Musical Meaning Blog - Maddie Anderson

Maddie Anderson 

October 16, 2022

Musical Meaning Blog, Module 4 

Nocturne op.9 No.2 ~ Chopin 

This piece, Nocturne op.9 No.2, by Frédéric Chopin, relates to the module, Music and Virtuosity, in many ways. This piece was created in 1830, when Chopin was only about 20 years old. This piece was created in the midst of the Early Romantic Era and was said to be inspired by the nighttime. One of the reasons I decided to use one of Chopin's pieces for this specific blog post was because Chopin was considered one of the best pianists in his era. We recently learned the meaning behind "virtuosity" in regards to music, which describes remarkable musical talent and ability. Chopin is also known for revolutionizing piano, which is clear when listening to many of his pieces, including the one I chose, Nocturne op.9 No.2. When released, this piece quickly became one of Chopin's most well known compositions, and still holds that reputation to this day. Because of the significance and popularity of this piece, it has found its way into several movies and television shows in modern day society. Also, this piece is not particularly difficult to play in comparison to some of his other pieces, which is another reason for its popularity. In my opinion, this piece by Chopin holds a very classic meaning because of its masterly nature. The meaning of this piece, by Chopin, is further linked to the sounds we hear in several ways. In my opinion, this piece has a very steady melody and does not contain too many out of the ordinary changes in rhythm or pace. I think that because of these qualities of the song, it makes a good backtrack to any movie or television show, without being overpowering. The homophonic texture of this piece gives it a simple energy, however, towards the end, there is a gradual build which highlights the climax of the piece. 

Don't Stop Me Now ~ Queen

For this aspect of my blog, I chose to discuss "Don't Stop Me Now" by the prominent band, Queen. I felt that this piece relates to the module, Music and Virtuosity, perfectly because of the high success and notability that Queen has obtained. As a group, Queen's virtuosity in music over the years is remarkable. "Don't Stop Me Now" was released in January of 1979, and once again, is considered one of Queen's most popular pieces to this day. It was written in Switzerland in 1978, and has only grown in popularity since then. The message behind this piece relates to how "Don't Stop Me Now" makes its audience feel, like no one can bring you down. In my opinion, there is a lot of meaning in this song because of how happy the melody is. Growing up, I have always used this song to cheer me up if I need it, or to boost my mood because of the positive and happy energy it radiates from the lyrics and melody. Not only do I consider this song to be one of the happiest ever, but so does the internet. This song hold this meaning for others as well, which I discovered when it was labeled "the happiest song on Earth". The happy and positive meaning of this piece is linked to the sound in several ways as well. "Don't Stop Me Now" is created in F major, and has 156 beats per minute, which both correlate to why listeners resonate with this piece and find joy in it. It has been proven that faster paced pieces leave an audience in a feel good mood, which further explains why Queen's piece has been given this reputation. Furthermore, the tempo in this piece switches up quite often which also adds to the overall energy and excitement for the listener.