Music Appreciation :/
duple pattern
1-2-1-2-1-2 ex: twin kle,| twin kle,| lit tle
wide range
10 or more notes between highest and lowest difficult ex rhapsody in blue
chord
3 or more pitches played at same time
trio
3 singers
quartet
4 singers
staff
5 lines, 4 spaces between
narrow range
5 notes or less easier to sing ex lucy lockett
CANTATA
A cantata uses operatic singing and instrumentalists to tell a shorter story. The cantata was then adopted by the Lutheran church to tell a short Biblical story on some Sundays and for special religious holidays.
Ground Bass
A descending line that represents grief and despair in Baroque opera Transitions to Dido's aria Low instruments on a descending line Listen to the line that is ONLY in the orchestra. It begins with orchestra alone and then continues when Dido sings her aria.
Baroque Suite
A group of short instrumental dances Used for social dancing or a sit-down concert Dances of contrasting moods Usually 3-6 dances in the suite Moderate tempo dances: allemande, courante, sarabande, minuet Fast (Allegro) dances gigue, bouree, hornpipe, gavotte, passapied Sectional dance forms Binary (AABB) Ternary (ABA) Can be performed by solo instrument, small group, or orchestra
Gregorian chant
A monophonic, unaccompanied style of liturgical singing that takes its name from Pope Gregory the Great 4 lines instead of 5 like we use today. square markings tell singer what pitch to sing but not how long to hold note. duration/rhythm shapes later developed
ballade
A-A-B
virelai
A-B-A
Hildegard of Bingen
Abbess of a religious house in Western Germany; one of first important women composesrs and contributor to Gregorian chant; had visions and was mystic and prophet to kings, popes, emperors, priests ppl believed her music was not gregorian chant and therefore not appropriate for a Mass. It is not gregorian chant bc she aint a monk. music was stated to be created by a human and not for divine intervention. music used in feasts and celebration
Countermelody
An accompanying melody sounded against the principal melody. second melody played at same time
Recitative: "Thy hand, Belinda"
By Dido Minor key because Dido is sad Syllabic text setting. Some neumatic syllables for decoration. When you listen, hear how it is a lot like dialogue. The syllabic setting helps you hear this. Read the text - Dido is telling Belinda she is ready to die.
Aria: "When I am laid in Earth"
Dido emoting Soprano voice More lyrical with some leaps and neumatic syllables Notice how it is different than the recitative in style.
Oratorios
Early Oratorios Sponsored by Catholic Church Catholic sacred plays with music Dramatic story from the Bible Recitative, arias, orchestral music, chorus On stage NO costumes, acting, or scenery Public stage outside of the church Hoped to spread the Word to a larger audience English Oratorio Elements of Catholic oratorio (sacred story), Italian Opera (virtuosic singing), and English choral music NOT Church-sponsored Created and composed by George Frideric Handel Protestant Profit for him
what do we measure vibration frequencies in
Hertz
who writes opera
In opera, the music is written by the composer - this includes instrumental pieces, as well as the music and melodies for the singers. A librettist writes the words for all of the songs. These two people work together to write the opera, and then work with stage managers and directors to stage the opera, plus costume mistresses, makeup artists, set designers, technicians, and more. It is a grand affair!
opening hornpipe
It is a lively dance is a sailor's dance in triple meter that uses a rhythm called a "scotch snap." Instrumentation: string orchestra with harpsichord, solo voice, and chorus. Form: Strophic (A-A-A) Hear how the melody stays the same, but it is presented 3 ways. A - Orchestral Prelude A - Solo Singer A - Chorus
polyphony
Music with two or more melodies blended together.
monophony
ONE single voice or instrument line NO ACCOMPANIMENT
sharp #
Raises the pitch by 1/2 step
Act III: Recitative, Ground Bass, Lament
Recitative: Dido tells her handmaid, Belinda, that she has decided to end her life (plot moving forward) Ground Bass: descending line in low instruments that represents Dido's descent into despair (transition) GROUND BASS: all melodies, chords, etc. are built on top of an unchanging (repeating) melody in the lowest line of music (the base) Aria: Dido laments on why she is heartbroken (emoting)
LUTHERAN CANTATA
The Lutheran Cantata is a collection of elaborate chorales with new poetry stanzas and elements of opera to create a short, sacred stage narrative.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
The composer who popularized the Lutheran Chorale and also the culminating figure of the Baroque musical style is Johann Sebastian Bach. We can thank Bach's studies and compositions for much of the evolution of music. Many of his works are still unrivaled by any other composer. known for rich Lutheran chorales and cantatas, as well as LOTS of polyphony in his organ and harpsichord works. He was a master of intertwining multiple melodies at one time in his polyphonic pieces, but we will look at those later. Bach was a Keyboard virtuoso; especially Organ
opera (2)
The emotions of the characters were strengthened in their songs and the instrumental music set the tone and mood for each scene. Operas were developed and gained popularity in Italy, which is why many operas are written in Italian. Remember how dramatic those Italian Madrigals were? The Italians channeled that drama into opera! Operas are ENTIERLY SUNG
Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
The popularity of opera in Baroque Italy spread across Europe - especially to France and England. wrote an opera in 1689 called Dido and Aeneas and it is FULL of drama! It was based on Aeneid by Roman author, Virgil. - Hero, Aeneas, becomes shipwrecked on the island of Carthage Dido, the queen of Carthage, and Aeneas, fall in love A meddling witch is unhappy with their love and tricks Aeneas into believing he is being called back to battle Aeneas chooses duty over love, leaves with his men, and Dido dies of a broken heart
Bach's Cantata No. 140, the Chorale Fantasia.
This music depicts the Watchman and a wake-up call. Read the lyrics in your book on page 121 - awake, arise - the music ascends with the call to wake. This movement is: Opening celebration song Uses the original chorale text and melody For chorus and orchestra 4 part choir Orchestra with choir OR Ritornello - short, recurring passage by orchestra alone Polyphonic Sopranos in high, slow-moving original chorale text and melody Altos, tenors, basses, and orchestra in polyphony underneath the sopranos Bar Form: A-A-B with ritornellos in between Ritornello-A-Ritornello-A-Ritornello-B-Ritornello
Bingen: Alleluia, O virga mediatrix
This song is not Gregorian Chant, as it was not written by one of the Gregorian Monks. What do you hear? choir Monophonic - ONE melodic line with NO accompaniment Melismatic setting on "Alleluia" Conjunct melody No meter Hear how the piece is in three parts. It begins with an Alleluia section which is in a responsorial style - a soloist and then the choir repeating. It then goes into a prayer to the Virgin Mary, and ends with the Alleluia. melody: unaccompanied, conjunct line texture:monophonic
early opera elements
Virtuosic vocal Music Instrumental Music (for accompaniment, mood, and scene changes) Poetry Acting Scenery Costumes
Handel: Water Music, Suite in D Major, Alla Hornpipe
What instruments do you hear? Can you hear them trading off melodic lines? Brass - trumpets and french horn Woodwinds - flutes, oboes, and bassoons Strings Harpsichord (in some recordings) What is the form? Ternary! And Handel provides a contrasting B section to help you and dancers hear the new section. A - Major tonality and lively tempo B - Minor tonality and reflective A - return to the opening section pg 137
Can music have no meter?
Yes; there is no consistent rhythm pattern of strong and weak beats ex: in catholic medieval church and Islamic chant
weak beat vs strong beat in poems or song lyrics
_ vs /
Lutheran Chorale
a monophonic spiritual melody or religious folksong of the Lutheran church, what today is called by many Christian denominations a "hymn." A chorale is a hymn that is sung by the congregation and choir each week and originated in the Lutheran church. The chorales use Bible text translated into German and sometimes added German poetry. This text was then harmonized for 4-part choir
Bach's Cantata No. 140 is called, Wachet auf, or Sleepers, Awake
about the Watchman sounding a call for wise virgins to meet the arriving Bridegroom, who is Christ. The story urges Lutherans to prepare for the second coming of Christ. Bach took a chorale he had written about the parable and used it as the basis of this cantata. Sleepers, Awake Awake! The voice of the Watchmen calls us from high On the tower, Awake, town of Jerusalem
chorus
all cast members on stage
homorhythm
all voices or lines move together in the same rhythm MUST have same rhythm
scale (do re mi)
allows pitch organization made of half and whole notes
form
architecture of a composition
ensemble numbers
are songs where many several characters sing simultaneously. There is power in the masses in these numbers and they are often singing about the situation at hand. Some ensemble music is like a dialogue and conversational.
arias
are tuneful emotional releases. They are sung by a SOLO singer. Time is paused for an aria - the singer is expressing their feelings and emotions.
what is rhythm made of
beats ex music notes
offbeats
beats between first and last beat weaker than the downbeat
rondeau
begins with refrain; A-B
complete cadence
definite resting place, giving a sense of finality, at the end of a phrase in a melody
melodic range
described as narrow, medium, wide
Melody: Range
distance between its lowest and highest notes of a melody (think of range in math)
interval
distance between two pitches ex conjunct or disjunct
incomplete cadence
end of staff but not sentence
downbeat
first (STRONG) beat of a measure counted as "1" called downbeat bc the conductor moves their baton down on ONE
tonic
first note of a scale
quadrule meter
glo ry, glo ry hal le | lu - jah! - | glo ry, glo-ry hal le | lu - jah - 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4
crescendo <
growing louder
decresendo (decresc.) >
growing softer
consonance
harmony sounds pleasant or agreeable
dialogue
in a stage play or on-screen drama moves along plot and emotion. It is SPOKEN words between characters.
overture
instrumental music at the beginning of the opera; preview of the musical themes
Lutheran Cantata Elements
is a Bible story told through songs and music and presented at a Lutheran Church service. Here are some of the elements found in them: Bible text & German poetry Opera Elements: Recitative Arias Chorales/Ensemble numbers Instrumental Pieces UNLIKE Opera: No set Shorter stories
Recitative
is sung dialogue between characters. The plot of the story moves forward in recitative. It is speech-like singing that is like speaking "melodically."
major scale
joy and happiness
disjunct
larger and wider intervals disconnected ex happy birthday (big leaps btwn pitches)
flats
lower pitch by 1/2 step
word painting
madrigals used word painting where the music literally reflects the text
melismatic
many notes per syllable think of beyonce in Halo how she be singing but singing many notes differently STRETCH out a syllable and sing many notes
Unison
means TOGETHER - same notes and same rhythm. In this case, the tenor voices are singing in unison with the orchestra underneath playing their own melody.
plainchant
monophonic vocal music in the medieval church designed to project religious texts used in church litergy
heterophony
multiple voices elaborating the same melody at the same time BUT some lines are altered ex in jazz 3 instruments play together but each have their own melody
triple meter
my coun try | tis of thee | sweet land of | li ber ty 1-2-3-1-2-3
opera
on-stage hyper-reality, full of music, singing, a dramatic story, acting, scenery, costumes, and effects is called Operas are staged dramas that are ENTIRELY sung - not even dialogue is spoken - because music enhances the action, drama, and emotion.
homophony
one melodic line PLUS accompaniment singer and group of instruments
syllabic
one note per syllable think of how the priest is talking during the mass and he the only one saying stuff. how he sings the phrases while everyone else says nothing change of pitch for EVERY SYLLABLE
tonality
organize a piece of music around a major or minor scale
sextuple meter
pattern of 6 beats to the measure 1-2-3-4-5-6-1-2-3-4-5-6
musical form
refers to the arrangement of musical ideas, based upon the concepts of repetition, contrast and variation
chansons
refrains are the repeating stanzas of a song or poem and the verses change words. lighthearted songs that set secular lyric poems to music
cadences
resting places between phrases (like a comma)
types of chansons
rondeau, ballade, virelai
sinfonia
scene change music
chord progression
series of chords
neumatic
several notes per syllable generally 5-6 notes on the syllables imagine a chant of synchronized ppl
countour
shape of the melody up or down wavelengths affects the emotional content ex: wavelike, descending, rising, arched, smooth, jagged
conjunct
small, smooth, connected intervals ex mary had a little lamb
tempo
speed of music ex presto-very fast
melody explanation
take specific pitches (notes) and organize them to create a melodic line
disconsonance
tension and crunchiness in harmony
minor scale
tension and sounds darker
Rhythm
the movement of music
texture
the number and types of layers in music ex monophonic
Orchestral Prelude
the opening of a musical number where the orchestra plays alone. It is followed by singing.
tone color/timbre
the quality of a sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another
Remember in Gregorian Chant
the text is what matters that is why it is monophonic in texture. only one melodic line. in melismatic setting was used to add beauty to the word. when the text is said it is separate from the others humming one melodic line.
melody
the tune, the part of a piece you hum to
harmony
two or more pitches playing at the same time
duet
two singers
madrigals
use italian poems that had little to no repetition no repeating sections sung in Italian
timbre
voice tone color differences btwn voices
dynamics
volume changes in music ex forte-loud piano-quiet
UPbeat
weak beat that comes just before the downbeat the beat before ONE conductor's hand goes up. if it is a duple meter it goes up on 2, triple meter go up 3 before
