International Baccalaureate Music and Advanced Placement
Music Theory Guide to Analysis of Music
I. Medium
o Voice or instruments or both
o Type of ensemble (quartet, orchestra, trio, choir)
II. Meter, Tempo, Rhythm
o Duple, Triple, Compound, Complex
o Multimetric- different time signatures in one line of music
o Polymetric- different meters with score (3+2)
o Non-metric- no meter
o Tempo- fast slow, changes
o Rhythm
Prominence of rhythmic element (ex. Running 16th notes, triplets)
Simple or complex
Rigid or flexible
III. Harmony
o Major, Minor, Whole-tone, Pentatonic
o Kinds of intervals
o Chord Structure
Tertian- built in thirds: triads, 7ths, 9ths, etc.
Quartile- harmony built in fourths
Non-tertian- built in 5ths, ends
o Progression
Intervals of root movement
Figured bass
Emphasis on different scale degrees (I, IV, V)
o Diatonic or Chromatic
o Cadence Structure
IV. Melody
o Prominence of melodic element
o General Qualities
Conjunct- stepwise movement
Disjunct- skips, large jumps of intervals
o Lyrical/ Cantabile/ Folksong quality
o Dimensions
Vertical- narrow or wide range (tessitura)
Horizontal- long continuous lines or short motivic fragments
Phrases symmetrical or asymmetrical
o Progression
Conjunct or disjunct
Diatomic or chromatic
Ornamentation- embellishments, improvisation
V. Form
o Basic Internal Structure
Sectional- binary, ternary, rondo, etc
Variation- Theme and Variations, Passacaglia, Chaconne, etc
Developmental- Sonata Allegro Form
Fugal- Fugue, Motet, Madrigal
Through- composed
Twelve- Tone/ Dodecaphonic
Free
Sectional- toccata, prelude, fantasy, rhapsody
o Number and relationship of movements
o Time factors- total length/ length of movements
VI. Texture
o Monophonic- one melody time
o Monophonic- Melody with chordal accompaniment
o Chordal Style
Sustained chord accomp.
Repeated chord accomp.
Arpeggiated accomp.
o Polyphonic- Contrapuntal movement with two or more melodic lines
Number of parts
Degree of melodic independence
Spacing of parts
Voicing of parts
Imitation
o Hybrid- combinations of homophonic and polyphonic parts
o Tessitura
o Special Effects- antiphonal, responsorial, electronic additions, instrumental and or
vocal effects
VII. Tonality
o Scale Basis- modal, major, minor, polytonal, atonal, whole-tone, twelve-tone
o Key scheme
VIII. Miscellaneous
o Orchestration
Instruments assigned to various materials
Division of parts- doubling
Special effects- pizzicato, tremolo, harmonics, mutes, percussion,
electronics, chants.
Dynamics
Text
programmatic considerations
MUSIC HISTORY- TIME BANDS- GENERAL
Can you name three to five composers in each time band and list one or two
representative works of each?
Baroque
Claudio Moteverdi
Henry Purcell
J.S. Bach
George Frederic Handel
Antonio Vivaldi
Domenico Scarlatti
Orfeo, Arianna, L’incoronazione di Poppea
Dido and Aeneas, The Fairy Queen
Brandenburg Concertos, Well-Tempered Calvier
Julius Caesar, Water Music, Messiah
The Four Seasons, Magnificat (oratorio)
Sonata in D major
Classical
Mozart
Joseph Haydn
Ludwig van Beethoven
Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Don Giovanni
Emporer Quartet, Symphony No. 104
Moonlight Sonata, Symphony No. 5
Romantic
Franz Schubert
Robert Schumann
Johannes Brahms
Frederic Chopin
Franz Liszt
Clara Schumann
Felix Mendelssohn
Hector Berlioz
Richard Strauss
Giuseppe Verdi
Richard Wagner
Peter Tchaikovsky
Winterreise, Erikonig, more than 600 lieder
Kinderszenen, Carnaval
A German Requiem, Variations on Paganini theme
Prelude in E minor, Barcarolle, Polonaise in A flat
Wild Hunt, Hungarian Rhapsodies
Variations on a theme from Robert Schumann
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Elijah (oratorio)
Symphonie Fantastique, Romeo and Juliette
Macbeth, Elektra
La trivata, Othello
The Ring of Nibelung, Siegfried
Swan Lake, The Nutcracker
French Impressionism
Claude Debussy
Maurice Ravel
Prelude to Afternoon of a Fawn, Estampes
Spanish Rhapsody, Pavane for a Dead Princess
Twentieth Century
Igor Stravinsky
Arnold Shoenberg
Alban Berg
Anton Webern
Bela Bartok
Aaron Copland
Scott Joplin
Louis Armstrong
Petrushka, The Rite of Spring
Jacob’s Ladder, Peace on Earth
Wozzeck, Lyric Suite
Passacaglia, String Quartet
The Unanswered Question, The Fourth of July
Billy the Kid, Appalachian Spring, Rodeo
Treemonisha, The Maple Leaf Rag, The Entertainer
West End Blues
Duke Ellington
John Lewis
Leonard Bernstein
Ko-Ko
Sketch
West Side Story, Fancy Free
Can you describe the social, economic, and religious influences of each time band?
Baroque
This time period was a time of change and adventure. The conquest of the new World
began, as the middle classes gathered wealth and power in their struggle against the
aristocracy. Different empires clashed for the mastery of the world. It was an era of
absolute monarchy. Courts maintained musical establishments such as the opera troupes,
chapel choirs, and orchestras. It was also an era of reason. The finding of Kepler, Galileo,
and Copernicus in physics and astronomy, Descartes in mathematics, and Spinoza in
philosophy, were milestones of intellectual history in Europe. The Protestant religion was
found in England, Scandinavia, Holland and Northern German cities. The Catholic side
was made up of two powerful dynasties, the Hapsburg and the Bourbons. The
Reformation and then also the Counter- Reformation caused a great deal of struggle
between all of the above countries. The thirty-year war also occurred at this point in
history.
Classical
This is the time period of the French Revolution and the American Revolution (a
shattering blow to the doctrine of the divine eight of the kings). There was a transfer of
power from the aristocracy to the expanding middle class. The increasing wealth was
based on the rapidly expanding capitalism, on mines and factories, steam power and
railroads. This was all made possible by the Industrial Revolution, which allowed a series
of invention, including the cast iron frame for the piano, an instrument now found in most
homes (upper and middle classes). The culture of the 18th century was under the
patronage of an aristocracy for whom the arts were a necessary part of life. Even women
found a place as musicians under the patronage system.
Romantic
The Industrial Revolution brought with it cheaper and more responsive instruments. The
addition of valves to brass instruments made them much more maneuverable. New wind
instruments were developed as well (tuba, saxophone). The democratization of society
brought a broadening of educational opportunities. New conservatories were established
throughout Europe that trained more musicians, and better than before. The Romantics
became more intensity aware of nature.
Twentieth Century
New attitudes began just before the First World War. There was a desire to capture the
spontaneity, and freedom from inhibition that was supposed to characterize primitive life.
World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, and the Great Depression all
took place in this time period. Events such as the first airplane flight, women’s suffrage,
the discovery of insulin, the first walk in space, and the AIDS virus was identified.
Can you describe musical and orchestral characteristics of each time band?
Baroque
The new style was named monody- literally “one song” music for one singer with
instrumental accompaniment. Instead of the composer writing chords out in full, he put a
numeral indicating the harmony required above or below the bass note. One of the most
significant changes in all music history was the transition from the medieval church
modes to major-minor tonality. Music turned from vocal counterpoint to instrumental
harmony demanding a simplification of the harmonic system. With the establishment of
major-minor tonality, the thrust to the tonic became an important element in the shape of
music structure. Due to equal temperament, it was possible to play in every major and
minor key without unpleasant results. Growing harmonic sense brought a freer handling
of dissonance. The music demanded vigorous rhythm based on the regular recurrence of
accent.
Classical
The music of the Classical period is notable for its elegant, singable melody, based on
symmetrical four-bar phrases marked off by clear cadences. It moved stepwise or by
narrow leaps within a narrow range. The harmony was largely diatonic and has the sense
of being rooted in the key. Pieces were apt to stay in the same rhythm throughout.
Classical music absorbed a variety of folk and popular elements. Chamber music enjoyed
a great flowering during this ear. The opera house was a center of experimentation during
this time band. In the Classical opera, the music was the point of departure and imposed
its forms on the drama. The opera buffa was the Italian comic opera, which saw a great
rise in the Classical time period.
Romantic
Improved instruments strongly influenced the sound of Romantic music. Also, the
broadening of educational opportunities created better composers with higher quality
literature. Composers had a desire for increased expressiveness, through the use of
directions written into scores (dolce, cantabile, giocoso). The interest in folklore and the
rise of nationalism impelled Romantic musicians. Romantic music was easy to sing and
hum. The music called for a highly expressive, emotional harmony. Instrumental forms
were expanded, as well as the expanding use of more instruments (percussion).
Chromaticism was also a musical element widely seen. There was a struggle between
programmatic and absolute composers.
Twentieth Century
Expressionism of this time band was the answer to the French Impressionism. In the early
1920’s, impressive proportions of the Baroque period were assumed (duplicating the
accents of the period). Twentieth Century music composers later explored the
possibilities of nonsymmetrical patterns based on odd numbers. Composers turned to
polyrhythm which was the use of several different rhythmic patterns simultaneously.
Music of this band focused more on an instrumental melody than a lyrical melody. It’s
made up of wide leaps and dissonant intervals. “Skyscraper” polychords as well as
polyharmony were both commonly formed in the music. Expanded tonality allowed for
more shifts and movements throughout various keys. Polytonality was the use of two or
more keys at the same time. Atonal music was first heard in the music of Schoenberg and
his school; heard by music moving from one level of dissonance to another. The twelve
tone method based on the twelve tone row was created by Schoenberg, and followed by
other composers of the period. Dissonant counterpoint, contrasting that of the baroque
time period was emphasized. In the neoclassical period of this time band, composers
returned to the elements and forms of the Classical time period (characteristics listed
above).
Development of the symphony from Baroque to the Twentieth Century
Baroque:
o Transition from Medieval church modes to major-minor tonality
o Preludes and fugues
o Well-tempered scale (transformed major-minor system to flexible medium of
expression) by Bach
o Much contrasting use between the tonic and the active chord (dominant)
o Figured bass (thorough bass)
o Polyphonic (Renaissance) to homophonic (Baroque) texture (monody)
o Invention of the opera
o Dissonance (for emotional intensity and color
o Rise of castrato
o Rise of instrumental music
o Driving rhythm
o Continuous melody tied to text
o Terraced dynamics (adding of instruments)
o Doctrine of Affections: Union of music and poetry
Classical:
o Melody not as continuous, more symmetrical
o Harmony: diatonic instead of chromatic
o More homophonic
o Ternary form (ABA) instead of just binary (AB)
o Sonata-allegro form
o Music: secular instead of religious (Baroque)
o Blocked dynamics
o Chamber music
Romantic:
o Not as symmetrical, more expansive
o Rhythmic diversity in parts
o New instruments: tuba, English horn, saxophone, and piano dominates as solo
instrument
o Not as clear in rhythm
o More chromaticism
o Turning more in to polyphony
o Expansion of forms
o Programmatic
o Still secular music
o Widely expressive dynamics (stats of: written on music)
o More expression of emotions and mood
French Impressionism:
o Continual change and blend of tone colors
o New instruments at unusual ranges
o Blending with poetry, stories, art, and songs
Contemporary:
o National folk, neo-classical, dodecaphonic, and electronic
o Reaction against Romanticism
o Complex rhythm; use of jazz styles
o Wide leaps of distant intervals
o No melodic orientation
o Polyharmony (2 different keys at the same time)
o 12 tone method (atonality organization by Schoenberg)
o Some free form and others absolute
Non-Western Music:
o African Sanctus
o Indonesian Shadow Play
o Pygmies of the Ituri Forrest
o Use of natural environment as instruments
The Four Branches of the 20th Century Music and Three Composers of Each
National Folk Idiom:
o Schostakovich- “Romeo and Juliet”
o Gustav Holtz- “Planes”
o George Gershwin-musicals and movie sound scores
o Powerful and rhythmic
o Penatonic
o Whole-tone scale
Neo-Classical:
o Igor Stravinsky- “Right of Spring”
o Erin Koplan
o Oliver Messiaen
o Tone painting
o Preferred absolute to programmatic music
o “Back to Bach” (18th century composers)
Dodecaphonic:
o Arnold Schoenberg
o Scott Joplin
o Anton Webern
o Non-tonal music
o Parallels society
o 12 tone composition
Electronic Music:
o Karlheinz Stockhausen
o Mario Davidovsky
o Milton Babbitt: “Phenomena”
o Synthesizers
o Synchonisms (dialogues for solo instrument and prerecorded tape)
o Combination of soprano voice and tape (mainly Babbitt)
Musical Elements
Syncapation—upsetting the rhythm through temporary shifting of the accent to a weak
beat to an off beat.
Consonance—combination of tones that provides sense of relaxation and fulfillment in
music
Dissonance—combination of tones that sound s discordant, in need of resolution
Polyphonic—many-voice texture
Counterpoint—art of combining in a single texture 2 of more simultaneous melodic lines,
each with a rhythmic life of its own
Canon—strict type of composition
Round—most popular form of canon: each voice enters in succession with same melody
Inversion—melody upside down
Retrograde—melody backwards
Augmentation—longer time values of melody
Dimunition—shorter time values of melody
Sequence—restatement at a higher or lower level pitch
Motive-smallest fragment of a theme that forms a melodic-rhythmic unit
Timbre—tone color
ME ME HA ME FO STY CO
Medium:
o Voices or instruments
o Type of ensemble
Meter, tempo:
o Duple, triple
o Metric
o Fast or slow
o Simple or complex
Harmony:
o Major, whole-tone, pentatonic
o Kinds of intervals
o Tertian or quartal
o Progression
o Cadence structure
o Diatonic or chromatic
Melody:
o Prominence of melodic element
o Conjunct-stepwise movement
o Disjunct-skips
o Lyrical, cantabile
o Vertical or horizontal
o Phrases symmetrical or asymmetrical
Form:
o Binary, rondo, ect.
o Theme and variations, chaconne (variation based on a repeated chord
progression). ect.
o Developmental—Sonata Allegro Form
o Fugal-fugue, motet, ect.
o Free
o Dodecophonic
Style:
o Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romanticism, French Impressionism,
Contemporary, Non-Western
Composer:
o Who wrote composition
o Lyrics
o Tribe, band, culture, ect.