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The Musical Concepts

Christine Carroll Concepts analysis should attempt to describe the musical events of a piece or excerpt. By limiting our observations to a particular concept we can explore specific musical events, deconstructing the music within a specific conceptual context. Good analysis will describe the musical events in detail, starting at the beginning of the work and working through it slowly making observations that are backed up by musical references. Further, it will look for explanations as to why a piece of music has been put together in a specific way in light of the expressive, or stylistic context in which it has been written. You may use point form, but remember to explain your observations.

Check-list: Things to look for. Study of the musical concepts is


broken into SIX areas; Pitch, Duration, Texture, Tone Colour, Dynamics and Expression, and Structure. WARNING!!! Remember to describe concepts observations in their musical context. DONT GIVE A SHOPPING LIST STYLE LIST OF OBSERVATIONS WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE MUSIC OR THE SCORE.

P i t c h : The relationship of sounds, in both height and depth.


Pitch is broken into two areas, Melody and Harmony. Melody refers to the lateral organisation of pitch; and harmony, the vertical organisation of pitch.

Melody :

1) Register- Where it is placed? 2) Range-The distance between the lowest and highest notes used. 3) Shape- The use of intervals, steps/leaps, and pitch direction. 4) Scale Type The use of major, minor, modal, chromatic, pentatonic, whole tone, blues, and non-western scale forms. 5) Phrase Length- The sections of a melody, and how they relate. 6) Theme or Motif- Important melodic ideas. 7) Ostinato- Constantly repeating melodic ideas. 8) Melodic Devices Such as sequence, inversion and retrograde. 9) Traditional and graphic methods of notating pitch

10) Definite or Indefinite pitch- Use of notes or non-specific pitches.

Harmony:

1) Tonality - The use of diatonic (major & minor),

chromatic, modal, atonal, bi-tonal, poly-tonal, whole-tone, or non-western tonalities/keys. May or may not include the use of a tonal center. 2) Modulation- Changes in key. 3) Types of chords - Use of major and minor chords, 7 t h chords, added note chords, jazz harmonies, diminished and augmented chords, suspensions, poly-chords etc. 4) Dissonance and Consonance - Resolving or unresolving. 5) Cadences - Use of perfect, imperfect, plagal, and interrupted cadence forms. 6) Patterns Harmonic patterns and progressions. 7) Drone or Pedal point - Stationary bass notes

Duration : The organisation of pulse, length and silence.


1) Pulse Is it weak, strong, or even absent? Is it regular or irregular? What is the tempo and does it change? 2) Metre How are pulses grouped in terms of simple or compound, regular or irregular, mixed or polymetres? 3) Rhythmic Devices: a) anacrusis b) syncopation c) cross accent/off beat accent d) cross rhythm e) polyrhythm f) rhythmic ostinato g) diminution/augmentation h) hemiola i) repetition

4) Rhythmic Activity Note values, patterns used both notated and described.

Texture: The relationship between different layers of sound.


1) Number of strands- How many layers are used, and what is their relationship? 2) Roles Including melodic or counter melodic, accompaniment, harmonic, rhythmic, or bass roles. 3) Texture Type Including mono/homo/poly/heterophonic textures, and linear and multi layered forms. 4) Textural Devices Including canon, fugue, and imitation. 5) The Role other Concepts play in Varying Texture For example the effect of tone colour, dynamics, articulation, register, or harmonic voicing on texture. 6) Degree of Density- Thin or sparse textures and graphic density maps.

Tone Colour : The defining quality of sound.


1) Sound Sources- Names of instruments/voices used, traditional and nontraditional. 2) Methods of Sound Production- eg. blown, struck, bowed, plucked, electronic etc 3) Description of individual timbres- eg. dark, bright, mellow, nasal, clear, distorted, breathy, harsh, resonant etc 4) Combinations of Timbres- solo and ensemble combinations, blend and contrast. 5) Manipulations of Tone Colour eg. mutes, flutter tongue, unusual performance techniques, electronic manipulations etc

Dynamics & Expression: The variation of sound in


terms of volume and attack.

1) Volume and Volume changes- Dynamics used and changes in dynamics 2) How dynamics are achieved- Variations in number of instruments, tone colour variations, volume changes and terraced effects etc. 3) Phrasing and Interpretation- Subtle peaks and troughs. 4) Expression and Tempo markings- Meanings of expression and tempo marks. 5) Articulation- staccato, legato, slur/tongue, pizzicato and arco, tremolo, accents etc 6) Ornamentation Use of trills, grace notes, portamento, baroque ornaments etc 7) Style- The effects of style on dynamics and expression.

Structure: The form or arrangement of sections.


1) Macrostructures Concerto, Suite, Symphony, Opera, Musical, Song Cycle etc 2) The Number of Sections- Label uniformly and list the main identifying features. 3) Relationship of Sections How is contrast and unity achieved through structure? 4) Traditional Structure Types Binary, Ternary, Rondo, Sonata Form, Theme and Variations etc 5) Microstructures Internal structures such as phrases, motif, repetition, ostinato, sequence, ground bass etc

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