Reading/Listening Comprehension Questions

The following questions are based on the program "If You Build It, They Will Come!." Teachers may choose to use the program audio or accompanying essay by Kyle Gann.

Essay
Program audio (59:00)

1) In 1940, why did John Cage's percussion orchestra fail in its work with Sylvia Fort's Choreography? To what musical invention did this failure lead?

2) In the early 20th century, music based on the European model was pretty much all that was heard in America's concert halls. Why did this begin to change?

3) Henry Cowell is credited with being the first person to play the piano in what untraditional ways?

4) What did Henry Cowell invent and introduce in his early book New Musical Resources?

5) What led to Conlon Nancarrow's extensive use of the player piano?

6) What was Harry Partch rebelling against by burning his compositions at age 29?

7) Of what kind of music has Harry Brant been a leading pioneer? Which one of Brant's inventions has not been built and why?

8) What was Brant's reason for separating groups of instruments?

9) How does Trimpin's use of computers and electronics differ from most composers using computers?

Answer key

[^Return to top]

Critical Thinking Questions

The following questions are based on the program "If You Build It, They Will Come!." Teachers may choose to use the program audio or accompanying essay by Kyle Gann.

Essay
Program audio (59:00)

1) If you were an American citizen living in the early 20th century, what new noises would invade your every day life? Why would composers want to incorporate some of these noises into their compositions?

2) How did Conlon Nancarrow's political decisions influence his move to Mexico City in 1940? How do you think it this move affected his musical career?

3) W.B. Yeats said of Harry Partch that he was "one of those young men with ideas, the development of which it is impossible to foretell, just as I was 30 years ago." Why would Yeats say this? What impact has the work of Harry Partch had on 21st century music?

4) Why did Ben Johnston begin writing in a new system of tuning named "extended just intonation"? Why did he think such a system was needed?

5) Economic realities influence the artist's world view. How did the Depression affect Harry Partch? How does economic recession affect the arts in general?

6) What did Trimpin's early teachers think about him? How did Trimpin's educational experiences influence his career and inventions?

7) Why would the advancement in technology and the onset of the digital age make "Yankee inventiveness" ubiquitous?

Answer key

[^Return to top]

Research Challenges

The following questions and project ideas are based on various features found on the American Mavericks Web site. Students are encouraged to explore this site (and others) to research their answers.

1) At the beginning of the 20th century, an explosion in musical innovations changed conventional ideas about rhythm and harmony. Among these innovators was Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). How did Schoenberg reshape harmony and melody in the 20th century? How did this affect his student John Cage?

2) American musical pioneers sought to distinguish themselves from their European counterparts and the European structure of music taught in schools. How did the unique societal forces at play in the United States affect these pioneers?

3) Some American musical mavericks are known for working with found objects. What do you think the found objects of the 21st century will be? How will technological advances affect this kind of pioneering?

4) American composers have delighted in using found materials in their compositions. Recently, pop singer Bjork paired with San Francisco duo Matmos to create the Vespertine album; a work based on found sounds. Compare and contrast the work of the American musical mavericks with the work of Bjork and Matmos.

5) Harry Partch was known as the voice of the highway in American music and Jack Kerouac was known as the voice of the Beat generation in American literature. Compare and contrast Harry Partch and Jack Kerouac.

6) One of the desired results of invention is to be self-sufficient and free of the constraints of organized music-making. But can total freedom be obtained if music is, in part, based on a relationship between performer and audience? What parts of institutionalized music have yet to be liberated?

7) The Great Depression had dramatic effects on nearly all aspects of American life and culture. What were the effects on the musical and visual arts?

8) Mavericks defy tradition and create new ideas with fierce independence. Who are some of the mavericks in the visual arts? What media or techniques do they use that separate them from the mainstream?

9) Who is Kitundu? What is it about his work that qualifies him as a maverick?

10) Project: Review and explore the following links:

Margaret Leng Tan and the Prepared Piano (12:37)
high bandwidth | low bandwidth

The Rhythmicon

Harry Partch's Instruments

Using found objects, create an unconventional instrument that produces varied pitches. How many pitches can one object make? Are there playing techniques that will change the sound of the instrument?

[^Return to top]

Key Terms and Topics

The following vocabulary words are taken from various features on the American Mavericks Web site.

[^Return to top]