Texture AP Music Theory Mr Silvagni What is

Texture AP Music Theory Mr. Silvagni

What is Texture in Music? • Music texture is how much is going on in the music at any given moment • Overall, it describes the relationships of melodies and harmonies in a piece of music • Counterpoint – distinct musical lines that sound harmonious when played together…focuses primarily on melodic interaction – This is the composing a bass line free response question

Monophony • Monophony – music that has only one melodic line, with no harmony or counterpoint – there may be rhythmic accompaniment, but only one line with specific pitches – Ex. Solo instrument performance or a choir singing all in unison – NOT to be confused with monody, which refers to a solo vocal style distinguished by having a single melodic line and instrumental accompaniment.

Homophony • Homophony – one clear melodic line with accompaniment – Accompaniment parts may still have melodic interest – Accompaniment may use counterpoint – Ex. Choral music in which the parts have mostly the same rhythms at the same time; barbershop quartet; Protestant hymns – Chordal Homophony – every line or voice moving together with exactly the same rhythm

Homophony – Melody with accompaniment – one clear melody line, but the melody is not limited to chords moving together – Ex. Singer with guitar, small jazz combo, piano solo • Types of accompaniment • Ostinato – short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern repeated • Alberti bass – broken chord bass line, usually (Do-Sol-Mi-Sol) or something similar • Walking bass – a regular quarter-note movement similar to feet walking…rises and falls…mostly found in jazz • Ragtime – features syncopated rhythms over straight rhythms…early 1900 s piano music

Polyphony • Polyphony – more than one independent melody is occurring at the same time – Pure counterpoint/contrapuntal – Ex. Round, canon, fugue – Imitative Polyphony – various melodic lines sound similar – Nonimitative Polyphony – various melodic lines sound independent of each other – Countermelody – a secondary melody or line played simultaneously with a more prominent melody – Fugue – theme or subject is introduced by one voice and is imitated by others (fugal imitation)

Heterophony • Heterophony – one melody line, but different variations of it are being sung or played at the same time – Ex. Bluegrass, Cajun, and zydeco – Other ex. Middle Eastern, South Asian, central Eurasian, and Native American music may have

Other Terms • Solo – single performer or a passage to be performed by a single performer • Soli – directive to perform an indicated passage of a composition with an entire section of an ensemble • Tutti – all members play

Listening Examples Musical Texture in Rock Music http: //www. lipscomb. umn. edu/rock/Texture. htm AP Music Theory: Music Texture https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=_J 2 R 20 X 16 Jc