Serenades: The Method in Madness
Musical Components
(Dimension 1)
C
Presented by
Akram Najjar
Spring 2012
Recto Verso
What are Musical Components?
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They are the raw material composers work with
This is what composers Transform
Components are specified in a musical score
They are the equivalent of:
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Words/phrases
Painting material / canvas
Stone / wood / metal
Shots / props
in literature
in painting
in sculpture
in cinema / photography
They are the 1st Dimension we shall consider
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Musical Components we Shall Consider
1) Statements of Themes, Phrases and Melodies
2) The binary structure of Theme Collections: Sweet Little
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
Sixteen
Tempo
Meter (Beat)
Rhythm
Scales, Keys and Harmonic Relationships
Melodic Texture
Instrumentation and Color
Dynamics
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1) Statement of
Themes, Phrases and Melodies
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Usually at the beginning of a
Section, a composer will state a
theme OR a phrase OR a melody
These components can later be
transformed or developed
To understand the relationship
between these 3 components, we
need to view them in a
BottomUp structure:
with exceptions!
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Melodies
Phrases
Themes
What is a Theme ?
(Figure / Subject / Motif)
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A Theme = the smallest pattern of notes with its own
musical identity = the ability of being recognized
This is gained through repetition
A theme can be repeated “as is” OR varied
But it must retain “something” to preserve its identity
A theme need not be singable OR sophisticated
In fact most themes on their own are banale or boring
Themes are (usually) short: a few notes or bars
If notes = atoms . . . . . . . themes = molecules
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Examples:
Well Known Single Themes
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Beethoven: Symphony No 5 in C min Op 67:
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Bach: Prelude in C (Well Tempered Clavier Bk 1)
Beethoven: Sonata No 14 Op 27 No 2 (Moonlight)
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The famous Fate Motif = 4 notes
The Prelude Principle: repeat the same figure
In M1 there are two figures to be heard
Mozart: Serenade No 13 for Strings in G K525 (Eine
Kleine Nachtmusik)
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The first movement is full of small themes put together in
larger phrases
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So What is a Phrase?
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A Phrase is made up of several themes that feel like
a melody but are not completely a melody
Phrases feel like they have an end (cadence)
Phrases were first applied to singing
Phrases are usually part of longer melodies
Some common phrases: each one has 4 phrases
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Happy Birthday to You
The Lebanese National Anthem
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Coming up: Beethoven’s Ode to Joy
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Beethoven: Ode to Joy from the 9th
Symphony in D min Op 125 (next slide)
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There are 4 x 4 bars
Each bar has 4 notes
We can think of each 2 notes as a theme
Some consider the bar of 4 notes as one theme
Each set of 4 bars can be heard as a Phrase
The all have a clear descending into an end
The first 2 phrases are similar
The third is a distance away
The fourth returns home
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Ode to Joy
Theme
Phrase
Theme
What is a Melody?
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I thought it was easy to define what a melody is . . .
A melody is a series of notes moving forward in time
A melody “seems” to have a beginning and an end
A melody is something you can sing
It would be easy to remember
Not convincing!
A Car Alarm can easily qualify as a Melody
Let us apply the Bottom Up approach using themes
as the smallest units
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Large Forms are
Constructed from
Collections of
Smaller Themes
Characteristics of the Bottom Up Approach
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Themes can build up to become
larger themes
Themes can build up to form
phrases
Themes can build up to form
melodies without phrases
Phrases can make up melodies
Sometimes, there are melodies
without recognizable themes or
phrases
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Melodies
Phrases
Themes
When is a Melody a Melody
And Not a Theme or a Set of Themes?
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This is difficult to answer
Poor attempt: when you can recognize it as a whole
without being able to break it into themes
But maybe there are themes and we cannot
recognize them?
Without a clear definition, let us resort to examples
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Consider 5 Types of Melodies/Themes
These are all Statements a composer makes . . .
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Melodies structured by Themes
Melodies without apparent Themes
Themes on their own presented as independent units
Themes based on Rhythmic Structures
Themes based on Harmonic Structures (Keys)
Since Phrases are groups of Themes that sound like
partial Melodies, they will be shown in the examples
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A) Melodies Structured by Themes
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Often, what we consider as melodies are really a
collection of related themes
Composers can integrate themes to make them
sound like a global melody
Very few melodies we will hear are really
“unbreakable” into themes
And if they are, maybe we are not being able to
recognize the themes!
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Examples:
A) Melodies Structured by Themes
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Mahler: Symphony No 5 (Adagietto) – M4
Mahler: Symphony No 2 (Andante) – M2
Brahms: Piano Trio No 1 in B Op 8 – M1
Schubert: Impromptu in A flat D935 No 2
Mozart: Piano Sonata No 13 in B flat K333 – M1
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D Op 35 – M1
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And . . .
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Prokofiev : Sonata No 2 in D Op 94 – M3
Kosma/Prevert: Les Feuilles Mortes (Yves Montand)
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Examples:
B) Melodies without Apparent Themes
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Brahms: Piano Quartet No 3 in C min Op 60 – M3
Brahms: String Quartet No 1 in C min Op 51/1 – M1
Borodin: String Quartet No 2 – M3
Schubert: Symphony No 9 in C D944 – M2 (Oboe)
Schubert: Klavierstücke D946 No 2 in E flat
Schubert: Piano Sonata No 17 in D D850 – M4 (Rondo)
Schubert: Piano Sonata No 20 in A D959 – M3 and M4
Beethoven: Cello Sonata No 3 in A Op 69 – M1
Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A K581 – M1
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Examples:
C) Themes Stated on Their Own
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Liszt: Sonata in B minor
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Franck: Violin Sonata in A
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4 Intervals are stated then reworked into various melodies
Beethoven: Symphony No 3 in E flat Op 55 – M1
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The themes stated at the beginning of the B min Sonata
The Theme of Triads
Beethoven: 3 quartets start with 2 x 2 note themes
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Quartet No 12 in E flat Op 127 – M1
Quartet No 14 in C# min Op 131 – M1
Quartet No 15 in A min Op 132 – M1
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Examples: Other Types of Themes:
D) Rhythmic Themes
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Most analysts restrict themes to melody
Rhythmic Themes are very important and common
Often, composers focus on rhythmic themes leaving
melody aside
Bruckner: Symphony No 9 – M2
Schubert: Klavierstücke D946 No 3 in C
Schubert: Quartet No 14 in D min D810 – M4
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring – Dance of the Adolescents
Brahms: Piano Quartet No 3 Op 60 – M2
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Other Types of Themes:
E) Harmonic Patterns
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Some themes are based on Harmonic patterns
These are patterns made up of repeating keys
Baila La Bamba
Brahms: Symphony No 4 in E min Op 98 M1
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Presented by Leonard Bernstein from the Unanswered Question TV
Broadcasts
Beethoven: Quartet No 8 in E min Op 59/2 – M1
Most minimalist music
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2) The Binary Structure of
Theme Collections: Sweet Little Sixteen
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Up until the mid-Romantic period, Western melodies
were structured to have phrases with multiples of 2
or 4 or 8 sections
Usually the themes are organized as Antecedents
and Consequents
Each Section might have 4, 8, 16 or 32 bars . . .
Most pop songs are still structured that way
Whether a melody or phrase is based on the binary
structure or not, we have become used to question
the structure: hence introducing Tension
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The 4x4 Syndrome
Chuck
Berry:
Sweet
Little
Sixteen
A Unit of 4
Or:
Or:
And the 4 Units can be Part
of a Larger 4x4
Or:
Or:
Examples of Binary Structures
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Beethoven: Symphony No 9 in D min Op 125 – M4
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We’ve already presented that
Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A K581 – M4
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No 23 in F min Op 57 – M2
Schubert: Impromptu in A flat D935 No 2
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What Happens When we Get Used to or
When we Expect Binary Structures?
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In these examples, composers work against our
expectation to hear 4x4 structures
They structure thematic statements in unusual
but highly musical ways
Schubert: Symphony No 9 in C (The Great)
D944 – M1
Mozart: Piano Concert No 24 in C min
K491 – M1 / M2
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3) Tempo
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Tempo = the speed with which you play a piece
How many notes per minutes?
Composers guide performers by giving a movement or a
passage an Italian designation:
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Lento, Andante, Allegro, Presto
Some German composers moved away from Italian
Not precise: often leading to differing performances
To add confusion: these are also used to establish the
mood of a passage or a movement
Performers often choose their own tempo
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Beethoven and the Metronome
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The first Metronome was invented by Étienne Loulié (1696)
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It was 2 meters high – it did not become popular!!
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In 1818, Beethoven proposed the design of the Metronome to
Maelzel (1772-1832)
The MM markings on a metronome
= Maelzel's Metronome >>> Metronome Marking
Even then, performers would still choose their own speeds
Beethoven started using the MM markings later on in his life
Today we have digital metronomes with lots of options
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The Schumann Story!!
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4) Meter (Beat)
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Composers group notes into bars or measures
In one section: each bar will have the same number
of beats
The Meter (Beat) does not change if you play a piece
fast or slow: only the Tempo changes
A time indicator tells the performer how many beats
there are in a section:
4/4 (common time), 3/4 (waltz), 2/4, 6/8, 9/8, etc.
Why do composers divide by 2 or 4 or 8?
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We will not go into that
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Time Signatures usually have
a Pattern of Accentuation:
different dynamics on each beat
4/4
3/4
5) Rhythm
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This is the pattern or structure of a set of notes
A horse can canter, trot and gallop
The choice of points in time where a composer
places notes defines the rhythm of the piece
Rhythm need not be regular
Composers will very often
transform rhythmic patterns
More examples in the coming
presentation
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Some Rhythmic Patterns within a Waltz (3/4)
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6) Keys, Scales and Harmonic Progressions
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This is a technical subject
On top of understanding the technical, one has to
recognize these components by ear
A detailed presentation is available for downloading
from the website of Recto Verso
We will often talk about keys and harmonic
progressions when presenting transformations
A minimal set of definitions will be presented now
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The Frequency of a sound wave
= The number of air packets (or waves)
produced per second
= The Pitch of the note produced by the waves
One
air packet
or wave
Waves per Second
or Frequency
1 second
Pitch = 10 waves/sec = 10 Herz
Pitch = 15 waves/sec = 15 Herz
Pitch = 20 waves/sec = 20 Herz
Western Music is
made up of 12 and ONLY 12 Notes
Octave (12 notes)
C C# D Eb E F F# G Ab A Bb B C’
Black Notes on a Piano
have a historical significance
Other instruments have all the notes
but no ““black”” notes
Starting with Middle
C on the Piano . . .
The Frequency of
each note is 1.0594
times the previous
note
Frequency of C’’
= 2 x frequency of C
= Octave
A Scale is a Subset of the 12 Notes
Example: the C Major Scale or Do Majeure
Octave (12 notes)
C C# D Eb E F F# G Ab A Bb B C’
C major Scale
C
D
E F
G
A
B
What are Scales and Keys?
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A Scale = a sequenced collection of notes chosen from
within the 12 notes
The 1st note of a Scale = its Key = Tonic = Home Key
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Major Scales
Minor Scales (several types)
Pentatonic Scales
Whole Tone Scales
Chromatic Scale
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7 notes
7 notes (dif sequences)
5 notes
7 notes (dif than major)
12 notes in sequence
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What is an Interval?
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An Interval = the number of notes in a scale
between one note and another (inclusive)
Examples from the C Major Scale:
C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C’
From C to E is a 3rd: because E is the 3rd note
From C to F is a 4th: because F is the 4th note
From C to G is a 5th: because G is the 5th note
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How do we Hear Intervals?
Melodic Interval:
2 notes played in sequence
Harmonic Interval:
2 notes played together
Harmony only means the sound of vertical intervals.
Harmonious Music popularly says the music is
“pleasant and balanced” whatever that means
The 2 Most Critical Intervals
in Western Music Split the Octave in Two
C
Dominant:
D
E F
G
A
B C’
= G the 5th note above C (Rising)
= G the 4th note below C (Falling)
Sub-Dominant: = F the 4th note above C (Rising)
= F the 5th note below C (Falling)
Why is the 5th Note called a Dominant?
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When we play the 5th interval, there is a strong
feeling of “incompleteness”
This is the original meaning of Tension in music
The Interval pushes us towards Resolution
Going back to the Tonic is the Resolution
Western music is called Tonal because of the
dynamics of Tension and Resolution
From mid 1900 onwards, Western Music started
becoming Atonal, breaking the dynamics
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Common Navigation of Keys:
Harmonic Progressions
1–4–1
1–5–1
1–4–5–1
1 – 6m – 5 – 1
1 – 2m – 5 – 1
1 – 3m – 5 – 1
1 – 6m – 2m – 5 – 1
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I – IV – V - I
C–F–C
C–G–C
C–F–G–C
C – Am – G – C
C – Dm – G – C
C – Em – G – C
C – Am – Dm – G – C
Most Western Melodies, Sections and
Movements start with the Tonic (1),
meander through related Keys passing by
the Dominant (5) and Sub-Dominant (4) Keys
on the way back to the Tonic
What is a Triad?
Octave (12 notes)
C C# D Eb E F F# G Ab A Bb B C’
C major Scale
C
D
E F
G
C major Triad/Chord
C
E
G
A
B
The Importance of Triads (Chords)
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A Triad (Chord) = 3 notes from the 7 notes of a scale
They are notes 1, 3 and 5
The 3rd note can be flattened to become a minor 3rd
An Arpeggios = notes 1,3,5,1,3,5,1,3,5,1,3,5
When guitarists strum, they are playing triads or chords
Triads sound like they are a summary of the scale
They are a Contour or a Symbol of the scale
Many themes are based on Triads only
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What is the Difference between
a Bugle and a Trumpet?
What is the Difference between
Minor and Major?
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The origin goes back to Greek Scales (out of scope here)
Minor and Major do not relate to “importance”
Major Scales have a 3rd Interval called the major 3rd
C to E
=
2 tones = 4 semitones
Minor Scales have a smaller 3rd Interval (minor 3rd)
C to E flat =
1 tone + 1 semitone = 3 semitones
For some unknown reason, minor scales are “melancholic”
Switching from minor to major and back is a skillful
compositional transformation
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Examples of Switching between
Major and Minor Keys
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Beatles: Things we Said Today
Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A K581 – M1 (1:25)
Beethoven: Symphony No 5 in C min Op 67
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The whole symphony is built on C minor
Towards the middle of the last movement, LVB switch to
the triumphant C major
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Why all this Fuss about Keys?
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Western Music relies heavily on Tonality
A section is composed in a specific Home Key
The composer meanders around it but returns to it
By early 20th century, we have composers such as
Debussy, Schonberg and the 2nd Viennese School
They used atonal sequences that were not based on
Home Keys
Much of the genius of Baroque, Classical and
Romantic music lies on the manipulation of Keys
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7) Melodic Textures
The texture of a passage is determined by the way
concurrent melodies are related to one another
There are 3 types of melodic textures
1) Monophony
2) Homophony
3) Polyphony or Counterpoint (2 types)
We will consider rhythmic / instrumental textures
separately
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7.1) Monophony
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This is a simple unaccompanied melody
Sometimes accompanied by percussion
Monophony started in the Renaissance period due to
lack of musical sophistication
Later musical periods dropped it for more elaborate
textures
Bach: Sarabande in Cello Suite No 5 in C min
Most renaissance music
Much of Arabian music
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7.2) Homophony
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A work made up of two simultaneous parts
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Part 1: carries the main Melody
Part 2: accompanies Part 1 - Triads of the key of the Melody
Classical /Romantic periods: performers gained status
Homophonic texture increased its popularity
Saint-Saens: Clarinet Sonata – M1
Mahler: Ging heut Morgen ubers Feld
Lieder: Dudley Moore Parody of Schubert
Any pop song (except Good Vibrations)
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7.3) Polyphony = Counterpoint
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Polyphony is when 2 or more independent melodies are
played/sung together
We can hear Melodic or Vertical Intervals or Harmony
made up of the 2 or more notes played/sung together
Polyphony started in late Renaissance and became very
common in the Baroque period (fugues / canons)
We will talk about fugues (with examples) in the last
presentation
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Imitative Polyphony
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Imitative Polyphony: such as
Canons and Rounds
The Same Melodies / Themes are
repeated in the same key
They are superposed on earlier
sections of the first statement
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Non-Imitative Polyphony
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Different melodies are played or
sung at the same time
The simultaneous voices are only
related vertically or harmonically
Although fugues repeat their
subjects, at any one time, the
subjects are not played together
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Examples of Imitative Polyphony
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Franck: Violin Sonata in A – M4
Haydn: String Quartet No 61 in D min Op 76 No 2 – M3
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No 4 in G BWV 1049 – M3
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No 2 in F BWV 1047 – M3
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Examples of Non-Imitative Polyphony
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Brahms: Intermezzo Op 118 No 4 in F min
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Also has Syncopation (rhythmic transformation)
Beethoven: Symphony No 9 in D min Op 125 – M4 3:44
Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms – M2
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0:00 Oboe: unaccompanied, monophonic melody
0:25 Flute: same melody. Oboe continues with new material in
2-part imitative counterpoint
0:58 Second Flute: plays in a lower register : 3-part
counterpoint
1:20 Second Oboe: enters in middle register very dissonant
4-part counterpoint
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LVB Introduces a New Breed:
Thematic Structure
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Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata is a strange example
The repeated figure of 3 notes is in the right hand
where we expect the melody to be
It seems like one but then turns out to be the
accompaniment
The bass notes come in 3’s but are not a melody
Which Texture is this?
Can we talk about a Thematic Texture?
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8) Instrumentation and Color
Composers use instruments for several purposes
Timbre:
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This is the specific sound of each instrument
They can even ask performers to change the timbre
Monophony and Polyphony
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They distribute various melody lines to different instruments
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Instrumentation
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Renaissance and Early Baroque music:
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Vocal Music was most popular
This was the Church’s way of communicating with God
Baroque and Classical periods were based on Reason
and the philosophy of Enlightenment
Their priority: instrumental over vocal music
New genres arose with different combinations
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Solo works / Sonatas / Trios / Quartets / Quintents /
Sextets / Septets / Octets / Nonets
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Instrumental Timbre
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Timbre is a physical quality
Two violins have different boxes
They will sound different
Because?
Differences in:
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Material / Glue / Paint / Construction / Chamber Size
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Composers Impose Ways of Playing to
Generate Different Timbres
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Stringed instruments can be muted using stoppers
on the strings
Pianos use pedals to extend the sound or dampen it
The way you blow into a wind instrument affects the
quality of the sound
Trumpets use mutes to stifle the sound
Some orchestras insist on using “period” instruments
because their timbre is “authentic”
Sometimes, violins are tuned differently to generate
new sounds
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Color?
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Musical discussions consider Color as a component
To them, instrumental variation = Color
Most of them also consider timbre = Color
Light sources produce color of different frequencies
Instruments produce sound of different frequencies
Can we say that instruments have color?
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Do we Need this Metaphor?
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Think of instrumentation as color if you want
Others will do - so you should be prepared
It is much more beneficial to concentrate on:
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The sound that instruments make and
Their timbre
The Truth: instruments have sound frequencies
DEAL WITH IT
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Examples:
Instrumental Texture/Development
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Brahms: Concerto for Violin/Cello in A min Op 102
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Mozart: Quintet for Wind and Piano in E flat K452
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Is the Soloist the Piano? Or is the Piano the Orchestra?
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra – M2
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Cello opens then Violin merged as an 8 stringed instrument
Notice contrast with Wind when Cello changes to Violin
Instruments are introduced in pairs playing a second interval
Schubert: Piano Trio No 1 in B flat D898 – M2
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First on Cello then Cello weave above and below the violin
Note: ambiguity: the melody is in 4x4x4 – a break from the 16
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9) Dynamics
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This is an easy component
Dynamics measure the “loudness”
of a passage or an instrumental part
Composers indicate loudness by
using terms such as
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pp, ppp, ff, fff
Related to Dynamics are
transformations that raise
(crescendo) or lower (diminuendo)
the dynamics
I will point out examples later
C) Musical Components (Dimension 1)
70 / 71
Happy
Listening
End of C