Music An Appreciation Brief 8 th edition Roger

Music: An Appreciation, Brief, 8 th edition | Roger Kamien PART I: ELEMENTS 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

Music: vital part of human society • Provides entertainment and emotional release; accompanies activities • Heard everywhere in modern life Recorded music is a 20 th-century innovation • Internet access • Portable audio Live performance: special excitement • Experience affected by emotional state of both performer and audience Evaluating music performances • Background music vs. active listening • Perceptive listening enhances enjoyment • Knowledge of musical elements enhances perception 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

SOUND: pitch, dynamics, tone color Our world is filled with sounds • Sounds can be pleasant or unpleasant • Humans are able to focus on specific sounds • We can ignore sounds that do not interest us Sound • • Begins as a result of vibrating object Transmitted through a medium: air Causes our eardrums to vibrate Impulses sent to brain for processing MUSIC: organization of sounds in time Four main categories of musical sounds • pitch • dynamics • tone color • duration 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

pitch: highness or lowness of sound Determined by frequency of vibration • Fast vibration = high pitch; slow vibration = low pitch • Generally, smaller vibrating objects = higher pitches In music, definite pitch is a tone • Tones have specific frequencies e. g. , 440 cycles (vibrations) per second = A) • Irregular vibrations create sounds of indefinite pitch Interval: distance between 2 tones • Octave: doubling/halving of frequency • Tones an octave apart seem to blend together Western music divides octave into 12 tones Nonwestern music may divide into different number Range: distance between voice or instrument’s highest & lowest possible tones 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

dynamics Relative loudness of a sound • Related to amplitude of vibration producing sound • Changes in dynamics may be sudden or gradual Accent: tone played louder than tones near it Italian terms used to indicate dynamics • Extremes: ppp, pppp, ffff • Crescendo: gradually louder • Decrescendo (diminuendo): gradually softer 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

tone color (timbre) • Quality that identifies an instrument’s sound • Can be bright, dark, mellow, etc. Changes in tone color create variety and contrast Tone colors add a sense of continuity Specific melodies with specific tone colors Unlimited variety of tone colors Composers frequently blend sounds of instruments to create new tone colors Modern electronic technique create new tone colors 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

listening outlines, vocal music guides, and properties of sound Listening Outlines & Vocal Music Guides • • Helps focus attention on musical events as they occur Preceded by description of the music’s main features Listening Outline: points out notable musical sounds Vocal Music Guide: helps the listener follow the thought, story, or drama *Suggestion: While listening to one passage, look ahead to what is next 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

Listen, then follow the listening outline to this selection in CONNECT MUSIC Note: • Tone colors through instrumentation • Dynamic contrasts LISTENING The Firebird, scene 2 (1910) Igor Stravinsky 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

Listen, then follow the listening outline to this selection in CONNECT MUSIC Listen for: • Tone colors • Repeated note melody • Improvised solos • Muted brass instruments LISTENING C-Jam Blues (1942) Duke Ellington 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

PERFORMING MEDIA: voices and instruments Voices: unique ability to fuse words & musical tones • Voice range is based on physical makeup & training • Voice classifications Female soprano (highest) mezzo-soprano alto Male tenor baritone bass (lowest) • Vocal music is frequently performed with instrumental accompaniment 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

Musical instruments: any mechanism (other than voice) that produces musical sounds • Western instruments: 6 broad categories string woodwind brass • • percussion keyboard electronic Made in different sizes for range variety Tone color may vary with the register Provide entertainment; used for accompaniment Instruments’ popularity rises and falls with changing musical tastes 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

string instruments Sound produced by vibrating tight cable shorter the string and tighter the tension, higher the pitch (& vice versa) Orchestral bowed instruments • violin • viola • cello (violoncellon) • bass (double bass) Common playing techniques • pizzicato • vibrato • tremolo • double stop • harmonics • mute Some string instruments not played with bow Guitar & harp use plectrum (small wedge; pick) 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

woodwind instruments Traditionally, woodwinds were made of wood • • In the 20 th century, metal & plastic became common The longer the tube, the lower the pitch – Holes along instrument change the length of the tube Main orchestral woodwinds and ranges: Woodwinds: single note instrument Sounds produced by blowing (player’s breath) • “whistle mouthpiece” • single reed • double reed • saxophone: single reed instrument; common in jazz 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

brass instruments Orchestral brasses (in order of range) • • trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba cornet, baritone horn, & euphonium used mainly in concert and in marching bands Sound produced by blowing into mouthpiece • • Vibration of player’s lips produces sound Sound exits through flared end called bell Pitch changed in 2 ways: ― Pressure of player’s lips (together and against mouthpiece) ― Lengthening the instrument via slide or valves o o o Trombone uses sliding tubes Others use valves connected to additional tubing Generally, the longer the tube, the lower the pitch Tone color is altered by inserting mute into bell Brass provides power and emphasis in music 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

percussion instruments Sound (generally) produced by striking, shaking, or rubbing the instrument • • • Instruments of definite pitch produce tones Those of indefinite pitch produce noise-like sounds Membranes, pieces of wood or metal vibrate Percussionists must play many instruments Percussion traditionally emphasizes rhythm 20 th-century music: greater use of percussion 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

electronic instruments • Produce or amplify sound using electronics – Invented ~1904, significant impact only after 1950 – Modern technology blurs lines between instrument types, recording, computer, and hybrid devices • Tape studio: main electronic tool of 1950 s • Synthesizers came into use in 1960 s – Huge machines first built in mid-1950 s – Analog synthesis dominated until ~1980 – Digital (FM) synthesis came to forefront in 1980 s Effects devices were integrated into digital synthesizers – Sampling technology advanced in 1990 s • MIDI (1983) allowed connection of devices • Small computers develop in 1970 s & 80 s • Modern composers connect these devices, use software, and write new types of music 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

Listen, then follow the listening outline to this selection in CONNECT MUSIC Listen for: • Themes, variations • Contrast • Repetition • Various orchestral instruments LISTENING The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (1946) Benjamin Britten 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

RHYTHM • Flow of music through time • Particular arrangement of note lengths BEAT – Recurrent pulsation – Divides music into equal units of time METER – Grouping of beats – 2 s and 3 s; strong and weak beats ACCENT and SYNCOPATION – Accent: note is emphasized – Syncopation: emphasis placed on an unexpected note or beat 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

tempo • The speed of the beat; the pace associated with emotional effect • Tempo indicated at beginning of piece – As with dynamics, Italian terms are used – Molto, non troppo, accelerando, ritardando • Metronome: indicates exact tempo 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

MUSIC NOTATION • Written music stores information – Allows composer to communicate their ideas to others Notating pitch • • Letter names: A B C D E F G Staff • Grand Staff − G Clef or Treble − F Clef or Bass 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

n otating pitch Keyboard note names with notation 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

notating rhythm • music notation indicates length of tone in relation to other tones in the piece How note looks indicates duration Notating Silence Rests indicate notated silence 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

notating meter • Time signature indicates the meter of a piece of music – – – 2 4 – Appears at beginning of piece Appears again whenever meter changes Written as two numbers, one above other 3 top number: how many beats per measure 2 bottom number: what type note counts 1 beat Common and cut time; duple and triple meter The Score • • Includes music for every instrument Can include 20+ lines of music at once 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

MELODY • • • A series of single notes that add up to a recognizable whole Begins, moves, ends Tension and release Stepwise vs. leap motion Climax Legato vs. staccato Made of phrases (parts) Sequence within melodies Cadence: complete vs. incomplete LISTENING Over the Rainbow (1938) Harold Arlen Listen, then follow the listening outline to this selection in CONNECT MUSIC 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

HARMONY • The way chords are constructed and how they follow each other • Chord: three or more tones sounded at once – chord is simultaneous tones – Melody is a series of individual tones • Progression: how chords follow each other Consonance and Dissonance • Stable, restful chords (consonant) • Unstable, tense chords (dissonant) degree of dissonance—more and less dissonant • Resolution: movement away from a dissonance, towards consonance 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

the triad • Simplest, most basic chord Made up of three notes Notated on 3 adjacent lines or spaces • Tonic: triad built on 1 st scale note Most stable, restful chord Pieces usually begin and end on this chord • Dominant: triad built on 5 th scale note Most unstable, tense chord Dominant to tonic movement feels conclusive Broken Chords (Arpeggios) • Chord tones sounded in series 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

KEY Centering of a melody or harmony around a central note The Major Scale Whole steps and half steps occurring in a predetermined order bright, happy sound The Minor Scale Whole steps and half steps occurring in a different predetermined order dark, sad sound 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

Listen, then follow the listening outline to this selection in CONNECT MUSIC Note: • Harmony for variety and movement LISTENING Prelude in e minor for piano, Op. 28, No. 4 (1839) Frédéric Chopin 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

key signature • Pieces using major scales—major key • Pieces using minor scales—minor key • Number of sharps or flats played determines scale and key – Also determines key signature – Key signature notated at beginning of piece between clef sign and time signature The Chromatic Scale Utilizes all 12 notes within the octave – Includes both black and white piano keys – This scale does not define a key 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

modulation: change of key • Provides contrast within longer piece • Modulation like temporary shift in gravity new tone and key becomes “home” Tonic Key The main key of a piece • Modulations away to different keys usually return to the tonic key • Return to tonic creates feeling of resolution and conclusion return to tonic usually occurs near end of piece 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

MUSICAL TEXTURE Layering of sound, how layers relate Monophonic Texture Single, unaccompanied melody literally “one sound” Polyphonic Texture Two or more equally important melodies sounding simultaneously Homophonic Texture One melody with chordal accompaniment Changes of Texture Within a piece, creates variety and contrast 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

Listen, then follow the listening outline to this selection in CONNECT MUSIC Note: • Contrasting textures LISTENING Farandole from L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2 (1879) Georges Bizet 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

MUSICAL FORM Organization of musical elements in time Techniques that create musical form • Repetition—restating musical ideas • Contrast—avoiding monotony with new ideas • Variation—reworking ideas to keep them new Types of Musical Form Ternary • simple • subdivided 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

Listen, then follow the listening outline to this selection in CONNECT MUSIC Note: • Ternary form LISTENING Dance of the Reed Pipes from Nutcracker Suite (1892) Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

types of musical form Binary • • AB ABB AABB LISTENING Listen, then follow the listening outline to this selection in CONNECT MUSIC Bourée from Suite in e minor for lute (1710) Johann Sebastian Bach 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education

MUSICAL STYLE • Characteristic way of using melody, rhythm, tone, color, dynamics, harmony, texture, and form • Western art music can be divided into: Middle Ages, 450 -1450 Renaissance, 1450 -1600 Baroque, 1600 -1750 Classical, 1750 -1820 Romantic, 1820 -1900 20 th Century to 1945 to present • Shaped by political, economic, social, and intellectual developments 2014 © Mc. Graw-Hill Education