Maurice Ravel

Analysis of Excerpts of Representative Composers As mentioned earlier in this chapter, polymodality can be traced back to the baroque period. Figure 1.3 shows an excerpt of J. S. Bach’s Four Duets No. 2 BWV 303, measures 43-46. This is an example of contrapuntal writing, where Bach creates a canon a perfect fourth lower from the top voice. The upper melody is composed in a D melodic minor scale, and the lower voice is written in A melodic minor. Mosco Carner states that “Bach in contrast to…

life during the 1920s was reflected in the music and when this music then spread to the classical genre, it bridged the gap between the two styles. This merger spread worldwide and can be heard in the music of French composers Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, who were also famous in the 1920s, similar to Copland and Gershwin, due to their use of jazz influences. This trend continued throughout the 20th Century and spread even to popular music today with the use of saxophone solos in pop songs…

George Balanchine Russia's contribution to the great effervescence of ballet in the United States is complete and comprehensive. The master of this long alliance was undoubtedly George Balanchine, one of the greatest if not the greatest choreographer of the twentieth century. Born in St. Petersburg in 1904 in a family of artists from Georgia, Balanchine met ballet and music from the cradle. Trained at the School of Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg in the best classical tradition, Balanchine…

Romanticism was a literary movement that traveled in every country of Europe, the United States, and Latin America that lasted from approximately 1750 to 1870. The Romantic Era reached France around the 18th century. This movement was born in the setting full of revolution and wars that caused tension and doubt on the security of the age of reason. Pessimism overwhelmed the views of hope and optimism. Romanticism was against total order that characterized the idea of Classicism and 18th century…

Question 1: Christopher Bruce - Ghost Dances Christopher Bruce, being an avid dancer for the majority of his life, also emerged as a choreographer and an artistic director. When Christopher Bruce was a young boy, his legs were damaged by polio. His father encouraged him to dance at the Benson Stage Academy, where he learnt various dance styles, including ballet, tap and acrobatic dance. At the age of 18 years old, Bruce was accepted into the Rambert School Academy of dance where he…

Sonata in A minor, K. 110 Domenico Scarlatti Domenico Scarlatti was born in Naples, Italy, on October 26, 1685. A brilliant musician at an early age, Scarlatti followed in the compositional footsteps of his father, Alessandro Scarlatti. In 1708, Scarlatti moved to Rome to become maestro di cappella to the exiled queen of Poland, Maria Casimira. He later became head of the Cappella Giulia, the choir of St. Peter’s Basilica that sings for all solemn functions of the Vatican. While in Rome,…