Expressionism: Art

Art and Music in the 20th and 21st Centuries

Expressionism

Art:

The key ideas behind the expressionist movement in art was that “art was now meant to come forth from within the artist, rather than from a depiction of the external visual world” (Wolf “Expressionism Movement, Artists and Major Works”). This meant that instead of accurate depictions of the real world such as portraits, landscapes, etc; artists were free to paint from what they felt inside of themselves. This style originated in Germany in the early 20th Century and has since expanded to a popular style of art. 

 

Characteristics of expressionism include: 

exaggerated use of colour 

implies emotion eg. red for anger, blue for sadness

distorted shapes/appearances

helps depict inner emotion 

(Puddock “What is Expressionist Art?”)

swirling, swaying, and exaggeratedly executed brushstrokes (Wolf “Expressionism Movement, Artists and Major Works”)

Conveys turgid emotional state of artist

Helps to convey social anxieties?

 

Example: “The Scream” by Edvard Munch (1893) 

(Shabi “Meaning of The Scream”)

 

“I was walking down the road with two friends when the sun set; suddenly, the sky turned as red as blood. I stopped and leaned against the fence, feeling unspeakably tired. Tongues of fire and blood stretched over the bluish black fjord. My friends went on walking, while I lagged behind, shivering with fear. Then I heard the enormous infinite scream of nature.” (Munch,The Private Journals of Edvard Munch: We Are Flames Which Pour Out of the Earth)

 

Bright, exaggerated colours

Reds, oranges, and yellows convey anxiety, anger, and other intense emotions

Black creates a mysterious undertone

Swirling brushstrokes

Hard to tell exactly what is in the background, assumedly an ocean or lake

Simplistic figures

Munch suffered from insanity (presumably bipolar)

gave him visions of the world as he painted it

 

Bibliography

 

“German Expressionism.” MoMA. Museum of Modern Art, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. 

<http://www.moma.org/explore/collection/ge/artists&gt;.

Munch, Edvard, and J. Gill Holland. The Private Journals of Edvard Munch: We Are Flames Which Pour Out of the Earth. Madison, Wis.: University of Wisconsin Press, 2005. Print.

Puddock, David . “What is Expressionist Art?.” Garp’s World. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. <http://www.garpsworld.com/art/expressionist/expressionist_art.htm&gt;.

Shabi, K. “Meaning of The Scream.” Legomenon. N.p., 12 July 2013. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. <http://legomenon.com/meaning-of-the-scream-1893-painting-by-edvard-munch.html&gt;.

Wolf, Justin. “Expressionism Movement, Artists and Major Works.” TheArtStory.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. <http://www.theartstory.org/movement-expressionism.htm&gt;.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Brecker “Suspone”. Seriously man, stop being so friggin talented. It’s making me look bad.

Suspone by Michael Brecker is a piece of jazz-fusion with solos by electric guitar, tenor saxophone, and piano. The rhythm section is comprised of drums and a double bass. For the purposes of this analysis, I will be focussing on Michael Brecker’s tenor saxophone solo from his “Impulse” release, “Don’t Try This At Home”.

 

The piece starts with all of the soloist instruments playing the same melody, and then each solo breaks away while the others are silent. Brecker’s solo is after the electric guitar. The solo is played on a tenor saxophone, at 235 beats per minute. It is also in common (4/4) time, with a rhythm changes chord progression. This progression was taken from George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm”, and is a 32 bar A-A-B-A chord structure. The chord progression of rhythm changes is: 1 6|2 5|1 6|2 5|1 1⁷ |4 4⁷ | 1 5|1 1|(A section, played twice), 3⁷  |3⁷  |6⁷  |6⁷  |2⁷  |2⁷  |5⁷  |5⁷  |(B section, played once). (MoneyChords, N.D.)

 

What makes this piece of improvisation truly jazz-rock fusion is the use of long lines of semiquavers and quavers, with at least a few beats rest in between that line and the next (see bar 45 onwards). Using these moments of fast-paced, frantic sounding playing and then suddenly creating silence in the middle of a bar gives the piece a syncopated, experimental sound common in jazz-rock fusion. Brecker also used triplet semiquavers as embellishments in his ‘calmer’ lines (bars 42, 43, etc.) to keep the momentum of the piece when he is not playing crazy semiquaver runs.

 

Use of chromaticism is also obvious in this piece of improvisation. While Brecker doesn’t play long chromatic runs, he uses short bursts of chromaticism in terms of semitone steps to enrich the piece and add interest and dissonance. For example, bar 15 is played: Bb, B, Bb, Ab, A, G, etc. This creates a shape that is like a wave, going up and down and around and keeps the piece interesting whilst still staying within the jazz fusion genre.

 

Overall, this piece of improvisation is a wonderful example of classic jazz-rock fusion. It was a pleasure to listen to, and would have taken immense skill to improvise. Brecker is a musical visionary, and considering his work in this piece is very deserving of the standing he has achieved in the jazz world.

 

Bibliography

MoneyChords. (N.D.). Rhythm Changes. Retrieved 10 6, 2013, from MoneyChords.com: http://www.angelfire.com/fl4/moneychords/rhythmchanges.html

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Brecker – Suspone Transcription

Michael Brecker – Suspone Transcription

Awesome piece of improvisation by Michael Brecker :3

Miles Davis – Apparently he was just copying Jimi Hendrix. Eh, whatever. There’s no such thing as originality nowadays.

Miles Davis was born in 1926, with a blues pianist for a mother and a dentist for a father. Strangely enough, it was his father who introduced him to the musical scene by giving him a trumpet (probably purely to annoy his mother, who disliked the trumpet’s sound and would much rather her son learn piano).

 

When he was thirteen, he began taking trumpet lessons with one of his father’s patients: Elwood Buchanan Snr. Buchanan was known for his incredibly strict teaching style, especially so because he encouraged his students to play without vibrato. He was quoted as telling Miles Davis “Stop shakin’ that note. You’re going to shake enough when you get old” (Szwed, 2002) He also went against fashion by trying to get Miles to take inspiration from the laid-back sounds of musicians such as Bobby Hackett and Harold ‘Shorty’ Baker. Both of these artists were very obviously from the swing and big band eras of jazz, and completely different from the popular music of the time. Without the influence of Elwood, Miles Davis certainly would not have had his signature sound, and he was quoted as saying in his autobiography “Mr. Buchanan was the biggest influence on my life up until then. He was definitely the person who took me all the way into music at that time.” (Chambers, 1998)

 

“I prefer a round sound with no attitude in it, like a round voice with not too much tremolo and not too much bass. Just right in the middle. If I can’t get that sound I can’t play anything.” (Kahn, 2001)

Miles Davis, when compared to many other popular jazz trumpeters (or really any trumpeters) of the time has an incredibly distinct sound. The most prominent difference in his sound, as mentioned above, is his almost complete lack of vibrato. This clear tone has been likened to that of a saxophone, with an almost woody timbre unlike so much other trumpet music.

 

From 1967 onwards, Miles felt the need for a change in his distinct sound. He kept the same technique, but instead of classic blues and swing as influenced by Hackett and Baker, he opted for an electronic sound. He experimented with many electric instruments during this period, and one of his main influences was Jimi Hendrix. Probably the most prominent album from this ‘electric’ era was “Bitches Brew” released in 1970. The sound on this album is absolutely unlike any other album he had previously released, reminiscent of the space-like sounds of “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix. Even though Davis was recognised as more of a ‘cool jazz’ improviser, the improvisations on this album are very different to his usual improvised sound. A good example of this is his closing improvisation on “Miles Runs The Voodoo Down”. The improvisation begins sounding like his signature ‘cool’ sound, but escalates to explosive notes, and huge runs venturing into the upper registers of the instrument. Also evident in the improvisation are loud, dissonant squeals and, at 12 minutes, a strange wailing sound created by differing air speed being blown into the trumpet.

Bitches Brew- Miles Runs the Voodoo Down     

 

Honestly Miles? I know it was the seventies, but seriously? Why did you have to abandon your gorgeous swing sound and adopt something like Hendrix? No. Not cool. Whatever, maybe it’s not my thing but it was sure someone else’s, because “Bitches Brew” hit the top of the charts. Miles Davis was also introduced to the Rock’N’Roll Hall of Fame for his performance on this, and later albums. Truly a jazz-rock pioneer.

 

Keep it tight, guys.

Bibliography

Carlson, R. (2006, 6). Miles Davis: Welcome to Jazz-Rock. Retrieved 9 28, 2013 from JazzTimes: http://jazztimes.com/articles/16919-miles-davis-welcome-to-jazz-rock

Chambers, J. (1998). Milestones: The Music and Times of Miles Davis. Da Capo Press .

Kahn, A. (2001). Kind Of Blue. Perseus Books Group.

Macnie, J. (N.D.). Miles Davis Biography. Retrieved 9 28, 2013 from Rolling Stone: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/miles-davis/biography

Sony Music Entertainment. (N.D.). Miles Davis Biography. Retrieved 9 28, 2013 from The Official Miles Davis Site: http://www.milesdavis.com/us/biography

Szwed, J. (2002). So What: The Life of Miles Davis. Simon & Schuster.

The Biography Channel. (N.D.). Miles Davis – Biography on Bio. Retrieved 9 28, 2013 from The Biography Channel: http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/miles-davis.html

Jimi Hendrix – Cause dominant sharp ninths are apparently massively important.

Jimi Hendrix is one of the most respected artists in the jazz and rock’n’roll worlds. His influence on both of theses genres is immeasurable, being said to have pioneered the beginning of jazz-rock fusion.

 

Hendrix started playing the electric guitar after clinging to a broom and pretending to strum it for many years. A school social worker said that “leaving him without a guitar might result in psychological damage.” (Roby & Schreiber, 2010) Unable to read music due to a lack of opportunity for education, Hendrix was entirely self-taught, learning everything he could by ear. He took inspiration from artists such as B.B. King; Muddy Waters; Howlin’ Wolf; Buddy Holly; and Robert Johnson, and assimilated many of their techniques into his early works.

 

Hendrix “pioneered the explosive possibilities of the electric guitar.” (Experience Hendrix, 2012) Combining many experimental techniques such as fuzz, feedback, and controlled distortion, he made electric guitar a much more flexible instrument, and was one of the first artists to incorporate rock guitar techniques such as these into jazz music. Hendrix was also the pioneer of what is now called the “Hendrix chord” – a dominant chord with a sharp ninth. This chord was used heavily in his songs, especially present in “Purple Haze”. “E7#9, strummed loosely in an open position but with heavy distortion clearly sets the tone for the piece.” (Van Der Bliek, 2007)

Excerpt from “Purple Haze”

Observe the E7#9 in the first bar of the piece, followed by a G, then A. This translates to 1|b3|4, a chord progression commonly used in rhythm and blues pieces. The sharp ninth creates a dissonance that Hendrix used a lot, along with fuzz and distortion, to create an uncomfortable but still fun sound.

 

Hendrix didn’t only use dissonant chords to create his signature sound. He was also well known for his use of different amps and distortion pedals. What is called by some the ‘iconic Hendrix rig’ was a 1968 Fender Stratocaster, a 100-watt Marshall Super Lead stack, all used with Fuzz-face, wah-wah, univibe, and Octavia effects (Music Radar, 2008). This created the signature fuzzy, reverberated sound that permeated many of Hendrix’s songs.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akjIwpMfc3o

In terms of his influence on jazz-rock fusion, Hendrix is actually said to have started the movement with the release of his album “Are You Experienced”. This album featured the song “Third Stone from the Sun”, a very interesting piece. It uses a traditional walking bass line, underneath a common jazz drum beat using cymbals and bass drum, and an electric guitar with Hendrix’s traditional effects present. The song has a ‘space-like’ feel due to the effects added in post-production of what sounds like whispering voices, but is actually simply a slowed-down conversation between Hendrix and his manager Chas Chandler (Nuvvo, N.D.).

The walking bassline eventually transforms into a vamp, still accompanied by the traditional jazz drumming pattern. The vamp (also referred to as a riff) is E-E-F#-E-B. This translates to 1|1|#2|1|5. The last two notes of this riff create a perfect cadence, a common element in both jazz, and other musical genres to create a feeling of ‘completion’ to a phrase.

 

Jimi Hendrix is considered by many the founding father of jazz-rock fusion because of his contributions to the jazz and rock genres separately, as well as the times when he brought them together in harmony in his own songs. In my opinion, he was a great artist, and still brings so much to the music industry by inspiring young artists to think outside the typical boundaries of genre. 

 

Bibliography

Experience Hendrix. (2012). Jimi Hendrix Biography. Retrieved 9 19, 2013, from The Official Jimi Hendrix Site: http://www.jimihendrix.com/us/jimi

Music Radar. (2008, 10 17). How To Sound Like Jimi Hendrix – The Essential Pedals, Amps, and Guitars. Retrieved 9 26, 2013, from Music Radar: http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/guitars/how-to-sound-like-jimi-hendrix-177687

Nuvvo. (N.D.). Jimi Hendrix’s Impact On The Jazz Movement . Retrieved 9 26, 2013, from Jazz & More: http://jazz.nuvvo.com/lesson/5051-jimi-hendrixs-impact-on-the-jazz-movement

Roby, S., & Schreiber, B. (2010). Becoming Jimi Hendrix: From Southern Crossroads to Psychedelic London, the Untold Story of a Musical Genius. Da Capo Press.

Van Der Bliek, R. (2007). The Hendrix Chord: blues, flexible pitch relationships, and self-standing harmony. Popular Music , 26 (2), 343-364.

 

Jazz Rock – Because jazz artists are stubborn as hell

Jazz Rock Fusion is a style combining the fluid sound of jazz with the (then) quite experimental sounds created by rock. The use of electronic instruments was introduced, as well as the dissolution of musical boundaries that earlier jazz styles had. Many jazz styles developed from jazz rock fusion because of the freedom that disintegrated musical boundaries gave, such as free funk, new wave, and no wave.

Jazz rock fusion really came to prominence during the 1970s with the growing popularity of pop rock groups such as the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. For many jazz musicians, it was a choice between popularity or staying with the traditional jazz sound. Jazz musicians being jazz musicians, however, many chose to refuse to conform to society’s expectations that jazz would disappear as pop rock grew more popular, and the stubborn people created fusion.

Already, rock musicians had been incorporating jazz elements into their works. For example, the band Fifth Dimension created guitar solos that were supposed to be inspired by John Coltane’s signature sound. The introduction of electronic sounds to pop rock groups paved the way for jazz musicians to use synthesisers, and electric guitar sounds. This new technique was explored by many fusion groups, in particular Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea.

Not only did fusion introduce the use of electronic instruments, but it also trended towards elements of European romantic chamber music. With this, the drums and bass were dispensed and either soloists or duos played unaccompanied by the rhythm section. They delivered the romanticised jazz with tremendous expressiveness that had become expected from jazz musicians, but “as an American critic put it, jazz was being ‘beautified’” (Berendt & Huesmann)

Fusion also gave way for a comeback of swing and bebop styles of jazz. Many young musicians appeared to be playing rock music, but were in fact making sound reminiscent of the great masters of the swing age. Dexter Gordon, the great saxophonist, sparked the bebop return. This was the third time bebop attempted to reappear, following original bebop and hard bop. The new bebop took into account all that had happened in between hard bop and jazz fusion, and incorporated many fusion elements with classic bebop themes.

Basically, jazz rock fusion is badass, bravely venturing where no jazz musician had dared go, electronic sounds. Bam. Post one of this assignment. Done.

Bibliography

Berendt, J.-E., & Huesmann, G. (n.d.). The Jazz Book: From Ragtime to the 21st Century. Chicago Review Press.

(2000). In J. Coryell, & L. Friedman, Jazz-rock fusion: the people, the music. Hal Leonard Corporatio.

Garcia, A. (n.d.). A History of Jazz Rock Fusion. Retrieved 9 16, 2013, from Lira Productions: http://www.liraproductions.com/jazzrock/htdocs/histhome.htm

Jazz Music Makers. (n.d.). Jazz Fusion. Retrieved 9 16, 2013, from Jazz Music Makers: http://www.jazz-music-makers.com/jazz-fusion.html

(1998). In J. Newey, & S. Nicholson, Jazz Rock: A History. Schirmer Books.

Andrew Lloyd Webber – I didn’t know he wasn’t attractive…

Andrew Lloyd Webber is the quintessential musical theatre composer. There, I said it. He has created some of the most recognisable theatrical productions in the world, including Cats, Evita, Phantom of the Opera, and many more. In between creating these amazing works, he has gained a knighthood, multiple awards, and started one of the most popular theatre productions companies in the world – The Really Useful Group.

Born in London on March 22, 1948, with a pianist for a mother, the director of the London College of Music for a father, and a renowned cellist for a brother, Lloyd Webber was destined to excel musically. He was a prodigy, beginning to play the piano, the violin, and French horn by age three, and writing his own music by the time he was six.

In winter 1965, Lloyd Webber stopped studying history at the Magdalen College, Oxford to begin pursuing a career in musical theatre. In the next few years, in collaboration with writer Tim Rice, he would create some of his most popular works such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (1968), and Jesus Christ Superstar (1971).

Not only does Andrew Lloyd Webber write for musical theatre, but he also composed a Requiem Mass that premiered in New York on February 25 1985. He was inspired by an article in the New York Times about a Cambodian boy who had the option of either killing his sister, or himself. Despite the piece being classical and operatic, it managed to top the Great Britain popular music charts.

Lloyd Webber’s personal life has unfortunately not been as easy as his professional life. He has married three times, to Sarah Hugill, Sarah Brightman (best known for her performance as Christine in Phantom of the Opera) and Madeleine Gurdon. He has also fathered five children: Imogen; Isabella; William; Nicholas; and Alastair. Fortunately, even though the marriages disintegrated violently, Andrew Lloyd Webber still has a healthy relationship with his children.

Something about Lloyd Webber’s works inspires people to give him awards, and has subsequently earned seven Tony Awards, three Grammys, five Olivers, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar. He was also knighted, and named Lord Lloyd-Webber of Sydmonton. Want to overachieve anymore, Andrew?

Basically, Andrew Lloyd Webber is amazing. He is considered one of the best musical theatre composers in the world, and quite rightly so. Bam. Post one, done.

Bibliography

Bio.com. (n.d.). Andrew Lloyd Webber. Retrieved 9 16, 2013, from Biography.com – True Story: http://www.biography.com/people/andrew-lloyd-webber-20825129?page=2

Stacy’s Musical Village. (n.d.). Stacy’s Musical Village. Retrieved 9 16, 2013, from Andrew Lloyd Webber – Biography: http://www.theatre-musical.com/lordalw.html

The Really Useful Group. (n.d.). Andrew Lloyd Webber – About. Retrieved 9 16, 2013, from Andrew Lloyd Webber – Official Website: http://www.andrewlloydwebber.com/about/

The Really Useful Group. (n.d.). Andrew Lloyd Webber – Compositions. Retrieved 9 16, 2013, from Andrew Lloyd Webber – Official Website: http://www.andrewlloydwebber.com/music/compositions/

Cause jazz musicians are too hipster to play piano with their hands