Composition and Analysis (MUT 3036)

Department of Music
Manhattanville College
Spring, 2009

Instructor: Mary Ann Joyce-Walter

Office Hours: As posted on MU 104 or by appointment
Contact: joycem@mville.edu and x 5440

Textbooks and Anthologies

Benward, Bruce and Gary White. Music in Theory and Practice, Volume 2, 7th edition,
Dubuque: McGraw-Hill.
Burkhardt, Charles, ed. Anthology for Musical Analysis, 6th edition.
New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers.
Various scores (handouts)

Learning Objective II: Critical Thinking and Analysis

To explore, listen to, and analyze various musical works from the earliest years of the
20th Century to the earliest years of the 21st Century.
To compose short pieces in a variety of contemporary styles based on the analysis
of compositions by 20th/21st-century composers.

Method of Assessment
The assessment process is two- fold:
-the quality of work of the portfolio of (at least five) compositions and
participation at the Composers Concert
-the mid-term and final exams that determine the extent to which the student
explored, listened to, and analyzed the assigned musical works

Course Outline
I. Impressionism and Related Styles
General Characteristics (see Benward, Chapter 14)
Analysis
Debussy. *The Sunken Cathedral (Burkhardt, p. 415) and
Sarabande from Pour le Piano (Benward, p. 257)
Composition #1
In this composition, as in all compositions that you will write this
semester, sketch a detailed plan before you begin. (Paradox: “the more
restrictions you place upon yourself, the more creative freedom you will have”)
Piece, preferably for piano, guitar, or synthesizer, using impressionistic elements.
Specifics will be discussed in class.

II. The Contemporary Period: 1910 - 1945

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General Characteristics (see Benward, Chapter 15)

Analysis
Stravinsky, *Marche du Soldat from L’Histoire du Soldat (Handout)
Bartok, *Song of the Harvest and *Chromatic Invention #9 (Benward pp. 284)
Ives, *The Cage (Handout),*The Unanswered Question (Simms Anthology)
Schuman, William. Three-Score Set, II (Burkhardt, p. 514)
Bartok, Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
*1st Movement (Burkhardt, p. 452)
*3rd Movement (Norton Anthology, p. 645)
N.B. See “Test Yourself” in Benward’s Workbook, Vol. II, pages 107 – 111

Composition #2 Composition #3
Set-Derived Piece Polytonal Piece
(see Sam Applebaum handout and
short pieces from Bartok’s Microcosmos for models)
Specifics to be discussed in class.

III. Challenges to Tonality: 1910 - 1945

Cell-generated Procedures and 12-Tone Technique (see Burkhardt, Chapter 16)
Analysis
Dallapiccolo, *Die Sonne Kommt! (Benward, Workbook, p. 235)
Varese, *Density 21.5 (handout)
Webern, *“Wie bin ich froh!” from #1 of Drei Lieder, Op. 25 (Burkhardt, p. 483)

Composition #4
12-tone piece for two instruments of your choice (incl. voice) with
Die Sonne Kommt! as a model OR
Piece derived from a Cell. Specifics will be discussed in class.

IV. Instrumental and Vocal Exploration

Analysis (score and/or listening)
Cowell, *The Banshee (Simms) (Burkhardt, p. 501) + other piano pieces
Davies, Peter Maxwell, Country Dance , Eight Songs for a Mad King (Simms)
Varese, Ionization (Norton)
Berio, Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair (Simms)
Partch, Harry: various recordings of his original instruments and compositions
Including The Letter (recording only)
Ives, Like a Sick Eagle (recording only)
Tan, Toy Piano Pieces (recording only)

Composition #5
Piece exploring new techniques, colors. Instrument(s) of your choice, including
midi-band.

V. Since 1945: Varied Paths in Composition

Indeterminacy and New Music Notation, including Graphic Notation
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Analysis through Performance

Duckworth, *Pitch City
Cage, For Paul Taylor and Anita Dencks (Burkhardt, p. 512)
Composition #6
Piece employing chance operations. Use Graphic Notation. (See handout.)

Improvisation, Sound Mass, Post Avant-Garde

Analysis (score and/or listening)
Crumb, *Ancient Voices of Children
Cowell, (see “Instrumental and Vocal Exploration”)
Penderecki, Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima and St. Luke Passion

The New Tonality / The New Conservatism: Minimalism and Eastern European
religious “mysticism”
Analysis (recordings only)
Gorecki, *Symphony #3 (recording only)
Part, *Fratres and/or Miserere
Riley, *In C (Burkhardt, p. 531)
Reich, Clapping Music (Burkhardt, p. 533)
Adams, “This is Prophetic” from Nixon in China (Burkhardt, p. 537)
Part. Fratres
Electronic and Computer Music
The Pioneers: Tape Music, Music Concrete, Electronic Music
Current Trends
Lucier, I Am Sitting in a Room (recording only)
Composition #7
Piece employing some aspect of improvisation and sound mass OR
Piece for Midi-band

At least one piece written for this course must be included in the spring, 2009 Composers
Concert. Portfolio of all compositions to be handed in during the scheduled exam. Scores to
be complete and neatly edited.