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

Gregorian Chant

The Gregorian chant is sacred music which is sung a cappella, that is, all the
singers in a choir of monks sing the same melody without accompaniment.
The goal of this chant was to teach the word of God to the faithful, therefore
the text was more important than the music. Latin was the language used
in these chants and the rhythm depended on the text.

Secular Music

Secular music was developed outside of the monasteries and was sung by
troubadours and jongleurs accompanied by musical instruments such as
the lute. These compositions had varied themes related to the interests of
day-to-day life. The troubadours were educated artists, poets or musicians and, in some
cases, from noble families

Renaissance

Music was very important and... Continue reading "History of Gregorian Chant, Secular Music, Renaissance, and Baroque Period" »

The Harpsichord: A Precursor to the Piano

The harpsichord is a horizontally strung stringed keyboard instrument and a precursor of the piano. It is triangular in shape, consisting usually of two manuals controlling various sets of strings plucked by pivoted plectrums mounted on jacks. With horizontal strings which run perpendicular to the keyboard in a long tapering case, its sound features are gentle, metallic, and blurring.

The Baroque Flute and Its Construction

The baroque flute is made of wood, of which the most commonly used are boxwood, ebony, and grenadilla. It has a conical bore that is wide at the end with the embouchure hole and tapers to become significantly more narrow at the bottom. It has relatively small embouchure and finger holes.... Continue reading "Essential Baroque Musical Instruments and Their Sounds" »

Romantic Period

1. What is a Symphonic Poem?

A symphonic poem is a symphonic musical form consisting of only one movement.

2. When Was the Romantic Period in Music?

The Romantic period in music occurred in the 19th century.

3. What Are the Characteristics of the Romantic Period?

• Expressive melodies
• More freedom in the structure of melodies
• Introduction of leitmotiv
• Musical contrast creating expressive melodies
• Birth of programme music

4. What Type of Romantic Vocal Music Was Based on Mythology?

German Opera

5. What Were the Main Vocal Forms of the Romantic Period?

• German lied
• Italian opera
• German opera

6. The Romantic Symphony

The Romantic symphony has various movements that are not based on a structural form like the Classical symphonies. Instead, it is developed... Continue reading "A Comprehensive Guide to Music Periods: Romanticism, Classicism, and 20th Century" »

Cool Jazz

In part a reaction to bebop, cool jazz involved more complex compositions, slower tempos, and sometimes less overt emotional involvement. Associated with the West Coast, it had much greater rhythm variety than bop in up-tempo & medium-tempo pieces. It had extensive arrangements, including written introductions and composed passages between improvisations.

Artists

• Paul Desmond
• Dave Brubeck
• Bill Evans

Hard Bop

Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz which incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues. An aggressive, driving, hot style of modern jazz developed by East Coast musicians... Continue reading "Exploring Different Styles of Jazz: Cool Jazz, Hard Bop, Free Jazz, and Fusion" »

Major Record Labels and Founders

• Decca: Major international label featuring both Buddy Holly and Bill Haley.
• RCA: Major international label that purchased Elvis Presley's contractual rights in 1955.
• Sun: Memphis-based independent label that originally signed Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins.
• Atlantic: New York-based independent label featuring Ray Charles, Ruth Brown, The Coasters, and The Drifters.
• Chess: Chicago-based independent label featuring Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Bo Diddley.

Record Label Founders

• Sam Phillips: Founder of Sun Records.
• Ahmet Ertegun: Co-founder of Atlantic Records.
• Berry Gordy, Jr.: Founder of Motown Records.

Key Figures, Producers, and Innovators

Managers, Promoters, and DJs

• Alan Freed: The disc

Secular Vocal Music Composers

Secular vocal music composers still cultivated vocal forms inherited from the Renaissance. Voices weren't presented on top of each other with the same importance anymore; the superior voice was highlighted over the rest of the voices.

Accompanied Monody

This new composition technique was called accompanied monody, and it was part of both vocal and instrumental music. It represented a shift in the horizontal-melodic conception (counterpoint texture) towards a vertical-chordal conception (harmonic texture).

The prominence of a superior melody implied the appearance of a new low voice. It served as harmonic support and was called basso continuo.

• Composers Mentioned: Juan Hidalgo and Mateo Romero

Scenic Music

Tonadilla

A small... Continue reading "Baroque Vocal Music: Monody, Opera, and Sacred Forms" »

Directions

Turning

• Turn right: Girar a la derecha
• Turn left: Girar a la izquierda

Continuing

• Go straight on: Sigue recto
• Past the supermarket: Pasa el supermercado
• Cross the road: Cruza la carretera
• Take the first street on your right: Coge la primera calle a la derecha

Maria Rossi

Personal Information

• Age: 25
• Residence: Milan, Italy
• Marital Status: Married
• Profession: Pop singer (8 years)
• Interests: Music, golf, and painting

Performance

• Song Title: You Alone

Grammar: Future Tense with "Going To"

Affirmative

Example: I am going to swim. She is going to the cinema.

Questions

Example: Are you going to play football? Is Carmen going to have lunch in Burlada?

Negative

Example: I am not going to have lunch today.

Telling Time

On the Hour

• It's 3 o'clock: Son las 3 en punto
• It'

Hey Soul Sister - Train

Song Lyrics

Verse 1

Hey-ay Hey-ay-AY-ay-ay Hey-ay-AY-ay-ay

Your lipstick stains on the front lobe of my left side brains

I knew I wouldn't forget you and so I went and let you blow my mind

Your sweet moonbeam, the smell of you in every single dream I dream

I knew when we collided, you're the one I have decided who's one of a kind

Chorus

Hey soul sister, ain't that mister mister on the radio stereo?

The way you move ain't fair, you know

Hey soul sister, I don't want to miss a single thing you do

Tonight, Hey-ay Hey-ay-AY-ay-ay Hey-ay-AY-ay-ay

Verse 2

Just in ti-i-i-ime, I'm so glad you have a one-track mind like me

You gave my love direction, a game show love connection we can't deny-i-iii

I'm so obsessed, my heart is bound to beat right... Continue reading "Hey Soul Sister - Train Song Lyrics" »

Subcategories of 20th Century Drama

During the 20^th century, we found new different subcategories of drama:

• 1900-1950: Broadway (explained below)
• The Little Theatre Movement (explained below)
• Birth of Musical Theatre
• 1930s: The Federal Theatre Project (explained below).
• 1950s: Off-Broadway
• 1960s: Off-Off-Broadway

Broadway Theatre

Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, are theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theater District and Lincoln Center along Broadway, in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Along with London's West End theatres, Broadway theatres are widely considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world.

Main

1. Main Characteristics of the Renaissance

The Renaissance was primarily based on classical antiquity, which provided the artistic model for the era. This led artists to utilize materials and forms employed by Greek and Roman masters.

• Nature and Reality: Art was inspired by nature and sought to represent reality through mathematical methods.
• Anthropocentrism: Art returned to a human-centered perspective. Buildings were constructed on a human scale, and humans became the protagonists of sculptures and paintings.
• Social Status: Artists gained higher social status and fame across various disciplines. They began signing their works and were supported by wealthy patrons, such as the Medici family and the Papacy.

2. Main Characteristics of Architecture

• Classical