Unit 10 From Composer to Interpreter to Listener(Book4)

Contents• I Background • II Questions• III Text structure• IV The Writing style• V Language points• VI Discussion• VII Organization and development• VIII Homework

I Background

About the Author：Copland, Aaron (1900-1990),

American composer, dominant presence in American music of the 20th century. Copland was born in New York City and studied in both New York and Paris. His earliest work was influenced heavily by the French impressionists.

About the author After experimenting with jazz rhythms, Copland turned to more

austere and dissonant compositions. Concert pieces such as Piano Variations (1930) and Statements (1933-1935) rely on nervous, irregular rhythms; angular melodies; and highly dissonant harmonies. In the mid-1930s Copland adopted a simpler style, more melodic and lyrical, frequently drawing on elements of American folk music. His best work of the 1940s—exemplified in Lincoln Portrait (1942) and other compositions—expresses distinctly American themes.

About the athor

• In the 1950s Copland returned to his earlier austere style. In his complex Piano Fantasy (1957) and such later orchestral works as Connotations (1962) he assimilated the twelve-tone system of composition. A distinguished teacher, Copland also did a great deal to promote the music of contemporary composers.

II Questions

• what does the title “from composer to interpreter to listener” mean?

• what are the responsibilities of a composer, an ideal interpreter and intelligent listener?

• what are the qualifications that a good composer, an ideal interpreter and intelligent listener?

III Text structure

• The text can be divided into three parts:

• Part one(Line1—27):what do we listen for when we listen to a composer?

• Part two(Line28–65): what are the responsibilities of an ideal interpreter?

• Part three(Line66—85): how about the importance of listener’s role in the process of music?

IV The Writing style

• This is an expository piece of writing, dealing with the relationship between the composer,interpreter and listener, and the different role each plays in a musical experence. It is typically formal and academic.

• Its style is typical of formal English. It is directed at a fairly well-educated audience but one that is not as well-informed.

• It is explained in the first person,avoid monotony by several techniques:

The Writing style

• He poses a challenging question at the beginning of the essay,the reader can assume that the answer to this will be the content of the rest of the text.

• He then uses a short but vivid contrast to emphasize his point.

• He employs variety in the length and complexity of his sentences to help sustain the reader’s interest.

The Writing style

• He uses semicolons in preference to and between independent clauses.

• Virgil Thomson’s “bon mot” is quoted to support his own views.

• The writer does not remain entirely objective. Instead of writing in a quasiobjective, third person voice, he uses we and addresses the reader as you to help him or her feel involved in the text.

V Language points

• 1. …we shall discover that it is really made up of two distinct elements – the personality with which he was born and the influences of the time in which he lives.

• be made up of – be formed of; consist of• e.g. Every tissue in the human body is made up of cells.• All matter is made up of small molecules. • with which, in which – in restrictive relative clauses when the relative

pronoun• which is used with a preposition, the preposition must be expressed and it

usually• precedes which.• e.g. The table under which the boy crawled is made of stone.• This was the meeting during which I kept feeling excited.

Language points

• 2. If it is essential for the listener to understand the question of musical style as applied to a composer’s work, it is even more so for the interpreter.

• as applied to – as it is applied to , as it applies to• apply to – have reference to; concern, be directly related to• e.g. English grammatical rules can not be applied unthinkingl

y to sentences because there are always exceptions.• The American doctors’ recommendations on limiting intak

e of sodium and alcohol can apply to the patients of cardiovascular disease and liver trouble in China as well.

Language points

• 3.…a technical equipment that is more than sufficient for…• more than – over what you might expect; very.• e.g. They were more than willing to help out when they learnt that we

were short of labor power.• Shaka was more than upset by his mother’s death. • 4.Because of that, the interpreter is forever confronted with the problem

of …• be confronted with – be brought face to face with; be or come face to fa

ce with (the necessity to solve something)• e.g. We are anxious to know what Kino may be confronted with in the

offices of the necessity to solve something)• The Chinese Exploration team seemed to be confronted with insurmo

untable difficulties and hardships at first, but they returned home successful and triumphant.

Language points

. 5. They have also been known to change their opinions in regard to their own indications of tempo or dynamics.

• in regard to – with regard to, with respect to, concerning• e.g. There is always room for improvement in regard to our English

teaching program.• In regard to the future of the city, it is vital for it to shift its emphasis

form industry to the service trade.

• 6.That is why it is capable of be seen in a different light.• in a different light – in a different way• e.g. Her case seems mush more favorable, presented in this

different light.• It is not a tall surprising that people from different

backgrounds see happiness in a totally different light.

Language points

• 7. The combined efforts of the composer and interpreter have meaning only in so far

• as they go out to an intelligent body of hearers. • in so far as – to the extent that, to the point that , as far as• e.g. You will have a good working knowledge of English only in so far

as you practice frequently. • That bespeaks a responsibility on the part of hears.• 8. on the part of – of (somebody)• e.g. If we can bring into full play the initiative and perseverance on the

part of the students, we’ll make our English study a pleasure and English lessons a source of enjoyment.

• It can be negligence on the part of the translator if he can’t make the original understood.

Language points

• 9. To lend oneself completely inevitably means, for one thing, the broadening of one’s

• taste.• for one thing – for one of several things, for one in a list of thi

ngs.• e.g. The director said, “You failed this time, for one thing, you

were overcome by stage fright.”• The house is very much to my satisfaction, for one thing, it i

s quiet, and for another, the shopping center is within walking distance.

• 10. Take seriously your responsibility as listener. Listener here is not preceded by ab indefinite article; it indicated the generic meaning of any listener or listeners in general.

VI Discussion

• Divide the Ss into groups and ask them to discuss the following topics:

• who do you think plays the most important role of the three, composer, inerpreter, or listener, in a musical experence? Give your reasons.

• why does the writer say that “music, like the theatre, is an art that must be reinterpreted in order to live”?

VII Organization and development

• This essay on music is comparatively difficult. Typical of an expository piece of writing is that its purpose is to explain.

• The vocabulary the writer employs is wide-ranging and fairly demanding. The text as a whole is carefully organized with much attention given to clear and thorough development of ideas, which, in this essay, results in very complex sentence structures. The sentences are mostly long and complex. The paragraphs are also mostly long and well-developed. The tone is not particularly entertaining, but rather informative and authoritative.

VIII Homework

• Finish the exercise in the workbook.

• Surf on line and find out the relative music and also the Jazze.

• Writing a composition, the title is : music I like and dislike

Appreciation

“Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy."

-- Ludwig van Beethoven

The End

Thank You!