Introduction to Music: Musical Forms & Styles Instructor: Anthony Johnson Course: Music 100

Musical Form Musical form is the wider perspective of a piece of music. It describes the layout of a composition as divided into sections, akin to the layout of a city divided into neighborhoods. Form in art also has a great deal to do with emotional quality. It is not only a structure or intellectual matter. Remember that the one main function beyond the emotional and structural is: Form is the relationship that connects those beginnings, middles, and ends of musical pieces.

Musical Form A great example of this is found in a symphony. Often times at the end of a symphony the reentry of the melody returns. Lastly: Remember music has 4 essential elements that contribute to form as well as music as a whole: rhythm, melody, harmony, and tone color. These 4 main ingredients of composition are the materials used to manipulate music. The composer uses these elements like any other artesian uses other types of material such as clay.

Musical Form Like the word Rhythm form refers to a broad general meaning. It still refers to the organization of elements within a musical work. A form refers to one of many standardized formal patterns that have been used for centuries. These will be discussed individually throughout this unit. As we go through these standardized patterns are expressed by letter diagrams such as ABA or aba. When you see small letters it usually means that the section you are listening too is often a shorter section within the

Musical Form There are 2 basic factors that create musical form Repitation: in a form where ABA is the musical order the A section is presented and then returns after a contrasting section:It is repeated: Contrast: Is the B section of the musical order and is a introduction of new musical material, being completely different from the A section. Think of the B section this way: Is it in a different mode? Does it contrast in rhythm, texture, or tone color? Does it work by ringing changes on the original material? The real point about great music is the way composers refine, order, and modify, as well as personalize these conventional forms to express their own ideas.

Musical Form Genre This term is used to categorize different styles of music, it was barrowed from the French. Genre is the term. Another term used in this area is: Style. This is another broad term that describes how a composer puts music together. It also can refer to a given time period when music was composed. It is like Art: it is the combination of qualities that make it distinctive. Composers favor different styles like jagged rhythms, simple harmonies or simple tunes. Yet another may like to uses certain types of tone colors or textures, and particular forms. Finally, emotional expression a composer is an important determinant of musical style.

Musical Form Genre Musical style and lifestyle: These 2 terms bear a very close relationship. Lifestyle influences musical style by how cultural situations dictate what is being composed. Example during the baroque period oratorios were written during a particular time of the year when opera was not to be composed or played. How one lives their life often played into the compositions being written, or whom commissioned music, or even where they made a home. We will examine musical style in more detail with individual composers and music and the main concern will be music and not composers or culture, but remember that those factors will make a difference on how style is defined. Yet another may like to uses certain types of tone colors or textures, and particular forms.

Questions & Disscussion 1-What diagram shows the greatest musical contrast? AA AB ABA AABA ABC Answer is ABC 2-A musical composition takes form through: Repetition & Contrast 3-The individual style of a particular composer is described in terms of: How a composer handles musical elements. 4-The arrangement, relationship, or organization of elements in music is called: Form