How are you? In this post, I will show a sample composition on writing about a piece of music. This is further support for our 5th writing assignment on works of art and pieces of music. If you would like to refresh yourself on the other supporting posts about this writing assignment, click here and here. Because space and time will only let me show one example, I will show an example about a piece of music. I choose an example about music because by comparison, writing about music may be at least a little more challenging - but there are things in this example that can be useful for writing about a work of art as well. I will note in each part of the writing what the purposeof the part is - what the introduction is, what part is about the instruments and dynamics of sound, what the music expresses to me, what kind of scenario or story comes to mind when I hear it, and a conclusionwith atwo-sided argument in it. Here is the example. This will be about the following piece of music - Frank Zappa's "Little Umbrellas":
Introduction This short piece is called "Little Umbrellas," and it is by the American rock musician and classical composer Frank Zappa. It comes from his 1969 album Hot Rats. In my reaction and understanding about this music, I will show what I found interesting about it, what I feel he was trying to express in it, and what comes to my mind when I listened to it. In the end, I will argue for what its strengths are - and what it may still lack. First main point - instruments and dynamics of sound To begin with, my immediate reaction was one of both charm and strangeness. It features no guitar, which is unusual for a rock musician, and especially for the 1960s when he first wrote it. But he was also a classical composer, and he creates some great energy for a short piece of music - organ, flutes, and violin, backed with a double bass, piano, and drums. Its charm comes in the mix of instruments, with a lot of bright, sunny notes and a complicated but lively melody. The music itself feels like a mix of a small classical ensemble, a jazz group, and with a rock organ. The instruments, however, do not play the roles we might expect them to do - the rock-style organ does not overpower the other instruments, and plays bright notes in a range and in harmony with the flutes and violin. In fact, to my ears, the flutes and violin dominate the organ - they take the lead in the melody. When we imagine flutes and violins, we often think they are delicate instruments with gentle sounds. Yet here, they carry the melody strongly. In addition, the bass and drums swing, almost in a jazz style, yet are forceful and give a solid ground and contrast to the delicacy of the flutes and violins. Second main point - what the music expresses The title is a hint as to what I feel Zappa might have been trying to express, and the character of the instruments he chose for it might also give a musical picture of the title. In calling it "Little Umbrellas," he might have been trying to show some kind of everyday objects - in this case, a collection of umbrellas - but with a feeling of charm about it. There is something ordinary about an umbrella, but he tries here to show a gentle feeling toward it. This might be the reason he chose such a bright melody that would highlight this feeling. Third main point - a scenario or story the music suggests When I listened to it more, I get an image in my mind of a strange but kind man, in a field that might be the backyard of his house, or perhaps in the country, growing strange things from the ground. I see deep but not sad colors - lots of reds, pinks, perhaps with some cream colors, and maybe some white here and there, and they could be the things he is trying to grow in his funny garden. But it isn't clear to me what they are. They could be flowers, or vegetables, or things there are no names for. I also imagine asking him what he grows, and hearing him explaining what they are, but not understanding anything he says. For all I know, maybe they are even little umbrellas! I see the sky above him and it turns a light blue, then pink, then cream, and I realize that they are the same colors of the things he is growing. Conclusion with a two-sided argument An image like this makes the music unique, and I will argue that the charm and strangeness of the music makes it worth listening to, even though it has a complex melody and dynamic harmonies. It is not what most people would expect in rock, and has qualities that people who listen to classical music or jazz might appreciate. I like it, though I also know it might not be easy for people to listen to who expect that rock music should only have guitars, or a heavy electric bass rhythm with a dominant pattern. This might be its weakness, because it isn't really rock, or jazz, or classical, but a mixture that is difficult for some people to classify. This might keep some people from listening to it. But to me, it is unique enough for me not to mistake it for any other kind of music, or to mistake Frank Zappa for anyone else. I hope this can help you with your writing and organization of ideas for our latest writing assignment on art or music. Take care!
Image: Personal photograph. All rights reserved.
Video uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to the video file or the musical composition within it. All rights reserved to the copyright holders of the video file and the musical composition.
How are you? Here is a supporting post for any B英1groups who are interested in any topics relating to ecosystems. Task Here is a video about predator (捕食者) and prey (餌食) relationships. The video is in English and there are no Japanese subtitles (字幕) available. But the video has very clear examples of predator-prey relationships, with clear photos as part of the video, and if you watch the video enough, you may be able to understand in part what these relationships are.
Watch the video as many times as you want or need. Make notes about what you see and talk about what you note with your group. I hope this can help any group interested in exploring a topic related to ecosystems. See you next time!
Image: By Yathin sk - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21264594
How are you? Here isa final presentation supporting post for any groups in A英1 interested in the Tenerife airport disaster (テネリフェ空港ジャンボ機衝突事故) in 1976. This can give any of the groups interested in this theme some more background as to what happened in this disaster, and how it happened. The map above shows where it happened - on the island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The Canary Islands are controlled by Spain. The map below shows where Tenerife is located in the Canary Islands:
Below is a map of where the Canary Islands are in the Atlantic Ocean:
Watch the video below. It is a CG recreation of the accident. As you watch, make notes about each step of events that led to the accident. What exactly happened, and how do you think it could have been prevented? Then talk about what you saw from the notes you made.
For any groupsinterested in this theme and developing a topic from it about human or mechanical errors in airlines, ships, trains, or spacecraft - I hope you find this helpful.
See you next time!
Images: Top –
screenshot taken from http://www.thinkgeoenergy.com/canary-islands-continue-quest-for-geothermal-energy-utilisation/Map
of Canary Islands – screenshot taken from http://www.world-guides.com/europe/spain/canary-islands/lanzarote/lanzarote_maps.html
Video uploaded from YouTube. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s). I do not own the rights to this video. Uploaded for classroom purposes only.
How are you? Here is a final presentation supporting post for groups or anyone interested in any topics connected with money and trade (A英1) or inflation (B英1). Today let's look at hyperinflation (ハイパーインフレ).
This has been a problem at times in some countries, especially those that have experienced war or natural disasters.
The pictures above are of the front, and backside, of a Hungarian pengo bill from 1946. The pengo was the old money of Hungary, and after World War II, Hungary experienced terrible hyperinflation. This bill was for 100 million (100,000,000) pengos - probably worth less than one yenevenat the same time Japan was going through the same kind of economic hardship!
Hyperinflation in Hungary became so bad that the Hungarian government had to get rid of the pengo, and introduce a new currency - the forint.
Activity/homework
Watch this video below. It's about a similar hyperinflation crisis that has happened in Zimbabwe, in Africa, just a few years ago. While there is a person talking on it, the most important thing is the money he is holding - Zimbabwean dollars.
Look at the valuation of the money. So much of this money was worth nothing soon after it was printed - many people in Zimbabwe needed thousands of these bills just to buy a little bread.
Make some notes as you watch. Watch it as many times as you want or need - then talk about this with your group members.
For any groups or anyone interested in this kind of topic - I hope you find this interesting and that it can help you both with more background, and developing a focused topic, about money, trading, or inflation.
See you next time!
Images: Upper photograph - By Magyar Nemzeti
Bank (Hungarian National Bank) - Originally from hu.wikipedia; description page
is/was here. Original uploader was User:Timur lenk at hu.wikipedia, Public
Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3329550/Lower photograph - By Magyar Nemzeti Bank
(Hungarian National Bank) - Originally from hu.wikipedia; description page
is/was here. Original uploader was User:Timur lenk at hu.wikipedia, Public
Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3329554
Video uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to this video. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s). Uploaded for classroom purposes only.
How are you? Here is a postas support for your final presentation theme background and possible topic choice(s). This goes with the textbook unit for A英1 on sports psychology and for B英1 on cognition. So if your group is doing any topic related to these themes, this post might be to your interest. Do you know what these cards are at the top? They are called Zener cards, and they were first used for experiments in parapsychology (超心理学) in the U.S. in the 1930s. A researcher in parapsychology named Joseph Banks Rhine made this experiment famous. He worked with an assistant named Karl Zener, who designed the cards. They wanted to prove the existence of ESP (extrasensory perception). The experiments with these cards were found over the years to have flaws, and very few people in psychology now take this experiment seriously. As future applied scientists, you should know that this is of course not scientifically valid. I do not put this here to make it look valid, or to make you believe in this. It is strictly for fun, and that's all. But it may be interesting to see how it works, and to play this as a game. Let's check it out! Activity Watch this video. Watch it with your group - do not make any notes - but you will need pencil and paper to record your scores! Your partner(s) will test you on how much you remember the order of the Zener cards with this video. You will test your partner(s) in the same way. There's no talk on the video. It's silent, so it should be no problem to follow it. Let's get started!
How well did you do? I hope this may be to your group's interest if your group is doing anything related to sports psychology or cognition.
See you next time!
Image: Screenshot taken from photograph by Mikhail Ryazanov (talk) 01:30, 1 April 2014 (UTC) - File:Cartas Zener.svg + File:Zenerkarten c.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31927664 Video uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to this video. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s). Uploaded for classroom use only.
How are you? As promised, here is Part 2 of some supplemental notes for all of you for our 5th writing assignment - this time about music. If you would like to access Part 1 on works of art, click on this link here. Task approach and questions with music Here is another example, this time with a shortpiece of music - Igor Stravinsky'sSuite No. 1 for Small Orchestra:
So think along the same kind of way - what dynamics do you think came through in the mix of instruments? What mood is there? What ideas was Stravinsky expressing here? What kind of scenario do you imagine as you hear this music? How would you argue for what you think he succeeded in expressing - and what might you feel, in your view, he might not as successfully expressed? Here's how you can organize your writing for this: Introduction - show the name of the piece of music and who (or whose people) created it, and what instruments it features - a piano, some brass, guitar, or other instruments. Find out when it was written, and if it comes from an album - what the title of the album is. First point- show what the points of the music are in terms of the dynamics of sound (uptempo, quiet, alternately calm and restless, and so on). Second point - begin bringing in your understanding or idea about the music. What do you believe the artist is expressing through the work? What might the sounds of the instruments suggest to you? What sound features do you notice the most? What might the sounds of the instruments have in relation to one another? Third point - here begin to deepen your own idea about what the work means to you - positively or negatively. What kind of scenario might the piece of music give you feelings about? What do you imagine as you see and think about it? What do you imagine of the time it was created? What do you imagine the overall composition (曲) express about the society it was written in? Conclusion - here, bring in your two-sided argument about the piece of music. In your view - what does the artist succeed in doing or expressing through the work - and what might the artist not succeed in? What positive effect does it have on you - and what do you not respond to about it? It may have things about it you like - and things you do not like about it. What might they be? Some task video file suggestions You are free to search out your own music on YouTube, so long as it is instrumental (without vocals or lyrics)and is short - no more than around 4 minutes. But you are also free to check out these video files and select one to write about. Listen to it as many times as you want or need. You can also choose two (2) of thesepieces of music to compare and contrast (比較対照して) with each other.
Brian Eno, "By This River" (piano cover)
Nils Petter Molvaer, "A Small Realm"
Sereny Magyaros, "Az Ordog Ut" (traditional Hungarian dance)
Miles Davis, "When I Fall in Love"
Sun Ra, "Saturn"
Jeff Beck,"The Final Peace"
I have chosen a variety of pieces of music that are easy to access from YouTube and should be easy to access through smartphones.
I hope these pieces of music give you ideas and inspiration to try a different kind of writing. See you in the library 1st floor computer room next week! Take care!
Image - by Andrelamounier - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44235993
Video files uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to the files or the musical compositions within them. All rights reserved to the copyright holders of the files and compositions respectively.
