Find the Beat, Feel the Rhythm Chapter 4

What you will learn Explain the difference between beat, rhythm, meter, and accent Identify metric patterns in music, and write these patterns in graphic notation Explain the concept of melodic rhythm Improvise rhythm patterns while coordinating your performance with other musicians in the class

Vocabulary Accent Meter Measure Improvisation Ostinato Syncopation

Musician Profiles Ludwig van Beethoven Scott Joplin

What are rhythm, accent, and meter? Time in music Beat – unit of musical time the beat gives music its energy Beats are the units that organize all the rhythms in music Rhythm – the way music moves through time Accent: Emphasis placed on musical sound

Meter Aural aspect of music in which a certain number of beats are grouped together Usually groups of two (duple) or three (triple) The accents help establish the meter Measure: The division of beats into defined groups separated by a bar line Activity 1, p. 77 CD 3:12

Coordination in music In music, coordination involves keeping more than one rhythm going at one time Musicians often perform more than one complex pattern at the same time Activity 2, p. 79 CD 2:4 Count and coordinate rhythmic patterns Drum set, from above

“Felt” time When you are waiting on the telephone and music is put on, does slow music or fast music help the time pass faster? Why?

Metrical Patterns and Melodic Rhythms Think about patterns around you. What patterns can you think of in plants, animals, weather, mathematics, science, and music As humans, why are we drawn to patterns?

Mixing meters Composers sometimes mix meters to create an interesting rhythmic organization in their music This can be seen in the music of Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov Activity 3, p. 80 CD 3:13 “Procession of the Nobles”

Melodic rhythm The rhythm pattern of a composition’s melody A melodic pattern that is so distinctive that you can hear it just by clapping it Activity 4, p. 81 CD 3:14, Figure 4-1, p. 82 Symphony No. 7, Second Movement Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven German 1770-1827 One of the world’s greatest composers Came from poverty The world’s first self-employed composers Three style periods Early or Vienna (1792-1802) – classical style First noticed hearing loss Listening – Moonlight Sonata Middle (1802-1815) Some of his most important works including Symphony No. 5 Late (1815-1827) He was totally deaf Wrote Missa Solemnis and Symphony No. 9

Rhythms in Everyday Life STOMP Musical group famous for its use of found musical instruments Groups’ goal – “listen to the world in a different way and hear music where maybe they didn’t think there was music before” Activity 5, p.83 CD 3:15 DVD Stomp How does the music of STOMP invite you to listen to the world in a different way? Would you classify this performance as dance? How is it theatre?

Activity 6, p. 84 DVD – STOMP, Island Groove How many different ways do they create sounds with basketballs? Working in groups of four, practice your musical coordination and counting ability. Assign each person a number from one to four. In sequential order, perform each part.

Improvisation Spontaneous musical invention The improviser is simultaneously a composer and performer Most improvisation is done within certain boundaries Elaborate on a familiar melody The improviser and accompaniment must remain coordinated rhythmically and tonally Improvisation is an art with many techniques Some believe that improvisation is the highest form of human thinking Activity 7, p. 86

Rhythm in the music of the Bamileke Music is part of every day life in cultures around the planet Cameroon – a republic of Africa Home to many cultural groups

Rhythmic patterns in Bamileke music The people perform highly rhythmic music to accompany their Lali – warrior dance The dances are performed only by males They symbolize tribal unity and pride Activity 8, p. 88 CD 3:17 Instruments Two-tone bells N’to – mid-sized tubular drum N’ket – large closed drum rattles

Syncopation Deliberate shifts of accent so that it conflicts with the steady The goal is to interrupt or upset the steady beat Creates a feeling of imbalance

Ragtime American music full of syncopation Dance form of the 19th century Usually written down, unlike jazz Amateurs could buy and play the music “The Entertainer” Scott Joplin

Scott Joplin (1868-1917) Born in Texarkana, Texas Taught himself piano Published his first collection in 1899 Ragtime was overshadowed by jazz The movie The Sting (1973) featured Joplin’s music which led to a rediscovery of Ragtime He now holds and important place in American music “Maple Leaf Rag” (1899) named for a club in Sedalia Activity 9, p. 91 CD 3:18

Creative rhythms Blue Man Group From the Top – Rattan Trio CD 1:7 Known for memorable appearance and distinctive performances They take simple ideas and make them sound complex Activity 10, p. 93 CD 3:19/DVD From the Top – Rattan Trio CD 1:7 Chapter Review p. 95 #1-16

Review - terms The aural aspect of music in which a certain number of beats are grouped together Meter The division of beats into defined groups separated by a bar line Measure Type of spontaneous musical invention Improvisation The emphasis place on a musical sound Accent A repeated melodic figure Melodic ostinato

Review – more terms Deliberate shifts of the accent so that it goes against the steady beat Syncopation A repeated musical figure Ostinato Since the first beat of a group is accented, hearing the accent helps establish the… Meter The rhythm pattern of a composition’s melody Melodic rhythm

Review Syncopation Bamileke music creates a feeling of imbalance or something unexpected Feeling is caused by accents falling on weaker beats or between main beats Bamileke music Perform highly rhythmic music to accompany their warrior dance Instruments: two-tone bells, N’to(medium sized tubular drum, N’ket (large closed drum, rattles

Review Why is coordination an important asset for a musician? While keeping a steady beat, a musician often plays one or more complex rhythms simultaneously Explain the difference between beat and rhythm Beat is a unit of musical time, a steady recurring pulse Rhythm is the way music paces itself and moves through time How does Blue Man Group take a very simple musical idea and make it sound richly complex? They make music that sounds complex by subdividing beats into beats of equal length

Review What did Beethoven use for the opening of the Second Movement of his Symphony No. 7 Simple melodic rhythm What did Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov us in “Procession of the Nobles”? Mixed meter Who composed the “Maple Leaf Rag” Scott Joplin When was Ragtime popular? Before World War I

Review - essay Using music terminology, describe the rhythmic techniques used in the segment from STOMP Out Loud to create interest and variety Use of ostinatos Use of found instruments Dramatic dynamics Variety of rhythms Use of movement and sound together

Review- essay What is the function of meter in music? What is meant by the term mixed meters? Meter establishes a certain number of beats per measure This is done with accents A mixed meter means that the number of beats per measure changes with the piece