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The music of Edward K. Ellington within an historical perspective. Analysis of harmonic, melodic and rhythmic foundations of his music, and an overview of the culture of jazz music during and after Ellington's time. The class will have two parts, lecture and discussion. Open to the general student.
Session One
Theory of improvisational music cultures: improvising and improvisation defined: (A) types of improvising, melodic, rhythmic, harmonic, free and structured; (B) types of composing and composition defined: melodic, rhythmic, harmonic, free and structured. Listening Session: "Black Beauty", "East St. Louis Toodle-oo", "Black and Tan Fantasy", & "Mood Indigo".
Session Two
Theory of improvisational music cultures: (A) identifying improvisational music cultures: African (West, Central, East, North, South), South, Central & North Americas; (B) Islamic/Arabic (North Africa), Persian, Indian (North & South), Pakistan and Turkish; (C) Indonesian, Bali, Java. Types of music cultures: improvisational, cultural foundation in the tonal cultural foundation. Listening Session: "Black and Tan Fantasy"; "Rockin In Rhythm", "Creole Love Call", "Echoes of Harlem", "Blue Light".
Session Three
The aesthetic foundation of Africa/Africa America world music. The ten aesthetic principles: 1) polyrhythm, 2) polycentrism, 3) currilinear, 4) dimensionality, 5) epic memory, 6) repetition, 7) holism, 8) polysonic, 9) call-response or reciprocity activity, and 10) ebonic/Bluesphonic. Listening Session: "Imagination Blues", "Birmingham Breakdown". "Crescendo in Blue", "Old Man Blues", "Koko".
Session Four
Overview of Sessions 1, 2, and 3.
Listening Session: Part I of Ellington's "Sacred Music" concert.
Session Five
Applying the nine aesthetic principles to Ellington and jazz music. Listening Session: Ellington's "Sacred Music", Part II.
Session Six
Ellington's first sacred music concert, a complete music drama: analyzing its musical and contextual data
Session Seven
An overview of Sessions 1-6. Black, Brown and Beige: tonal poem of the African American history and a summation of the innovation of African American music from 1899-1943. Listening Session: Music from 1899-1943, Black and Brown.
Session Eight
Mid-term Paper/Test
Session Nine
Ellington, Black, Brown & Beige (complete listening): (A) analyzing its formal and structural foundation; (B) listening to four versions of "Old Man Blues" recorded or the same day, 1931 (Okelt, Victor Tk 1 & 2).
Session Ten
Film: "A Duke Named Ellington", Parts I & II.
Session Eleven
"Reminiscing In Tempo", 1-4 (1935): analyzing its structural form and tonal bar-line construction of Parts I & II.
Session Twelve
"Reminiscing In Tempo", Part 3, analyzed.
Session Thirteen
"Reminiscing In Tempo", Part 4, analyzed.
Session Fourteen
Nature of the solo in jazz music. Function of the ensemble and orchestra in jazz music. Listening Session: Ellington masterpieces, "Harmony In Harlem", "Creole Love Call", "Merry-Go-Round", "Jack the Bear", "Concerto Fox Cootie", "Blue Serge".
Session Fifteen
An overview of Ellington music from 1927-1943. Why Ellington music is Great! Listening Session: Ellington masterpieces, continued: "Koko", "Warm Valley", "Daybreak Express", "Caravan", "Blue Light", "Cotton Tail".
Session Sixteen
Final Papers & Exam. |
