Elements of Music 3 Properties Of A Musical

Elements of Music

3 Properties Of A Musical Sound n Pitch n Dynamics n Tone Color Timbre

Pitch (musical term) n Relative highness or lowness of a sound n Frequency = (scientific term) n Speed or rate of vibrations in a sound producing body n

Interval n the “distance” in pitch between two tones Octave § the interval between two tones in which the higher tone has twice the frequency of the lower tone

Scale n A series of pitches arranged in order from low to high or high to low Tonic/Keynote the central tone of a melody or a larger piece of music (#1 or “do” in scale) n when the piece is in the key of C major, for example, C is the keynote. n

12345671 Tonic

Major Scale n the series of seven different tones within an octave, with an eighth tone repeating the first tone an octave higher, consisting of a specific pattern of intervals. The intervals in this scale sound “brighter” Major Key n music based on the major scale

Minor Scale n the series of seven different tones within an octave, with an eighth tone repeating the first tone an octave higher, consisting of a specific pattern of intervals. The intervals in this scale sound “darker” and “more serious-sounding” Minor Key n music based on the minor scale

JOSEPH HAYDN Symphony No. 94 in G Major (the “Surprise”), Movement 2 1133553 4422775.

1 2 3 1 Are you sleep-ing? 3 4 5 Bro-ther John? 5 6 5 4 3 1 Morn-ing bells are ring-ing. 1 5 1 Ding, dong, ding. Ding, dong ding.

GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Movement 3 (Funeral March) 1 2 321 345 5654321 5 5 1.

FRANZ SCHUBERT “Der Müller und der Bach” (The Miller and the Stream) from Die schöne müllerin (The Maid of the Hill) . 5 543252 5 7 5423 3 5 543262 17254321

English The Miller: When a true heart Dies of love, Then lilies wither In every border German Der Muller: Wo ein treues Herze In Liebe vergeht, Da welken die Lilien Auf jedem Beet. Into the clouds must The full moon go So that its tears Men do not see. Da muss in die Wolken Der Vollmond gehn, Damit seine Tränen Die Menschen nicht sehn. Then angels keep Their eyes shut, And sob and sing The soul to rest! Da halten die Englein Die Augen sich zu, Und schuchzen und singen Die Seele zur Ruh!

The Brook: English And when love Conquers pain A new star Twinkles in the sky. German Der Bach: Und wenn sich die Liebe Dem Schmerz entringt, Ein Sternlein, Ein newes Am Himmel erblinkt. Then three roses Da springen drei Rosen, spring Halb rot und halb weiss, Half red and half white, Die welken nicht wieder, And never wither on Aus Dornenreis. their sprig of thorn. Und die Engelein Schneiden And the angels cut Die Flügel sich ab, Off their wings Und gehn alle Morgen And go every morning Sur Erde herab.

English German The Miller: Der Muller: Ah stream, Ach Bächlein, dear stream, liebes Bächlein, You mean it so well; Du meinst es so gut; But do you know, Ach Bächlein, stream, aber weisst du, what love means? Wie Liebe tut? Ah down below, below Is cool rest! Ah stream, dear Ach, unten, da unten, Die Kühle Ruh! Ach Bächlein, liebes Bächlein,

Dynamics = Volume n Degrees of loudness or softness in music

Italian musical terms used for DYNAMICS n Pianissimo = very soft (pp) n Piano = soft (p) n Mezzo-piano = medium soft (mp) n Mezzo-forte = medium loud (mf) n Forte = loud (f) n Fortissimo = (ff)

Accent n Emphasis of a note, which may result from its being louder, longer, or higher in pitch than the notes near it. n Example: – IGOR STRAVINSKY “Dances of the Youths and Maidens” from The Rite of Spring

Crescendo n Gradually louder. (Often abbreviated cresc. ) Descrescendo / Diminuendo § Gradually softer. (Often abbreviated descrec. Or dim. )

GEORGES BIZET Faradole from L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2 • ff - MINOR • pp - MAJOR • Long crescendo to • fff - MAJOR • ff - MINOR alternates with pp • MAJOR at the end.