Re: Chord Function?

"Tom K." <tkorth1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:dt6dnY1xyOj-BRXVnZ2dnUVZ_rHinZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> "Orlando Enrique Fiol" <ofiol@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
> news:MPG.22f231a587c1244f98969b@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>
>> I get the classical thing just fine too, but I have to be able to hear
>> the processes, which pretty much eliminates twelve tone music, which
>> sounds to my ears identical to aleatoric processes.
>>
>
> It always seemed to me that the attempts to serialize rhythm and other 
> parameters resulted in some aurally incomprehensible works which
demanded 
> extreme performer preparation.  When some of the practitioners
discovered 
> that the same end results could be achieved through random processes 
> (especially limited performer improvisation), life generally became
easier 
> for the performers.
>
> Orlando, I am curious, however, as to your reaction to Anton Webern's 
> music - both his 12-tone and earlier freely atonal pieces.
>
> Tom K.

Orlando, if you read this, I have a suggestion for a piece to listen to,
but 
I can't remember off the top of my head who it was. I'm hoping Tom will
read 
this too and remember.

I had a lot of trouble with serial music until I listened to a particular 
piece. I'm fairly sure it was an early Babbitt String Quartet. If I recall

correctly, each movement had its own series and he was focusing on
interval 
content. It turned out that, while I couldn't make heads or tails of the 
series, I could hear the intervallic patterns recurring. So, from my
limited 
listening experience at that time, rather than finding a tonic to hold on 
to, I was able to find "intervals" to hang on to. I kept hearing a "minor 
3rd" motif. Then on listening further, I found that minor 3rd motif to be 
preceded by, or followed by a minor 2nd. It din's give me a "melody" so to

speak, but it gave me an identifiable factor.

I just remember the experience because it only took me one listen to start

noticing these things, where I've listened to other serially or integrally

constructed pieces and have not been able to hear anything "identifiable" 
(as a motive, or structural element, etc.) going on.

It could have been a Schoenberg Quartet, but I'm almost positive it was
the 
Babbitt. Sorry I can't be more precise (and I know that's not very helpful

Tom).

Anyways, if I found this one piece, there's got to be a couple of others
out 
there that are "digestible". I know understanding how things worked in
this 
particular piece helped me to understand how to listen for similar things
in 
other pieces, and made me appreciate all of them on another level.

Best,
Steve