Les Noces

I registered for some classes.  I have had a very good experience so far with the faculty here.  I find them to be friendly, helpful, and organized.  I knew this already, based on my experiences with them thus far through the admissions process, but it is really extremely wonderful.  I should be able to get credit for my research class from my masters so that I do not have to retake it here.

It seems to be expected that most incoming students will pass the theory placement exam but fail the history exam.  This is a bit intimidating.  I have been reviewing theory now for about a week.  I will continue to do so.  Tomorrow I start reviewing history.  I probably should have started reviewing history a week ago, but no matter.  I would prefer to pass history and theory.  I do not want to take a review theory class because that sounds horrendous.  Also, if I fail the history exam, I would have to take TWO semesters of history review.  And would count toward 2 out of my 3 history classes.  And I signed up for a Early Music Notation class, which would be my other history class.  I love history and do not want to "waste" my history credits on review classes.  I want to take something interesting and specific.  Because after conducting and education, history ranks up there with one of my passions in music.

So, let me talk briefly about Les Noces.   The Wedding by Stravinsky.  Svadebka in Russian.  I wish I loved Stravinsky, but have not been inspired by him.  Except this weird work.  I say "weird" because every time I listen to it, I think, "This is such an odd work."  But I love it.  I love the use of soloists and I love the punctuation of the percussion and I love how the choir is sometimes prominent but sometimes takes a backseat to instruments.  I hope I can gain more insight as to why I like it so much, because I lack the words.