Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for Music for Primary education

Fundamental Qualities of Sound

1. Intensity

Intensity refers to the amount of acoustic energy a sound contains, determining whether it is perceived as loud or soft. It is dictated by power and amplitude. For humans to perceive a sound, it must exceed the threshold of hearing (0 dB) without reaching the threshold of pain (140 dB). This quality is measured using a sound level meter, with results expressed in decibels (dB), named in honor of Alexander Graham Bell.

2. Pitch

Pitch indicates whether a sound is low (bass), medium, or high (treble). It is determined by the fundamental frequency of sound waves, measured in hertz (Hz):

• Low Pitch: Slow vibration = low frequency.
• High Pitch: Fast vibration = high frequency.

The human audible frequency range is...

Musical Development at Age 6

• Vocal Range: Significant increase in vocal tone variety.
• Singing Ability: Songs are performed with greater ease.
• Lyrical Content: Transition from purely onomatopoeic sounds to songs with simple, coherent themes.
• Motor Skills: Intensive development with seamless synchronization of hand and foot movements.
• Musical Interest: Increased engagement with music as a standalone activity.
• Attention Span: Development of a receptive attitude toward musical structures.

Musical Growth at Age 7

• Listening Habits: Shift toward passive music appreciation.
• Instrumental Interest: Growing curiosity for rhythm instruments; an ideal time for formal training.
• Media Preferences: Preference for films and cartoons featuring prominent soundtracks.

Musical

Reggae Music: Origins and Characteristics

Reggae Sound Characteristics

• Slow, chilled-out tempo with a distinctive offbeat feel.
• Strong emphasis on the backbeat (beats 2 and 4).
• Other percussion instruments play syncopated rhythms.
• The electric guitar plays short, choppy chords (known as the skank).
• The bass guitar provides highly syncopated, prominent riffs.
• Simple harmonic structure, often repeating only two or three chords per song.
• Frequent use of call and response vocal patterns.

Lyrical Themes

• Themes include poverty, politics, social beliefs, and religion.
• Strongly influenced by the Rastafarian religion, originating in Jamaica.

Ska Music

• Originated in Jamaica in the 1960s.
• A fusion of traditional Caribbean mento and American Jazz/R&B.
• Features a

Popular Piano Songs: Easy Sheet Music

Rice Pudding

Fa Fa Fa Do
Do Fa Fa La Sol
The Sib The Sol Fa Do Re Do Mi Mi Mi Mi Fa

Do Fa La La Fa
Do Fa La La Sol
The Sib The Sol Fa Do Re Do Mi Mi Mi Mi Fa

Silent Night

Sol La Sol Mi
Sol La Sol Mi
If you do re re do Sol

La La La Sol's do If Sol Mi
La La La Sol's do If Sol Mi

re re re fa mi re do if
Sol Mi Fa Do Sol Re Do

re re re fa mi re do if
Sol Mi Fa Do Sol Re Do

Ode to Joy

If you do re re do If If The Sun Sol La Si Si La La
If you do re re do If If The Sun Sun Sun Sun The If's

The sun If the sun If you do If
If you do If the sun's La Re

If you do re re do If If The Sun Sun Sun Sun The If's

La Cucaracha

Fa La Do Do Do
Fa La Do Do Do
Fa Fa Mi Mi Re Re Do

Do Do Do Mi Sol
Do Do Do Mi Sol
do...

Musical Terms and Definitions

Aria: A highly dramatic solo vocal piece with musical accompaniment, typically found in operas, oratorios, and cantatas.

Art song: A vocal composition, usually a lyric song intended for recital performance, typically accompanied by piano, in which the text is the principal focus.

Beat: Equal parts into which a measure is divided.

Bel canto: A style of operatic singing utilizing full, even tones and virtuoso vocal technique.

Cadence: A particular arrangement of chords indicating the ending of a musical passage.

Cantata: A musical composition in several movements for orchestra and chorus, often with a sacred text, utilizing recitatives, arias, and choruses.

Concerto: An extended composition for orchestra and one or more...

The Etymology of Literary Vocabulary

Literature

The etymology of this word comes from Latin: Littera (letter of the alphabet) and the suffix -ure (the process of letters). However, neither the Greeks nor the Romans had a word for what we nowadays understand as literature.

Poetic and Metric Terminology

Poetry

Poetry is defined as: “a poem, ancient literature, poetical works, fables, or tales.” The etymology of this word has several origins:

• From Greek: Poieo, which means ‘to create’.
• From Old French: poetrie.
• Perhaps directly from Medieval Latin: poetria.
• Also from Latin: poeta.

Verse

The term Verse comes from Late Old English (replacing Old English fers, an early West Germanic borrowing directly from Latin), meaning “line or section of a psalm...

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. Pop Music

What is Pop Music?

• A genre of popular music originating in the 1950s.
• Derived from Rock and Roll.
• Often borrows from other genres like dance, urban, and rock.

Structure of Pop Music: 32-Bar AABA

• Also known as 32-bar form, American Songbook, or ballad form.
• Common in jazz standards and still found in pop music (often modified).
• Each letter (AABA) represents 4x8 (or 8 bars).
• A: Main melody; the 2nd A can be identical, similar, or a response.
• B: Middle eight or bridge, usually contrasting with A. Example: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

Voices in Pop

• In Harmony: Singing different notes that harmonize.
• In Unison: All singing the same notes.
• Descant: Singing a higher part in time with the main tune.
• Call and Response: Repeating the lead vocalist or

Foundational Canadian Music and National Identity

Early Patriotic and Traditional Songs

• Alexander Muir (Toronto, Ontario)

  The Maple Leaf Forever (1867)

• Calixa Lavallée

  O Canada (1880)

• Eva Gauthier (Mezzo-Soprano Teacher, Active 1917)

  Known for preserving traditional French Canadian songs:

  • À la claire fontaine (Traditional, associated with the founding of Samuel de Champlain’s L’Ordre de Bon Temps, 1606). (Description: Female voice with male choir, historical recording.)
  • J'ai fait faire un beau navire

Canadian Opera and Art Song

• Stephen Codman (Active 1835)

  The Fairy Song (1824). (Description: Fast-paced piano accompaniment with soprano voice.)

• Joseph Vézina (Quebec Conductor/Composer, d. 1921)

  Le Fétiche (Operetta). Features the aria “J’ai pour

Musical Transitions

Nationalism

This style is based on legends, folk songs, and melodies that capture the spirit of each country. The melody is composed of traditional sounds, often utilizing the repetition of notes. The harmony follows classic rules, while the rhythm remains regular and soft, performed by traditional orchestras.

Impressionism

A parallel movement to Impressionist painting, this suggestive music aims to describe visual images, sensations, and unique atmospheres. Key characteristics include:

• Melody: Blurred, short, and fragmentary, with an alternation of consonant and dissonant sounds.
• Harmony: Features a mix of discords and consonant chords.
• Rhythm: Lacks clear rhythmic patterns.
• Timbre: Utilizes unfamiliar sounds from traditional instruments.