Music 408 E

ANALYSIS OF MUSICAL FORM

(second half of the 20th. century)

Spring 2005

• Time: M-W 1:00 - 2:20 pm
• Room: 1148 Music Building
• Credit: 2 - 3 credits
  

• Instructor: Dr. Sever Tipei
  Office: 5052 MB
  email: s-tipei@uiuc.edu

This course will cover the historical period between the end of WWII and present and it will include four major units:

1. Integral Serialism and Aleatory Music
2. Indeterminacy and Concept Music
3. Music, Mathematics, and Science
4. Music and Technology (Computer Music)

There will be four assignments:

• A choice between:
  • Analysis of a fragment from Structures Ia by Boulez;
  • Analysis of a fragment from Le marteau sans maitre by Boulez;

    (due February 9)

• A 20 min. presentation in class on a trend/artistic movement and/or an aleatory/chance piece;

  (due February 21 - March 16)

• Writing a short piece using methods discussed in the third unit.

  (due April 13)

• Producing computer generated sounds by using software available in the Computer Music Project and participating in the planning of a short piece using such sounds.

  (due April 25 - May 4)

Also expect a few short quizzes (some take-home) to be given in order to gauge your theoretical background and/or your understanding of the material.

There will be a number of required readings (articles by Boulez, Brun, Cage, Pierce, Stockhausen, Xenakis, etc.) which will be discussed in class. Participation in such discussins will count toward the final grade.

There will be a comprehensive Final : Saturday, May 7, 1:30 - 4:30 pm.

• Reserve List
• List of Presentations
• Useful links:
  • Tone-rows and how to write a Matrix
  • Webern
  • Integral Serialism
  • Boulez - domains
  • Aleatory music
  • Indeterminacy
  • Conceptual music
  • Mathematical Tools in Music
  • Set and Group Theories
  • Computer Sound Synthesis
• List of terms discussed in class.

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