about Music: the Art of Listening. Recapitulation.

In this article I am going to do very little writing, because I would like you to listen to a lovely variety of music that I have compiled for you. So today we are more about “just Music” than “about Music”.

Today we are listening, not reading! Image created by AI.

Over the introductory segments I introduced you to and demonstrated to you the four elements of sound, and specifically of musical sound, so today is all about giving you opportunity to reflect on these.

Of course, I’m talking about the same things we talk about in relation to speech: pitch, pace, power and variety. Or in musical terms:

Pitch, referring to high and low notes

Pace, referring to speed and rhythm

Variety, referring to musical colour and timbre

Power or Intensity, referring to both loudness and emotional content.

Always please keep in mind the very first definition I gave you in the first article:

Music is an art form that expresses emotions and feelings through the medium of sound.

So let’s begin with the Polovtsian Dances from the opera Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin. This is a fine example of dance music contained in an opera. Without saying more, please listen and pay attention to your inner voice which is stirred by the music, and…