The Structures and Purposes of Music

1.1 Purposes of Music Ceremonial: ritual, celebration, commemoration. Recreational: music as a means of diversion to support recreational activities, dances, social gatherings, festivals. Artistic Expression: To communicate emotion, feeling, ideas or information (narrative).

Elements of Music 1. Melody - The main theme or part of a musical composition, the “tune” (something you can sing, hum, play, or whistle). Pitch is the highness or lowness of sounds.

Accidentals Are used to raise or lower pitch

Music Elements 2. Harmony - Accompanying parts or musical lines that are not the melody By instruments or voice No instruments, just voice is call- a cappella Texture-thickness of sound monophonic, homophonic, and polyphonic.

Three Textures of Harmony Monophonic (one sound) music is performed in unison; Everyone sings or plays the same part or pitches at the same time. Example-Gregorian Chant

Homophonic Same sound music has multiple or different parts sung or played at the same time, Example-hymn or chorale.

Polyphonic Many sounds music has multiple, independent parts that are sung or played at the same time or different times. Examples of rounds (canon) and madrigals

3. Rhythm Patterns of sounds and silence, pulse (beat). How the sounds and silence divide time. The bar lines on the staff divide the sections into measures. Fraction at beginning of staff is called a meter signature or time signature.

1.2 Continuing Elements 4.Duration The duration of musical sound is shown by using different kinds of notes. The duration of silence is notated using rests.

Staff The musical staff is made up of five horizontal lines and four spaces.

Used for higher instruments/voices Treble Clef (G Clef) Read bottom to top Bottom notes lower Top notes higher Lines Every Good Boy Does Fine Spaces FACE Used for higher instruments/voices

Used for lower instruments/voices Bass Clef (F Clef) Lines Good Burritos Don’t Fall Apart Spaces All Cows Eat Grass

Grand Staff (both together)

You will have to be able to identify, label and know value

A little bit of math….

5. Tempo Speed of the beat or pulse. Whether or not the speed changes and how it changes. Allegro - Fast Moderato - Moderate Adagio - Slow Largo - Very Slow Metronome is a mechanical device that ticks or beeps audibly at a steady tempo

6.Dynamics Dynamics are degrees of loudness or softness (volume) and the intensity of sound. Forte (strong or loud) Piano (soft). Crescendo-increase the volume Decrescendo-decrease the volume

7. Timbre/Tone Color The quality of sound as determined by the instruments or voices that are performing the music. Instruments Voices Woodwinds Soprano (F) Tenor (M) Brass Mezzo Soprano (F) Baritone (M) Strings Alto (F) Bass (M) Percussion

1.3 Music Forms AB ABA Rondo- form has a main theme is repeated but other parts added ABACA or ABACABA Theme and Variation mostly seen in classical periods as a symphony. Call and Response- ritual and religious music, and in music used for teaching.

Music Forms Round (Canon) - Simple melody performed by different groups of singers starting at different times. Example: Row, Row, Row Your Boat. Verse and Chorus (Verse and Refrain) - Verses with the same melody but different words, ending with a refrain or chorus each time that has the same melody and words.

Opera Combines music and theatre Involves a story sung on stage with sets, costumes, lights and an orchestra. Began in the early 1600s in Italy. Overture – This is the music played by the orchestra before the curtain opens for the first act. Aria –the song sung by a principal character in the opera. Recitative - is the sung dialogue between the performers that moves the plot along. It is like sung speech.