Music Outline.docx

MUSIC OUTLINE An important part of the activities of humankind since the beginning of recorded history. Today music plays a vital and important role in the lives of human beings. It is found everywhere in our world. One more stimulus in the vast ocean of stimuli gathered by our senses daily.

Humans use music for many purposes: Personal entertainment Contemplative activities. Relaxation. Stimulation.

Music has the power to influence psychological aspects of behavior both consciously and unconsciously

- Transmission and Reception of Sound Three requirements for sound to "occur" in an environment: A vibrating source to initiate sound A medium to transmit sound vibrations throughout the environment - such as air or water. A receiver to hear or record sound vibrations.

Many varieties of vibrating sources in the World: Vocal cords A membrane of animal hide or synthetic material A stretched string that is plucked or bowed Objects such as wood, stone, clay, metal and glass that are struck Rattling of beads in a small enclosure, Clapping of hands, singing of birds, grunts and groans of animals Buzzing of lips in a small resonating tube Splitting of an air stream Small pieces of reed attached to a tube and set in motion by the action of human breath

Many, many other natural vibrating sources. Sound may also be produced artificially by electronic synthesis

Music Elements        

Notation Melody Rhythm Harmony Texture Form Dynamics Timbre

NOTATION

Written on paper, so that the music may be performed again and again. Music notation system Enjoyment and understanding of most music is not dependent upon the ability to read and interpret written music notation.

MELODY - (Line, Space) Melody—A succession of single tones or pitches that are perceived to be unified. Example: Brahms, Symphony No. 1, fourth movement Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Characteristics of Melody: Pitch—The highness or lowness of a tone, depending on the frequency (rate of vibration) Example: Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C minor, first movement

Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Interval—The distance and relationship between two pitches. Example: Chopin, Prelude in E minor, Op. 28, No. 4 Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Range—The distance between the lowest and highest tones of a melody, an instrument, or a voice. (narrow, medium or wide) 

Shape—The direction a melody takes as it turns upward or downward, or remains static. 

Phrase—As in language, a unit of meaning within a larger structure; thus, a melody may be divided into component phrases. Example: Beethoven, Symphony No. 9, fourth movement, "Ode to Joy" Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Cadence—A resting place in a musical phrase-musical punctuation. 

Countermelody—An accompanying melody playing against the principal melody.

Example: Sousa, The Stars and Stripes Forever, Trio Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album RHYTHM - (Rhythm, Pattern, Repetition, Time) Rhythm—The element of time in music. Example: Ravel, Boléro Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Characteristics of Rhythm: Beat—Regular pulsation; a basic unit of length in musical time. Example: Haydn, Symphony No. 94 (Surprise), third

movement Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album 

Accent—Emphasis on a note, so that it is louder or longer than another. 

Tempo—The rate of speed or pace of the musical pulse. (grave, largo, adagio, andante, allegro, vivace) 

Measure—A rhythmic group or unit that contains a fixed number of beats, divided on the musical staff by bar lines. 

Meter—The grouping of beats into larger, regular patterns, notated as measures. 

Upbeat—The last beat of a measure, a weak beat, which anticipates the downbeat, the first beat of the next measure. 

Downbeat—The first beat of a measure, the strongest in any meter. 

Syncopation—Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse through a temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat, or an offbeat. Example: Joplin, The Entertainer Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album 

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Polyrhythmic - The simultaneous use of several rhythmic patterns or meters.

Nonmetric—Music lacking a strong sense of beat or meter. HARMONY - (Balance) Harmony —The simultaneous combination of notes and the ensuing relationships of intervals and chords. Example: Mozart, Piano Concerto in C major, K. 467, second movement Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Characteristics of Harmony: Chord — Simultaneous combination of tones (typically three or more) that constitute a single block of harmony.

Example: Chopin, Prelude in E minor, Op. 28, No. 4 Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Scale — A series of tones or pitches in ascending or descending order. Tonality — The principal of organizing a work around a central tonic, or home pitch, based on a major or minor scale.      

Tonic Diatonic Chromatic Consonance Dissonance Drone

TEXTURE - (Texture) Texture—The interweaving of melodic (horizontal) and harmonic elements in the musical fabric. Generally described as: Monophonic one voice/part presents a single melody. Example: Gregorian chant, "Kyrie eleison" Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Heterophonic: Two or more voices/parts elaborate on the same melody simultaneously.

Homophonic: principle melody and accompanying harmony. Example: Mozart, Piano Concerto in C major, K. 467, second movement Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Polyphonic: two or more melodies combine into a multi-voiced texture. Example: Mozart, Requiem, "Kyrie eleison" Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album FORM - (Shape, Form)

Form—The structure or shape of a musical work, based on repetition, contrast, and variation; the organizing principle of music. Characteristics of Form: Repetition—Within a form, repetition fixes the material in our mind and satisfies our need for the familiar; it provides unity to a form. (Pattern) Example: SaintSaëns, Carnival of the Animals, "Fossils" Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Contrast—Within a form, contrast sustains our interest and feeds our love of change. (Variety)

Example: Corelli, Suite for Strings, "Badinerie" Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Variation—A principle in which some aspects of the music are altered but still recognizable. Example: Haydn, Symphony No. 94 (Surprise), second movement Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Repetition, variation, and contrast are the foundational procedures on which music composition rests.

Theme—A melodic idea used as a basic building block in the construction of a composition. There are a variety of ways to create thematic development (motive, sequence, ostinato). 

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Motive—A small, thematic fragment that constitutes a melodic-rhythmic unit. Sequence—A restatement of an idea at a higher or lower pitch level. Ostinato—A short musical pattern – melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic- that is repeated persistently throughout a work or major section of a composition.

In this example, a short (fournote) descending pattern in the bass is heard throughout under the voices. Example: Monteverdi: Lament of the Nymphs Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album

DYNAMICS - (Emphasis, Subordination, Value) Dynamics—Designations for the relative loudness or quietness of music. 

Pianissimo, Piano, Mezzo-piano, Forte, Fortissimo Crescendo—The dynamic effect of gradually growing louder Decrescendo—The dynamic effect of gradually growing softer. Sforzando —A sudden stress or accent on a single note or chord. Example: Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker, "Trepak" Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album

TIMBRE - (Color)

Timbre—The quality of a sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another. Also called "tone color." Characteristics of Timbre: Voices—The standard voice types are: (female) soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto; (male) tenor, baritone, and bass. Example: Handel, Messiah, "Hallelujah" Chorus Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album String family—Two types of instruments: bowed and plucked. (Violin, viola, cello, bass, harp and guitar)

Example: Grieg, Peer Gynt Suite, "Ase's Death" Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Woodwind family—Instruments where breath is used to produce sound across a reed or hole. (Flute, piccolo, clarinet, bassoon, oboe, bass clarinet and saxophone). Example: Beethoven, Symphony No. 9, fourth movement, "Turkish March" Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Brass family—Trumpet, French horn, trombone and tuba.

Example: Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition, "Great Gate of Kiev" Real Audio: 28K | 56K | About this album Percussion family—Instruments that are played by striking their surface. (Drums, xylophone, chimes, triangle, etc…) Keyboards—Instruments that are played by pressing keys that cause a hammer to strike a taught string. (Piano, harpsichord, and synthesizers). Ensembles—Musical performing groups (instrumental, vocal and mixed)