Peer Review

Pictures of Music

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Dec 1, 2004 by Music

Bookmark

Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This site provides images, animated analyses, text, and audio narrative
outlining historical trends in the development and use of musical notation,
especially non-traditional notation of the 20th century. Brief biographical
information of featured composers accompanies images of selected scores, sample
performances of the works, and interviews with musicians and visual artists.
The history of graphic notation is presented. The information could open students' minds to a variety of ways to represent sound.
Type of Material:: Resource.
Recommended Uses:: This site may be used as an introduction to the relationship between symbols and
sounds in music, the works of the featured composers (1950-1970 and post-1970),
and the treatment of scores as works of visual art in their own right.

This could be used as supplementary material for music history, 20th century music, composition and music appreciaion. The history of notation is covered and would help put the graphic representation into a general context of representation of sound. Students could be asked to work in groups and do follow-up research on one or several of the concepts introduced and discussed in the material: 20th century composers, history of notation, interpretation of music symbols,
Technical Requirements:: Javascript enabled browser; Flash Player, QuickTime Player, ExpressView/MrSID
(Windows only--optional); optimized for 800x600 screen resolution.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: Students will be able to identify important trends, composers, and
representative works in the development of non-traditional forms of musical
notation used in 20th-century music.
Target Student Population:: High school and collegiate music theory/art students.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Familiarity with traditional western notation may provide a useful frame of
reference.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: The site has a strong conceptual focus, presents factually accurate information,
and is visually appealing. Interviews with the composers and examples of graphic notation add to the effectiveness of this material.
Concerns:: None.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: The site is designed to support an exhibit at the Block Gallery at Northwestern
University. Includes bibliography, glossary, and animated analysis of featured
pieces. This could be used in a variety of ways depending on the learning goals of the teacher
Concerns:: Biographical information for featured composers is brief. Biographical
information is crosslinked from the scores but does not feature links to the
featured scores of the composers.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: The site is well-organized visually and conceptually. Technical requirements are
clearly stated. It is easy to navigate and terms are explained throughout.
Concerns:: Details of navigation within the presentation are not immediately evident. Some
links advance the presentation within a specific subcategory, some links advance
the user to other content areas, and some links open related content within a
new target window.

Other Issues and Comments:: The authors of this site present a unique perspective on 20th century
non-traditional notation. Note that some media on this site are best accessed
with a broadband internet connection.
Creative Commons: