Part I

Elements

Presentation developed by:

Robert Elliott
Tennessee State University

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 An Appreciation

Music—vital part of human society

• Provides entertainment, emotional release

Heard almost everywhere in modern life

– Recorded music innovation of 20th Century

- Music “on demand” available to almost anyone

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 An Appreciation

Informal music making

– Source of pleasure for
players and listeners

- Amateur: person who engages

in an activity without
compensation—for the simple
pleasure that the activity brings
- E.g., sports, visual arts,
performing arts

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 An Appreciation

Live performance—special excitement

– Experience affected by emotional state of both
performer and audience

Evaluating music performances

– Background music vs. alert, active listening
– Perceptive listening enhances enjoyment
- Knowledge of musical elements enhances perception

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 An Appreciation

Chapter 1—Sound:
Pitch, Dynamics, and Tone Color

Our world filled with sounds

– Sounds can be pleasant or unpleasant
– Humans able to focus on specific sounds
- Can ignore sounds that do not interest us

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 CHAPTER 1—SOUND:
An Appreciation PITCH, DYNAMICS, AND TONE COLOR

Sound
– Begins as result of a vibrating object
– Transmitted through medium as vibration
– Perceived by eardrums as vibrations
- Impulses sent to brain for processing

Music: organization of sounds in time

Four main properties of musical sounds:
– Pitch – Tone color
– Dynamics – Duration
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 CHAPTER 1—SOUND:
An Appreciation PITCH, DYNAMICS, AND TONE COLOR

Pitch: Highness or Lowness of Sound

Determined by frequency of vibration
– Fast vibration = high pitch, slow vibration = low pitch
– Generally, smaller vibrating objects = higher pitches

In music, definite pitch is a tone

– Tones have specific frequencies
- E.g., 440 cycles (vibrations) per second

– Irregular vibrations create sounds of indefinite pitch

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 CHAPTER 1—SOUND:
An Appreciation PITCH, DYNAMICS, AND TONE COLOR

Pitch: Highness or Lowness of Sound

Interval: difference in pitch between 2 tones
– Octave: doubling/halving of frequency
- Tones an octave apart seem to blend together

Western music divides octave into 12 tones

– Non-western music may divide into different number
– Most western music based on scale of 8 tones

Range: distance between voice or instrument’s

highest & lowest possible pitch

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 CHAPTER 1—SOUND:
An Appreciation PITCH, DYNAMICS, AND TONE COLOR

Dynamics
Relative loudness of a sound

– Related to amplitude of vibration producing sound

– Changes in dynamics may be sudden or gradual

Accent: tone played louder than tones near it

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 CHAPTER 1—SOUND:
An Appreciation PITCH, DYNAMICS, AND TONE COLOR

Dynamics
Italian terms used to indicate dynamics
pianissimo pp very soft
piano p soft
mezzo piano mp moderately soft
mezzo forte mf moderately loud
forte f loud
fortissimo ff very loud

– Extremes: ppp, pppp, fff, ffff

– Crescendo: gradually louder
– Decrescendo (diminuendo):
gradually softer
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 CHAPTER 1—SOUND:
An Appreciation PITCH, DYNAMICS, AND TONE COLOR

Tone Color
Also called timbre: quality of a sound
– Can be bright, dark, mellow, etc.

Changes in tone color create variety and contrast

Tone color can add to continuity
– Specific melodies with specific tone colors

Composers frequently blend sounds of instruments

to create new tone colors
Modern electronic instruments allow for unlimited
number of different tone colors
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 CHAPTER 1—SOUND:
An Appreciation PITCH, DYNAMICS, AND TONE COLOR

Listening Outlines, Vocal Music Guides,

and the Properties of Sound
Intended to be read while listening to the music
Listening outlines & vocal music guides:
– Listening outline: points out notable musical sounds
– Vocal music guide: vocal text w/ margin comments
– Outlines & guides preceded by music’s description
- Brief set CD’s accompany this text
- Basic & supplementary set are additional instructor discs

Suggestion: while listening to one passage, look

ahead to the next passage’s notes
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 CHAPTER 1—SOUND:
An Appreciation PITCH, DYNAMICS, AND TONE COLOR

Listening
The Firebird, Scene 2 (1910)
by Igor Stravinsky

Listening Outline: p. 10
Brief set, CD 1:1

Listen for: Crescendo

Gradual addition of instruments
Repetition of melody at different pitches
Sudden dynamic change
Crescendo to ending
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 CHAPTER 1—SOUND:
An Appreciation PITCH, DYNAMICS, AND TONE COLOR

Listening
C-Jam Blues (1942)
by Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra
Listening Outline: p. 11
Brief set, CD 1:3

Listen for: Repeated-note melody

Tone color change as melody moves
between instruments
Improvisation by solo instruments
Brass instruments using mutes
Full-band at end
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 An Appreciation

Chapter 2—Performing Media:

Voices and Instruments
Voices
Range: based on physical makeup & training
2 main groupings:
– Female – Male
- Soprano (high) - Tenor (high)
- Mezzo Soprano (medium high) - Baritone (medium high)
- Alto (low) - Bass (low)

Vocal methods and styles vary between cultures

– Vocal methods and styles can vary within a culture
Instruments frequently accompany vocal music
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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Musical Instruments
Mechanism (not a voice) that produces musical
sounds

Western instruments: 6 broad categories

– String – Percussion
– Woodwind – Keyboard
– Brass – Electronic

Frequently made in different sizes (for range)

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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Musical Instruments
Tone color varies by register
– Register is portion of range where instrument is playing

Use and makeup of instruments varies by culture

Only a fraction of all instruments ever invented

are in use today

Groups frequently led by conductor using baton

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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

String Instruments
Sound produced by vibrating a tight cable
– Longer string = lower pitch

Orchestral instruments
– Violin
– Viola
– Cello (violoncello)
– Bass (double bass)

Symphonic music
uses bow
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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

String Instruments
Stopping string reduces vibrating length

Common playing techniques

– Pizzicato – Mute
– Double stop – Tremolo
– Vibrato – Harmonics

Some string instruments not played with bow

– Guitar & harp use plectrum (small wedge—pick)

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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Woodwind Instruments
Traditionally, woodwinds made of wood
– In 20th Century, metal & plastic became common
– The longer the tube, the lower the pitch
- Covering holes along instrument serves to lengthen the tube

Main orchestral woodwinds and ranges:

Flute Family Clarinet Family Oboe Family Bassoon Family
Piccolo
Flute Clarinet Oboe
English horn
Bass clarinet Bassoon
Contrabassoon
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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Woodwind Instruments
Woodwinds—single note instruments

Sound produced by blowing—player’s breath

– “Whistle mouthpiece”
– Single reed
– Double reed

Saxophone—single reed instrument common

in jazz music

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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Brass Instruments
Orchestral brasses (in order of range):
– Trumpet
– French horn
– Trombone
– Tuba

Cornet, baritone horn, & euphonium used mainly

in concert and marching bands

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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Brass Instruments
Sound produce by blowing into mouthpiece
– Vibration of player’s lips produces sound
– Sound exits through flared end called the bell
– Pitch changed in 2 ways:
- Pressure of player’s lips (together or against mouthpiece)
- Lengthening the instrument via slide or valves
• Trombone uses sliding tubes
• Others use valves connected to additional tubing
• Generally, the longer the tube, the lower the pitch

Tone color is altered by inserting mute into bell

Brass provides power and emphasis in music
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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Percussion Instruments
Sound (generally) produced by striking, shaking,
or rubbing the instrument
– Instruments of definite pitch
produce tones

© Photodisc/Getty Images
© Photodisc/Getty Images

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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Percussion Instruments
– Instruments of indefinite pitch produce noise-like sounds

Definite Pitch Indefinite Pitch

Timpani (kettledrums) Snare drum (side drum)
Glockenspiel Bass drum
Xylophone Tambourine
Celesta Triangle
Chimes Cymbals
Gong (tam-tam)

– Membranes, plates, or bars vibrate

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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Percussion Instruments
Percussionists must play many instruments

Percussion traditionally emphasizes rhythm

– 20th Century music—greater use of percussion

– Complexity of African & Asian percussion music often

surpasses percussion of Western music

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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Keyboard Instruments
Use piano-type keyboard for control
– Capable of several notes at once

Best known:
– Piano
- Created ~1700 & refined through ~1850
- Sound created when felt hammer strikes tight string
- Pedals affect sound
- 88 keys

– Harpsichord
- Important ~1500 through ~1775
- Sound produced by small wedges plucking string

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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Keyboard Instruments
– Pipe Organ
- Most prominent ~1600 to ~1750
- Wide range of pitch, dynamics, & tone color
- Sound produced by air being directed to pipes
• Pipe sets of various materials produce different tone color
• Pipe sets put into play by using knobs called stops

– Accordion
- Air bellows drives reeds controlled by keyboard & buttons

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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Electronic Instruments
Produce or amplify sound using electronics
– Invented ~1904, significant impact only after 1950
– Modern technology blurs lines between instrument
types, recording, computer, and hybrid devices
Tape studio: main electronic tool of 1950’s
Synthesizers came into use in 1960’s
– Huge machines first built in mid-1950’s
– Analog synthesis dominated until ~1980
– Digital (FM) synthesis came to forefront in 1980’s
- Effects devices were integrated into digital synthesizers
– Sampling technology advanced in 1990’s
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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Electronic Instruments

MIDI (1983) allowed connection of devices

Small computers developed in 1970’s & 80’s

Modern composers connect these devices, use

software, and write new types of music

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 CHAPTER 2—PERFORMING MEDIA:
An Appreciation VOICES AND INSTRUMENTS

Listening
Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra,
Op. 34 (1946)
by Benjamin Britten
Listening Outline: p. 30
Brief set, CD 1:11

Listen for: Main theme followed by variations

Tone colors of instruments and families
Contrast of dynamics, speed, & tone color
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 An Appreciation

Chapter 3—Rhythm
Rhythm: flow of music (events) through time

Beat
Recurrent pulsation
– Divides music into equal units of time

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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 3—RHYTHM

Meter
Grouping of beats
– Groups of beats called measures

Downbeat: first and strongest beat in measure

Types of meter:
– Duple – Triple – Quadruple – Other meters

Accent and Syncopation

Accent: emphasis placed on beat/note
Syncopation: emphasis on unexpected note/beat
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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 3—RHYTHM

Tempo
The speed of the beat, the pace
– Associated with emotional effect
Tempo indicated at beginning of piece
– As with dynamics, Italian terms are used

– Molto, non troppo, accelerando, ritardando

Metronome—indicates exact tempo © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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 An Appreciation

Chapter 4—Music Notation

Written music stores information
– Allows absent (or even dead) composers to communicate
their ideas to others

Notating Pitch
Letter names for notes: A B C D E F G
Staff
Clef signs
– Treble
– Bass
Grand staff
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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 4—MUSIC NOTATION

Notating Pitch
Keyboard note naming with notation
– Sharp, flat, & natural notes

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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 4—MUSIC NOTATION

Notating Rhythm
Music notation indicates length of tone in relation to
other tones in the piece
– How note looks
indicates duration
- Note head & stem
- Flag
- Beam
- Dotted note
- Tie
Notating Silence
Rests indicate
notated silence

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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 4—MUSIC NOTATION

Notating Meter
Time signature indicates the meter of a piece of
music
– Appears at beginning of piece
- Appears again later if meter changes
– Written as two numbers, one above other
2 3 - Top number: how many beats in measure
4 2 - Bottom number: what type note counts 1 beat
– Common & cut time, duple & triple meter

The Score
Includes music for every instrument
– Can include 20+ lines of music at once
- See example p. 39
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 An Appreciation

Chapter 5—Melody
A series of single notes that add up to a
recognizable whole

Begins, moves, ends

Tension & release

Stepwise vs. leap motion

Climax
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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 5—MELODY

Legato vs. staccato

Made of phrases (parts)

Sequence within melodies

Cadence: Complete vs. Incomplete

Theme: melody used as starting point and

evolving throughout an extended piece of music

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 An Appreciation

Chapter 6—Harmony
The way chords are constructed and how they follow each other

Chord: 3 or more tones sounded at once

– Chord is simultaneous tones

– Melody is series of individual tones

Progression: how chords follow each other

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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 6—HARMONY

Consonance and Dissonance

Stable, restful chords—consonant

Unstable, tense chords—dissonant

– Degree of dissonance—more & less dissonant

Resolution—movement away from dissonance

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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 6—HARMONY

The Triad
Simplest, most basic chord
– Made up of three notes
- Notated on 3 adjacent lines or spaces

Triad built on 1st scale note called tonic

– Most stable, restful chord
- Pieces usually begin & end on this chord

Triad built on 5th scale note: dominant

– Most unstable, tense chord
- Dominant to tonic movement feels conclusive

Broken Chords (Arpeggios)

Chord tones sounded in series
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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 6—HARMONY

Listening
Performance Profile:
Prelude in E minor for Piano, Roger Kamien-piano

Op. 28, No. 4 (1839) Listen for performer’s

interpretation of
by Frederic Chopin tempo and dynamic
Listening Outline: p. 46 indications in music
Brief set, CD 1:36

Listen for: Pulsating chords & monotonous melody

Dissonant chords underlying melody
Climax with faster rhythm & crescendo
Near end, dissonant chord, silence,
resolution at cadence
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 An Appreciation

Chapter 7—Key
Centering of a melody or harmony around a central
note
The Major Scale
Whole step , half step
Formula: W W H W W W H
– Bright, happy
sound

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 An Appreciation

The Minor Scale

Whole steps and half steps occur in another
predetermined order

Formula: W H W WH W W
– Dark, sad
sound

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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 7—KEY

The Key Signature

Pieces of music using major scales—major key
Pieces of music using minor scales—minor key
Number of sharps or flats played determines
scale and key
– Also determines key signature
- Key signature notated at beginning of piece between clef sign
and time signature

The Chromatic Scale

Utilizes all 12 notes within the octave
– Includes both black and white piano keys
– This scale does not define a key
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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 7—KEY

Modulation: Change of Key

Provides contrast within longer piece

Modulation like temporary shift in gravity

– New tone and key becomes “home”

Tonic Key
The main key of a piece
– Modulations away usually return to the tonic key
– Return to tonic creates feeling of conclusion
- Return to tonic usually occurs near end of piece

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 An Appreciation

Chapter 8—Musical Texture

Layering of sound, how layers relate
Monophonic Texture
Single, unaccompanied melody
– Literally “one sound” (solo or unison)

Polyphonic Texture
2 or more equally important melodies sounding
simultaneously (counterpoint and imitation)
Homophonic Texture
One melody with chordal accompaniment
Changes of Texture
Within a piece, creates variety and contrast
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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 8—MUSICAL TEXTURE

Listening
Farandole from L’Arlesienne
Suite No. 2 (1879)
by Georges Bizet
Listening Outline: page 52
Brief Set, CD 1:37

Note contrasting textures

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 An Appreciation

Chapter 9—Musical Form

Organization of musical elements in time

Techniques that Create Musical Form

Repetition—restating musical ideas
Contrast—avoiding monotony with new ideas
Variation—reworking ideas to keep them new

Types of Musical Form

Ternary
– Simple A B A
– Subdivided aba cdc aba
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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 9—MUSICAL FORM

Listening
Dance of the Reed Pipes
from Nutcracker Suite (1892)
by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Listening Outline: p. 56
Brief Set, CD 1:42

Note ternary form

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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 9—MUSICAL FORM

Types of Musical Form

Binary
– AB
– AAB
– ABB
– AABB

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 An Appreciation CHAPTER 9—MUSICAL FORM

Listening
Contradance No. 7 in Eb Major
from Twelve Contradances for Orchestra
(1892)
by Ludwig van Beethoven

Listening Outline: p. 57
Brief Set, CD 1:45

Note binary form: A A B B

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 An Appreciation

Chapter 10—Musical Style

Based upon time period and the continuous
development of music as an art form

Western art music can be divided into:

– Middle Ages—450-1450 – Classical—1750-1820
– Renaissance—1450-1600 – Romantic—1820-1900
– Baroque—1600-1750 – 20th Century to 1945
– 1945 to present

Music of each these periods reflects the society

that supported it
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