Carter and Tymoczko

Elliot Carter (1908-2012)

Today in class we heard two major works for brass quintet: Elliot Carter's Brass Quintet (1974), as recroded by the American Brass Quintet and Rube Goldberg Variations for Brass Quintet and Prepared Piano by Dmitri Tymoczko, as recorded by the Atlantic Brass Quintet. 

Both works are extremely unique, so I have asked you to blog about your thoughts on each piece by answering the following questions about each piece:

1.  What is the overall affect of the piece? How does it make you feel? How does the composer achieve that?
2. List three remarkable or noteable aspects of the piece. Include measure numbers or rehearsal numbers or letters and explain your answer.
3. Comment on the harmonic, melodic and rhythmic language used. What are some of the challenges presented in the performances of this work created by these languages?
4. Finally, compare and contrast both works. What are their similarities? What are their differences?

I look forward to reading your responses in your blogs and be sure to reach each others' blog post replies.

To listen to the Tymoczko again, click on the links below:

1. http://dmitri.tymoczko.com/rubegoldbergm1.m4a
2. http://dmitri.tymoczko.com/rubegoldbergm2.m4a
3. http://dmitri.tymoczko.com/rubegoldbergm3.m4a
4. http://dmitri.tymoczko.com/rubegoldbergm4.m4a