Music 1800-1900 Maurice Ravel

What is Romanticism? (It has many definitions, and is many things.)

Romanticism is a period of music in 1800 to 1900. Romantic music is related to romanticism in literature, visual arts, and philosophy. So there is a theme in the Romantic music. Before romantic music, most of the classical music are absolute music

How does your subject fit into the world of Romanticism (their work, their life)

He combine music and dancing and some idea of art.

Are there elements or aspects of your subject that are not romantic in nature?

His music has inherit the trait from the classical music, but his music is more creative and the music is free and unconstrained thinking. He has been influence by many kinds of music, such as impressionism, national music, and blue music. So his music has a lot of different theme in his music. Most of his music are classical music.

What is his most famous composition?

Bolero, it is a orchestral work, it also is a kind of dance in Spain. His composition is initially called Fandango. Fandango is a lively Folk and Flamenco couple-dance usually triple metre.

What is the concept or point of the composition?

Balero has an unique structure. It's music is built over an unchanging "ostinato" rhythm played on one or more snare drums that continues throughout the piece. Ostinato means stubborn in Italian and also means ostinate in English. Ostinato is a phrase which is repeated in the same musical voice. In 2008, the New York Times published an article to explain the possible cause of Ostinato rhythm in Balero. Dr. Miller said in the article that the early stage of the rare disease frontotemporal dementia might explain this special music style in Balero.

How did Ravel personally feel about this work?

He think this is a piece of orchestra without music because the melody in this orchestra doesn't change. It only change the volume of the melody. So he think this is a orchestra without music

Is it program or absolute music?

The music is program music.

Music research-George Gershwin

What was his most important contribution to music? Explain.

George Gershwin composed music for both Broadway and the classical concert hall, as well as popular songs that brought his work to an even wider public. His composition have been used in numerous films and on television, and many became jazz standards recorded in numerous variations. Countless singers and musicians have recorded Gershwin songs.

What were the most famous musicals he composed music for?

" Of Thee I sing", " George White's Scandals"

Name some of his most famous songs.

His most famous songs include "Rhapsody in Blue","An America In Paris", "Piano Concerto In F", "Summertime" and he received Oscar nomination for for" They Can't Take That Away from Me" at 1937

How influential was he? Who were some of the people he influenced?

He had influence countless singer and musician

How deeply rooted into society was this music or person at the time it was created(or when the person was alive and producing?)

His music become Jazz standard recorded. Many films and television use his music.

How important or relevant is this music now in 2009?

Many singer and composer use this kind of music and develop another kind of music

Is this music universal in appeal or is it very specific to a particular time, place,and culture, of audience?

George Gershwin's popular melodies are universally familiar

Is it easy to hear that his music is directly related to music that came before it, or is it difficult to find a connection to the past

It is hard to hear because before George Gershwin's music, The music are Romanticism, but George Gershwin's most of the music are classical music

Is this music related or influenced by other art forms, or is it's content related to non-musical things(such as politics, society, race, class)

His music is influenced by classical music,It is related to concert and folk opera