Elements of Music (Continued)

Elements of Music (Continued)

Melody

Melody

(General) the horizontal aspect of music; pitches heard one after another

(Specific) a series of single tones that add up to a recognizable whole

Melody Characteristics

Direction – Curve, Line

Shape– Beginning, Middle, End

Continuity– How one pitch leads to another– Setting up expectations and fulfilling them

5 3 1 3 5 1

By the dawn’s ear-ly light

3 2 1 3 4 5

Oh, say can you see,

5 5 3 2 1 7

At the twilight’s last gleam-ing

6 7 1 1 5 3 1

What so proud-ly we hailed

1 2 3 1 1 2 3 1Are you sleep-ing? Are you sleep-ing?

3 4 5 3 4 5

5 6 5 4 3 1 5 6 5 4 3 1

1 5 1 1 5 1

Bro-ther John? Bro-ther John?

Morn-ing bells are ring-ing. Morn-ing bells are ring-ing.

Ding, dong, ding. Ding, dong ding.

MOTIVE

A fragment of a melody, or short musical idea that is developed within a composition

A group of notes recognizable for its pitch and rhythmic formulation– Can be repeated in a number of ways and

contexts

PHRASE

Part of a melody A combination of motives forming a

longer connected unit Finished by a musical punctuation

called a CADENCE

CADENCE

Resting place at the end of a phrase in a melody

Musical “punctuation mark” From Latin cadare meaning “to fall” 2 types

– INCOMPLETE or OPEN• Does not sound like you can end the piece here• Gives expectation of continuing (Usually SD 5)

– COMPLETE or CLOSED• Does sound like you can end piece here• Feels complete (Usually SD 1)

1 1 3 3 5 5 3 4 4 2 2 7 7 51 1 3 3 5 5 31 1 4 4 5 5

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

.

motiveX

Y

X

Z

Motive X Y X Z

PHRASE

CADENCE

MELODY

A succession of phrases making a whole span of music

PARAGRAPH =

SENTENCE =

WORD =

Melody

Phrase

Motive

Punctuation Mark Cadence

5 5 5 3 4 4 4 2

5 5 5 3 6 6 6 5

3 3 3 1…

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5 in C Major, Movement 1

.

motiveX

X’ repeatedand transposed down

X

X’ repeatedand transposed up

X’’ contracted and transposed

Beginning of MelodyOne

1712776 5 5 5 1

1712776 5 5 5 1

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5 in C Major, Movement 1

.

Newmotive

Z

X’ from melody oneInverted in shape

NewMotive Zrepeated

X’ from melody oneInverted in shape

Beginning of MelodyTwo

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5 in C Major, Movement 1

Motive “x” - the motive Beethoven called “fate knocking at the door” is constantly present in the whole movement

This motive appears in other 3 movements of symphony also

This motive IS the MAIN IDEA of work

THEME

Main idea of a composition Main idea that serves as a starting point for

an extended piece of music Something that unites and marks a piece

– Can be a motive– Can be a melody– Can be other musical elements

• Dynamics• Timbre, etc.

ANTON WEBERN Third piece from Five Pieces for Orchestra What is theme? What is main idea? Is it a motive or melody? What seems to be the focus or main

idea of this composition?

Melodic Articulations

STACCATO – short, detached, sharp-sounding

• Example: JOSEPH HAYDN Movement 2 from “Surprise” Symphony No. 94 in G Major

LEGATO – smooth

• Example: J.S. BACH “Wachet Auf” Chorale from Cantata #140

CLIMAX

Highest pitch or emotional focus point in a melody or a larger musical work

1 3 5 5 5 5 6 5 5 1 5 123 2 1 7 6 5

5 1 5 6 3 4 3 2 1

J.S. BACH Cantata No. 140 “Wachet auf” (Awake), Movement 7

.

Phrase 1, 2 & 3

5 5 4 3 2 1 5 5 4 3 2 1

2 3 4 3 5 6 7 1 5 1 5 6 3 4 3 2 1

J.S. BACH Cantata No. 140 “Wachet auf” (Awake), Movement 7

.

Phrases 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8

Elements of Music (continued)

Harmony

Harmony

(General) Results when different pitches are sounded at the same time

(Specific) How chords are constructed and how they follow each other

Harmony Terms

INTERVAL– “Distance” in pitch between any 2 tones– Can also refer to 2 pitches sounded

simultaneously CHORD

– Combination of 3 or more pitches sounded at once

Main Concepts of HARMONY these are CULTURALLY DETERMINED

CONSONANCE (n.), CONSONANT (adj.)– Intervals or chords that sound:

• pleasant• relatively stable • free of tension

DISSONANCE (n.), DISSONANT (adj.)– Intervals or chords that sound:

• unpleasant• relatively unstable• full of tension

Examples

CONSONANCE– (1) JOSEPH HAYDN

Movement 2 from “Surprise” Symphony No. 94 in G Major

– (2) J.S. BACH Chorale from Cantata #140 “Wachet Auf”

DISSONANCE– (1) ARNOLD

SCHOENBERG “Mondestrunken” (Moondrunk) from Pierrot Lunaire

– (2) ANTON WEBERN Third piece from Five Pieces for Orchestra

CHROMATICISM

Using pitches that are “in-between” the regular notes of the scale

Leads to greater amount of DISSONANCE in harmony

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

b2 b3 b5 b6 b7

#1 #2 #4 #5 #6

CHROMATICISM

Use of chords containing tones not found in the prevailing major or minor scale but included in the chormatic scale (which has twelve tones); often found in Romantic music

Example: FREDERIC CHOPIN Nocturne in Eb Major

TRIAD

Main type of chord used in classical music

Often called “the common chord” Constructed of 3 notes each 1 step

apart on scale

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

MAJOR TRIAD

Triad with the interval pattern that is formed by notes 1,3, & 5 of a MAJOR SCALE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

MINOR TRIAD

Triad with the interval pattern that is formed by notes 1,3, & 5 of a MINOR SCALE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

KEY (tonality) - central note, scale, and chord within a piece, in relationship to which all other tones in the composition are heard

MAJOR KEY – music based on

major scale

MINOR KEY– music based on

minor scale