Evaluate and describe the relationships and interactions between text(s) (e.g. words, lyrics) and musical elements in different performances of one or more recorded vocal works.

Musical Expressiveness 

The Portfolio allows students with a broad range of different backgrounds to explore the nature of musical
expressiveness by engaging in analysis of recorded musical performances. It comprises three components
(topic proposal, essay, and video presentation) and provides you with a wide choice in selecting the music
and performances you wish to analyse—specifically, you can choose any performances of music you wish,
but each must be connected in some way.

You will choose two, three or four different recorded musical performances, and compare and discuss aspects you observe to explain what you think contributes to their musical expressiveness in performance. Each assignment is supported by the unit online videos, other support materials, a range of selected readings, and your own independent work.

The Portfolio component of this unit is research-based. It is NOT an extension of the personal reflective approach that you may have undertaken in MUSC1981, and nor is it intended to be linked with your ensemble performance activities.

The struggle that many students experience is having strong opinions and feelings about what they experience from hearing/seeing a performance, but attempting to articulate these as verifiable facts backed up by research sources.

This struggle is worth the effort—it will hone your research and critical thinking skills. You mantras should be “in performance” and ”can I prove that”.

Musical work/s choice:

a. select 2-4 different recordings of the same musical work; or

b. select a sequence of related musical works (e.g. a set of songs, different works by the same artist); or

c. select works of similar types or genres (e.g. a Samba and Rumba, 3 different types of improvisation,
songs from different musicals sung by different artists, etc.).

Analysis choice:

From the following three approaches, choose any one (or a combination) that matches your musical
background and personal preference.

1. Music and Texts1: Evaluate and describe the relationships and interactions between text(s) (e.g. words, lyrics) and musical elements in different performances of one or more recorded vocal works. These should be related in some way (e.g. same work performed by different artist(s), same artist performing different song(s), songs related by topic or style, etc.); or

2. Traditional Musical Analysis: Evaluate and describe the relationships and interactions between purely
musical elements in the recordings you have chosen. Such elements could include form, part-writing, harmony and tonality (or atonality), dynamics/articulation, notated expressive elements, rhythmic character, and timing and tempo.

(Tip: Be wary of not engaging in musicological analysis. Rather, focus upon expressiveness in the performances being analysed); or

1. “Text” here means words or lyrics, and is deliberately undefined as interpretation may change for different projects.

In academic terms, “text” usually refers to various materials that convey meaning(s) to the person who examines those
materials. Such texts usually include printed materials, but in music may include audio and visual recordings,
artwork, or even other physical things such as installations, audiences, room layouts, etc.

3. Musical Roles, Interactions and Relationships: Evaluate and describe the relationships and interactions of the different parts and performers’ roles in two to four different recorded performances, and how these create musical expressiveness and impact upon the audience (e.g. you, or the intended audience, or in a recorded live performance).

You may use any publicly recordings available, such as internet sources (e.g. YouTube), CDs or DVDs available in the UWA library, or any other widely and publicly accessible recorded material. You must cite all sources appropriately in your written presentation.

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