Music: Sound Art

 I

 

 Unit: Music

Theme: Sound Art

 

Introduction

Sound art is an artistic discipline in which sound is utilized as a primary medium. Like many genres of contemporary art, sound art may be interdisciplinary in nature, or be used in hybrid forms.

 

II

Learning Objectives

 

  • Understand the origins of sound art 
  • Explain the nature of sound art
  • Gain awareness of the importance of sound art within the arts curriculum
  • Experience the creation of a sound art piece

 

 

III

Main Lesson

 

 1

 

Henry Cowell: The Father of Experimental Music 

 

Henry Dixon Cowell (March 11, 1897 – December 10, 1965) was an American composer, writer, pianist, publisher and teacher. Earning a reputation as an extremely controversial performer and eccentric composer, Cowell became a leading figure of American avant-garde music for the first half of the 20th century — his writings and music serving as a great influence to similar artists at the time, including Lou Harrison, George Antheil and John Cage among others. He is considered one of America's most important and influential composers



Sinister Resonance (1930)
 
 Question 1
 
What could be considered atypical about Cowell's composition "Sinister Resonance?

 

2

Arnold Schoenberg

 

Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (September 13, 1874 - July 13, 1951) was an Austrian-American composer, music theorist, teacher, writer, and painter. He is widely considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. He was associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School. 

"Degenerate" Art

Nazi leaders sought to control Germany not only politically, but also culturally. The regime restricted the type of art that could be produced, displayed, and sold. In 1937, Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels made plans to show the public the forms of art that the regime deemed unacceptable. He organized the confiscation and exhibition of so-called “degenerate” art.

 

Verklärte Nacht

Survivor
 
 
 Question 2
 


3

John Cage

 

John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 - August 12, 1992,

 

was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde.


Angel of Destruction

Cage fulfilled Schoenberg’s tenet that music should exercise a critical function, disturbing rather than comforting the listener. Cage was to the second half of the century what Schoenberg was to the first half: the angel of destruction, the agent of change. 

 

(Min. 5:43)
 


 Question 1 

What is your first impression when watching John Cage performing this piece? Post your answer on Discussion Board.

 

----------------------

 2


 Article

Searching for Silence 

 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/10/04/searching-for-silence

(Paragraph 12) Cage dabbled..... (next 5 paragraphs)


IV
 
A Note to Remember
 
All music is sound and all sound can be considered music if one expands one's own criteria about what music ought to be.
 
 
VI
 
Case Study
 

 Gustavo Matamoros



Small Sounds on a Table Top (2009)

 

Sound Consumption (1996, 2004) — from Music on a Budget by Gustavo Matamoros

 En Residencia: Gustavo Matamoros (~) Tilde (´) Tilde(~)

 

Kendall Sound Art Concert XIII: May 10, 2014

Question 2

After watching the videos above, please write a response to the various examples of sound art.

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VII

  Activities

 

 1

1. Students will work in groups to record sounds with the objective of making a sound-art statement.

 

 2

2. The groups will create a lesson plan about this activity using the MDCPS' curriculum. 


 
 
POST YOUR LESSON PLAN ON DISCUSSION BOARD

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Information About Substitute Teaching

 Miami Dade County Public Schools Substitute Teacher daily salaries in the United States 

Temporary Instructor (Substitute) Procedures 

  ---------------------------------------------

 VIII

Jounaling 

 

IX

Glossary

 

X

Sources

Degenerate Art. Holocaust Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/degenerate-art-1


 XI

Students' Sound Work 

1


Ryan, Alex F.,  Alex T., Megan, Lana, Ben, Alessandra

 File  University Of Miami.m4a (155.615 KB) 

Meaning: This is a piece about sounds of Gen Z, and the sounds they hear every day

 

 2

 

Garrett Francis,Abby Gendell, Joel Keller, Rudy Stonisch, Logan Bright, Albion Shala, Allie Rodman

File JOEL'S KEYS.m4a (190.2 KB)

Joel's Keys are the loudest sound heard on the tape, they are the center of our work. But, there are other contributing factors needed to make it a whole. 

 

3

"Student Life" 
 
Nick, Xinyi, Ella, Carolta, Nia, Luke, Ellie Attachment
 
 

This piece describes student life, and sounds you can expect to hear on campus. 

 This represents students' normal and diverse campus lives, which not only includes studying time like typing but also relaxing time like eating snacks.



MAKE UP

 
Brady Wisdom

What could be considered atypical about Cowell's composition "Sinister Resonance" is its use of unconventional playing techniques and extended piano preparations, which create eerie and otherworldly sounds.

 

Nydia Kyriakopoulos
 

Something that is considered atypical about Cowell’s composition is the piano preparations which in his case created more odd sounds.

 

 

 

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