Skip to main content

How to Conduct Musical Criticism

Skill, time and effort go into a proper musical critique.

Musical criticism is a form of journalism that requires an ability to accurately assess and deconstruct a musical work. Valid music criticism requires a judgment of both the virtues and faults of a musical work. The ability to put your personal opinions aside and review the work based on practical and objective standards will make your reviews relevant and valuable to a large audience. Good music critics know how to bridge the line between opinion and analysis.

Learn about the background and history of the soloist or ensemble. Giving the readers an overview of the size of the ensemble and a description of the timbre helps to provide context to the reader. Describe timbre by discussing the types of instruments used and the relative range of the music, determine if it is high or low, bright or dark. Providing the reader with context to understand the style of music and experience of the performer will help them to gain a better understanding of the music.

Include a discussion of the overall dynamic range. Some music has very little dynamic range, while other pieces have large shifts in the volume of sound. The dynamics of a piece describe the volume level of the ensemble.

Analyze the intonation of the performance. Including objective criteria such as proper intonation -- how well the group plays in tune -- will add an element of expertise to your critique. If you are reviewing a recording that has poor intonation, then this a good sign that the recording was not created carefully.

Discuss the interpretation of the performed work. If it is an original composition, discuss the form, melody and harmony and how they work together to create a complete piece. For instance, discuss how the melody and harmony change between sections and if the changes are logical. If it is an interpretation of an already established piece, compare it to other performances. Discuss elements of mood and phrasing.

Provide a discussion of the tempo and rhythm of the piece. Talk about whether the piece moved too slow or too quickly. Bring attention to issues of poorly executed rhythms and inappropriate tempos for the intended mood of the piece. A solemn piece typically lends itself to slower tempos, while a joyous piece is generally faster. Know the different styles of music so that you can effectively discuss them.

Tips



  • If the performance involves a song with lyrics, make sure to discuss the diction of the singer. Diction is how well the singer articulates the words.
  • Make sure to include your own perception of the music. While the majority of the criticism should be as objective as possible, it is not possible to completely omit your own emotional response and perception of the music.
  • Provide a discussion of the types of people that would enjoy the music. Is it intended for classical music lovers, rock, pop, adults or children. Use specific targeting to apply the music to a particular group.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Why Claude Debussy Never Cared About Music Theory

  Claude Debussy was born on August 22, 1862. So, I felt writing a blog post to celebrate would be appropriate. Debussy was a revolutionary composer who challenged the conventions of Western music. He was influenced by the impressionist painters, the exotic sounds of gamelan music, and the symbolist poets. He created a musical language that was expressive, colorful, and atmospheric. One of the most remarkable aspects of Debussy's music is his use of harmony. He did not follow the rules of tonality and functional harmony that dominated the music of his time. Instead, he used modes, scales, chords, and parallel movements that created a sense of ambiguity and fluidity. He also experimented with timbre, texture, rhythm, and form to create musical images that evoked moods and emotions. Debussy's music can inspire us to think outside the box and explore new possibilities in our own compositions. We can learn from his innovative techniques and his artistic vision. We can also apprecia...

List of Musical Techniques and Their Meanings

Musical techniques are the building blocks of any basic music training. These techniques allow performers to improve their coordination and develop accuracy through repetitive daily exercises. Musical techniques progressively build upon previously learned techniques. Scales Scales form the basis for other musical techniques. Student may study major and minor scales as well as modern scales, such as the whole-tone and octatonic scales. A scale consists of patterns of half steps and whole steps. These whole steps and half-step arrangements will be different for each scale. Scales are musical techniques that can help a performer to play faster and more accurately, and make learning new pieces easier. Chords Chords require knowledge of major and minor scales. Chords come in several different forms that affect the sound. Triads consist of three notes spaced a third apart and classified as major, minor, augmented and diminished chords. Seventh chords build on triads and have an additional no...

Similarities of Classical and Baroque Music

Music has evolved through the centuries and undergone drastic changes. One of the most significant transitions was from the Baroque to the Classical period of music. In this paragraph, I will compare and contrast some of the main features of these two styles, such as ensembles, instrumentation, and counterpoint study. The Baroque and Classical periods of music have many similarities. While the style of music changed drastically, certain key elements remained the same between the two styles. Composers in the Classical period sought to simplify music and create clearly audible musical lines. In contrast, composers from the Baroque period were interested in creating complex and highly ornamented musical lines. The Baroque period occurs from approximately 1600 to 1750, and the Classical period extends from 1750 to 1820. Ensembles Ensembles are groups of musicians that perform together. Both the Baroque and the Classical period had similar types of ensembles, such as operas, orchestras, str...