Chapters 5-7 Study Guide - Test October 1, 2015

1.      What is texture?

2.      How does texture in music compare with the weave of a fabric?

3.      Describe the following:

a.      Monophony

b.      Homophony

c.      Polyphony

4.      What is imitation?

a.      What are two examples of imitation?

5.      What is form in a composition?

6.      Why is form in a composition important?

7.      What are the three basic elements of form?  Name and describe them.

8.      What were are the three types of form in class?  Name and describe them.

9.      What is improvisation?

10. In what type music is improvisation prevalent?

11. What is a theme?

12. What is thematic development?

13. List and describe ways to develop a theme.

14. Explain call-and-response.

15. What is an ostinato pattern?

16. What is tempo?

17. Give the Italian tempo equivalent of the following:

a.      Solemn

b.      Broad

c.      Quite slow

d.      Walking pace

e.      Moderate

f.       Cheerful

g.      Lively

h.      Very fast

18. What are dynamics?

19. Give the Italian dynamic equivalent of the following (include abbreviations and symbols as well)

a.      Very soft

b.      Very loud

c.      Soft

d.      Loud

e.      Medium loud

f.       Medium soft

g.      Growing softer (2 words)

h.      Accented or “forcing”

i.        Growing louder

20. How does tempo and dynamic enhance a composition?

21. Why are most tempo and dynamic markings traditionally given in Italian?

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 (>)

Chapter 4 Study Guide - Test Tuesday, September 15th

Chapter 4 - The Organization of Musical Sounds

1.       What is an octave?

a.       Interval of an 8th

2.       Write the pitch names for the notes of the musical alphabet (2 octaves)?

a.       A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G etc...

3.       The octave is divided into ____________ semitones or half steps. 

a.       12

4.       The half steps that make up the octave constitute what is known as the ________________ scale.

a.       Chromatic

5.       Two half steps makes a ____________________

a.       Whole step

6.       In Western music, the first tone of the scale is the __________________, or the home base to which the music gravitates.

a.       Tonic

7.       The formula for building a MAJOR scale is:

a.       W W H W W W H

8.       The formula for building a MINOR scale is

a.       W H W W H W W

9.        What is a diatonic melody?

a.       In diatonic music, both the melody and the harmony are firmly rooted in the key.  

10.   What does chromatic mean?

a.       Color

11.   What is a chromatic melody?

a.       Melody that introduces other tones that are foreign to the scale, drawing from the full gamut of the twelve half steps that span the octave

12.   This scale is commonly used in some African, Asian, and Native American musics.

a.       Pentatonic

Remember: You will be asked to build MAJOR and MINOR scales so 

KNOW YOUR FORMULAS!

Class Notes: Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - The Organization of Musical Sounds
Pitch names for notes are the first seven letters of the alphabet which repeat when we reach an interval of 8th or an octave.

A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G etc...

When we hear any two notes an octave apart these two tones sound "the same".

In Western music, the octave is divided into twelve equal semitones, or half steps.  From these are built the major and minor scales (each with a different combination of seven notes).

The twelve half steps that make up the octave constitute what is known as the chromatic scale.  You can see these twelve half steps on the keyboard counting all the white and black keys from C to the C above it.  Virtually all Western music is made up of the same twelve tones and their duplications in higher and lower octaves.

The black keys on the piano are named in relation to their white-key neighbors.  The black key between C and D can be called C sharp or D flat depending on the context of the music.  This plan applies to all the black keys.  Thus a sharp raises a tone by a half step, and a flat lowers a tone a half step.  Note the distance between C and D is two half steps, or one whole step (two half steps).

In Western music, the first tone of the scale, the tonic, is the home base to which the music gravitates. The two main scale types - major and minor - function within this organization system known as tonality.  When we listen to a composition in the key of C major, we hear a piece built around the central tone C, using the harmonies formed from the C-major scale.

The major scale is the most familiar sequence of pitches.  You can produce a C major scale, a sequence of pitches arranged in ascending or descending order. Looking at the keyboard you will notice that there is no black key between E and F or between B and C.  These tones are a half step apart, while the other white keys are a whole step apart.  The major scale is created by a specific pattern of whole (W) and half (H) steps W W H W W W H

The minor scale sounds different from the major because the third degree is lowered, or flatted.  Therefore, in the scale of C minor, there is an E flat rather than the E natural (white key) of the major scale; the interval C to E flat is smaller than the interval C to E in the major.  The minor scale is very different from the major scale in mood and coloring.  the intervals of the minor scale is created by a specific patter of the whole (W) and half (H) steps W H W W H WW

Music in major or minor key focuses on the seven tones of the respective scale and is therefore considered diatonic.  In diatonic music, bot the melody and the harmony are firmly rotted in the key.  But some compositions introduce other tones that are foreign to the scale, drawing from the full gamut of the twelve half steps that span the octave.  these works are considered chromatic (meaning color).

Common chord progressions (movement from one chord to another) use the I IV and V chords.

The musical language of other cultures often dived the octave differently, producing different scale patterns.  Among the most common is the pentatonic, or five note, scale, used in some African, Asian, and Native American musics.

Test I Study Guide: Chapters 1-3

Chapter 1-3 Worksheet - TEST TUESDAY, AUGUST 24th

1.     What is a melody?

2.     Each melody has its own distinct character: Range, Contour, and Interval

a.      What is a range?

b.     What is a contour?

c.      What is an interval?

3.     What is the difference between a conjunct and a disjunct melody?

4.     Each melody is made up of 4 units: Phrases, Cadences, Climax, and Countermelody

a.      What is a Phrase?

b.     What is a Cadence?

c.      What is a Climax?

d.     What is a Countermelody?

5.     What is the difference between a conclusive cadence and an inconclusive cadence?

6.     ___________ moves music forward in time.

7.     In what type music would you find syncopation?

8.     What is the basic unit of rhythm?

9.     What is a meter?

10. The ____________ is the first beat in a measure. It receives the strongest accent.

11. The ______________ is the last beat of the measure. It typically receives the weakest accent.

12. Name the three simple meters discussed in class.

13.  ___________ is the deliberate upsetting of the normal pattern of accents (off-beat)

14.  ___________ is the simultaneous use of rhythmic patterns that conflict with the underlying beat.

15. ____________________ meter has no sense of a beat or meter.

16. ______________ is the combination of sounds that supports the melody and adds depth to music using ____________________, ________________, and _________________.

17. What is dissonance? What is consonance?

18. ___________ is when two or more tones are sounded together.

19. What is a triad?

20. Write out triads beginning with:

a.      C                                             d.  E

b.     A                                             e.  D

c.      G.                                            f.  B

21. Harmonies or chords can either sound ___________ or ___________.

22. How does the structure of a melody compare with the form of a sentence?

23. How is melody a horizontal idea while harmony is a vertical concept?

24. What makes a melody memorable and unique?
  5.Give an example of how a composer can use dissonance and consonance to convey emotions.

Class Notes: Chapters 1-3

Class Notes: Chapters 1 - 3

Melody – Horizontal Aspect of Music

A melody is the line, or tune in music –

·         Each melody has its own distinct character: Range, Contour, and Interval

·         Range is the distance between the lowest and highest notes.  Range is described as narrow, medium, or wide.

·         Contour of a melody is its overall shape as it turns upward, downward, or remains static.

·         Interval is the distance between any two pitches of a melody.  Melodies that move by small intervals in a joined, connected manner are called conjunct.  Melodies that move in larger, disconnected intervals are described as disjunct.  There can be a combination of melodies in one song.

Each melody is made up of 4 units: Phrases, Cadences, Climax, Countermelody

·         Phrase in music, as in language, is a unit of meaning within a larger structure.

·         Cadence is a resting place where the performer pauses to draw a breath.  The cadence ends a phrase and punctuates the music in the same way that the comma or period punctuates a sentence.  Conclusive Cadence sounds final giving the listener the sense that the melody has reached the end.  Inconclusive Cadence leaves the listener with the impression that more is to come, or it may sound final giving the listener the sense that the melody has reached the end. 

·         Climax is the high point in a melodic line usually represents a peak in intensity as well as in range.

·         Countermelody (against a melody) second melody in complex music

Rhythm and Meter:  Musical Time

Rhythm moves music forward in time. 

Each note has a length, or duration – some long and some short.

The beat is the basic unit of rhythm.  It is a regular pulse that divides time into equal segments.  Some beats are strong (accented) and others are weak (unaccented)

Meter organizes groups of beats where accented beats occur at regular intervals (every other beat, every third beat, every fourth, and so on)

·         Measures mark off meters.  Each measure contains a fixed number of beats and the first beat in a measure receives the strongest accent (downbeat). 

·         Upbeat is the last beat of the measure

·         Measure lines are vertical lines that mark off measures

Simple Meters

·         Duple meter: two beats to a measure (ONE two ONE two)

·         Triple meter: three beats to a measure (ONE two three, ONE two three)

·         Quadruple meter: four beats to a measure with a primary accent on the first beat and a secondary accent on the third (ONE two Three four, ONE two Three four)

Syncopation - Deliberate upsetting of the normal pattern of accents.  Instead of falling on the strong beat of the measure, the accent is shifted to a weak beat or to the off-beats (in between the stronger beats). Found in African American dance rhythms, jazz, gospel.

Polyrhythm – many rhythms.  Simultaneous use of rhythmic patterns that conflict with the underlying beat. (two against three or three against four)

Nonmetric – moves without any strong sense of beat or meter; Found in Christian chants

Harmony – Vertical Aspect of Music

Harmony is a combination of sounds that supports the melody and adds depth to music using intervals, chords, and progression.

Intervals (distance between any two tones) can occur successively (played one at a time) or simultaneously

Scale: intervals from which chords and melodies are built are chosen from a particular collection of pitches arranged in ascending or descending order known as a scale (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-1 or do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-do); 

Two different types of scales and chords: Major (sounds happy) and Minor (sounds sad).

Chord is when three or more tones are sounded together.

Triad is the most common chord in Western music; Three notes built on alternate pitches of a scale (1-3-5, 2-4-6, etc)

Dissonance is created by an unstable, or discordant, combination of tones.  Seems harsh.

Consonance occurs with a resolution of dissonance, producing a stable or restful sound. More pleasing to the ear