Chapter 6 Notes

• Motive- a short or melodic pattern that occurs regularly throughout the piece.
  • Melodic Motives- a repeated pattern in the melody, or pitches of a piece.
  • Rhythmic Motive- a repeated pattern in the rhythm of a piece.
  • Rhythmic Motive.bmp   

v     Motive verses theme: (analogy to biology) motive is like a cell, theme is like an arm.

• Sequence- a melodic motive stated a second time, immediately after the first statement, at a different pitch
  • Real Sequence- an exact transposition of a previous melodic pattern; changes keys to accommodate transposition.
  • Real Sequence.bmpThis is a rough example- the second pattern is a little flushed out.
  • Tonal Sequence- a sequence that must transpose within the diatonic scale, so that the transposition is not always exact; remains in the tonic key signature.
  •  
  • Tonal Sequence.bmp
  • Modified Sequence- an embellishment or variation to the first melodic pattern that keeps the original theme but busies the melodies line.  (This will not be on any tests).
  • False Sequence- a sequence that transposes only part of the second statement, leaving the other part in the original key.  (This will not be on any tests).
• Phrase- a melodic pattern ending in some sort of cadence; the cadence is what distinguishes a phrase from a motive.
  • Phrase Segment (the book refers to this as Phrase Member, but it makes Dr. J laugh so we do not use it). - part of a phrase that is separated with a long note or rest.

v     Phrases and Phrase Segments are sometimes hard to distinguish- in these cases it is best to look to the tempo for an idea.

• Period- two phrases which have some similarity in the melody and/or rhythm having the first ending with a weaker cadence and the second ending with a strong cadence.  (Antecedent-consequent = question and answer –NOT call and response).
  • Parallel Period- two phrases that start off the same in melody and/or rhythm, though not necessarily key.
  • Contrasting Period- two phrases that are not similar in melody and/or rhythm.
  • Three-Phrase Period- three phrases (AAB or ABB form) in which the last cadence must have a stronger ending than the previous two.
  • Double Period (Four-Phrase Period)- four phrases in which the last should be at least as strong at the earlier three.
  • Repeated Phrases- a phase that is played twice.  It is not an antecedent-consequent and therefore is not really a period because the phrases are identical and do not create a call and response.

• Modification of the Phrase- adding variety to a phrase
  • Extended Phrase- a phrase that has been extended by lengthening some or all parts of the phrase. 
• Change of Mode- the modification of phrases by changing from major to parallel minor or minor to parallel major.
• Melodic Structure-
  • General Characteristics:
    • Tonal melodies generally contain a climax tone; a peaking of the melody, a high and/or stressed note in the melody.
    • They contain an ascent and a descent to and from the climax point.
    • They contain notes from the tonic triad (1 3 5) which are specifically placed in the music “for best results.”
    • Cadence endings usually end with the melody moving down the scale pitches from 3 to 1.  (3-2-1).

• History-
  • Renaissance Period (1450-1600) -   four-bar phrases did not appear until the late Renaissance period. 
  • Baroque Period (1600-1750) - phrasing and periods developed and by the latter half of this period phrase structure was regularly used.
  • Classical Period (1750- 1825) - (think: Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven) the rise of formal phrase construction.
  • Romantic Period (1875-1920) - maintained the basic elements of phrase and period construction.
  • Post- Romantic and Impressionistic Period (1875-1920) – functional harmony and strict key-oriented tonality all but disappeared but phrase and period structure were still apparent.
  • Contemporary Period (1920- Present) - a wide range of musical styles cut musical phrasing still dominates the musical influence.
  • Jazz and Popular Music (1900-Present) – mostly follows strict 8-bar phrases.  Phrase and period construction very highly influence this music.  Charlie Parker (SAXOPHONE!), as well as other jazz artists, introduced irregular and unbalanced phrases to jazz music around 1945.

Sources:

            “(A Fistful of) Broomstick.”  Suta, Kyle and Derek Bernier.  Drum line cadence.

            “Music in Theory and Practice.”  Benward, Bruce and Marilyn Saker.  McGraw Hill Publishing.  Vol. I, Ed. 7.

            “Six Canonic Sonatas.”  Telemann, Georg Philipp.  Sonata No. 1 for Flute. Edited by C. Herrmann.  Internation Music Company, NY City. Copyright 1956.

            “Concerto in C Minor.”  Marcello, Benedetto.  Revised by Richard Lauschmann.

Students Receiving Participation Credit:  (credit period closed)

Anna, Russ