Critical Response

Objective: Proposed Academic Standards for the Arts & Humanities

Critical Response, 9.3.4. E Pennsylvania's public schools shall teach, challenge and support every student to realize his or her maximum potential and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to: Interpret and use various types of critical analysis in the arts and humanities.

• Contextual criticism-history
• Formal Criticism-theory
• Intuitive criticism-opinion/feeling

Lesson Topic/Theme Alexander Nevsky, composer Prokoffiev

 This writer viewed the film Alexander Nevesky, Prince Neversky 1242 making note that the reality of the battle with the Russians and Teutons (Germans/Swedes) was more than Russians trying to protect their land. This battle made very strong inferences on how the Teutons were anti-scholars, anti-Catholics and whenever possible, gave the salute to Stalin with weaponry and/or in mannerism.

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) scores for film were often better known than the films. Sergi Eisenstein's cinema masterpiece Alexander Nevesky whose score was extracted from Alexander Nevsky Cantata exenplifies this fact. The Soviet Union deliberately neglected to extract and promote the score and mainstream 20th century Western musical creativity and performance did not include Russia. Prokofiev had been deprived of the enjoyment of his music, as he had been musically censored. Prokofiev, concert pianist lived in Paris until 1933 had connected himself to compositional practices of western Europe. This brought him criticism when he returned home.

Colorist effects, vague harmonies and loose forms are some elements that define Impressionistic music. Melodies tended to be short, fragmented and exaggerated in order to insure emotional expression. Yet the rhythms tended to be in traditional meters. Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky exemplifies the aforementioned with strong emotions intertwined with lyricism.

On the first viewing of the film and hearing the background one could not concentrate on the score without following the story line first and then aligning the score with the story. The storyline was overwhelming at times especially when the lives of children were sacrificed in the name of battle by the Teutons. Perserverance, fortitude and will to live or die for the cause to protect Russian land was the supreme goal. More pointy, the "love of freedom."

It seems, that the lyrics first in Russian then in Latin, ironically satirize the Teutons' vehement dislike for Catholicism and scholars, the latter being elements belonging to Russian scholars.

Movement #2 & #3

MOOD-Dramatic, suspenseful, transitional from ff, to pp.

Instrumentation, heavy brass, especially tuba with strings overriding and supplementing the melodic line. Thereby, indicating war, battle conflict and resolution.

FORM

Movement #2 ABA

Movement #3 A, A1

STYLE/PERIOD

Impressionistic

TONALITY

#2-Bb modulation to Emaj to Bb.

#3-C#minor relative minor to Emajor to Cmaj to F#major to Emajor to C#minor

 TONE COLOR

Tenor and Bass #2 & 3#

All families

#2 tuba, pedal point sound with half notes tied to quarter notes

#3 more use of brass and woodwinds

TEMPO

#2 Lento, 2/4

Pui Mosso, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4

#3 Largo, Andante, 4/4, 3/4, 2/4

MELODY

Tenor- Fragmented melody

Bass-3rd below tenor line, with call and response patter. Tenor entrance followed by bass entrance.

Octaves widely used in both movements, adds to the strength of battle.

HARMONY

3rds-between tenor and bass

atonal chords #3 for resolve, 1st bass line moves in 5ths with tenor

I chord begins and ends #2 movement.

I chord begins and ends #3 movement, inclusive of harmonic changes.

SOCIO-CULTURE INFLUENCES

Alexander Nevsky, Russian National Hero, Prince 1242 was asked by the people of Novgorod to repel the invasion of the Teutons, 1242 to save their land.