a string crossing, a shift, or a bow change.
4) Leaving it all up to the teacher:
There is one person in the world who can be your best teacher. He or she can be with you for the rest of your life. You never have to pay a dime. This person is on call any time of the day or night. Who is this great person? It's YOU! No teacher should let you crash through the same passage over and over again, so don't do this yourself. Always ask yourself what you can do better and how you can do it. Your teacher will give you a lot of important information, but you need to teach yourself these concepts between lessons. For young students, parents should pay attention in lessons and assist in the process.
This list is not exhaustive, but will help you to follow my motto: "practice smarter, not harder!"
1) Having TWDs in the studio:
TWDs (or time wasting devices) such as TV sets, smartphones, laptops, and tablets, have no place in the practice studio. You might say that it's great to be able to pull up a YouTube video of a great performer while you are practicing, but can you remember the last time you just watched only what you went there to watch? I didn't think so. There are also a lot of different apps that enable a device to be a tuner, metronome, or other musical device, but they give to the practice session far less than the device itself takes away by its mere presence. Get a tuner and a metronome. It is OK to have time set aside and a separate space to listen to recordings and watch videos. Bottom line, if it has a screen, get it out of your practice!
2) Not structuring your practice time:
Great!!! You have a two hour block of time set aside to practice. Do you know how you will spend this time? You can focus your practice time much better if you take a few minutes and plan out the next hours. Divide your time however you think you need, and write it down. Don't forget to include time for scales, etudes, and simple exercises on sound. Take a look through your repertoire, and see which movements and passages need your attention that day. Include some time for full "performances" of longer chunks of your music. Most importantly, stick to your plan. If you decide to spend 15 minutes polishing a passage, spend that time on that passage, even if you think it sounds good already--there's always something more to do. On the flip side, don't push your schedule back because you are still not satisfied with a certain section--move on and spend more time in another session.
3) Practicing what already sounds good:
This entry could also be called "avoiding what sounds bad." We like to sound good, but we have to give that up sometimes. I hear so many performances that have great moments, but one or two problem spots that just ruin the whole thing. If there are a few spots that just aren't coming together, set aside extra time for those. Beyond spending time, actively diagnose what is wrong. Usually, the problem can be reduced to a string crossing, a shift, or a bow change.
4) Leaving it all up to the teacher:
There is one person in the world who can be your best teacher. He or she can be with you for the rest of your life. You never have to pay a dime. This person is on call any time of the day or night. Who is this great person? It's YOU! No teacher should let you crash through the same passage over and over again, so don't do this yourself. Always ask yourself what you can do better and how you can do it. Your teacher will give you a lot of important information, but you need to teach yourself these concepts between lessons. For young students, parents should pay attention in lessons and assist in the process.
This list is not exhaustive, but will help you to follow my motto: "practice smarter, not harder!"
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