Essay on "Descriptive Music" 500 Words

Descriptive Music Essay 500 Words

The term 'descriptive' is taken here to mean what is more commonly described as 'program' music, and would be defined as a dramatic expression of a subject or a story in musical terms. Its history in the Eastern world goes back a very long way, in fact to the great Henry Purcell, whose masque 'Venus and Adonis' is a case in point. The death of Adonis is musically described in affecting terms, just as the baying of the hounds is directly imitated on the violins.

This type of music was, however, severely limited up to and after the time by Batch by the limitations of the orchestra itself, but even Bach was able to reproduce the braying of an ass, a noise designed as a punishment ! Beethoven's 'Battle of Victoria' certainly produced battle realism, if very bad music, while the gunfire etc. of the 1812 is overdone in the opinion of most people. Yet the calm of the 'pastoral' is almost tangible.

It was, however, in the rather later days of Listz and Berlioz that Program Music really came into its own. Listz' Symphonic Poem' is a series of actual descriptive illustration of pieces of poetry; he tried to produce in music what the poet sought to produce in words. Later on, the Czech, Smetana, wrote in the same style, but not so much on the emotional level as on the directly pictorial. These composers certainly started a new style in music, not one which is popular with everybody, but certainly one which had produced much fine music. Russians such as Tchaikovsky, Balakirev and Rimsky-Korsakov all developed the 'tone-poem' idea, as did Saint-Saens, whose works such as 'Le Rout d'Omphale,' 'La Jeunesse d'Hercule' etc were very successful. The 'Danse Macabre' is very ghoulish indeed, while Dukas' 'Apprenti Sorcier' conveys wonderfully the idea of swelling waters which well-nigh engulf the soccer's house. Among modern British composers, Arnold Bax, particularly in the 'Tintagel' tone poem, and Sir Edgar Elgar in the 'Planet' Suite and the symphonic poem 'Falstaff,' have managed to combine directly descriptive music with a true feeling for the continuity and development of the music. Music, which is purely descriptive is rarely fully satisfactory from the critical standpoint; indeed, the more direct the programming, the less successful the total aesthetic appeal becomes.

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Finally, a word about 'background' music, as written for the film, the television program, or as 'incidental' music for the radio play or story. Such music can rarely stand alone, or is ever meant to. Often, it is too over-powering, or merely just too loud, and it then detracts from the enjoyment of the audience.

At its best, it is used to enhance a variety of moods, ranging from the forbidding and sinister accompaniment to a psychological thriller to the carefree music which enhances a light comedy.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, descriptive music is a fascinating genre that uses sounds and musical instruments to create vivid pictures and scenes in the listener's mind. This type of music can be used to evoke emotions, tell stories, and paint a picture of a particular place or time. By using a combination of rhythm, melody, harmony, and texture, descriptive music can capture the essence of a particular object or moment and transport the listener to another world.

Throughout history, composers and musicians have used descriptive music to express their creativity and emotions. From Vivaldi's Four Seasons to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, descriptive music has been used to capture the essence of the natural world, human experiences, and cultural traditions. More contemporary examples of descriptive music include film scores, where music is used to enhance the emotions and atmosphere of a scene.

Descriptive music can also be used therapeutically to help people relax, focus, or overcome anxiety. The use of sound and music in this way has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many people turning to techniques such as binaural beats and ASMR to help them sleep or reduce stress.