Programme 4: Classical

Programme Outline

00.20 Classical presenter link – Western Classical Tradition
00.45 Steve Martland ‘Prinicipia’
01.34 formal composer, no room for improvisation, exact reproduction of composers intentions, ‘rock band’ ensemble but classical in the way they read from parts
02.25 Principia means principles, imposition of rules and limitations, interest for composers to limit the use of material
02.55 principle 1: 4 beats to a bar, 1st two beats always have same principle: instruments play off the beat (syncopated) while the drum plays on the beat
03.25 principle 2: limited harmonic movement, only two chords
03.50 principle 3: rhythmic unison
04.05 structure
· abababa coda
· A sections develop by the 2nd half of the bar gradually being filled up with notes
· B section, different feel, no drums, not as hectic, quite static, more melodic
05.50 final A section, allusion to a jazz solo
06.25 coda reflects the first 8 bars in reverse gradually being deconstructed, winding down
07.00 adding and subtraction, relationship to minimalism
08.25 Classical presenter link – Indian Classical music composer
09.00 Wajahat Khan and The Medici Quartet ‘Indian Dreams’
09.25 piece based on Indian Classical music, ragas are scales with rules, regulations and moods
10.00 1st movement - Alap (Prayers of Love):
· provides introduction to the raga,
· devotional, romantic and spiritual in mood.
· drone tuned to tonic and 5th, string quartet imitate the role of a tambura drone
10.55 Medeci quartet and Wajahat Kahn, unwritten rules, two different languages, the problems of notating non-western scales and expression
12.30 2nd movement - Monsoon Memories
· first section injection of pulse.
· contrasting section with pulsed remove.
· musical discussion between sarod and violin.
13.50 composition in Indian Classical music, a melodic phrase on which to improvise, not improvised or music of chance, but committed to memory
14.40 3rd movement - Romantic Journey, constructed around a 10 beat cycle and melody
15.50 the music is based on repetition which provides structure, yet the repetitions have freely flowing phrases which cross and intertwine
16.25 4th movement – Celebrations,
· firecracker character
· constructed around a 16 beat cycle
· length of movement determined by length of improvisation
17.40 the risk of performance, element of excitement in performance.