Question 1

Copland discusses the three planes of listening with a focus of ‘what we listen for in music’. The three planes include the sensual plane, the expressive plane, and the sheerly musical plane. The sensual plane argues that it is not what it may sound like in music. You may be aware of the music but you don’t listen keen enough to make some adjudication on it. The expressive plane, you begin to attach some feelings to the music and visualize what the music might represent. The sheerly musical plane is the level where one can judge the music and separate it into different elements (Copland, 1957).

The three planes foster a different approach to music and calls for more focus, hearing and listening to music before judging it. It is from this that we can trace the differences there are in listening and understanding music. Listening to the three levels of music can greatly change the experience and perspective towards music (Copland, 1957).

 

Question 2

Stucky is face with two tricky but question about the target audience and how to listen to the contemporary music.  According to Stucky, one should not approach contemporary music with an expectation of the wrong things. No matter how serious the score of music may seem to be, there is always some light. Each new piece must be approach independently with some expectation for discontinuity. In addition, Stucky warns against trying too hard to understand contemporary music for it is composed through the use of elaborate and esoteric methods. One should be prepared to hear new instruments and new singing techniques influenced by other collaborating cultures. This only opens up the audience that they have a chance to like it or not (Stucky, 1993).

 

Question 3

From the readings, I gained a different approach to listening to Stucky’s Symphony. It gave me a different perspective that I should not judge the Symphony just from one level but consider all the levels yet give myself a chance to like or dislike it after such an informed listening. It should not take me ‘rocket science’ to understand the symphony but just look close for the ‘light’ in it. Above all, no matter how the symphony may sound unpleasing, it has something to appeal in it if listened to closely.

 

References

Copland, A. (1957). What to Listen for in Music, Tapestry Press.

Stucky, S. (1993). Listening to Contemporary Music, Florida State University.