Texture: how thick or thin is the music?

Monophony- (adjective is monophonic) refers to music

that is simply one voice (voice refers an individual part,
and can refer to instruments as well).
Example: Gregorian Chant
Polyphony-(adjective is polyphonic) refers to music that
has multiple voices or musical lines.

Some compositional devices that use texture:
Imitation: One melodic idea is presented in one voice,
and then re-stated in another voice, and then another.
As the imitating voice(s) takes over the melodic idea, the
other voice part(s) continue with new material that
supports the imitation.
Canon (or round): Strict imitation, no deviance from the
imitated material
Example: Row, row, row your boat
Frere Jacques


Bigger compositional devices!!
Form (in music): larger organizing structures in musical
compositions.
Binary form: two parts, A-B
Ternary form: three parts, A-B-A
Theme and variations: One melodic idea that is
progressively changed throughout a piece, but is still
recognizable. This uses thematic development.
Theme: A melodic idea that is used as a building block for
the construction of a musical work.
**Very often, VERY often, composers separate different
forms into movements.
Movement(s): Complete and relatively independent
sections of a large-scale musical work.
Example: movements of a symphony, concerto, sonata,
choral piece, or solo musical work.





Musical expression: how do we describe the music?

Tempo: how fast or slow music is, its rate of speed
Tempo is very commonly described using standard Italian
terms:
Presto- very fast!
Allegro- fast (cheerful)
Moderato- moderate, moderately
Andante- walking tempo
Adagio- quite slow

Dynamics: how loud or soft is the music?
More Italian terms (and their symbols)!!
Fortissimo (ff)- very loud!!
Forte (f)- loud
Mezzo forte (mf)- moderately loud
Mezzo piano (mp)- moderately soft
(In Italian, mezzo means half or somewhat)
Piano(p)- soft
Pianissimo (pp)- very soft (shhhhh)

Voices and musical instruments (now were getting
somewhere interesting.)
The human voice: the most natural of all musical
instruments, every culture has some form of vocal music.
Throughout the ages, we have settled on some standard
terms for human voice types, depending on how high or
low they can sing:
*Female voices:
Soprano- the highest voice type
Mezzo-soprano- somewhat high
Alto/Contralto- lowest female voice type
*Male voices:
Tenor- highest male voice type
Baritone: middle male voice type
Bass- lowest male voice type



The non-human musical instruments (you know, just
regular instruments):
Four families of instruments:

1. The beautiful and illustrious string family:
-these instruments are played with a bow
(pronounced boh) rubbed across the strings, and
finger position on the five strings which press the
string into the board to change pitch.
*Violin (the highest)
*Viola (somewhat high)
*Cello (somewhat low, very similar in range to a human
baritone voice)
*Double bass (very low)
**Famous string players:
Joshua Bell (violin),
Yo-Yo Ma (cello)



2. The charming woodwind family:
-these instruments are played by sending air into
their inner column which then vibrates along its
length, and pitch is changed through holes that are
covered or uncovered.

*Piccolo- literally little flute, very high sound, capable
of rapid passages
*Flute- the soprano of the woodwind family, held side-
ways and made of metal
*Oboe- medium-high nasal sound, played using a double
reed (wooden mouthpiece)
*Clarinet- played using a single reed, very wide range,
and capable of rapid passages
*Bassoon- the baritone of the woodwind family, played
using a double reed like the oboe
*Saxophone- a recent newcomer to the woodwind
family, played using a single reed, and a characteristic
instrument of jazz and band ensembles