Basic Elements of Muisic

Melody, Harmony, Scales

Melody

A timely arranged linear sequence of pitched sounds that listeners perceive as a single entity.

Listening Activity

Define melody and harmony of the following composition in your own words.

A. Vivaldi, Concerto “Spring” from the “Four Seasons”, 1st movement, Allegro

http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/lara-fourseasons/

Range

The distance between the lowest and the highest notes in the melody.

Wide Range

Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, in D Major, 1st Movement

http://content.thespco.org/music/compositions/brandenburg-concerto-no-5-in-d-johann-sebastian-bach/

Narrow Range

Brahms, Violin Concerto in D, 3rd movementhttp://content.thespco.org/music/compositions/violin-concerto-in-d-johannes-brahms/

Melodic Motion

Disjunct – melody moves by large leaps.

Conjunct – melody rises and falls slowly, with only small changes between one note and the next.

Conjunct Motion

Beethoven, “Ode to Joy” from Symphony No. 9

Start listening at 2:30 mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljGMhDSSGFU

Disjunct Motion

Piazzolla, “Spring”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJzogioRx6A

Listening Activity

Define the melodic motion of the following composition. Is it conjunct, disjunct, or a combination of both?

F. Chopin, “Nocturne in E-Flat Major”, op. 9 no. 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--ykTqoQnqI

Melodic Contour or Shape

• Ascending

• Descending

• Arch

Ascending Melody

R. Strauss, “Don Juan”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66zOdfCWEqA

Descending Melody

Handel, “Joy to the World” – the opening of the melody.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKW_az2HVfk

Arch

D. Shostakovich, “Romance from The Gadfly”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDW4VJGKLAQ

Listening Activity

Define the melody of this composition in terms of range, motion, and contour.

J. S. Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, 1st Movement

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj1VvTTTO7Q

Harmony

Two or more notes played together at the same time.

Two notes played at the same time – an interval.

More than two notes played at the same time – a chord.

Intervals

Please read and study page 1, Intervals:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/elements_of_music/melody1.shtml

Consonant Intervals

Consonance in music – a combination of notes that sounds pleasant.

Please replay the following intervals:

• Unison

• Major and Minor Thirds

• Perfect Fourth

• Perfect Fifth

• Major and Minor Sixths

• Octavehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/elements_of_music/harmony_and_tonality1.shtml

Dissonant Intervals

Dissonance – a combination of notes that sounds unpleasant or harsh.

Please replay the following intervals:

• Major and Minor Seconds

• Tritone

• Major and Minor Sevenths

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/elements_of_music/harmony_and_tonality1.shtml

Chords

Please read all four pages on the Harmony and Tonality section of this website:

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/elements_of_music/harmony_and_tonality1.shtml

Scales

Scales are various combinations of musical intervals.

Please study the following:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/elements_of_music/melody2.shtml

Diatonic Scales

• Major – happy.

Chopin, Etude in G Flat Major

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pyqLbi2wLU

• Minor – sad.

Rachmaninov, Prelude in C Sharp Minor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXQCPAR0EHo

Pentatonic Scale

Is widely used in music around the world, especially in folk music.

Watch from 3:00 to 6:30:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnbOWi6f_IM

Gang and Zhanhao, “Butterfly Lovers” Violin Concerto, start listening at 1:50

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_qd-9wD6qA

Traditional music from Uganda

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=363Nv-5oYBA

Chromatic Scale

Is not happy or sad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr2rXc9Qu4A

Schoenberg, Piano Concerto – is based on series of chromatic tones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_dnflTagHM

Rimsky-Korsakoff, Flight of the Bumblebee – the melody is based on a chromatic scale.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yZPrrboTkY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK0z3LS45xU

Other Scale Types

Whole Tone Scale – based on whole steps

• Debussy, “Volies”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVV0jkZC4jI

Microtone Scale – a scale based on the intervals that are less that ½ step.

• Composer Harry Partch created a 43-note scale and new instruments. Please watch various selections from this documentary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfCjWIQtm-M&list=PL325E98023B8838E2

Listening Activity

Define the melody and harmony in the following example using terms discussed in this part.

J. S. Bach’s “Air on the G String”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2j-frfK-yg

Required Readings• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melody

• http://openhighschoolcourses.org/mod/page/view.php?id=11834

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/elements_of_music/melody1.shtml

• http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/30

• http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/31

• http://cnx.org/content/m10851/latest/

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmony

• http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/40

• http://www.musictheory.net/lessons - read (1)The Staff, Clefs, and Ledger Lines and (2)Steps and Accidentals in the Basics area