Area of Study 2:Techniques of Melodic Composition

Melody Techniques:

• Doubling-- Quavers to semiquavers
• Decoration-- i.e. Trills, mordents, Grace-note
• Countermelodies-- Second Tune
• Augmentation-- Double the note length
• Modulation-- Changing the key
• Changing the metre-- 2/4 to 3/4
• Re-harmonisation-- New choice of chords
• Add an accompaniment
• Passing notes
• Stepped dynamics-- Loud or quiet (limited gradual change)
• Sequence-- Same melody played at a higher or lower pitch

Instruments:

• Harpsichord
• Continuo (Keyboard & Bass stringed instrument)
• Organ
• Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello)
• Brass (Trumpets)
• Woodwind (Flutes, Recorders, Oboes)
• Orchestra (Small mainly strings and harpsichord)
• Choir (Soprano, alto, tenor, bass, treble(boys), male countertenor)

Who? Where?:

England: Henry Purcell, G.F. Handel

Germany: J.S.Bach, G.F.Handel

Italy: Antonio Vivaldi

France: J.P. Rameau, F.Couperin, J.B. Lully

Melody Techniques:

• Call and Response (antiphonal)- one person (group) calls then the others respond/answer
• Swung rhythms- laid back feel, less rigid
• Syncopation- off beat rhythms
• Flattened notes/blues scale- expressive pitch blending 3rd/5th/7th notes flattened

Instruments:

• Saxophone
• Trumpet
• Harmonica
• Piano
• Guitar
• Double bass
• Clarinet

Who?:

• Bessie Smith
• Louis Armstrong
• Robert Johnson
• Jelly Roll Morton
• Muddy Waters

Instruments:

• Piano- replaced harpsichord, was not part of the orchestra
• Clarinet- was invented
• French horn- was developed
• Orchestra- mainly strings, no keyboard instrument, more woodwind and brass than baroque
• Voices- soloists became more accomplished and music became more "virtuosic"
• Violins- replaced viols as they were louder

Who?:

• W.A Mozart
• L.v Beethoven
• Joseph Haydn
• Johann Schobert

Melody:

• The basis of the composition is the note row
• This can be played in several orders
  • Prime order-original order
  • Retrograde-backwards
  • Inversion-mirror image
  • Retrograde Inversion-backwards mirror image
• End melody is often extremely disjunct

Harmony:

• Totally atonal
• Harmony normally occurs by accident

Melody:

• scalic
• any intervals are followed by scalic movement in the oposite direction of the leap.
• often based on a mode (e.g. Dorian, Mixolydian)

Harmony:

• unacompanied thorefore no harmony
• the most important note is called the final

Instrumentation:

• no instuments appart from voice
• sung in unison

Texture:

• monophonic

Where could it be played?:

You would expect to hear this music played in Church, or another religious venue such as a Monastery, Convent or Cathedral. It is religious and the lyrics are often sung in Latin.

Melody:

• Often based on modes
• Sometimes pentatonic
• Simple and repetitive
• Narrow range of notes
• Scalic

Rhythm:

• often starts with an anacrusis
• follows pattern of text
• there are often ostinatos

Harmony: often based on primary triads



Instrumentation:

portable instruments such as Penny Whistle, Accordion and Fiddle

Texture:

• Tune and accompaniment
• possibly heterophonic
• sometimes unaccompanied

Where could it be heard?:

You would expect to hear this music played live in pubs, and also in Folk Festivals

Melody:

• Based on a rag
• Rag forms the basis for improvisation
• Involves microtones

Rhythm:

• Based on a tal

Harmony:

• Doesn't use western harmonies. Melody is supported by a drone.

Form:

• Alap- Notes of the rag introduced, just sitar, slow and unmetred.
• Jhor- Structured inprovised section with metre. Medium centre.
• Jhala- Music gets faster and more rhythmic.
• Gat/Bandish- Set composition that uses notes of the rag, percussionist comes in.

Instrumentation:

• Sitar
• Tabla
• Tanpura

Where would you hear it?:

You would hear this music in classical concerts in India or at world music festivals.