What Is Music?

The Sequel

In what ways have we learned to organize sound?

• Pitch• Rhythm• Timber• Melody• Harmony

Is there another way to organize these elements?

• F O R M

What is musical form?

• Musical form is: – the structure of the composition– the order and transition of sections– a blueprint or map, which describes the overall

shape of the musical work

Every form has a….

• Beginning• Middle• End

Typical forms

• A-B-A• Rondo• Sonata-Allegro• Song• Theme & Variation• Canon

Song form

• Verse• Refrain• Verse• Refrain• Example: JT's "Mirrors"

A – B – A

• An idea• Followed by a different idea• Followed by the first idea performed a second

time

Example of A-B-A

• A-B-A form visualized in Mixcraft

Rondo

• A• B• A• C• A• D• A

Example of Rondo form

• tutorial on Rondo

Sonata-Allegro

• Exposition• Development• Recapitulation

Example of Sonata-Allegro form

• Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 with listening map

• Just for fun…..• Beethoven's Wig

Theme & Variation

• ….takes a main idea and repeats it while adding a twist, or a remix.

There are several ways to change up the theme and create multiple variations….

• Change the rhythm (like Mississippi hot dog)• Change the harmony (chords or scale)• Change the instruments or timber• Change the style• Change the tempo• Add effects like repetition, arpeggio, canon

Example of Theme & Variation

• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (by Mozart)• piano soloist

Canon

• A melody followed by the same melody starting a short interval later. The two melodies on top of each other create harmony.

Example of Canon

• Pachabel’s Canon• Pachelbel's Canon on original instruments

Do So La Mi Fa Do Fa So

D A Bm F#m G D G A

……but wait, there’s more…..

• Look ahead for a few more techniques to guide you in your next assignment.

Improvisation

• Musical conversation……….• ……….within guidelines……..• …………which are specified or implied

Listen to examples of improvisation

• Billy Taylor demonstration• Winton Marsalis on improvisation

Ostinato

• A repeated pattern or phrase• Usually a rhythm or single pitch, but can be a

melody• “Ostinato” is an Italian word for stubborn

Listen to examples of ostinato:

• Faith Hill sings "Little Drummer Boy”• Dudamel conducts Ravel's "Bolero"