The major musical development of the classical period Essay Example For Students

The major musical development of the classical period Essay Outline the major musical development of the classical period and the main characteristics of the classical style. Main characteristics of the classical style: Contrast of mood Mood in classical music may change gradually or suddenly. Masters like Haydn and Beethoven were able to impart unity and logic to music of wide emotional range. Rhythm In Classical music, there is a flexibility of rhythm. A classical composition has a range of rhythmic patterns. The classical style also can include unexpected pauses, syncopation, and frequent changes from long notes to short ones. Also they have a change from one pattern of note lengths to another, which may be either sudden or gradual. Texture Classical music is basically homophobic. However, texture is treated as flexibly as rhythm. Pieces shift smoothly or suddenly from one texture to another. Melody Classical melodies are one of the most tuneful and easy to remember. The themes of even highly sophisticated compositions may have a folk or popular flavor. Occasionally, composer simply borrowed popular tunes, but more often, they rote original themes with a popular character. We will write a custom essay on The major musical development of the classical period specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Classical melodies often sound balanced and symmetrical because they are frequently made up of two phrases of the same length. The second phrase, in such melodies, may begin like the first, but it will end more conclusively and it will be easier to sing. Dynamics and the piano The Classical composers interest in expressing shades of emotion led to the widespread use of gradual dynamic change crescendo (gradually getting louder) and diminuendo ( gradually getting softer). The end of basso continuo The basso continuo was gradually abandoned during the classical period. One reason why the basso continuo became obsolete was that more and more music was written for amateurs, who could not master the difficult art of improvising from a figured bass. The major musical development of the classical period and the main characteristics of the classical style. By Rebecca The dates of the Classical period in are generally known as being between about 1750 and 1820. However, the term classical music is used colloquially to describe a rarity of Western musical styles from the ninth century to the present, and especially from the sixteenth or seventeenth to the nineteenth. The Classical period falls between the Baroque and the Romantic periods. The best known composers from this period are Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven; other notable names include Lugging Bickering, Mezzo Clementine, Antonio Soles, Antonio Saltier, Francis Joseph Gooses, Johann Stamina, Carl Frederica Able, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, and Christopher Willable Cluck. Ludwig van Beethoven is also sometimes regarded either as a Romantic composer or a composer who was part of the transition to the Romantic. At first the new style took over Baroque forms, the ternary dad capo aria and the assassin and concerto, but composed with simpler parts, more notated ornamentation and more emphatic division into sections. However, over time, the new aesthetic caused radical changes in how pieces were put together, and the basic layouts changed. Composers from this period sought dramatic effects, striking melodies, and clearer textures

Overview of the Xiongnu Nomads

Overview of the Xiongnu Nomads Xiongnu was a multi-ethnic nomadic grouping from Central Asia which existed between about 300 B.C. and 450 A.D. Pronunciation:  SHIONG-nu Also Known  As:  Hsiung-nu The Great Wall The Xiongnu were based in what is now Mongolia and frequently raided south into China. They were such a threat that the first Qin Dynasty emperor, Qin Shi Huang, ordered the construction of huge fortifications along the northern border of China- fortifications that later were expanded into the Great Wall of China. An Ethnic Quandry Scholars have long debated the ethnic identity of the Xiongnu: Were they a Turkic people, Mongolian, Persian, or some mixture? In any case, they were a warrior people to be reckoned with. One ancient Chinese scholar, Sima Qian, wrote in the Records of the Grand Historian that the last emperor of the Xia Dynasty, who ruled sometime around 1600 B.C., was a Xiongnu man. However, it is impossible to prove or disprove this claim. The Han Dynasty Be that as it may, by 129 B.C., the new Han Dynasty decided to declare war against the troublesome Xiongnu. (The Han sought to re-establish trade along the Silk Road to the west and the Xiongnu made this a difficult task.) The balance of power between the two sides shifted over the next few centuries, but the Northern Xiongnu were driven out of Mongolia after the Battle of Ikh Bayan (89 A.D.), while the Southern Xiongnu were absorbed into Han China. The Plot Thickens Historians believe that the Northern Xiongnu continued west until they reached Europe under a new leader, Attila, and a new name, the Huns.

Native Americans In Kentucky Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Native Americans In Kentucky - Research Paper Example Once the land was regarded as free land, it became a free resource for the new settlers who went ahead to divide the land among them. The arrival of settlers ushered in individual land ownership for settlers and the removal of native tribes from their ancestral land. In contrast, Native Americans had an entirely different approach to land ownership, as the land was viewed as communal land held in trust. They had no concept of individual land ownership; however, there was the concept of tribal territories. Tribes living on specific land had no problem accommodating other tribes, as long as the new tribes lived in peace and harmony with them.This concept was important to the native tribes as it held the tribes together and fostered communal responsibility towards everything that appertained to life. The history, traditions, cultures, and norms of the tribe were held in trust by the elders. Each native tribe had its own unique traditions, culture, practices, and norms that had been shap ed by their individual experiences as a community. Banning the native tribes together and relocating them threw them into a cultural melting pot that did not afford the natives time to blend. TheIroquois Indians named the region where the present state of Kentucky â€Å"Kentake† or â€Å"meadow land†. This meadowland region was the home of four different Native American tribes. The native tribes had their own cultures and traditions that were unique to each tribe despite their shared similarity in dialects.

Critical thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Critical thinking - Essay Example Though, theories and methods are proven or disputed, still due to the critical thinking these conclusions are not final and they are always exposed to comments and criticism. Thanks to critical thinking knowledge is added to all fields allowing for the perpetual evolution of disciplines. Critical thinking and critical approach contribute for the desirable skills that all students aim to - to be able to assess decisively situations. Universities insist on critical thinking because it develops and evolves intelligence and associative thinking. Critical thinking has been interpreted and measured in numberless ways. According to Pascarella and Terenzini (1991) critical thinking "typically involves the individual's ability to do some or all of the following: identify central issues, make correct inferences from data, deduce conclusions from the information or data provided, interpret whether conclusions are warranted on the basis of the data given, and evaluate evidence or authority" (p. 118). They note that the impact of the activated critical thinking is evidenced in postsecondary education. The imperative that students have to concentrate and develop their critical thinking in their postsecondary education identifies the need for scholars to accent on other aspects of thinking while at university. Very often students receive feedbacks on... zing, synthesizing and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generalized by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning or communication, as a guide to belief and action (1)." For them critical thinking is a process and not an end. Paul and Elder (2002) emphasize that there are 9 qualities that transform the language into an optimal use: clarity, precision, depth, accuracy, relevance, significance, logic, breadth and fairness. Usually students who master the critical thinking technique will be able to: Search patterns and underlying rules; Connect ideas to previous knowledge and examine and compare theories and real life experience; Verify and substantiate evidence and relate it to the conclusions; Explore the arguments for and against and ask critical questions and made assumptions; Recognize alternative viewpoints and being able to built counterarguments; Generalizing main concepts and seeking clarifications to build sustainable knowledge; At university level critical thinking is essential for combining discussion with peer-editing activities and to stimulate the collaboration between pupils. An example of encouraging critical thinking at university is establishing "buzz groups" within the class and each groups will discuss a certain aspect of the topic and the other will try to build counter-arguments and critique the conclusions. A research conducted by Johnson et al (1991) shows that "buzz group" discussions following the guidelines of covering main concepts and then critically evaluating if a counter-argument can be built helps students to develop problem-solving skills and to enhance their independent thinking. In "buzz group" discussions learners are able to formulate problems and to be involved in the process of exploratory learning. This is so,

Love as Joyous Essay Example for Free

Love as Joyous Essay Both Plath and the Metaphysical Poets show love as joyous by suggesting a strong physical intimacy between themselves and their lovers. Donne, known for his hedonistic ways tried to seduce his lady in the poem To his mistress going to bed by relating her undressing to a holy analogy. Hallowed temple heaven paradise Angels gives a sense of purity about the relationship and emphasises the innocence in that the love they are about to share is purely between them. Along with this, in order to fortify the intimacy felt during love making Donne uses polysemic terms such as My mine of precious stones which not only displays mine as a first person possessive pronoun- perhaps showing pride in the possession he has over his mistress- but also the mine that is her genitals- the new land he is yet to discover. Similarly Plath uses polysemantic terms as a way of showing the exclusivity in her relationships in the poem Ariel , specifically referring to the apparent lesbian affair she had soon after her and Ted Hughes split The childs cry melts in the wall not only suggests that when with her alleged lesbian partner shes free for the burden of motherhood and can just focus on their passion but also that when being in a homosexual relationship the possibilities of conceiving a child are none an therefore there is no-one else to detract from the bond and overwhelming desire that the 2 have for each other. Plath also represents this intimacy by using metaphorical imagery such as White Godiva which indicates the female naked freedom while also subtly protesting against her husband by portraying this great female symbol. Plath also uses imagery to intensify the passion she feels in love making with another woman The brown arc of the neck and into the red eye suggest the vagina and feminists would argue that Plath portrays the orgasm as Foam to the wheat glitter of seas which exaggerates the intimacy experienced when the 2 are at their most vulnerable naked states. Along with this both Plath and the Metaphysicals display the joyous love by the overwhelming of emotions that it creates. In Donnes poem To his Mistress Going To Bed the whole poem is written in one stanza with its contents being ridden with enjambment we easily know By this these Angels from an evil sprite:. This shows the feelings Donne has as not being able to express them fast enough as, as hes seducing her, so many emotions are being created at the foremost frustration and lust. At the time, Donne was known for being debauched and this excitement and unable to contain his feeling emphasises how much he risked in order to sleep with the woman. The use of plosives such as Behind before, above, between, below represent the transactional and heightening strength of the emotion whilst the caesura in the line suggests Donne needs to pause after the words to try and calm himself down from all the overwhelming urges and desires he has for his mistress. As Donne was a child genius and was working in law by the time he was 17 he was popular with the ladies, and so when a woman such as the one hes addressing in the poem doesnt succumb to his epicurean ways so easily, his emotions flair and overwhelm him into an almost plea for her to make love with him. Plath also uses linguistic features in portraying the overbearing love and excitement she has for her first child to be born. Youre is a poem written during her pregnancy of her first child Frieda. She uses the phrase Vague as fog and looked for like mail to represent the anticipation and urgency she has to meet her new child. However, this is a homophone and mail could also mean male as in the absence of her husband Ted Hughes who was rarely around. At the time she was having relationship issues with Ted and building a new everlasting love bond with her new child and so the conflict in positive and negative emotions at the time would have certainly been overwhelming. The fog in this phrase represents the uncertainty and space between the mother and the gestating baby which may also be ironic of the disbelief she has that she can love a person so much without having met them yet. Finally both the metaphysical poets and Plath display love as joyous by seeing it as an opportunity for a new start. Donne sees this new start being one as starting from the pure naked state in the relationship to enter in these bonds is to be free is an oxymoron as the bond of marriage incarcerates two people in a relationship eternally. However Donne is expressing that by having this new start of marriage they will have a sense of freedom and self completion making love even more joyous. Whether Donne actually meant to marry the woman is questionable, after his strong womanising reputation however if he is then the new start he would have in actually committing himself in a marriage shows the strength of the love he feels. Plath, in Ariel sees the birth of her first child as a new start for herself. The metaphor of the last 2 lines Right, like a well-done sum. A clean slate, with your own face on shows the positivity she already sees in this new being well-done sum and clean slate. At the time she was going through hardships in her marriage with Ted Hughes and so the new child could be a source for a new start of optimistic love and a positive source to project happiness onto. The compound words in Thumbs-down on the dodos mode. Represents the new life and thus new beginning Plath will receive from the new baby whilst the assonance of the o sound fortifies this by showing certainty and stability she sees in that this undoubtedly will give her the release and new start that shes needed for so long

Langston Hughes Essay examples -- essays research papers

The period of the Harlem Renaissance was a time of great change and exploration for African Americans . It was during this point in the early twentieth century that African Americans were exploring their cultural and social roots. With the rapid expansion of a cohesive black community in the area, it was only a matter of time before the finest minds in Black America converged to share their ideas and unleash their creative essences upon a country that had for so long silenced them. In the midst of this bohemian convergence, many notable figures arose who would give a new voice to African Americans. With such great notables as Countee Cullen, Jean Toomer, Zora Neale, and James Johnson, mainstream American now had a unique window into the plight of African Americans all over the country. One individual though stands out as one of the most prominent figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Langston Hughes defined himself by his ability to pursue the true essence of â€Å"black folk† a t a time when black identity, culture, or art was considered an oxymoronic concept. Hughes sought to explore the true identity of Black America even amidst criticism that his work was anti-assimilationist in its literary expression. Wallace Thurman, one of Hughes’ closest friends had this to say about the poet’s subject matter: â€Å"He went for inspiration and rhythms to those people who had been the least absorbed by the quagmire of American Kultur, and from them he undertook to select and preserve such autonomous racial values as were being rapidly eradicated in order to speed the Negro’s assimilation.† ( Bloom 161) To many black critics, including Thurman, the subjects of Langston Hughes’ poetry exposed an aspect of the black culture that, according to Countee Cullen threw wide, â€Å"every door of the racial entourage, to the wholesale gaze of the world at large (Bloom 152).† Hughes was a lover of his people and sought to explain and illuminate the Negro condition in America. He created works of literature that were distinctively Negro in their elements: Without repudiating the Americanness of the Afro American, he defined how a work of art by a black American can be Negro, the artist’s Americanness notwithstanding†¦..The black artist stands a good chance of capturing the Negro soul if he looks for his material not among the â€Å"self-styled â€Å"hi-class† Negroes,† but among â€Å"the low down folks†, the ... ...gston Hughes manifested itself in â€Å"The Weary Blues†. Hughes wrote the poem to be played to music and it was performed with an accompaniment of jazz in the background. The flow of the poem is in tune to a blues beat. It incorporates the slow mellow mood of the blues and its easy free flow of thought. The poem captures the essence of sadness and melancholy that is attributed to the blues. Hughes writes about observing a piano player as he plays the sweet blues in the night: â€Å"He played that sad raggy tune like a musical fool Sweet blues! Coming from a black man’s soul. O Blues!†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Norton 1733) â€Å"The Weary Blues† captures an important element of the black identity, that of its music and the soul which is put into its expression. The poem captures that soul of the black man as he wails a mellow tune to the beat of a blues rhythm. Langston Hughes established himself as the poet laureate of Harlem. He served as the voice of the downtrodden, as well the elite in black culture. The criticism that he once received is now praise as his influence is manifested in the affirmation of the black identity.

African American History

African American History