Histoy of the music: Musical rudiments

UNIT 1. MUSICAL RUDIMENTS

1. MUSIC

Music is as common as language, and likely almost as old. Music is part of every

culture on Earth, from the least sophisticated to the most; it´s found on every

continent and in every country, and has been with us from ancient times to the present.

But…how would we define music?

A pattern of sounds made by musical instruments, singing or computers, or a

combination of these, intended to give pleasure to people listening to it.

(Cambridge Dictionary)

What do you think? What is music to you?

2. SOUND CHARACTERISTICS

2.1 Timber: is the quality of a musical note or sound or tone that distinguishes different

types of sound production. In other words, the timber helps us to recognize the sound source: a trumpet, a violin…

Musical Instruments Classification

STRINGS

Bowed strings: violin, viola, violoncello, contrabass…

Plucked strings: guitar, harp…

Struck strings/keys: piano, clavichord…

WINDS

Woodwinds: flute, oboe, clarinet…

Brass: trumpet, tuba, trombone…

Other: organ, harmónica, accordion…

PERCUSSION Drums, tambourine, xylophone, triangle, congas…

Human Singing Voices (from high to low)

Female Voices Male Voices

Soprano Tenor

Mezzosoprano Baritone

Contralto Bass

2.2 Lenght: the duration of sound, the time that sound lasts. As you know a sound can

be long or short: semibreve (rodona), minim (blanca), crotchet (negra), quaver

(corxera)…

2.3 Loudness: the attribute of auditory sensation in terms of which sounds can be

ordered on a scale extending from quiet to loud. In other words, the loudness is

related to the volume:

Dynamics

Loudness variability

pp Pianissimo

Crescendo

The volume gradually increases

p Piano

mf Mezzoforte

Decrescendo

The volume gradually decreases

f Forte

ff Fortissimo

2.4 Pitch: it is an attribute of sound related to frequency, the number of times the cycle

is repeated in a second. The higher is the frequency the higher is the sound.

Pitches are perceived as higher or lower.

- The higher the frequency: the higher the pitch of the sound.

- The lower the frequency: the lower the pitch od the sound

3 TEXTURE of Music.

It is related to the way the voices, instruments and parts are organized

according to the melody, the rhythm and harmony.

- Monody: everything is exactly the same, there is just one melody, although

there are many people singing or instruments playing.

- Polyphony: two or more independent melodies at the same time.

4 KEY, Tonality and modality.

- Tonality: is determined by the note (scale) that we choose to start and end a

melody. Example of C (Do) tonality: C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

- Modality: there are two modalities, major (cheerful, bright…) and minor (sad,

melancholic…)

5 MUSICAL FORMS

Every musical work has a structure that the composer uses in order to

organize all the elements. This organization determines the musical forms

which have been appearing all along every period in the history of music.

Some vocal forms: Passion, Oratory, Opera…

Some instrumental forms: Sonata, Symphony, Quartet…

6 MUSICAL GENRES

Music can be classified according to:

- Religious (sacred) or Secular (non-religious) music.

- Vocal or instrumental (or a combination of these) music.

- Popular (rock, jazz…) or Serious (classical) music.

We also can classified music depending on its function:

- Absolute music: just music to enjoy.

- Descriptive music: explains something.

- Functional music: it has a specific intention.

- A combination of these.

7 HISTORICAL PERIODS of the Western Music

1. Middle Ages

From 5th to 14th century.

2. The Renaissance

From 15th to 16th century.

3. The Baroque Age

From 1600 to 1750.

4. Classical period

From 1750 to 1810.

5.The Romantic Era

XIX century.

6.The 20th Century

XX century.