Ives and Scriabin

    Since my last blogpost was about music that I enjoy that I don't consider to be particularly "good" music, I decided to make this post about music that I do consider to be good. The first piece I have picked out is "The Unanswered Question" by Charles Ives, an american composer of the 20th century.

Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkaOz48cq2g

    Now, I'm not going to dive into any sort of deep analysis of it regarding the harmonies, form, etc. but rather just what I find so beautiful about it as a listener. Too often, composers (of any sort of music, but particularly of 20th and 21st century classical) seem to think that a piece needs to be complex to be interesting. However, Ives is able to say so much and create such a beautiful sound with so little. The piece opens with an exceedingly simple, slow chord progression -- and yet, nothing more is needed. Any more movement, any added notes -- anything added to the strings would harm the piece. It is so concise, and so effective.
     Then, atop this simple, tonal progression -- the trumpet and woodwinds begin to come in. They enter with dissonant melodies that grow increasingly more convoluted as the piece develops. Yet, the whole time that these almost, well, ugly melodies arise -- the string progression is repeating itself underneath. This stark contrast between simple and beautiful -- and complicated and dissonant -- makes the beautiful even more beautiful and the ugly even uglier.

    Another piece that I find particularly well written is Scriabin's Etude Op.42 No.5, a piece that I am currently learning.

Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xudZ3J4EeoQ

    Although different from the Ives piece in so many ways, I think it shares the same basic elements of good writing. While it is exceedingly complex and difficult at times, it never adds notes or complicates itself without reason. Whenever the texture builds the piece is crescendoing and working it's way to a climax or some important transition. And then, among the dissonant, loud, banging chords -- a gorgeous melody arises. Like in the Ives, this contrast serves to enhance both parts.

    I don't want it to seem like I only consider classical music to be "good" music. In reality, a small amount of the music I listen to is actually classical. I just figured that people reading this post are less likely to be familiar with it, and it would be an opportunity to slightly expand people's horizons. Admittedly, both of these pieces are somewhat dissonant, and may not be accessible to people that haven't listened to much classical. If this is true, here is a piece that is hard not to like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amGl9Qmgu7E

And also, for people that think that all modern classical music sucks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga_280If08A