Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Music

Music in Ancient Greece

The concept of music in Greece encompassed the art of sounds, poetry, and dance. Music had a monodic texture with heterophonic accompaniment. They used alphabetic notation for the pitches and metrical feet to measure durations.

The Middle Ages (5th to 15th Centuries)

This period was dominated by the power of the Church and a profound theocentrism, leading to the predominance of religious music.

Gregorian Chant

The Gregorian chant was the liturgical chant of the Christian Church. Its text is in Latin and has a monodic texture. It uses modal scales and a free rhythm based on the accentuation and phrasing of the text.

Development of Polyphony

Polyphony appeared in the late 9th century and developed in three main stages:

• Primitive

How Sound is Produced in Music

String Instruments

In string instruments, the sound is produced when one or more strings begin to vibrate. This vibration can be caused by:

• Rubbing the strings (bowed strings)
• Plucking the strings (plucked strings)
• Hitting the strings (hammered strings)

Wind Instruments

In wind instruments, the sound is produced when the air starts to vibrate inside a tube.

Percussion Instruments

In percussion instruments, the sound is produced when a solid object, which is usually struck, begins to vibrate.

The Human Voice: A Natural Wind Instrument

We are essentially a wind instrument. The voice is produced by the vibration of the vocal cords, which is caused by the pressure of the air we exhale. There are three steps in voice production:... Continue reading "How Musical Instruments and the Voice Produce Sound" »

Literary Terms and Concepts

Poetry

TB page 256

• Meter: Systematic arrangement of stressed/unstressed syllables.
• Foot: One stressed and one or more unstressed syllables.

TB page 407

• Exact Rhyme: Two or more words with identical sounds.
• Slant Rhyme: Two or more words with similar sounds.
• Paradox: A statement that seems contradictory but actually presents the truth.

Literary Devices

TB page 270

• Parable: A story that teaches a moral lesson.
• Ambiguity: Uncertain meaning in a story created by using a symbol with different interpretations.

TB page 364

• Figures of Speech: Language used imaginatively, but not literally.
• Synecdoche: The use of a part of something to stand for the whole.

Literary Movements and Schools

Gothic Literature (TB page 291)

Five Elements of Gothic... Continue reading "Literary Terms and Concepts Glossary" »

A History of Popular Music Genres

The Birth of Work Songs

A large part of the Black population worked on cotton plantations in the Mississippi Delta in the southern part of the United States. There, enslaved people would sing songs to make the long workdays more bearable. That is where work songs originated. The characteristics of these songs were a marked beat and a call-and-response pattern typical of African music.

The Rise of Jazz in New Orleans

Jazz music first appeared in New Orleans at the beginning of the 20th century and was inspired by European military marches and the polka. In this style, the main melody could be modified to the performer's liking. The main characteristics of jazz music are:

• Marked rhythm
• Frequent use of syncopation
• Instrumental

Melody Structure

• Motif: A small group of notes with musical meaning.
• Phrase: A melody with musical meaning, ending in a cadence.
• Cadence: The equivalent of pauses in language, used to separate different musical phrases.
• Theme: The core melody of a musical piece; the main idea around which the whole composition is built.

Harmony Fundamentals

• Interval: The distance between two notes of different pitch and intonation.

Melodies are represented horizontally on the staff, placing sounds sequentially from left to right.

Harmonies are represented vertically, placing sounds above others to indicate simultaneous production.

• Chords: The basic element of harmony. Chords are formed by stacking three or more simultaneous sounds, typically by overlapping third intervals

1. The Birth of Opera

1.1 Origins in Florence

Opera emerged from Count Bardi's intellectual circle in Florence, known as the "Camerata Fiorentina." This group pioneered the concept of accompanied monody, which became the foundation of the opera genre.

1.2 Characteristics of Opera

Opera is a vocal art form that combines music, drama, and stage performance. It typically involves an orchestra, choirs, and soloists, and is structured in three main parts:

• Overture: An instrumental introduction that sets the tone for the opera.
• Sung Parts: Featuring soloists (main characters) and choirs (supporting characters). Two main singing styles are used:
  • Aria: Expressive melodies for conveying emotions and introspection.
  • Recitative: Declaimed singing for advancing

Langston Hughes: A Literary Legacy (1930s-1960s)

Langston Hughes, a pivotal figure in American literature, began his prolific career with the cordial reception of Not Without Laughter (1930), his first prose volume, shortly after his graduation. The 1930s marked a significant shift in his poetic focus, turning more forcefully toward racial justice and political radicalism.

Activism and Global Engagements

Hughes's commitment to social justice was evident in his extensive travels and reportage:

• In 1931, he traveled through the American South, notably decrying the injustices of the Scottsboro case.
• His international journeys took him widely across the Soviet Union, Haiti, Japan, and other regions.
• He served as a newspaper correspondent in 1937 during

Masterpiece

a. A 'masterpiece' is painted by a master who is capable of materializing his own vision as well as expanding the vision of those viewers

b. The artist through his piece can transform a personal experience into a universal one.

c. Stays with you for the rest of your life. Impactful.

d. Feelings should be evoked.

e. Style, Technique, Balance and harmony. Motive.

f. Window to the past.

g. Examples

• The Pieta
  1. Michelangelo’s sculpture of Virgin Mary holding her dying son.
  2. Masterpiece that is simply perfect
  3. Nothing can be done to improve the piece
  4. The figure of Jesus is out of proportion compared to Mary
  5. The statue flows, and the clothes/tunics flow in an extremely realistic manner.
  6. Great attention to detail.
  7. Renaissance ideals of classical beauty

1. Humanism

• Philosophical and cultural movement
• Emerged in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries
• Emphasized an anthropocentric viewpoint, reason, experience, and curiosity
• Drew inspiration from Antiquity and promoted the use of modern languages

2. The Spread of Humanism

• Gutenberg's invention of the printing press in 1440 facilitated the spread of knowledge
• Academies served as cultural centers, fostering intellectual exchange
• Universities played a crucial role in promoting classical culture
• Humanist scholars traveled extensively, exchanging ideas and fostering collaboration

3. Science

• Scientists conducted experiments to test and validate their theories
• Astronomy, medicine, and physics emerged as prominent branches of scientific inquiry
• Geographical discoveries