GCSE Music – 9-1
Baroque Concerto
Years
1625-1750
Composers
Bach / Handel / Purcell
/ Vivaldi
Strings
Violins
Violas
Cellos
Double Bass
Woodwind
Flute
Recorder
Oboe
Bassoon
Brass
Natural Horns
Natural Trumpets
Percussion
Timpani
Keyboard
Harpsichord
Organ
Orchestra
Key Features
- Use of harpsichord
/ continuo
- Small orchestra
(Woodwind:
recorders, oboes,
bassoons, flutes /
Brass: Natural
horns, natural
trumpets)
- Terraced dynamics
- Lots of
ornamentation
- Polyphony
Concerto Grosso
A form of concerto with
a group of soloists rather
than just 1.
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/wXtYLSKXjgo
https://youtu.be
/4ObukMS1v0w
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/UNsrdjzLrzM
https://youtu.be
/m1k_yexUE6s
https://youtu.be
/uIzgayrp7gE
GCSE Music – 9-1
Classical Concerto
Years
1750-1825
Composers
Beethoven / Haydn /
Mozart / Schubert
Strings
Violins
Violas
Cellos
Double Bass
Woodwind
Flute
Clarinet
Oboe
Bassoon
Brass
French Horns
Trumpets
Trombones
Percussion
Timpani
Snare Drum
Bass Drum
Cymbals
Keyboard
n/a
Orchestra
Key Features
- Slightly larger
orchestra –
standard set-up
(More strings /
Woodwind: no
recorders, add
flutes / Brass: no
natural
instruments, add
trumpets,
trombones, and
French horns /
more use of
timpani)
- More melodic
content
- Balanced phrases
- Alberti bass
- Greater reliance on
tonic-dominant
chord sequences
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/81POr1RrcCc
https://youtu.be
/6-7VbxD-1dA
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/o_gm0NCabPs
https://youtu.be
/0Cg_0jepxow
https://youtu.be
/vpFaWJQHwbA
GCSE Music – 9-1
Romantic Concerto
Years
1825-1913
Composers
Liszt / Mendelssohn /
Schumann /
Tchaikovsky
Strings
Violins
Violas
Cellos
Double Bass
Harp
Woodwind
Flute
Piccolo
Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Oboe
Cor Anglais
Bassoon
Contrabassoon
Brass
French Horns
Trumpets
Trombones
Tuba
Percussion
Timpani
Snare Drum
Bass Drum
Cymbals
Xylophones
Glockenspiel
Lots of small percussion
Keyboard
Piano
Celeste
Orchestra
Key Features
- Large orchestra
- Chromatic harmony
- More interesting and
growingly
ambiguous tonalities
- Longer melodic
phrases, and
generally more
memorable tunes
- More varieties in
texture, dynamics,
tempos, and
tonalities with more
frequent changes
- Chromatic melodic
lines
- Greater use of
expression,
programme, and
rubato
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/7VJtknZcQk0
https://youtu.be
/TeG5bK_gNJU
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/o1dBg__wsuo
https://youtu.be
/_W1_shm7vdE
https://youtu.be
/rEGOihjqO9w
GCSE Music – 9-1
African Music
Country
Sub-Saharan countries
Instruments Key Features
- Variety of drum
sounds including
different hands,
open, and muted
sounds.
- Polyrhythms
- Cross rhythms
- Call & response
- Short melodies
- Percussion based
- Led by master
drummer
- Cyclic rhythmic
patterns
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/IqZkm3iHXUo
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/kZHfmgIb4mc
https://youtu.be
/Rde_f5lbceE
https://youtu.be
/B4oQJZ2TEVI
Dundun Djembe
Agogo
Talking Drum
Vocals
Bells and Rattles
Balafon Mbira
GCSE Music – 9-1
Indian Classical
Music
Country
India
Instruments
Key Features
- Raga – collection of
notes improvised
on
- Drone – repeated
note/set of notes
- Tala – A rhythmic
cycle. The table
plays the tala, the
most famous being
the tintal (16
beats) or Jhaptal
(10 beats)
- Structure:
- Alap – free time;
exploratory intro
- Gat – clear pulse;
improvised; fixed
phrases
- Jhala – fast and
exciting; complex;
virtuosic
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/hxOPn3Lww4E
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/-wra4p4zARw
https://youtu.be
/9xB_X9BOAOU
https://youtu.be
/kfBvz2rG-NI
Vocals
Tanpura (drone – similar to sitar)
Tabla – (two drums; play tala)
Sitar (melodic – plays the raga)
GCSE Music – 9-1
Bhangra
Country
India / UK
Instruments
Key Features
- A FUSION of
traditional Punjabi
music and western
dance music (club
based). 80s+
- Use of chaal
rhythm
- Shouts of hoi
- Sung in Punjabi
- Lots of technology
- Traditional
bhangra a harvest
music from the
Punjabi region
- Mixed with
Western Pop in UK
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/0G-ye4xnqPE
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/Pm2uQDvjAK0
https://youtu.be
/xwwAVRyNmgQ
https://youtu.be
/7TcD_IeMdG4
Vocals
Tanpura (drone – similar to sitar)
Dhol
Sitar (melodic – plays the raga)
Drum Kit
Bass Guitar
GCSE Music – 9-1
Greek Music
Country
Greece
Instruments
Key Features
- Music to dance to
- Unusual metres
(5/8 or 7/8)
- Simple melodies
with
ornamentation.
Conjunct
- Use of thirds in
harmony
- Short sections with
repetition
- Use of tremolo in
bouzouki
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/lx2AHOSAN6M
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/K3_udupzKAg
https://youtu.be
/zx-a_17OVc4
Vocals
Defi (hand drum)
Doumbek (traditional drum)
Bouzouki (lute like instrument)
GCSE Music – 9-1
Israeli &
Palestinian Music
Country
Israel & Palestine
Instruments
Key Features
- Use of modes
- Three tones on
drum (doum [low],
Tek [high right
hand], & Ka [high
left hand])
- Wazn – rhythmic
Arabic pattern
- Some irregular
time signatures
- Israeli music used
for dancing with
more common
time signatures,
are fast, and use
more
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/lx2AHOSAN6M
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/--UABwqW9Sg
https://youtu.be
/hQ5OBio4Cy0
https://youtu.be
/BxSEVBqkQOo
Israeli Only: Clarinet
Israeli Only: Accordion
Doumbek (traditional drum)
Oud (lute like instrument) Israeli Only: Violin
GCSE Music – 9-1
Samba
Country
Brazil
Instruments
Key Features
- Always in 2 (metre)
- Polyrhythmic
- Call & response
- Led by one player
on the repinique
- Music taught
aurally
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/Eq3RRGIG86Q
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/jQLvGghaDbE
https://youtu.be
/oD8EITpCvww
https://youtu.be
/lRt1jTd5G8c
Agogo
Surdo – large drum
Led by repinique and whistle
Tamborim – incredibly high pitched drum Caixa – snare drum
Brass Vocals
GCSE Music – 9-1
Calypso
Country
The Caribbean
Instruments Key Features
- Call & response in
the chorus
- Short phrases and
simple
- Syncopation
- Major
- Melody &
accompaniment
- Use of tremolo on
Steel Pans
- Story led songs
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/33iCZ3C6U5k
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/woBZME7sN3E
https://youtu.be
/rfBW1SaQTAo
https://youtu.be
/MpxoUs_3tfw
Maracas Guitar Steel Pans Vocals
GCSE Music – 9-1
Film Music
Music Composed for Film
Composers
John Williams / Hans
Zimmer / John Barry
Key Features
- Music represents the action on screen
- Create links between elements and mood
- A sad film may have a minor key and a slow
tempo.
- A romantic film may have lots of strings,
sudden swells in dynamics, and lots of
suspensions.
- A creepy film will be chromatic, have sudden
changes in dynamics, texture, and pitch.
- A war film will be stirring, at 120 bpm, have
lots of brass and percussion like a marching
band
- Films use leitmotif – these are themes based
around individual characters and/or scenes.
See all of Star Wars’ music!
Classical Music used in
Film
Composers
Beethoven / Wagner
Music Composed for
Video Games
Composers
Koji Kodo / Michael
Giacchino
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/XacNZ5fRBuI
https://youtu.be
/yVVg-95K2nc
https://youtu.be
/N0zU7E_-5qo
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/as_FkQenP-8
https://youtu.be
/aXnxGDxtff4
GCSE Music – 9-1
Rock ‘n’ Roll Years
1950s-1960s
Artists
Elvis / Buddy Holly / The
Beatles / The Beach
Boys
Vocals Drum kit Bass guitar Rhythm guitar Electric guitar
Early rock n roll Instruments
Key Features
- Use of 12 bar blues
chord sequence
- Blue notes
- Upbeat
- Swung sometimes
- Improvisation in
solos
- Melody and
accompaniment
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/51PBI9CIlTs
https://youtu.be
/W2rSTMiXT3Q
https://youtu.be
/NzVanMOoT3g
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/gj0Rz-uP4Mk
https://youtu.be
/Yjyj8qnqkYI
https://youtu.be
/lD4sxxoJGkA
Saxophone Piano
Later add:
Add orchestra;
more brass;
acoustic guitar;
strings
GCSE Music – 9-1
Rock Anthems
Years
1970s-1980s
Artists
Queen / ACDC / Bon
Jovi / Led Zeppelin
Vocals Drum kit Bass guitar Electric guitar
Early rock anthem
Instruments Key Features
- Melody driven
- Loud
- Moderately fast
- M&A
- Straight rhythms
- Showy solos
- More technology
- Heavy backbeat
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/1aH6TGNmRmE
https://youtu.be
/W2rSTMiXT3Q
https://youtu.be
/NzVanMOoT3g
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/-tJYN-eG1zk
https://youtu.be
/RPTk5poAa1c
https://youtu.be
/lDK9QqIzhwk
Later add:
More technology;
synth;
organ;
brass
GCSE Music – 9-1
Pop Ballads
Years
1970s-1990s
Artists
Elton John / Whitney
Houston / Nilsson
Vocals Piano Bass guitar Acoustic guitar
Early pop ballad
Instruments
Key Features
- Focus on vocals
and lyrics
- Slow
- sometimes minor
- Countermelody
- Usually 4/4
- Rubato
- Inversions in
chords
- Sentimental
- Reverb
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/1aH6TGNmRmE
https://youtu.be
/W2rSTMiXT3Q
https://youtu.be
/NzVanMOoT3g
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/8dnUv3DUP4E
https://youtu.be
/NoOhnrjdYOc
https://youtu.be
/3JWTaaS7LdU
Later add:
More technology;
Backing vocals;
Strings;
Lots of instruments
GCSE Music – 9-1
Solo Artists
Years
1990s-2010s
Artists
Michael Jackson /
Britney Spears / Adele
Vocals Piano Bass guitar Acoustic guitar
Instruments Key Features
- Over-produced
- Build ups in
instrumentation
and textures
- Use of hooks and
riffs
- No fixed genre –
anything solo in
this period!
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/1aH6TGNmRmE
https://youtu.be
/W2rSTMiXT3Q
https://youtu.be
/NzVanMOoT3g
YouTube
https://youtu.be
/XAi3VTSdTxU
https://youtu.be
/CduA0TULnow
https://youtu.be
/fLexgOxsZu0
Strings Backing Singers Technology Electric guitar