Dennis Wu presented on music criticism and how to analyze and evaluate musical performances. He discussed that music criticism involves describing and evaluating music in a way that is relevant to assessing the performance. He provided examples of classical pieces and discussed how to analyze elements like vocal technique, diction, emotion, tempo, dynamics and more. Wu emphasized the importance of understanding the music and style before critiquing and explained how to write objectively, support judgments with reasons, and ask questions about the musician's preparation and understanding of the piece.

1. Performing Arts
Criticism Project for
Senior Secondary
Students
Music Criticism
Dennis Wu
Copyright © 2011 Dennis Wu. All rights reserved.

2. About the speaker
Dennis Wu
Music writer, critic and manager
Studied music in Hong Kong
Critic at Hifi Review
Hifi

3. What is Music
Criticism?
Photo by Grievous Angel

4. New Grove Encyclopedia
of Music
“Music criticism is a
type of thought that
evaluates music and
formulates
descriptions that are
relevant to evaluation.”

5. Photo by Grievous Angel

6. Evaluate Music
Photo by Grievous Angel

7. Evaluate Music
Formulate Description
of Evaluation
Photo by Grievous Angel

8. Music 1
“Nessun Dorma”
from Puccini
Turandot

9. Music 1
“Nessun Dorma”
from Puccini
Turandot Giacomo Puccini
(1858-1924)
An aria from an opera

10. Discussion

11. Discussion
How do the singers use their voice? Do they use the voice naturally?

12. Discussion
How do the singers use their voice? Do they use the voice naturally?
How do they manage the words of the music?

13. Discussion
How do the singers use their voice? Do they use the voice naturally?
How do they manage the words of the music?
How do they manage the emotion of the music?

14. Discussion
How do the singers use their voice? Do they use the voice naturally?
How do they manage the words of the music?
How do they manage the emotion of the music?
How do the audience respond?

15. “Nessun Dorma”

16. “Nessun Dorma”

17. “Nessun Dorma”

18. Ed il mio bacio scioglierà And my kiss will dissolve
il silenzio the silence
che ti fa mia! that makes you mine!
Dilegua, o notte! Vanish, o night!
Tramontate, stelle! Set, stars!
Tramontate, stelle! Set, stars!
All'alba vincerò! At dawn, I will win!
vincerò, vincerò! I will win! I will win!
“Nessun Dorma”

19. Discussion
How do the singers use their voice? Do they use the voice naturally?
How do they manage the words of the music?
How do they manage the emotion of the music?
How do the audience respond?

20. Discussion
How do the singers use their voice? Do they use the voice naturally? Vocal Technique
How do they manage the words of the music? Diction
How do they manage the emotion of the music? Emotion
How do the audience respond? Reception

21. Technical Layer
of Music

22. Performance reflects
how well the
musicians are trained
in executing the
music.
Technical Layer
of Music

23. Technical Layer
of Music

24. Critics normally
expect a high
standard of execution.
Technical Layer
of Music

25. Technical Layer
of Music

26. Listeners may assess
a performance with
different musical
elements
Technical Layer
of Music

27. Musical
Elements

28. Vocal Technique
Musical
Elements

29. Vocal Technique
Diction
Musical
Elements

30. Vocal Technique
Diction
Emotion
Musical
Elements

31. Musical
Elements

32. Instrument Technique
Musical
Elements

33. Instrument Technique
Tempo
Musical
Elements

34. Instrument Technique
Tempo
Dynamic
Musical
Elements

35. Instrument Technique
Tempo
Dynamic
Musical
Elements Articulation

36. But before
that...

37. You have to have a
sharp pair of ears
But before
that...

38. But before
that...

39. You have to know
the music that you
are reviewing
But before
that...

40. What music?

41. Photos by Grievous Angel, woodleywonderworks @ flickr, ilbloggasterzo @ Wordpress
What music?
In this seminar we focus on Western Classical Music.

42. What music?

43. What music?
In this seminar we focus on Recorded Performances.

44. Music 2
Shostakovich:
Symphony No. 5 in
D minor, Op. 47
IV. Allegro non
troppo

45. Music 2
Shostakovich:
Symphony No. 5 in
D minor, Op. 47
IV. Allegro non
troppo Dmitri Shostakovich
(1906-1975)

46. Music 2
Shostakovich:
Symphony No. 5 in
D minor, Op. 47
IV. Allegro non
troppo

47. Music 2
Shostakovich:
Symphony No. 5 in
D minor, Op. 47
IV. Allegro non One of the glorious
troppo composers in Soviet
Union

48. Music 2
Shostakovich:
Symphony No. 5 in
D minor, Op. 47
IV. Allegro non
troppo

49. Music 2
Shostakovich:
Symphony No. 5 in
D minor, Op. 47
IV. Allegro non Though he often faced
troppo fierce political
oppressions

50. Music 2
Shostakovich:
Symphony No. 5 in
D minor, Op. 47
IV. Allegro non
troppo

51. Music 2
Fifth symphony is an
Shostakovich: official apology in
music to his
Symphony No. 5 in denunciation by Soviet
D minor, Op. 47 Communist Party
IV. Allegro non
troppo

52. Music 2
Shostakovich:
Symphony No. 5 in
D minor, Op. 47
IV. Allegro non
troppo

53. Music 2
Shostakovich: “... resolved in
Symphony No. 5 in optimism and the joy of
D minor, Op. 47 living.”
...
IV. Allegro non
troppo
Great success!

54. Focuses while listening

55. Focuses while listening
How do they manage the tempo of the music?

56. Focuses while listening
How do they manage the tempo of the music?
How do they manage the loudness and softness
(dynamics) of the music?

57. Focuses while listening
How do they manage the tempo of the music?
How do they manage the loudness and softness
(dynamics) of the music?
How do they manage the emotion of the music?

58. Big Question

59. Why do musicians
perform a same
piece of music
differently?
Big Question

60. Music 3
Bach: Invention No.
13 in A minor
Johann Sebastian
Bach
(1685-1750)

61. Music 3
Bach: Invention
No. 13 in A
minor

62. Music 3
Bach: Invention
No. 13 in A
minor

63. Music 3
Bach: Invention
No. 13 in A
minor

64. Music 3
Bach: Invention
No. 13 in A
minor

65. Musical
Interpretation

66. Although the music is
printed, every one has
a different way to
read the same piece
of music
Musical
Interpretation

67. Musical
Interpretation

68. Performance reflects
how the musicians
understand the music
and musical style
Musical
Interpretation

69. Musical
Interpretation

70. Performer re-creates
from what is written
down
Musical
Interpretation

71. Music 4
Beethoven:
Symphony No. 5 in
C minor, Op. 67
I. Allegro con brio
Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)

72. Music 4
Beethoven:
Symphony No. 5 in
C minor, Op. 67
I. Allegro con brio

73. Music 4
Shortly before writing,
Beethoven: Beethoven considered
Symphony No. 5 in suicide due to his
deafness
C minor, Op. 67
I. Allegro con brio

74. Music 4
Beethoven:
Symphony No. 5 in
C minor, Op. 67
I. Allegro con brio

75. Music 4
Beethoven: The opening musical
Symphony No. 5 in idea signifies “Fate
knocks the door.”
C minor, Op. 67
I. Allegro con brio

76. Discussion
How do they manage the loudness and softness
(dynamics) of the music?
How do they manage the emotion of the music?
How do the performance relevant to the meaning of
music?

77. Musical
Interpretation

78. Performance reflects
how the musicians
understand the music
and musical style
Musical
Interpretation

79. Musical
Interpretation

80. Critics normally
expect a competent
understanding of style
and context
Musical
Interpretation

81. But before
that...
...

82. Critics are expected
to have a competent
understanding of style
and context
But before
that...
...

83. Photo by woodleywonderworks
How to write?

84. Photo by woodleywonderworks
How to write?
Describe and evaluate what you heard with words

85. What to write?

86. What to write?
Analyse the technical aspect of performance

87. What to write?
Analyse the technical aspect of performance
Describe how is the music interpreted

88. How to write?

89. How to write?
Principles

90. How to write?
Principles
Write objectively

91. How to write?
Principles
Write objectively
When making a judgement, justify it with reason

92. How to write?
Principles
Write objectively
When making a judgement, justify it with reason
Taste can be personal, preference can be personal, but
criticism is always rational

93. Write Objectively

94. Write Objectively
The tempo of
Shostakovich’s Symphony
No. 5 is performed with a
very fast tempo.
The finale of the
Shostakovich’s Symphony
No. 5 is performed with a
crazy tempo.

95. Write Objectively
The opening crescendo by
the full orchestral force is
solidly loud.
The opening crescendo by
the full orchestral force is
harshly noisy.

96. Support with reason
With its very quick tempo,
the performance is one of
the most exciting
renditions of the
symphony.
The performance is one of
the most exciting
renditions of the
symphony.

97. Support with reason
However, the conductor
picks a very quick tempo
which deviates much from
the composer’s intention
as he has indicated in the
score.
However, the very quick
tempo is not correct as it is
quicker than normal.

98. Make it personal and rational
Although the orchestra
picks up an extreme speed
that the composer might
not want, this performance
is a lovable one, opens a
fresh perspective of
explosiveness of the
symphony and an added
layer of irony — of the “joy”
and “success” in an
oppressed regime.

99. Conclusion

100. Ask more than
“is the music good” or
“is the music bad”
Conclusion

101. Conclusion

102. Ask:
“Has the musician got
prepared for what one
is going to perform?”
Conclusion

103. Conclusion

104. Ask:
“Has the musician
understood the music
that one is going to
perform?”
Conclusion

105. Conclusion

106. Ask:
“Does the
performance convince
me as an audience?”
Conclusion

107. Conclusion

108. Write your answer
down. And that’s your
criticism towards
music.
Conclusion

109. Conclusion

110. Listen as many times
as you can.
Conclusion

111. Presented by Dennis Wu
This slideshow can
be downloaded at:
www.slideshare.net/
denniswu
Thank you