Date of Rehearsal: 02/12/15
Orchestra: CYO
Repertoire Rehearsed: Strauss Jr.
Yay, we finally got through the whole piece! This piece is a bit long and somehow complicated when all the waltzes are strung together.But each section is quite simple. Each waltz has two contrasting sections, and each sections are repeated twice before moving on, and once the second section is repeated, they go back to the beginning of the waltz to play each sections again, this time, just once through (A-A-B-B-A-B). And that's the formula for each waltz (except for the fourth one since we are ignoring the "dollar signs" for that one).
Now that we have went through every bit of the piece, I hope that you all have a better idea as to how the piece goes in general. I think it's very important to know what we are shooting for. In fact, I think it is rather impossible to accomplish anything, if we don't have an idea as to what it is that we are trying to do.
In the past, I have met and talked to many music teachers that don't believe in students listening to recordings. They believe that students should come up with or develop their own ideas as to how the music goes (by looking at the sheet music???). I vehemently, and violently disagree. For many many many many reasons. Just to mention a couple of those reasons, first of all, classical music, is deeply rooted in tradition, and a very particular culture. We all say "music is universal". that statement is misleading. Yes, "music" is universal, but a specific genre of music is not universal at all.
Who here listens to ancient Vietnamese music, or Indian ragas, or Japanese Gagaku, or Bulgarian instrumental folk music, or African ritual music on a regular basis, who here understands them perfectly, and can strongly relate to them? And IF you do understand and relate to those music, can you then, also relate to hiphop, country, and techno music? If you don't/can't relate to all of these these different styles, why would you assume that EVERYONE on Earth understands Western Classical music, which is one of the most eccentric, and complicated forms of all music.
Telling students to learn the music without letting them listen to how it is supposed to go, is like going up to a random child among a nomadic tribe in the middle of Mongolian plains, and expecting him/her to read and understand Latin, or Greek, or Victorian English.
Each style of music is based on it's own extra-music cultures and history. Each has it's own purpose, style, aesthetics, symbolisms, philosophy, and "language".
But since music is something designed for us to "listen" to, the easiest way to start understanding the music is by start listening to them. Not just once or twice, but as often as you possibly can. You must surround yourself in that sound, and that culture.
It is also very helpful to understand the background of the music, so I also strongly encourage you to read a little about it. For our purpose, we can start by reading a little but about Johann Strauss Jr. Even a little Googling can help you out tremendously.
Speaking of Mongolia, I just recently found this video. So interesting. This shows a style of music emerged out of different environment, needs, culture, aesthetics, and purpose from any music we are used to listening to (Although, this instrument is tuned similarly to the cello with D and A strings, and I think he is using a viola bow......)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_5yt5IX38I#t=51
Anyway,
Keep listening to the music!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJcoKNY_tes
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