Interpretive Moves Of The Listener This Piece example essay topic

Musical Performance 5 Chris Irvine O Fortuna from Carmine Burana (Orff) - Seiji Ozawa / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra The dialects of the sound object: When listening to this piece the immediate and obvious associations I have are completely directed by external associations. This is unfortunate because I will not experience the piece for the first time, therefore the encounter will not have its initial impact as a separate entity. The concept that I have built through countless listening experiences is a cumulative interpretation of the piece in question. In taking into account my previous history as a listener of the musical object, I find that my perceptions (which have evolved to concepts) have been moulded through the experiences that I have had when listening to it.

The generality of the construction of the concept is of which all of these listening experiences have in common. The historic associations are built through continual interpretations of the piece. In a social context, the piece has been used as an epic journey, more or less in conjunction with something related to a tale of ancient proportions, a story of a beckoning of power, a feeling of mass energy. The foreign text in which this piece is written in is irrelevant because of the way in which a) is structurally powerful in its composition and b) because of its previous associations with its roll play. The interpretive moves of the listener In living in a foreign country in which this piece was originally focused (An obvious point of this would be the fact that the text is in a different language), my locational movements are somewhat limiting because I can't fully interpret the piece. But because of it being widely used, the severity of its power and energy counters any relevance to my locational position.

My categorical interpretive moves were to class the piece as an epic, or an anthem of epic proportions. The associated image that I visualise when listening is something of great magnitude. For example, the birth of a satanic omen, with thousands of its followers looking on in aura of his / her presence. As a reflective interpretive move I would place this association with today's social conditions especially with the new millennium bringing forth war, political instability and fear of Armageddon. The boundaries or frames The frame in which has most relevance when receiving this piece and interpreting it, is the notion of Identity.

Steven Feld discusses that the 'music maker' and the listener could have different perspectives on how the music communicates. I believe that content of the piece that helps develop an interpretation is blatant and obvious. The fact that the piece is used on so many occasions for basically the same result or effect, is enough evidence to strengthen its claim. Taking that into account, the composer, production engineer and performers have either successfully communicated there code or signature (this being the likely situation), or just completely ignorant.

The look of love (Bacharach / David) - Dusty Springfield The dialects of the sound object Before formally interpreting this piece I place myself in what Seven Feld describes as a socially-historical context. This helps to shed light on the fact that unlike the previous excerpt where I was at a high level of social awareness, I now have had little amounts of interaction on a social and historical basis. Therefore there are not as many obvious associations that could have been pre-determined. That is not to say that the typical structure and code is not been pre-established by countless other musicians, but it does give way to a different approach when interpreting through association the dialects. Because of the range of typifications that are intertwined within the piece, my intuition on certain relationships between the arrangement, settings, and interpretable messages are made easy and almost sub-conscious. Taking the form and content into consideration, the musical-extramusical factors have taken an obvious following.

My associations of the piece are much of what the code and message is dictating- that is an easy going, feel good song. There is a sense of belonging, or even a feeling of security, which is conveyed by the performer and the text. The historical associations are limited because of the lack of exposure. Invoking that point, the familiarity of the piece is somewhat comforting. The interpretive moves of the listener This piece, of all the works to be analysed, is probably best approached by my locational moves. This is because of the statement I said earlier about being comfortable with the surroundings of the piece.

This could be just because of the fact that it does have those general typifications of a feel-good ballad, or could because of Australia's close ties with America. None of this is particularly relevant, apart from the fact there is that notion of security that is imbedded in my interpretation. The association with security is evaluative and also reflective in its delivery. The point of me already associated the piece with America is somewhat a categorical move when establishing Interpretation. The boundaries or frames The frame that I have developed through fusing these two together, the interpretive moves and the dialect or tension, is somewhat a blueprint of the construction of my communicative process. I think when constructing a frame, in particular for this piece, I have chosen to deal with the notion of identity.

I think the obvious nature of the piece with its textual and extra-musical generalisations, give a good indication that the performer and importantly, the producer, have met a common ground when communicating with the listener. The producer / sound engineer has an important role to play when distributing the very general messages, or even specific messages. The soft tones and warm textures are directly related to how the producer convey these messages- or didn't! I think in this case, the producer and performer have worked well in delivering their point or statement. The beautiful hills of Galilee (traditional) - Hazel Dickens The Dialects of the sound object Before commencement of the interpretation process, it's essential (this is applies for every time I engage into a listening experience) that I acknowledge my social experience, background etc. This will play a vital role when occupied with interpretive concepts.

Being a listener who is ultimately placed in the social and historical spectrum, most of these skills, background and desires are determined through interpretation of my own situations, confrontations, and experience. This will eventually effect my interpretations of The beautiful hills of Galilee. The piece being a traditional would have a major significance if was aware of its social and contextual implications but unfortunately I have rarely been exposed to this piece or any other renditions for that matter. The initial perceptions with regards to the musical and extramusical context, were of a country music origin and the specific semiotic notions with the performers delivery. These percepts were then refine to concepts through making general and more specific associations using the form and content as leverage. The message I have deciphered through the code is that of great importance to the performer.

This transcends through her emphasis on articulations and stress in cadences in her delivery of the material. The interpretive moves of the listener The locational significance for this piece for many people (traditionally or Hazel Dickens version) could be extremely valuable when establishing the moves of interpretation. Its relevance to the homelands in which the text suggests is of great importance of the performer, and probably many other people who can relate to the feeling of being home. My locational and reflective moves are of the same composition in that the piece does position myself in a relative sense for a longing for home- a comfortable surroundings.

The associational representation would be images of a ever ending fields of yellow -green grass, with typical western surroundings. I can imagine that Hazel Dickens performed this sitting on a bail of hay or fence, with a cowgirl outfit chewin' on a piece hay. The Reflective move would most probably fit best in the event of a funeral. The presence of the voice is powerful as it stands alone- much as a person singing a song for the deceased. The Boundaries or Frames This performance draws me more towards the notion of the expressive ideology and value of the frame constructed. A very specific message is drawn when concluding the findings and boundaries of that frame.

The longing for home and presence of what was once comforting and secure. The feeling bares the need for family and associations that travel with the notion of family. - Being so close and personal through Dickens using particular stresses in an almost awkward presence. Que sera sera (Livingstone / Evans) - Sly and the Family Stone The dialects of the musical sound This interpretation will be the first time I have ever engaged in with this piece. Therefore there is no cumulative or interactively cumulative experience prior to this listening. The concepts that I perceive will be the first and will have minimal influences across the board with reference to the syntactic level of analysis.

This does not however, rule out all possible pre-concepts which could easily influence my development in interpretation. Here are some associations when encountered with the initial listening experience- Knowing that the music that is performed is from the sixties, and that Sly and the family Stone were sometimes associated with African- American revolutionary groups, there is somewhat a degree of influence when conceiving a character (s) in concepts. The text is open for interpretation, allowing a number of possible perceptions - one of which is a message to all people engendering self-confidence and pride. One feels this could be particularly appealing to disadvantaged minorities. Taking the text, slow funk groove, laid back vocal expressions into account, it was quite easy to relate and be comfortable with the piece and its surroundings. The interpretive moves of the listener My locational movements are definitely relevant when deciphering the code or dialect.

Coming from a white Anglo-Saxon background, the recognition of code, genre, stylization, is of a different substance than of a black male living in America in the late 60's. My interpretation would definitely sympathise to his position but because I have been exposed to a completely different environment, the level of comparisons would be enormous. Categorically speaking the interpretative move would be a personal anthem by the group, addressed to all who is interested to hear. The associations that are naturally followed are: imagery of a longing for a perfect racial harmony, and a voice for women in pro-feminist ideologies.

Frames or Boundaries The Frame work that is built around the fact the piece is a rendition of an older work... The re-workings has taken completely different approach, taking its contextual relevance to completely different level. Using the some of the original lyrics, and expanding them, the group have moulded the re-working to there own fusion of funk, soul and R n' B. Ideologically speaking the piece is portrayed as an anthem to build confidence in particularly disadvantage minorities. O mio bambino caro (Puccini) - David Gris man and Beppe Gambetta The dialects of the musical sound In my movements when encountered with this piece was its immediate association with the epic operatic work, which this version is a rendition. Although completely different in timbre and performing media, the piece still acquires the original and structure.

In stating this, the piece is as powerful and creates as much tension as the original through using an assortment of techniques. The message is still there in full force, only the code has taken a different appearance. The provocative nature is still evident, and this might be because of the original traits can be well connected and associated to the authentic version - this can be argued as irrelevant. The fact is the piece as a complete entity in its own right through developing its own tension interest.

The text could be considered as assumed knowledge to the listener, hence this being an extension of the original. My person experience was that the text was imbedded within the performing media. I could associate the concept of passion for the performance- leaning more towards the message of the piece, and less towards the composer. The interpretive moves This being a rendition and even an extension of a love song, categorically speaking, this piece is could be classed as a part of the infamous collective of music, Muzak. I certainly do not agree with this statement, being extremely shallow when interpreting communication between the listener and the composer / arranger.

With reference to the locational moves within interpretation, mine are sympathetic and can even relate to the message of piece. In a locational sense, one could even say this re-working is of more potency than the original because of its lack of text, em phasing on the body of the work. My associated moves are based on a visual interpretation of the piece- a secluded wedding, with a dash of European design and taste. The Boundaries or frames The consequence of my interpretations have conclude a contextual universal message. This expressive ideology is the generalities of all these angles of interpretation, finding the key element, or the overlapping message, which is specific within a general consistency- The piece reminds me of the feeling for the overwhelming power of a love for someone. This could because of a number of attributes -the fact is that the sensation that reminds of a love is written all over this piece.