Music 100Music Appreciation

THERE ARE NO MAKE UP EXAMS FOR ANY REASON.

“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”

Coach John Wooden

The Power of Music

Why did you sign up for this course?

What does music mean in your life? How long have humans been making music? How is music created? Is anyone really listening?

Music Appreciation

What is an appreciation anyhow? College Class Catalogs

Art Theater Music Dance

Music Appreciation“The combination of respect and knowledge

derived from an evaluation of the music’s quality and significance” – Megill Tolerance/exposure/receptivity Criticism/analysis Understanding Personal taste

Music History & Appreciation

History contributes to appreciation A tool that allows us to see musical

development

How We Experience Music

Consider all the different ways you experience music.

Places we hear music, i.e., concerts. Where else? Events where music has an important role, i.e.,

weddings. Where else? How does music effect your emotions? Consider

a film without the dramatic impact of the musical score.

The Power of Music

At the physiological level music evokes impressive responses: Changes in pulse Respiration Blood pressure

Writing about and describing something we hear can be challenging

The following tips can be used for your listening logs, concert reports or short answers

Start with the basics1) Fast – Slow2) Voices – Instruments – Combo3) Loud – Soft4) Happy – Sad

How to Write about Music

How to Write about Music

Stating “I didn’t like it” or “It was amazing” is a place to start, but ask yourself “why?” “I didn’t like it because the fast pace made me

feel anxious” “It was amazing when the singer sang so high

and for so long on the final note” “I was bored” – Better would be: “I was bored

since the music seemed the same and it didn’t grab my attention.”

Thoughts on Music

“Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn. They teach you there’s a boundary line to music. But, man, there’s no boundary line to art.”

– Jazz Musician, Charlie “Bird” Parker

Thoughts on Music“Music, in performance, is a type of

sculpture. The air in the performance is sculpted into something.”

– Frank Zappa

“Music, of all the arts, stands in a special region, unlit by any star but its own, and utterly without meaning … except its own.”

– Leonard Bernstein, The Joy of Music

Part One – Basic Concepts

The term “music” can be defined in many ways. What is your definition?

An art of organized sound

In order to become informed listeners of music we must learn how and what to listen for.

Basic ConceptsMelody Sound

RhythmHarmonyTextureForm

SoundPitch – The highness or lowness of a sound

The rate of vibration, or frequency, determines the level of pitch for a sound.

Slow vibrations = low sounds low frequencyFast vibrations = high sounds

high frequency

Tone

Tone – A specific pitch (or a note).

Western music refers to tones with letter names A through G.

On a piano, these tones are assigned to the white notes of the keyboard.

Music tones (notes) are defined by their pitch and their duration – the length of time a tone’s sound vibrates

Piano Keyboard

A B C D E F G

Music Notation

Music is written on, or notated on a staff, consisting of 5 lines and 4 spaces.

A staff is a graphic representation of music tones.

Notes low on the staff sound low and those high on the staff sound high.

C D E F G A B C

Melody

An organization of musical tones.A succession of tones (a melody) creates a linear pattern on

the music staff.

Interval – the distance between 2 tones. The most common is an interval of an octave.

Yankee Doodle

Piano Keyboard

↑ ↑Interval of an Octave

MelodyA melody is characterized by:

Its range – the distance between the highest and lowest tones in the melody

Its shape – the overall direction a melody takes as it moves up, down or remains fixed

Its movement – how a melody moves from tone to toneconjunct movement – step by step movement, closely related tones.disjunct movement – wide movement, distantly related tones.

Melody Shapes

Melody Shapes

Melody Movement

Melody

A melody is much like a sentence. They contain phrases.

Phrases arrive at stopping points within a piece of music called cadences.

Cadences act much like punctuation marks such as commas, semi-colons and periods.

Phrase

↓Cadence

Melody

Phrases are often presented in alternating, pairs. One phrase often asks a question, while the alternating phrase answers the question, i.e., Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Melody: Phrase Structure

29

Rhyme Scheme Melody Structure: poetic phrases often align with musical phrases

Rhythm

Beat vs. Rhythm The Beat is the steady pulse of music (what we

often tap our feet to). Rhythm is the arrangement of long and short

sounds in music. Rhythm is the earliest and most basic element of

music.

Meter

The organization of rhythm into metrical patterns. Meter groups beats into stressed and unstressed

patterns

Meter organizes the beat and rhythm in units called measures or bars.

One Measure (bar)

Meter

The most common meters are: duple (2 beats per measure) triple (3 beats per measure) quadruple (4 beats per measure)

Meter is expressed in the beginning of a score with a time signature.

Beat Emphasis in Meter

Bar Pattern of Beats or Meter Pattern over Four Bars

2 beat bar Strong Weak 2: S W | S W | S W | S W |

3 beat bar Strong Medium Weak 3: S M W | S M W | S M W | S M W |

4 beat bar Strong Weak Medium Weak 4: S W M W | S W M W | S W M W | S W M W

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Conducting Patterns

Duple Triple

Additional Rhythmic Terms

Downbeat – the first beat of a measure. Indicated by the downward motion of a conducting pattern.

Upbeat – the last beat of a measure. Indicated by the upward motion of a conducting pattern.

Upbeats and downbeats follow the direction of a conductor’s arm.

Additional Rhythmic Terms

Syncopation – purposely emphasizing the weak beats or offbeat. This is a distinct element of jazz.

Additive Meter – found often in non-Western music, irregular groupings of beats in a larger pattern. (10=2+3+2+3)

Nonmetric – music lacking any strong sense of beat or meter. Can be heard in Medieval chant.

Harmony – Musical Space

Two or more different tones sounded together. Provides support for melody. Melody is horizontal (linear) Harmony is vertical in music.

Chord – a combination of 3 or more pitches sounded simultaneously. A series of chords is called a chord progression.

Chord progressions create forward movement in music.

Harmony

Triad – a special type of chord built of intervals of thirds.

Triads or Chords can be played blocked or broken (arpeggios).

Scales

Scales - A group of ascending or descending tones arranged in a set order.

The two most common scales in Western music are major and minor scales

Harmony

Tonality or Tonal musicMusic centered around a single tone or tonic note of

a major or minor scale.i.e., a song in the key of C

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

do re mi fa sol la ti do

Harmony

Consonant – restful, passive sounds.

Dissonant – unstable, active, tense sounds.

Dissonant sounds tend to move the listener forward in a desire for consonance.

Drone – a sustained tone against which melody and rhythm develop. Drones are common in non-Western music and Medieval chant.

Hearing Major and Minor

Scales are like colors on an artists palette. A composer will choose a specific scale to achieve

a desired musical mood.

Hearing Major and Minor

The specific mood a scale expresses is very subjective. It varies from person to person.

Generally, we hear major melodies as bright, cheery, optimistic.

Conversely, minor melodies are often dark, somber and even sinister in mood.

More Types of Scales

Chromatic Scale – comprised entirely of half steps. Creates a sense of tension.

Whole-Tone Scale – comprised entirely of whole steps. Creates a sense of floating or endlessness due to the lack of half steps. This scale is often used for a dreamy effect.

Pentatonic Scale – A five note scale with a range of an octave. The most familiar is playing all the black notes on a

keyboard. Almost all cultures have some form of pentatonic scale.

TEXTURE

The ways in which melody and harmony are combined in music.

3 types of texture in music.MonophonicPolyphonic

Homophonic

Texture

Monophonic – A single, unaccompanied melody. Gregorian chant is often sung in a monophonic texture. All voices sing in unison, the same melody.

Texture

Polyphonic – More than one melody sounding simultaneously. Songs in a round where a melody is preformed by

2 or more voices entering at different times is a type of polyphony.

Special types of Polyphony

Counterpoint – another term synonymous with polyphony

Imitation – a melody is presented in one voice then restated in one or more additional voices. This is also called canon or round.

Texture

Homophonic – a melody accompanied by other voices or instruments creating harmony rather than melody. Hymns or folk songs are usually accompanied by chords on a piano, organ or guitar while singers sing the melody.

Musical Form

Form The overall design of a piece of music. The big

picture. Significant for instrumental music since it lacks a

text which helps determine form. The Main principles of form:

Repetition – provides unity Contrast – provides variety Variation – a blend

Musical Form

Binary form – two part form A-B Ternary form – three part form A-B-A

Elements of Form Theme – a melody that recurs throughout a piece,

either in its original form or altered in some way. This is most easily heard in film scores. Themes create unity.

i.e., Star Wars

Musical Form

Elements of Form Theme – a melody that recurs throughout a piece,

either in its original form or altered in some way. This is most easily heard in film scores. Themes create unity.

i.e., Star Wars Motive or motivic melody – a short melodic

phrase that constitutes the building blocks of a piece of music. Usually shorter than a theme. Beethoven’s 5th Symphony is an example of a

motivic melody.

Elements of Form

Sequence – The repetition of a phrase either raised or lowered in pitch, i.e., opening of Tchaikovsky’s Trepak

Musical Expression – Tempo

The rate of speed in music.Indicated with Italian terms or metronome markings in the

score.Largo = slowAdagio = slow

Andante = moderateModerato = moderate

Allegro = fastPresto = very fast

Vivace = lively

Musical Expression – Dynamics

The level of volume in music

Dynamics (how loud to play or sing) were not indicated to performers until the seventeenth century.

The names and symbols for dynamics originated in Italy due to their strong influence in music during the seventeenth century.

Dynamics: Names and Symbols

Dynamics: Names and Symbols

Crescendo – Gradually becoming louder

Decrescendo or Diminuendo – Gradually becoming softer.

↓ Tempo Marking

↓Dynamic mark

↓Crescendo Mark

↓Dynamic mark

Eighth Rests

Quarter note

Timbre

The quality of sound of a particular voice or instrument.

For example the difference between the same tone played on a piano, a trumpet and a violin.

Timbre

Instruments of the OrchestraInstrument Families:

StringsBrass

WoodwindsPercussion

Instrument families share certain characteristics, such as how they play their instruments, i.e., bowed, plucked, blown or struck.

The World of Musical Instruments

Aerophones – sound produced by air vibrations Chordophones – sound produced with string

vibrations Idiophones – sound produced by the instrument

itself Bells, rattles, xylophones, and cymbals

Membranophones – sound produced from stretched membranes

String Instruments Orchestral StringsOrchestral Strings

ViolinViolin ViolaViola CelloCello BassBass Played with a bow or pizzicato Played with a bow or pizzicato

Other String InstrumentsOther String Instruments HarpHarp Guitar, banjo, dulcimer, lute, and ukuleleGuitar, banjo, dulcimer, lute, and ukulele

Instruments of the Orchestra

Additional Stringed InstrumentHarp

Instruments of the Orchestra

WoodwindsPiccolo, flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet and

bassoon

Sound is produced by a column of air being blown across a hole (flute, piccolo) or into a mouthpiece containing reeds which activate the column of air (oboe, clarinet, English horn, bassoon).

Woodwind InstrumentsWoodwind Instruments PiccoloPiccolo FluteFlute OboeOboe English hornEnglish horn ClarinetClarinet BassoonBassoon SaxophoneSaxophone

Instruments of the Orchestra

The Brass FamilyTrumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba

Sound is produced by a column of air blown through a mouthpiece as a player vibrates his lips.

Brass InstrumentsBrass Instruments TrumpetTrumpet TromboneTrombone Horn or French hornHorn or French horn TubaTuba

Instruments of the Orchestra

Percussion InstrumentsA large category of instruments that produce sound

by shaking, rubbing or striking their instruments.Some instruments have a definite pitch such as:

Timpani (kettle drums), xylophone and chimes.Other instruments have indefinite pitch such as:

tambourine, triangle, cymbals and drums.

Percussion InstrumentsPercussion Instruments Definite pitchDefinite pitch

TimpaniTimpani ChimesChimes XylophoneXylophone

Indefinite pitchIndefinite pitch TambourineTambourine TriangleTriangle CymbalsCymbals DrumsDrums

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Keyboard Instruments

Instruments that produce sound by players pressing keys on a keyboard.

Harpsichord, piano, pipe organ

Harpsichord – a predecessor to a piano. Harpsichords produce sound when a player depresses a key and a small piece called a plectrum plucks one of the strings. The sound produced by a harpsichord is not able to be sustained and dies away quickly.

HarpsichordHarpsichord

Keyboard Instruments

Piano Pianos produce sound when a player depresses a

key and a hammer strikes the strings. Pianos are also considered percussion instruments

since sound is produced through striking the strings.

Pianos are capable of a wide range of tones from connected and singing to bright and percussive.

PianoPiano

Keyboard InstrumentsPipe Organs – The King of Instruments

A keyboard instrument whose tones are produced through wind.

Pipes of various lengths are mechanically or electrically supplied with air. Organ tones are sustained for as long as

the player depresses the keys. Organs include stops that allow the player to change the

timbre and dynamic level of the sound. An organist can have as many as 5 keyboards (manuals) to

play, as well as a pedal board to play with the feet.

Pipe OrganPipe Organ

Pipe Organ

Electronic Instruments

Electronic keyboards, guitars and organsElectronic synthesizer – an instrument that allows

composers to produce imitative, altered or original sounds. Came into wide use in the U.S. during the late 1950s and 1960s. Currently, digital technology allows composers to control every aspect of sound.

Electronic Music StudioElectronic Music Studio

SynthesizerSynthesizer MIDI – the languageMIDI – the language of digitized music. of digitized music. MIDI stands for MIDI stands for “ “musical instrumentmusical instrument digital interface” digital interface” It is a 16 bit, or hexadecimalIt is a 16 bit, or hexadecimal languagelanguage

Electronic Instruments

Digital technology Computer based Can fine-tune sounds unlike any other method Uses graphical analysis to alter sound files mp3 files can be transported on many types of

listening devices.

Performing GroupsPerforming Groups Symphony OrchestraSymphony Orchestra Concert or symphonic bandConcert or symphonic band Chamber music – pg 57Chamber music – pg 57 Choral music – vocal groupsChoral music – vocal groups

ChorusChorus ChoirChoir

OperaOpera JazzJazz

The OrchestraThe Orchestra

A ChoirA Choir

Instruments of the OrchestraBenjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra

Page 38 in your text.

Britten presents a main theme then a series of variations played by the different sections of the orchestra: woodwinds, strings, brass then percussion.

Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. Prokofiev depicts each character of the story with a specific instrument.