AP Music Theory
Mr. Jackson
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The smallest identifiable musical idea.
Can consist of a pitch pattern, rhythm pattern, or both at the same time.
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Phrase – a relatively independent musical idea
terminated by a cadence.
Subphrase – a distinct portion of a phrase. It is
not a phrase because it is not terminated by a
cadence or because it is too short to be
relatively independent.
Phrases are combined to form larger structural units
called periods.
Period - Two phrases in an antecedent -consequent
relationship.
Antecedent: (Question) – Less conclusive cadence
Consequent: (Answer) – More conclusive cadence
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Phrase endings in a period MUST be different.
Relationship is established by the second phrase
ending in a stronger cadence than the first
phrase.
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Both phrases are identical.
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The result is a repeated phrase, not a period.
•
•
Parallel Period- both phrases begin with similar
or identical material, even if the material is
embellished.
Phrases are labeled using small letters.
_________Parallel Period_________
_____________ _____________
a
a’
HC
PAC
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Contrasting period- a period where the phrase
beginnings are not similar.
________Contrasting Period_______
_____________ _____________
a
b
HC
PAC
•
Has 3 different phrases
(2 antecedent, 1 consequent)
or
(1 antecedent and 2 consequent)
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4 phrases in 2 pairs. The cadence at end of 2nd
pair is stronger than 1st pair.
______Antecedent______ ______Consequent______
(period)
(period)
_________ _________
_________ _________
phrase
phrase
phrase
phrase
HC
PAC, IAC
IAC
PAC
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A Double Period is either Parallel or
Contrasting.
Parallel: If melodic material that begins the
two halves of the double period is similar.
Contrasting: If melodic material that begins
the 2 halves is not similar.
______________Parallel Double Period_______________
_______Antecedent______ _______Consequent_____
__________ __________
a
b
HC
HC
PAC
_________ __________
a
b’
HC
_____________Contrasting Double Period_____________
_______Antecedent______ _______Consequent_____
__________ __________
_________ __________
a
b
c
b’
HC
HC
HC
PAC
 An extended phrase is one whose length has been increased through the
elongation of it. Phrases may be extended by a few beats or up to twice their normal
length. The extensions may be near the beginning, middle, or end. In all cases, the
phrase would be just fine without these extensions.
 Beginning Extension – Phrase extended near the beginning.
 Internal Extension – Small melodic group repeated in the middle of the
phrase.
 Cadential Extension – Elaborating or repeating a cadence, a cadence figure, or
individual cadence chords is an effective way to extend a phrase.
 Strophic Form (AAAA) – The same music is used for each verse or stanza.
 “Silent Night”
“Piano Man”
“Old MacDonald Had a Farm”
 Through-Composed Form – Writing new music for each stanza, often written to
reflect different moods or changing moods for each stanza.
“Der Erlkönig”
“Bohemian Rhapsody” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS91p-vmSf0
Binary Form (AB) – Two sections, often repeated (AABB). Binary form could also
be AA1, two sections comprised of the same or similar melodic material. Often used
for dances, keeping the same rhythmic feel but to use different keys for each
section. The music often moves to a new key in the B section, returning to tonic at
the end of B.
“Piano Sonata in D Major, K. 284 – Mozart”
Ternary Form (ABA) – has three parts generally with a recapitulation of the first
(the return of A). Often the first section is repeated giving us AABA, very popular
with 18th century operatic arias.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKBn6LKwXqw
Rounded Binary Form (AB ½ A) – Also ABA, but with one big difference – only a
portion of A returns after the B section. It is usually HALF of the original A
material. “Menuet – J.S. Bach”
http://youtu.be/fu4nLqkqJfE?t=49s
Sonata-Allegro Form – unique form that grew out of binary and ternary; found in
the first movement of sonatas.
 Exposition: First theme in the tonic key, second theme in the dominant key or
the relative major key if the first theme is in minor
Development: Previously presented themes are expanded and developed,
often in new keys.
Recapitulation: A restarting of the exposition with the first AND second
themes both in the tonic key, often concluding with a coda.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUWPJp5vDMA (Don’t say “SONATA
FORM”)
Rondo Form – has a principal theme (sometimes called the motive) that alternates
with one or more contrasting themes, generally called EPISODES or DIGRESSSIONS.
Most rondos fall into either a five-part (ABACA) or a seven-part (ABACABA) form.
Arch form (ABCBA) resembles a symmetrical rondo with the intermediate repetition
of the main theme. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JYBpFzeQ2Y
Theme and Variation Form – has only one “section” and is repeated indefinitely
(as in strophic form) but is varied each time (AA1A2A3A4A5A6). A theme and
variation may be an individual section of any shorter form such as binary or ternary.
An importation variation of this is the passacaglia and chaconne that feature a
repeating bass theme (or BASSO OSTINATO) over which the rest of the musical
structure is written. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9mQri8YFz4
Texture describes how much is going on in the music at any given moment.
 Counterpoint involves the writing of musical lines that are distinct from each
other, but sound harmonious when played together.
 Good counterpoint requires two qualities:
1. Some degree of independence or individuality within the lines
themselves (a “horizontal” consideration – Melody)
2. A meaningful or harmonious relationship between the lines (a “vertical”
consideration – Harmony)
 Chords occur when three or more notes are grouped together as a unit; however,
counterpoint focuses primarily on melodic interaction and secondarily on the
harmonies produced by the interaction of the melodies.
 Formal terms to describe texture all describe the relationships of melodies and
harmonies.
There are 4 main types of Texture:
Monophonic, Homophonic, Polyphonic, & Heterophonic
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Monophonic – Has only ONE melodic line with no harmony or
counterpoint. There may be rhythmic accompaniment, but only one line that
has specific pitches. Monophonic music can also be called monophony.
Examples of Monophony:
Children singing the melody of a song together without any instruments.
A solo trumpet playing a fanfare.
A family singing the melody of "Happy Birthday."
Boys and girls singing a melody in octaves.
Any time several instruments play the same melody together.
 Monophony can have octaves
Sousa: Washington Post March
 Monophony can also include octaves WITH doubling of other intervals, called
parallelism.
Debussy: Sarabande
 Homophonic music can also be called homophony and has one clear melodic
line; it’s the line that naturally draws your attention. All other parts provide
accompaniment or fill in the chords. These parts are not independent, but serve
only to support the melodic line.
Examples of Homophony:
Church Hymns (most) & Barbershop Quartet Music
Chordal Homophony (may be referred to as chordal texture) – features every
line or voice moving together with exactly the same or nearly the same rhythm.
Holst: Cranham [“In the Bleak Midwinter”]
 Melody with accompaniment is sometimes referred to as a form of
homophony because it clearly has only one melodic line, but the melody is not
limited to the chords moving together. A singer accompanied by a guitar
picking or strumming chords, or a small jazz combo with a bass, a piano, and a
drum set providing the “rhythm” background for a saxophone improvising a
solo are examples of accopmpanimental texture.
Specific Accompaniment Types:
 Ostinato – obstinate or unceasing; short melodic, rhythmic,
or harmonic pattern that is repeated.
 Alberti bass – accompaniment figure played with the left
hand (keyboard). The chords are played as arpeggios, or broken
chords, usually Do-Sol-Mi-Sol-Mi-Sol.
 Walking bass – creates a feeling of regular quarter-note
movement. Common in jazz; mixture of passing tones, scale
tones, arpeggios, etc..
Ragtime is another style of music that is often categorized as homophonic.
Although the first four measures are monophonic – the rest of the music has a
melody with supporting accompaniment.
 Polyphonic music can also be called polyphony, counterpoint, or contrapuntal
music. If more than one independent melody is occurring at the same time, the
music is polyphonic.
Examples of Polyphony:
Rounds, Canons, Fugues
Countermelody
 Polyphony is usually divided into two main types: imitative and nonimitative.
Polyphony also features an accompanying, yet very important part of the music
called the countermelody. It is a secondary melody or line written to be played
simultaneously with a more prominent melody.
 A specific type of imitative polyphony music is the fugue. Fugues feature a
theme or subject in one voice, and is imitated by other voices in succession.
Different voices overlap and weave in and out of each other forming a
continuous, tapestry-like texture. Imitative polyphony may feature fugal
imitation and not be a fugue.
 In heterophonic music, there is only one melody, but different variations of it
are being sung or played at the same time. Heterophony can be heard in American
folk music such as Bluegrass, Cajun, and Zydeco traditions. Listen for the tune to
be played by two instruments (say fiddle and banjo) at the same time, with each
adding the embellishments, ornaments, and flourishes that are characteristic of the
instrument. Some Middle Eastern, South Asian, central Eurasian, and Native
American music traditions also include heterophony.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J2R20X16Jc