Theory of Knowledge

Music
Music & TOK

Music
Music
Music
Music
Music
Music

and Emotion
and Math
and Language
as a Symbol
and Society
vis--vis other art forms

The Golden Era

Western, European Classical music (1400-1900)
Notable musicians: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann,
Tchaikovsky, Debussy

Elements of music composition

Pitch (melody)
Rhythm
Harmony (chords)
Texture (depth and resonance of sounds)
Form and structure (verses, choruses, bridge)
Timbre (differing sounds of instruments)
Dynamics (volume, variations in volume
Articulation (legato, staccato)

Example of variations in musical elements: Threnody for the Victims of

Hiroshima Pendereski
Threnody: eulogy, tributes
Music and video: The combination of music with visuals alters our
perception of both art forms

20th century Music

Wars
1905: Russo-Japanese War (First time that a Western power was
defeated by an Asian army; marked the dawn of a new era of Asian
dominance)

1914-18: WWI
1929: Great Depression (global crisis)
Great works of art are inspired by hardship and turmoil.

Technological advancement

1877: Wax cylinder phonographs (early recording device: only 2

minutes of recording)
1900: Zeppelin
1901: Radio
1903: Airplane
1910: Talking motion picture (silent films were produced for a long
period of time)
1919: Theremin
1934: Magnetic tape recordings
1937: Jet engine
1960s: Synthesisers

Development of mass communications

New patrons (greater awareness, increasingly luxurious lifestyles)

Movements
French Impressionism
A more abstract form of artistic expression
Increased exposure of Eurocentric composers and artists to the visual art
and music of foreign cultures
Monet and Debussy created work that was seminal in the era of French
Impressionism. Debussys music could not be analysed in the same way
that Bach or Mozarts could; there was a lack of a constant rhythm and
harmony.

Dadaism
Expressionism
The Scream by Edvard Munch: Distortion of reality

Atonality
Schoenberg was instrumental in the spread of atonality. The melodies and
rhythms of his orchestral pieces were complex and could not sufficiently
describe his music. The atonality of his pieces was a departure from
conventionally defined chord progressions.
Full-blown Serialism (Alban Berg, Anton Webern) involves a very
mathematical approach to music composition: rules are set for the
regulation of rhythm, and every pitch is only repeated once. No one pitch
is given more emphasis than the other there is no hierarchy or priority in
the organisation of pitches.

Integral Serialism
Minimalism
Composers: Phillip Glass
Minimalism stripped music down to the bare minimum, with simple
melodies and rhythms; the effect is that the music draws attention and
focus to itself. It was a response to the elaborateness of atonality.

Perspectives

Role of artist
Process vs. product
Role of audience
Socio-historical context

Music and Knowing

What knowledge of music can be obtained, and how? How does the
composer interact with the audience, if at all, and what is the significance
of this? What about the interaction between composer and the musicians?
Must we know the background of every work?
Must music be organised sound? (John Cages 4:33 in 3 movements)

Music as a process
Should listeners put more thought into the process of composing music?
Chance and Indeterminacy movement (John Cages Sonata for the
Prepared Piano) removing the boundaries of musical composition and
making music more spontaneous
George Crumb Vox Balaenae (Voice of the Whale) challenges notion of
the way musician performs (singing into wind instruments) and learns the
music (varying layouts for sheet music).
Must entertainment be pleasurable (atonality)? Is aesthetically pleasing
the same as beauty, and is beauty in turn entertainment? Are music and
visual art a single art form, and does this vary across cultures?
Music is the most abstract of art forms, because unlike dance and visual
art, music is not a object and cannot be perceived as such.

Music as a language
Music is a universal language but this can be disputed
Music is perceived and composed differently in different cultures. It is
difficult to be completely objective when passing judgement on music.