Class Notes: Chapter 5-7 TEST 3 Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015

Chapter 5– Musical Texture

Texture – interweaving of the melodic lines with harmony in music

Monophony – single melody (or voiced music) with no harmony
Can be accompanied by rhythm and percussion instruments, but focus is on the single melody (ex. Chant)

Homophony – single voice is prominent over the accompanying lines, or voices

Homophony is based on harmony.  Usually chords support and the melody is highlighted

Polyphony (“many-voiced” texture) – two or more independent melodic lines that are played simultaneously.  Polyphony is based on counterpoint (one musical line set against another)

Imitation – melodic idea is presented in one voice, then restated in another voice.  While the imitating voice restates the melody, the first voice continues with new material.  Imitation is a common unifying technique in polyphony

Canons and rounds are two types of entirely imitative works. (ex. Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Chapter 6– Musical Form

Form refers to a work’s structure or shape, the way the elements of a composition have been combined, or balanced, by the composer to make it understandable to the listener. 

Form is the organizing principle in music; its basic elements are repetition, variation, and contrast.

1.     Basic structural elements of music: Repetition, Variation, and Contrast

a.     Repetition: fixes the material in our minds and satisfies our need for the familiar

b.     Variation: some aspect of the music are altered but the original is still recognizable

c.      Contrast: stimulates our interest and feeds our desire for change.

Strophic form:  common in songs, features repeated music for each stanza of text. 

What makes each piece of music unique is the way the composer adapts a general plan to create a wholly individual combination. 

Improvisation: pieces created spontaneously in performance (ex. Jazz, Rock, Gospel)

Two-Part and Three-Part Form – basic structures in music common in short pieces such as songs and dances.

a.   Two-part or Binary form (A-B) – based on a statement and a departure, without a return to the complete opening section.

b.   Three-Part or Ternary form (A-B-A) – extends the idea of statement and departure by bringing back the first section.

Theme: a melodic idea used as a building block in the construction of a larger musical work. 

Thematic Development: The expansion of a theme, achieved by varying its melodic outline, rhythm, or harmony.  This is an important technique in composition and requires imagination and craft on the part of the composer.  Thematic Development is used in larger complex works.

Ways to Develop a Theme

1.     Repetition – simply repeating the theme over and over

3.     The theme can be broken into small, component fragments called motives. 

Call-and-response (or responsorial) music, a repetitive style involving a soloist and a group. 

Ostinato is the repetition of a short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern

Chapter 7– Musical Expression: Tempo and Dynamics

Composers indicate tempo and dynamics in music as means of expression

Tempo and dynamic markings are traditionally given in Italian.  This practice reflects the domination of Italian music in Europe during the period from around 1600-1750, when performance directions were established.

Tempo is the rate of speed, or pace, of the music

Grave – solemn (very, very slow)

Largo – broad (very slow)

Adagio – quite slow

Andante – walking pace

Moderato – moderate

Allegro – fast (cheerful)

Vivace – lively

Presto – very fast

Dynamics describe the volume, or how loud or soft the music is played

Pianissimo (pp) – very soft        

Piano (p) – soft

Mezzo piano (mp) – moderately soft

Forte (f) – loud

Mezzo forte (mf) – moderately loud

Fortissimo (ff) – very loud

Crescendo – growing louder

Decrescendo or diminuendo – growing softer

Sforzando (sf) – “forcing” accent on a single note or chord (>)