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RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'?

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In Reply to: RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? posted by wazoo on August 08, 2010 at 20:43:26

Love this:

"Sheila C. Woodward of USC has shown that fetuses in the womb begin responding to music at 17-19 weeks gestation and that they most strongly respond to consonant, not dissonant intervals: 3rds, 4ths, 5ths and octaves. She has also shown that babies cry in consonant intervals, regardless of cultural background."

I've long believed that contemporary music was such a flop in part because our reaction to consonance and dissonance is partially innate, and also because, having mastered a musical system that makes certain assumptions about the meaning of tonality, it's difficult to adapt to a musical system that makes different ones.

Follow Ups:

RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? - thebordas@yahoo.com 15:15:33 08/12/10 (8)
Consonance cannot be fully appreciated without dissonance. It would be like living in a world with no pain....the joy of pleasure could not exist without it!
- RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? - josh358 15:22:37 08/12/10 (7)
  Agreed. The problem occurs when the music becomes too unremittingly dissonant, or abandons tonality entirely.
  - RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? - thebordas 19:15:59 08/12/10 (6)
    I tend to agree, although the degree to which one can find pleasure with either form is linked to ones state of mind at the time. Overall however, even my favorite serialist works or 12 tone row compositions lend themselves to at least a modicum of melody/consonance i.e...Berg, Webern and of course Schoenberg.
    dave_b
    - RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? - josh358 19:25:31 08/12/10 (5)
      I recall reading somewhere that Schoenberg had to struggle to keep tonality from intruding in his works . . .
      - RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? - thebordas 05:36:47 08/13/10 (4)
        
        In Reply to: RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? posted by josh358 on August 12, 2010 at 19:25:31
        
        Yes, Schoenberg believed the 12 tone row was the musical alphabet for the evolution of music in the 20th century and beyond. In the end we are all influenced by our times. Schoenberg was raised in an overwhelmingly Consonant environment, so it was obviously difficult for him to cast of the chains of melody in his works. Somehow, for me anyway, it is that very struggle between Consonance and Dissonance that bubbles up to the surface in many of his composistions that I find emotionaly meaningfull.
        dave_b
        
        RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? - josh358 06:51:06 08/13/10 (3)
        
        In Reply to: RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? posted by thebordas on August 13, 2010 at 05:36:47
        
        I suspect he'd hate that, since it means that you're still hearing the works from the perspective of tonality . . .
        
        RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? - thebordas 07:13:30 08/13/10 (2)
        
        In Reply to: RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? posted by josh358 on August 13, 2010 at 06:51:06
        
        Maybe, but the subtle melodic bursts are almost essential for the listener to fully access the evocative underpinnings of his dissonant construct. A full appreciation and emotional connection to the works of Schoenberg require an open mind and heart with a sensitivity to both melody and 12 tone technique.....as long as the consonance/melody never dominate or become fully resolved. It was Schoenberg's intent to juxtapose discretely placed melodic "hints" within his compositions as long as they would remain unidentifiable. He used consonance like a Great Chef uses a carefully chosen spice....with extreme care and only enough to make the main course taste exquisite:O)
        dave_b
        
        RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? - josh358 10:37:46 08/14/10 (1)
        
        In Reply to: RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? posted by thebordas on August 13, 2010 at 07:13:30
        
        Interesting. Almost makes me want to go and listen -- ordinarily, I avoid anything with a tone row in it.
        
        RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? - thebordas 10:56:17 08/14/10 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: How about a review in/on 'All About Jazz'? posted by josh358 on August 14, 2010 at 10:37:46
        
        On a slightly more accessible level but still proudly displaying their serialistic roots, are John Corigliano (1rst symphony) and George Rochberg (1rst or 2nd symphony). For 20th Century Cassical I favor Shostakovich (start with the 4th or 5th symphony)...sheer genius and extremely moving emotionally.
        dave_b

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