I believe that playing music exclusively from the past largely discredits new composers, and prohibits the growth of classical music as a genre.  While playing the music of the greats offers a rich introduction and understanding of the possibilities of music, the repeated performance of a narrow selection of repertoire becomes an obstacle for individual interpretation.  As for what I might be limited to playing were the compositions of the greats erased from existence, my options as a tuba player would be somewhat limited.  I am only familiar with two contemporary composers of tuba music, Arthur Frackenpohl (the Frackenpohl Tuba Concertino, https://youtu.be/nt0afPk06Ws) and Anthony Plog (Plog Tuba Sonata, https://youtu.be/DPtpQAkiJrU) , and I am not particularly fond of their composition styles.  My taste in music, especially tuba music, has been largely molded by the monumental works I’ve had the pleasure of hearing.  That in combination with the more obscure niche that is contemporary tuba solo repertoire would place me in a difficult position as a performer.  While I do enjoy playing along with more popular and “in” music like Busty and the Bass’s “Baggy Eyed Dopeman”  (https://youtu.be/VJf00NkQS1s) and following bass lines in songs like Tame Impala’s “The Less I Know The Better” (https://youtu.be/2SUwOgmvzK4), I don’t feel that material of that nature is conducive to my growth as a tuba player.  As for Nietzsche’s quote, I interpret it to mean that in recalling and interpreting the past, one is imparting the present upon it. In recalling the past, one is going to latch onto what they like more so than what is there. In interpreting a piece of the past, little of the emotional expression is preserved, and in many cases only the framework remains

The section that I chose from the Glenn Gould performances of the Goldberg Variations is the second variation (or first variation, assuming the first section is the statement of the theme).  I chose this section not because it was my favourite section, but rather that I felt it was representative of Gould’s growth through the stylistic change it underwent during the time between the recordings.  In his 1955 recording, the second variation was light and fast, and Gould’s performance lent itself to the style of the piece more so than his own interpretation.  This may be due to the rather hasty tempo he chose; however, the 1981 recording gives the sense that there is more Gould behind the keyboard.  In both recordings, the opening section of this variation is stately, grand and buoyant – not much to be played with stylistically, but in the later more quiet and calm section, it feels as though Gould leans into what the style calls for in his early recording, and pours his emotion into the music for his second recording. The rubato and thoughtful placement of the notes gives the listener the sense that Gould himself is trying to communicate an emotion, as is simply using the music as a vessel for an unspoken meaning. In the ’55 recording, the listener gets the sense that the roles are reversed, and that Bach is speaking through Gould.  It appears as though Gould gains his sense of identity as an artist some time between the two recordings, as is evident through what he chooses to say through the music.

Were I to head a new Golden Record Project, I would include the soundtrack from Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwkLZg6WDek&list=PLco_u-O9FeQ_cV5gc3VdUHoQYBI73MYkU), a sci-fi blockbuster following a father-daughter connection that transcends space and time. Hans Zimmer’s original composition perfectly captures the stresses of interstellar travel and what it means to be human. The next sound I would include would be Beethoven’s 9^th symphony (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3217H8JppI&t=85s).  Not only is this symphony a hallmark of human artistic expression, but a portion of the dialogue wonders after humankind’s place in the universe, asking “are we alone?”.  The final sound I would include Is Frank Ticheli’s “An American Elegy” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIIKdBYfmlo).  This soulful piece for concert band recounts the tragedy of the Columbine school shooting, and perfectly encapsulates the wistful hope that those who have suffered trauma might feel.  I feel these three pieces of music would be a good choice for a new Golden Record Project, as each of them captures something that is fundamental to conscious human life: to love, to wonder and to feel. Selfless love is the grounding subject of Interstellar, and as such is reflected in the score, the wonderous choral sections of Beethoven’s 9^th ponder life in the universe, and “An American Elegy evokes a sense of yearning fundamental to human life.

1. Looking back at the “bones of summer” how have you engaged or created art? If you haven’t engaged or created art, please describe why.

This summer has been a rather scary and dynamic time, but a fantastic opportunity for creative expression and development.  Other than the performance of music I do not see myself as being a particularly artistic person, at least not in the conventional sense.  While I am not particularly fond of practicing visual arts, I find joy in creation.  During what could have been a rather mundane 6 months, I spent a significant amount of time practicing the tuba like a good music student, but my creative outlets reached further than that.  I went on numerous beautiful hikes with my film camera, and I knit a handful of scarves for my close friends.  I am not sure however if I would consider the products of my creative expeditions “art”, as it was the creation which brought me the most joy. That, and what one considers to be “art” is subjective.

2. What things, if any, surround you that you consider powerful?

There are a number of things that surround me, and that I interact with on a daily basis that I might consider powerful.  There are things that possess the capacity for largescale impact, like my cellphone or computer, and there are things that have a powerful significance to me and to my life.  Technology’s ability to connect millions of people and share millions of ideas is powerful, but I don’t think that is the kind of power Laskey would be referring to.  Objects around me that carry an emotional significance are admittedly more abundant, be it my tuba both for my memories associated with it, or for it’s capacity to make music and evoke an emotional response.  I find playing the tuba to be incredibly empowering too, as we humble brass players can make a piece of sheet metal sing.

3. Over the next couple of days, take note of the dominant sounds in areas that you consistently walk. What are the sounds you notice most of all? Be specific.

I found this exercise to be far more challenging than I had anticipated.  I had not really noticed until I put real thought to it, that I seldom listen to my surroundings.  I am constantly determining the soundtrack to my life through the music and podcasts I listen to pretty well whenever I go from point A to point B.  I was however, refreshed to discover through this activity, how wonderfully quiet Victoria (Saanich specifically) can be,  disturbed only by the constant slight rustle of leaves.  Despite the impressive amount of biodiversity available on campus ( such as deer, squirrels and adorable bunnies), It’s worth noting that I have heard very few birds.  The sounds I MOST encounter are the chatter of students, the sound of my feet upon the ground, my own breathing through my masks, and the construction near my building.

4. How do you relate to the phrase “free time only works if you steal it?”

I resonate really well with this phrase, because I know that having a lot of free time is not conducive to a productive lifestyle.  During my 6 months of quarantine, I was the laziest I have been for years.  While it was nice to have all the aforementioned free time, I felt largely unfulfilled.  Before schools closed due to Covid, I was taking twelve classes, performing with seven ensembles and working thirteen hours a week.  I do not consider myself to be an organized person, however the sheer amount of work I had to do forced me to be productive.  Without the need for such a high level of organization, I wasted my free time.  Stolen free time has an apparent value, and so it does not simply become a time to turn off.

5. Do you have any other takeaways from the film?

I really enjoyed looking at art through Laskey’s eyes, and I found it to be incredibly insightful.  I had never really looked at art in the same way that Laskey does, and I was honestly just impressed by the way in which he sees the world.  I am not sure whether Laskey’s perspective is one that can be learned or one that he has had since birth, and I hope that this class will help to open my eyes to looking at music and other forms of art in a broader way.  I would love to sit down and have a chat with you about YOUR view on Laskey’s life beyond the apparent admiration.  Laskey himself seems like an interesting character, and I would very much like to look more into his life and work in the future.

This blog site is the primary way you can submit work for MUS 116. In particular, the 20 Blog Prompts you will be given through the course website. You’re also able to take this site with you forever as a portfolio/website.

Before proceeding, I expect you to consider your privacy preferences carefully and that you have considered the following options:

1. Do you want to be online vs. offline?
2. Do you want to use your name (or part thereof) vs. a pseudonym (e.g., West Coast Teacher)?
3. Do you want to have your blog public vs. private? (Note, you can set individual blog posts private or password protected or have an entire blog set to private)
4. Have you considered whether you are posting within or outside of Canada? This blog on opened.ca is hosted within Canada. That said, any public blog posts can have its content aggregated/curated onto social networks outside of Canada.

First tasks you might explore with your new blog:

• Go into its admin panel found by adding /wp-admin at the end of your blog’s URL
• Add new category or tags to organize your blog posts – found under “Posts” (but do not remove the pre-existing “Prompt” category or sub-categories, like Free Inquiry).
• See if your blog posts are appearing on the course website (you must have the course categories assigned to a post first and have provided your instructor with your blog URL)
• Feel free to add pages
• Embed images or set featured images and embed video in blog posts and pages (can be your own media or that found on the internet, but consider free or creative commons licensed works)
• Under Appearance,
  • Select your preferred website theme and customize to your preferences (New title, etc.)
  • Customize menus & navigation
  • Use widgets to customize blog content and features
• Delete this starter post (or switch it to draft status if you want to keep for reference)

Do consider creating categories for each course that you take should you wish to document your learning (or from professional learning activities outside of formal courses). Keep note, however, that you may wish to use the course topic as the category.

Lastly, as always, be aware of the FIPPA as it relates to privacy and share only those names/images that you have consent to use or are otherwise public figures. When in doubt, ask me.