Music History and Literature III - Music of the Twentieth Century

Music of the Twentieth Century

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COPLAND!
I thought you would enjoy this e-mail I received a while back.
See how many of the references you can identify:
The recent hit, Cop Land, is the first in the newest and hottest Hollywood genre, films based on the names of great composers. Some of the other films that will soon be arriving in a theatre near you:

Moe's Art: Moe (of Three Stooges fame), deciding that he's tired of a life of eye-poking and nose-tweaking, abandons his colleagues and sojourns to an uncharted South Sea island to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. After soul-transfiguring experiences, Moe realizes that performance art is his true metier, and with a grant from NEA, he is reunited with his Larry and Curly in a movingly emotional climax. This is a film that's not afraid to ask the question, "What's the big idea?" (and the answer is "Nyuk, nyuk").

Shoe Man: A charming romantic comedy about a idealistic young shoe salesman who falls in love with a candle-maker's daughter (Miss Wick). Basically a good movie, though it gets a little crazy at the end.

Barely O's: The comic yet heart-warming saga of the inept 1988 Baltimore Orioles (locally known as "the O's"), who set a major league record for consecutive losses at the beginning of the season. The majority of critics are calling this film "fantastique"! (although a dissenting critic asserted, "If there hadn't been a title change, it would simply be Much Ado About Nothing!")

Mendel's Son: The illegitimate son of the famed geneticist Gregor Mendel (remember, he was a monk) attempts to build upon his father's legacy by experimenting with cloning, with predictably horrific results. A Scotch-Italian production, the film is characterized as having a "puckish" wit.

Catch a Turian: In the tradition of The Ghost and the Darkness, big-game hunters venture forth to darkest Armenia in pursuit of a mythical beast, known as the Turian, that demands to be "set free". The critics agree that, although this film borrows too heavily from other sources, it has a certain trashy charm to it.

Hinder Myth: A meek mild-mannered scholar totally dedicated to truth adopts a super-hero guise to battle falsehood, prejudice and myth where ever they lie. In spite of its overly earnest style, the film wins us over through the sheer integrity of its craft.

Messy Anne: A French film about a deeply religious but somewhat disorderly woman. The critics say that this movie is "for the birds".

Bar Talk: Filmed in a cinema verite style, this film brilliantly depicts the conversation between several famed inebriated composers, as they al coincidentally converge for an evening at a neighborhood bar and grill. Steve Buscemi as Mussourgsky and Brad Pitt as Sibelius are stand-outs in an all-star cast.

Rock Man, Enough!: American audiences finally decide that they are sick and tired of hearing nonstop rock music used as a sonic backdrop for every conceivable occasion (obviously, this film is a fantasy).
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Major Music Prizes, 1984-2001

Pulitzer Prizes: http://www.pulitzer.org/Archive/archive.html

2003 - On the Transmigration of Souls by John Adams

2002 - Ice Field by Henry Brant

2001 - Symphony No. 2 for String Orchestra by John Corigliano
2000 - Life is a Dream, Opera in Three Acts: Act II, Concert Version by Lewis Spratlan
1999 - Concerto for Flute, Strings and Percussion, by Melinda Wagner
1999 - Special Award - Duke Ellington on the 100th anniversary of his birth.
1998 - String Quartet No. 2, Musica Instrumentalis, by Aaron Jay Kernis
1998 - Special Award - George Gershwin on the 100th anniversary of his birth.
1997 - Blood on the Fields, Wynton Marsalis
1996 - Lilacs for Voice and Orchestra, George Walker
1995 - Stringmusic, Morton Gould
1994 - Of Reminiscences and Reflections, Gunther Schuller
1993 - Trombone Concerto, Christopher Rouse
1992 - The Face of the Night, The Heart of the Dark, Wayne Peterson
1991 - Symphony, Shulamit Ran
1990 - Duplicates: A Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, Mel Powell
1989 - Whispers Out of Time, Roger Reynolds
1988 - 12 New Etudes for Piano, William Bolcom
1987 - The Flight Into Egypt, John Harbison
1986 - Wind Quintet IV, George Perle
1985 - Symphony, RiverRun, Stephen Albert
1984 - "Canti del Sole" for Tenor and Orchestra, Bernard Rands

Grawemeyer Award for Music(est. 1985): http://www.louisville.edu/ur/onpi/grawemeyer/

2003 - L`amour de loin, Kaija Saariaho

2002 - Colored Field, Aaron Jay Kernis

2001 -- Sur Incises, Pierre Boulez
2000 -- Asyla, Thomas Ades
1999 -- No Award
1998 -- Marco Polo, Tan Dun
1997 -- Ad Ora Incerta -- Four Orchestral Songs from Primo Levi, Simon Bainbridge
1996 -- Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra, Ivan Tcherepnin
1995 -- Violin Concerto, John Adams
1994 -- Fantasma/Cantos for Clarinet and Orchestra, Toru Takemitsu
1993 -- Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra, Karel Husa
1992 -- Adagio for Large Orchestra, Krzysztof Penderecki
1991 -- Symphony No. 1, John Corigliano
1990 -- Silver Ladders, Joan Tower
1989 -- Inner Voices, Chinary Ung
1988 -- No winner
1987 -- The Mask of Orpheus, Harrison Birtwistle
1986 -- Etudes for Piano, Gyorgy Ligeti
1985 -- Symphony No. 3, Witold Lutoslawski

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Study Guide - Test I

Chapters I-VII
Listening Assignments 1-7
Bernstein Videos
Internet information on each composer

To prepare for the test, I recommend the following method:
Once you have completed all the listening and reading, review the practice quiz and the syllabus, and try to use the practice quiz to determine what similar questions I might ask about the remaining composers. Review the piece that you think I might consider most important, based on your answers to the following questions:

What significant musical styles co-existed in the first two decades of this century?

What composers developed these styles and represented either the pinnacle of an older style's development, or the beginning of a newer style?

What pieces demonstrate these new stylistic endeavors?

Who were the most significant composers who we have studied?

What were their most significant works?

What works did they write that demonstrated new techniques?

What pieces were their most significant?

What pieces characterized their early works?

What pieces characterized their late works?

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