hi there guys

well this weeks class didnt go very well tbh - when it came round to me i said that the center didnt have tonality as it sounded way out of tune - which raised a bit of a laugh from my 'classmates' who all seem to be dead snobby and more interested in classical which im not - i dont know why they found this so amusing because they're offering wasnt brilliant - like someone said the tonal center was A which it obviously isnt - ive played pieces in A on my guitar and they dont sound like that

so it seems that tonal center has actually nothing to do with the center of the piece after all - so its misleading and i told them so - this is why many people find classical music irritating - that might even explain why their trying to take it off the curriclum and replace it with up to date stuff

but i took alot of what you guys said above on board - so i suggested that there were elements of dorian and lydian mode - the lecturer picked up on this and said that in a way i was right because bartok was very keen on using polytonality! (this is when you get pieces in several keys at once) - that sort of made me look good : )

i dont know if i want to continue with the class - i had a word with the tutor afterwards and he suggested i see how it goes for a few weeks so i dont know

he said that the module covers atonality and classical music from 'schernberg to stokhousen'

anyway for this weeks class we have to listen to this -

messien piece

well thankfully it isnt as horrible as that bartok thing! what we have to do is a question in two parts

1- 'comment on the use of modes'

this is going to be dead easy i think because i can just put down dorian or lydian as they're is quite a good chance that one of these will be correct - they're is also no evidence of polytonality! (i am going to try and use that whenever i can)

2 - 'what is unusual about this piece'

again this is quite obvious and i have put a few things down already like -

the piano is just playing chords ie - they're are no scaley fast bits as you normally get in classical music

the piece starts soft and gets louder again this is unusual because classical usually gets louder then softer then usually repeats this pattern over and over again

they're is no orchestra - usually in classical music its written for orchestra

they're is no flashy ending - classical music (2001 space music for example) always ends with a flashy big loud chord - like in that wagner ad music you here everywhere

if you can suggest any more things that would be great!

thanks

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