Charles Ives Unanswered Question
The piece began with petal chords in the string parts. The trumpet had brief solo moments that were rambunctious. This section was contrasted by the allegro section with the wind parts. The static harmonic progressions in the string parts were maintained throughout the piece. I though the piece had an interesting form however, I felt it was a little too random as a listener.
John Cage Sonata and Interludes
As always, John Cage explores the extended techniques of the piano in his Sonatas and Interludes. I was captivated by the structure of the piece. I thought it was interesting that he was able to employ the extended techniques with the sonata form. The structures were localized as individual melodic lines with distinguished rhythmic patterns and variations.
Philip Glass Einstein on the Beach
I thought this piece was very interesting and unique; it embodies the experimental era in different way than the other pieces. I really liked the juxtaposition of the spoken/sung parts with the harmony in the instruments’ parts. In the introduction, I particularly liked how the spoken and sung parts were built up one by one to a melodramatic climax. All the sections heavily utilized minimalism as a technique, and the different variations of the patterns were simple yet intriguing. Overall, I thought the orchestration was excellent, and Glass did a great job of ensuring that the piece was still very cohesive and easy to follow despite its chaotic elements.
John Adams Short Ride in Fast Machine
I enjoyed listening to Ride in Fast Machine. A major element of the piece was Adams’s use of minimalism which is a common technique of this musical era. Adams starts each section with a simple motif and adds on to it whether it be melodically, by expanding harmonies, or varying the rhythm; then he builds on his ideas until he reaches a climax and then ends the section to begin a new one. I thought this technique was excellent and truly embodied the process of a ride. He also uses an allegro tempo and rhythmic accents to convey the imagery of the title.
Ashley Fure Something to Hunt
This piece reminds me of sound installations. I thought it was really interesting, and the orchestration of the piece was the most interesting to me. Fure’s orchestration of the instruments throughout the piece were well thought out and had a good effect on the motion of the piece as well as portraying the story within the piece to the listener. She utilizes the extended techniques in conjunction with the form and order of the piece to give the piece a comprehensible flow.
Exploring the Different Eras of Contemporary Music 