Mikaela Arrosa

HUM 2|X 6R September 26, 2013

Thursday is the heaviest load in my schedule, having 7:00am to 7:00pm classes, and
apparently, the guitar concert was set on this day of the week, so I wore a dress and carried a
backpack on my back. Hectic as it may seem, I was somewhat delighted on my way to the NCAS
auditorium, seeing two long lines of students in their lovely dresses and button-down polos.

Since I was almost at the back of the line, the auditorium was almost full and seat-less as
we were entering. Unexpectedly, being at the back of the line had its perks toobeing seated on
the front row, and center set of seats, which were supposedly for special guests. As soon as we
settled, I looked at the stage design while waiting for the performers to start. There was a big G-
clef and a set of notes, probably made out of Styrofoam and then covered with colored glitters.

Each music composition was enthralling in its own way, each varying in elements of
music. There was a bright tinge that struck my ears in the rendition of Josef Zawinuls Birdland
and I knew this was the piece I would think through in this critique. Looking at the brochure
given, Birdland is one of the most recognizable jazz pieces that bear a part in bringing about a
florid life of Zawinul as a jazz musician. As such, we breakdown the methods to its allurement.
The piece started slow and steady, but was ascending eventually. Birdland gives the feeling of
spending time in a coffee shop or a restaurant. It had definite pitch though. Regular vibrations
were heard and at regular intervals of time. In terms of dynamics, Birdland is mezzoforte or
moderately loud. The quality of the sound produced from the instruments is bright and somewhat
metallic and brassy. Listening further, a pattern of accents or syncopation is present.

The melody, being the most recognizable element in the composition, gave the bright,
cheerful yet soothing feeling at the same time. Birdland is comprised of major scales, which
again, adds to the vibrant thumps that hit my ears. The melody of the composition actually was
comprised of both step and leap intervals, where some distances between notes were small and
some were large. Also, it contains melodic phrases, where a part is antecedent, consisting
escalating pitches and the other is consequent, somewhat similar to the former set of pitches but
ending the piece conclusively. Chords are evident in Birdland, producing a combination of three
or more tones sounded simultaneously. Exploring the pieces form and texture, it is a ternary
type of sectional form. The first part is the statement or the A section and as we go along, a
contrasting set of notes comes about, which makes it distinct from the first or the B section, and
then as we listen further, the piece returns to the same set of notes heard in the A section of the
piece. We could decipher these techniques that create the form of the piece. Repetition of notes is
apparent, enabling the melody to be engraved in our memory. Contrast too, is established, where
we see the transition, dramatic phases and shifting of mood. There is variation as well, giving
unity and variety among the notes.





These elements were artfully executed by Mr. Noel Queano and Mr. Tonet Lipana with
their guitars and Ms. Abby Clutario and her chapman stick. Strumming their instruments with
precision, Josef Zawinuls Birdland was given a gratifying rendition. Observing them, they too,
seemed soothed by what they were playing. The performers set an enjoyable atmosphere in the
auditorium, gaining applause from the audience at the end of the performance.

Birdland certainly is a tremendous piece and rightfully deserves the three Grammy
awards given to Josef Zawinul. In the end, I liked the rendition of the three performers. I
definitely appreciated their precision in working with the piece and their instruments. I was glad
it was the last composition that it made me relax after a long and exasperating Thursday.