Robert M. Seiler’s “Writing about music”

Abstract: 
	Seiler provides some tips and explains common key terms used when incorporating music into writings. Also mentioned is the breakdown of Aaron Copland’s three planes of listening.
Key Concepts: 
	There are two main tips when writing about music. First is to “identify the musical substance.” In other words, writers should determine what kind of music it is and everything that goes along with it. Second is “capture the qestalt of the performance,” explaining why the performance is unique. To this, Seiler explained four subcategories. First is melody. Melody is what evokes out emotions. Second is rhythm, which excites us physically. Third is harmony. Harmony “has been described as the clothing of melody.” The last sub-categorical term is Timbre, which means “tone quality” or “tone color.” It distinguishes musical sounds from different instruments. Melody and rhythm often goes hand in hand. 
	Writing about music is also interconnected with what Aaron Copland describes as the three planes of listening—the sensuous plane, the expressive plane, and the sheerly musical plane. Seiler sums up the three planes in that sensuous plane focus on the medium and quality of sound produced; expressive plane focus on evoking feelings’ and sheerly musical plane focus on the movement, pitch, and structure of the piece. These three planes are needed to achieve a balance of listening and it “binds an entire composition.” 
Examples: 
Melody:
Seiler gave an example of music from the Beatles and the Beach Boys but the following music pieces could also evoke emotions 
Try by Colbie Caillat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4
Read all about it by Emeli Sande: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFXRQKYFbXE
Brave by Sara Bareilles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4
Rhythm: 
As mentioned by Seiler, this element “prompts listeners to tap their feet: they want to get up and dance” so examples may include tango and the cha cha cha
 
tango.jpg|Tango|link=http://wp.wpi.edu/dailyherd/2014/02/12/valentine-milonga/
cha cha cha.jpg|Cha Cha Cha|link=http://www.gograph.com/illustration/cha-cha-dancers-silhouettes-set-gg58960849.html
 
Further readings: 
Balliett, Whitney. New York Notes: A Journal of Jazz in the Seventies. New York: Da Capo Press, 1977.
Copland, Aaron. What to Listen for in Music. New York: Mentor Book, 1957.
Martin, F. David, and Lee A. Jacobus. The Humanities through the Arts. 5th edn. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1997.
Schonberg, Harold C. Facing the Music. New York: Summit Books, 1981.
Key words:
 
Melody
 
Rhythm
 
Harmony
Timbre
Citations: 
Seiler, Robert M. (n.d.). Writing about music, <http://www.ucalgary.ca/∼rseiler/music.htm>.
Italic text