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Music History 1300;
November 14, 2022
Music and Rhetoric
The social phenomenon that I will be researching is the usage of rhetoric
as a persuasive technique to portray ideas in not only a beautiful nature,
but to inspire action from those who consume the content. As described
by Barry Brummett, we often fail to recognize just how much outside
factors influence our decisions and ways of thinking to the point where we
may enjoy certain clothing pieces or stores as a result of biases
accumulated over time from media consumption (2018). Rhetoric has two
applicable definitions to the paper, defined by Oxford Languages as both
‘the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of
figures of speech and other compositional techniques’ and as ‘language
designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect on its audience, but
often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content.’ I will
particularly focus on the first definition however, diving into the rhetorical
techniques that composers use in their musical pieces to convey a
message, as many composers leave pieces of themselves in their art
(Bonds, 2020: 25).
While researching, I found many connections between musical rhetoric-
which is defined as studying the architecture and the structure of a piece
based on its figures- and literary rhetoric; because of this I will also
connect relationships between rhetoric as it pertains to literature and the
same techniques translated into musical rhetoric. Many composers of
classical and baroque music became masters of these techniques, which
led to their work standing the test of time, but I will focus as well on how
modern artists weave these techniques into their works. A few specific
techniques I will touch on are anaphora (the repetition of a word or
expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or
verses), chiasmus (a rhetorical or literary figure in which words,
grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in
the same or a modified form), tricolon (a sentence with three clearly
defined parts of equal length, usually independent clauses), using volume
and tempo to reflect intensity, personification, and others. In order to
choose the musical pieces for the playlist, I will find music that utilizes
unique techniques of musical rhetoric throughout the piece that connect
to a deeper meaning that either was the intention of the artist or could be
picked up on by the listener as they relate the music to their own life. This
playlist will illustrate the nuances of musical rhetoric as it develops the
deeper meaning behind each work of art. As exemplified through the
following pieces, these complexities flourish through the distinct rhetorical
techniques present in each composition.
Entry 1:
Brian Grey, “She’s Not Coming Back”,
Bittersweet
, March 9,
2021.
https://open.spotify.com/track/3YvUzk5MWDbpk8vuv1MOYZ
“She’s Not Coming Back” by Brian Grey is a slow-tempoed piece that
features a duet between a guitar and piano lead. The two instruments
perform a solemn dance as the thin, homophonic texture accompanies a
darker timbre to create a sense of longing between the two. As the song
was composed recently, one main impact on society was the Covid-19
pandemic. Because of the mandate for quarantine, feeling stuck at home
with a partner who you may not always feel connected with would provide
a similar feeling to the one portrayed in the piece. This new social
dynamic could have affected the desire to create music that would
resonate with others feeling a disconnection with loved ones in their lives
and as such, the rhetorical technique used in this piece is the usage of
tempo as a means to reflect the intensity of longing. During the beginning
of the piece, the melody belongs to the guitar, which plays slow and
steady notes throughout. At the time 1:45 however, the guitar plays a
final riff at a much faster pace than before just moments before the piano
jumps in with its own equally fast paced tremolo. This seems to show the
guitar’s attempt to get in one last phrase before the piano jumps in;
simulating the tense feeling of an argument between two people. The
accompaniment of the drumset holding a steady tempo throughout the
piece acts as a way to connect the two instruments, conveying that the
piece is not an overall intense or angry work of music, but means to
convey more subtle aspects of intensity between the instruments. Varying
the tempo throughout the piece acts as a way to show the dynamics and
wide range of emotion that two people may feel over the course of both
their lives and single interactions. When composing this piece, Grey
attempts to use each characteristic and the rhetorical device of tempo as
a way to connect with his audience and provoke feeling and connection to
the work that falls outside of simple appreciation for the beauty of the
music.
Entry #2:
Frederic Chopin, “Nocturne in E-Flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2”,
Nocturnes
, 1832.
https://open.spotify.com/track/1VNvsvEsUpuUCbHpVop1vo?
si=431103405d204625
While many modern pieces involve messages that the artist hopes to
share with their audience, during the time period of Western Art Music,
specifically the romantic era, there was a new emphasis on introspection
through music. Chopin wrote the more melancholy of his famous pieces in
an attempt to destigmatize the expression of feeling through music.
Aspects of personification throughout the piece depict the feelings that
Chopin hopes to invoke in his audience. While personification is most
often thought of as human characteristics and emotions given to an
inanimate object, Chopin uses the rhetorical device in a different way to
add human emotion into music as it had not been much seen before in
music at the time. The overall slow, quiet, and sweet sound of the piece
contributes to the sad longing that Chopin portrays in many of his works
to depict the difficulties of life not only for himself but for the listeners of
his work. In addition, the lighter texture of the piece contributes to the
loneliness that is personified.
Because Nocturne No. 2 features solely a piano throughout the piece as
well as little harmony in the right hand part and a simple left hand part
the simple texture provides listeners who may understand the feelings
portrayed with comfort in listening to the piece. The first trill at 0:43
seconds into the piece begins the slow build up that is created throughout
the song but never creates that large of a climax. This is a metaphor for
the tension that was not released for Chopin in his life but that is only
stayed as a weight that bore down on him throughout his career as a
composer. Chopin’s works were revolutionary for the time mainly due to
the human emotion that became connected with each piece that he
wrote.
Entry #3:
Faith No More, “Edge of the World”,
The Real Thing
, January,
1989
https://open.spotify.com/track/5mb3e18hyqxyyMLbYXy39e?
si=eefd6239fc7f4790
The 1980’s was popularly defined as a time period of materialism
(McKeage 1992). Because this was the era surrounding the decade in
which Edge of the World was written, part of the statement of the piece
includes the terrifying nature of how young people, and in this case
especially young women, can be easily persuaded by older men to give up
themselves and their bodies with the expectation of wealth in return. This
manipulation of young women has been an issue for decades so Faith No
More took the opportunity to create a work of art that displays the
dystopian nature of this manipulation. Edge of the World perfectly
portrays the usage of rhetoric as a way to paint a picture for the listeners.
The song’s repeated usage of chiasmus, which in this case involves the
repetition of similar phrases in reverse or a modified form, along with the
choice of one specific minor 2nd interval (D# to E) playing throughout the
piece brings out the jarring nature of child grooming in society. This has
the capability to inspire a response from those who feel uncomfort from
the chaotic nature of the piece. The Chiasmus of a minor 2nd interval
being directly followed by a major blues note progression going down, and
then a minor 2nd interval being directly followed by a major blues
sounding note progression going up is played by the piano throughout
each of the verses. This adds to the chaotic nature of patterns that are
irregular and jarring but somehow still constant, contributing to the
message of the piece.
In addition, the repeated change in voice texture throughout the song
highlights further the depth in the overall texture of the piece; each
phrase brings a new character to the song that either adds to the chaos or
helps to resolve it. At time 2:00 and 2:56 directly following the chorus, the
bass guitar goes from playing smooth sounding notes to three consecutive
almost sharp sounding notes in a row. These sharp and twangy notes
create increased uncomfort to the listener just when the aftermath of the
chorus started to even out again. The almost ridiculous sounding song
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Edge of the World shows the technique of chiasmus in literary rhetoric and
how it can relate to a musical interpretation, leaving the listener with a
discomfort that hopes to provoke action or deep thought about the topic
discussed.
Entry #4:
Cheikh Lo, “Il N’est Jamais Trop Tard”,
Jamm
, August 23, 2010
(Disclaimer: I was unable to find an official translation of the lyrics into
English, so I tried my best with the knowledge of French that I have)
https://open.spotify.com/track/2YEs2mLzFu8RcdAHFQghhv?
si=2273a47360914de0
Cheikh Lo is a senegalese songwriter and wrote “Il N’est Jamais Trop Tard”
in 2010. 2010 offered a time of peace for Senegal as the civil warring that
occurred began to settle down by 2008 and 2009; because of this there
may have been more opportunity for the people in Senegal to move on
with their personal lives without having to worry about danger along the
borders. The anaphora in the song is shown through Lo’s usage of the
word petit a petit meaning little by little as well as the repetition of the
names Kononi(meaning little bird) and Panolia which is a specific type of
bird. Each of these phrases are sung at the beginning of a line and are
repeated throughout the song to provide emphasis on his message of
continuing on in spite of difficulties that we will face, even if only making
small bits of progress at a time. He uses this as a light hearted way to
show that he is at peace and although he is upset that his friends have left
him, the phrase “petit a petit, l’oiseau fait son nid” shows that he still
views himself as a little bird in some respect that “fait son nid” (makes his
nest). The dynamics of the piece are soft from the beginning and do not
become louder even as the piece progresses. This softer volume to the
song allows for a more light hearted feel to the song; rather than simply
giving his advice to move forward in spite of adversary, Lo portrays his
ideas in a kind and nurturing style. Cheikh lo performs the song with a
homophonic texture, just his voice and the accompaniment. His more
intimate style of singing contrasts songs that involve more dramatic and
noticeable voice changing or electronic editing to the music. This feeling
of ‘me and my guitar’ only further produces the nurturing style in which Lo
sings his music. His song was not only an attempt to make a lovely work
of art, but to provide support for those who may be struggling to continue
on forward through loneliness. The Anaphora of repeating “Kononi
panolia” towards the end of the song is also a way that Lo adds intimacy
to the song. Instead of simply repeating that a bird makes his nest, he
uses a name that means little bird which adds a personality to the bird
that he is singing of. Adding these more human characteristics allows for
the listener to truly see themself as the little bird who is capable of
making progress every single day. At time 2:25 Lo shifts over to singing
the main melody line with harmonies as well and not just his single voice.
This adds an extra layer to the music that creates more depth to the work.
Entry #5:
Tears For Fears, “Shout”,
Songs From The Big Chair
, February
25, 1985
https://open.spotify.com/track/2gQaQUhDCNGfBVXTvxAmXQ?
si=fb0da62029454833
The song was written in 1985 during a time of change around the world. Tears For Fear was
always a band that spoke up about issues that concerned them including Thatcherism,
nuclear disarmament, and civil rights. This song, however, was specifically written to
promote people speaking out about the issues that are weighing them down: a practice
called Primal Therapy. This piece uses repetition of the phrase “shout, let it all out”
throughout the song to provide emphasis on the importance of vocalizing the issues that we
have in our lives. This repetition represents the way that this vocalization may take place: we
must speak about our struggles until they do not bother us any further. The dark, full, and
slightly raspy timbre of the piece adds more of a weight to the words that are spoken
because the issues of mental health are not always something that is lighthearted and
positive, in fact, they rarely are. Matching the timbre to the topic only adds more emphasis to
the message while also adding to the style and sound of the piece. At time 2:41 the timbre of
the piece shifts dramatically to a more nasally(but for instruments) sounding tone. This
striking difference piques the ears and may bring more attention back to the music where it
may be lost otherwise due to the uniformity of the piece. In addition to the dark timbre, the
piece has a very slow and steady pulse throughout the piece and the vocals of the song
never reach a volume that would be louder than a normal talking voice level. This contrasts
the lyrics that continuously say to shout. By using this dichotomy between lyrics and tone,
the band is able to convey that by vocalizing our issues in a controlled manner, even if that
means shouting or yelling, we will be more able to maintain a calm demeanor in our
everyday life.
Entry #6:
Ludwig van Beethoven, “Für Elise”,
https://open.spotify.com/track/6MQAB3vorg90FA3tQpbYXK?
si=o73fMyUEQFGgP-jsAf2XhQ &utm_source=copy-link
Although Für Elise is one of the most well known piece of music from its
time period(and arguably of all time), many people do not know the
darker back story behind this piece. I'm a rage, Beethoven created the
piece simply to frustrate and enrage Elise by creating the beginning of the
piece to be simple and straightforward, then immediately shifting to a
fast-paced section that would be impossible for her to play after she upset
him. When writers use hyperbole in their stories it is meant as a
statement that is exaggerated so heavily that it is extremely unrealistic if
not impossible. The correlation between the definition of hyperbole and
the form of Für Elise is strikingly similar. This aspect of hyperbole adds an
extra layer of depth to the piece that may otherwise be simply looked at
as a beautiful work of art. One of the main musical traits of Für Elise is it's
extremely thin texture. The limited usage of the right pedal along with the
lack of block chords by the left hand creates a texture to the piece that is
simple but still intriguing and deceptively complex. In addition, the fairly
uniform dynamics only add to that feeling of simplicity that masks the true
nature of the piece. At time 1:59, the time of the song changes from
beautiful and light hearted to much more dramatic and even involves a
large crescendo at time 2:28 that does not occur at any other place in the
song. These various aspects all add to the simple but shocking piece that
is Für Elise; the two moments of hyperbole(at times 1:16 and 1:59) bring
out the story behind this otherwise shallow piece.
Bibliography
Bonds, Mark Evan.
The Beethoven Syndrome: Hearing Music as
Autobiography
. Oxford University Press, 2020.
Brummett, Barry.
Rhetoric in Popular Culture
. fifth ed., SAGE, 2018.
McKeage, Kim K.R. “Materialism and Self-Indulgences: Themes of
Materialism in Self-Gift Giving.” ACR Special Volumes, 1 Jan. 1992,
https://www.acrwebsite.org/volumes/12206/volumes/sv08/SV-08.
NICOTRA, JODIE.
Becoming Rhetorical: Analyzing and Composing in a
Multimedia World
. CENGAGE LEARNING, 2019.
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