Stylistic Analysis Project

The purpose of this project is to gain practical experience in characterizing a musical style.

You may select any musical style you wish for your analysis project. You may use music from any period in history or from any musical culture. You are free to describe a style that is commonly distinguished (e.g. "blues," "Baroque", "late Beethoven"), or one that is not commonly distinguished (e.g. "Cajun accordion music", "Japanese Easy Listening"). Choose a stylistic category that allows you to identify a convenient operational definition (see below).

1. Stylistic Designation. If the style you wish to describe does not have a common label or name, create a name. Explain why you think the name is appropriate (one paragraph). If the style you wish to describe already has a common name, provide a brief commentary about the origin or history of this name (one paragraph).
   
   
2. Defining the Style. Create an operational definition of the style that will help you in selecting a representative sample. (The purpose of an operational definition is to reduce researcher bias.) Examples of operational definitions might include:

   "Baroque is whatever music is listed in Schwann's Catalogue under the heading Baroque."

   "Easy listening is whatever music can be found in the bin marked Easy listening at Tower Records."

   "Grunge music is whatever my brother calls grunge."

   Where appropriate discuss the pros and cons of different operational definitions.
   
   
3. Identify any Sub-styles. In some cases it may be necessary to distinguish sub-styles or different genres within a style. E.g. Polish polka, German polka, Scandinavian polka, etc.
   
   
4. Sampling Procedure. Using your operational definition select a representative sample of works from the target style. You may either make a random sample, or, where sub-styles or genres exist, a balanced sample. Include at least 10 works in your target sample. Describe and defend how you selected your analytic sample.
   
   
5. Control Sample. Select a body of musical works that can function as a "control" sample. The control works should be similar to the target style, but nevertheless fail to conform to the target style. Include at least 5 works in your control sample. Describe and defend how you selected your control sample.
   
   Note that sample and control works may exist only as notated scores, or as audio recordings, or in both forms.
   
   
6. Analysis. Begin by identifying elements of the music that are necessary but not sufficient aspects of the music. (E.g., Gregorian chant is unaccompanied monophonic vocal music sung in Latin). Don't be affraid to mention obvious traits.
   
   Continue by identifying features that distinguish the target style from the control works. Use whatever analytic method or methods you wish.
   
   In looking for distinctive stylistic features, you may wish to consider:
   • instrumentation, organology, orchestration
   • performance space, environment, acoustics
   • tuning, temperament, scale, mode, pitch inflection
   • timbre, tone production
   • performance mannerisms, articulation, idioms
   • rhythmic language, tempo
   • embellishment, ornamentation
   • text, poetry, lyrics, words
   • form, structure
   • function, purpose, ritual, context
   • ostinatos, vamps
   • harmonic language
   • cadences, phrasing
   • any other element
   
   
   
7. Prospective and Retrospective Designations. For each of the stylistic features you have identified (above), indicate whether the feature is prospective or retrospective. A prospective feature is a feature that might have been recognized at the time the music was created as something that contributes to the style. (E.g., a feature of Gregorian chant is that it is sung unaccompanied.) A retrospective feature is a feature that might later be considered to be something that contributes to the style. (E.g., a feature of Gregorian chant is that it contains no harmony.)
   
   
8. Illustrations. Provide a series of illustrative passages that demonstrate the features you have identified.
   
   For samples of recorded music, provide a tape/CD containing examples of common musical cliches. Include a clear Table of Contents for your recorded examples. Where appropriate, provide notational transcriptions of important stylistic features.
   
   For samples of notated music, include notated examples of common musical cliches.

Your analysis should be submitted as a printed essay, with an accompanying tape or CD (if appropriate).

DUE DATE: February 24th, 2005.

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