Understanding Narrative Styles and Literary Genres
Direct Style
Plasma when the narrator presents the text or dialogue of the characters directly to each other, without intervening or taking an active part in their discursive expressions. This implies that the characters themselves are speaking, evident with the use of quotes.
- “- It appears that there were no classes yesterday …”
- “- Really? If I had known, I would not have worried so much about my absence.”
Reported Speech
The narrator’s presence is shown in the discourse of the story. The narrator
Read MoreBaroque Art: Evolution and Key Characteristics
Baroque Art: 17th and 18th Centuries
Baroque art served as propaganda for the Church, absolutist states, and the Protestant bourgeoisie. It emphasized the human figure in both idealized and realistic forms.
The Baroque period is divided into three phases:
- Early/Primitive (1580-1630)
- Full (1630-1680)
- Late/Rococo (1680-1750)
Baroque Architecture
Baroque architecture is characterized by its integration with urbanism, creating scenic cities. Palaces were urban apartment buildings for powerful families, while
Read MoreStravinsky’s Rite of Spring: A Rhythmic Revolution
Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring: A Detailed Analysis
Rhythm: A Revolutionary Approach
Stravinsky’s innovative treatment of rhythm is a defining feature of The Rite of Spring. The seemingly regular division of musical strains, initially suggesting a binary rhythm, is disrupted by a striking use of syncopation and accents. Accented chords, reinforced by eight horns, punctuate the string notes, creating unusual groupings, such as 9 + 2 + 6 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 3 in the first eight bars. This rhythmic
Read MoreBaroque Music: Forms, Composers, and Characteristics
Secular vs. Religious Cantata
The secular cantata is a non-religious musical form, shorter than an opera, composed for singing. It takes cues from the motet and opera structures.
The religious cantata features a lyrical, religious text with instrumental accompaniment (orchestra), performed by one or more soloists (with or without chorus) or just a chorus. It was commonly performed in Protestant masses.
Initially, the secular cantata was readily adopted by the church.
Passion vs. Mass
A Passion is an
Rationalism and Baroque Music: Evolution and Characteristics
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The Foundation of Rationalism
The rationalist thought in the seventeenth century had leading figures such as Descartes, Leibniz, and Spinoza. They rejected revealed knowledge and argued that reason is the main source of human knowledge, laying the foundations of rationalism.
Italian physicist Galileo Galilei and French mathematician René Descartes most influenced later thought. Galileo Galilei founded the experimental method. From his observations, he formulated the laws of falling bodies
Read MoreAncient Egyptian Music: History and Instruments
Ancient Egyptian Music: A Historical Overview
New Kingdom
After expelling the Hyksos, Ahmose I established Thebes as the capital of the New Kingdom, ushering in the most remarkable era of Egyptian history. The conquest of Syria significantly influenced Egyptian music, introducing Syrian and other Near Eastern musicians and their instruments to the Egyptian court orchestra. This period witnessed a transformation in music and dance, becoming more vibrant and sensual. Eventually, musical performance
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