So+What

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Question 1: During Semester 2 you studied a short work/movement/section created since 1910. (this can be either the Stravinsky or the Miles Davis). Identify that work.

Title:

Section of work studied (if applicable)

Composer:

Select **three** elements of music from the list below • instrumentation • tone colour • texture • harmony • melody • rhythm/time **And describe** their treatment in the work you identified.

Question 2:

During Semester 2 you studied a short work/movement/section created since 1910. (this can be either the Stravinsky or the Miles Davis).

Identify that work.

Title:

Section of work studied (if applicable)

Composer:

Explain how two of the following elements of music interact with a compositional device. Use examples from the music to support your explanation.
 * ** structure/form **
 * ** texture **
 * ** tonality **
 * ** melody **
 * ** rhythm **

Question 3:

During Semester 2 you studied a short work/movement/section created since 1910. (this can be either the Stravinsky or the Miles Davis). Identify that work.

Title:

Section of work studied (if applicable)

Composer:

Describe **two** contextual issues which influenced the creation of this work. With reference to musical examples, **discuss how** these issues affected the selected work.

__**//CLAIRE DI LALLO: //**__ **//Davis’ individual sound //** Miles Davis played with little/no vibrato because this was how he was taught. This created a clear, pure tone colour, which became a signature part of his style. Davis said: ‘I prefer a round sound with no attitude in it, like a round voice with not too much tremolo and not too much bass. Just right in the middle. If I can’t get that sound I can’t play anything’.  Davis developed a style of playing solos which made use of space. He preferred not to use a lot of notes and often didn’t play particularly high. He wasn’t a fast virtuosic trumpeter like Dizzy Gillespie, and he developed a laid back, simple style which used space for musical effect. He was influenced by other musicians such as Ahmad Jamal, who was known to use a lot of space and simple ideas in his solos. From this he developed his personal style which was suitable to him, like his ‘own stamp’, as of jazz music which encourages each performer to find their individual style.  Within both the head and Davis’ solo in ‘So What’, we can hear evidence of his use of no vibrato. His solo uses a narrow range, simple rhythmic and melodic ideas silence and simplicity which contribute to the ‘cool’ sound. He often repeats and varies simple melodic and rhythmic ideas such as the (tee-tee) (tenuto-staccato) at the end of many phrases.

**//Circumstances of the recording //** Miles Davis handpicked each musician in his quintet for their individual style. He planned ‘So What’ around Bill Evans’ individual playing style. He chose the musicians who could deal with the minimal information; they were ‘great musicians’ who would be able to excel under pressure. He wanted the spontaneity that would come from recording the album in one take in a short time. Davis had worked with each of the musicians in the past, and each one had influences his playing style in some way; they all had a ‘cool jazz’ playing style. The musicians were only given a skeletal framework to work from; this was deliberately done to create a very spontaneous improvised style and allowed for more creative and individual freedom.  Evidence of each soloist injecting their own individual tone colour and playing style into their solo is seen in Evans’ piano solo, where he plays a straightforward and non-virtuosic part, very ‘cool’ and atmospheric. His solo shares many of the same characteristics as Davis’ solo in the use of space and un-overcrowded simplicity.