6. HARMONY, TEXTURE & FORM
1. HARMONY
Harmony is the study of sounds produced at the same time.
We differentiate between consonance (relaxation) and dissonance (tension). Typically, a dissonant chord or chord with a tension will become a consonant chord. A good harmonization usually sounds pleasant to the ear when there is a balance between the consonant and dissonant sounds, that is, between "tension" and "relaxation" moments.
Mozart - Rondo alla turca
Webern - Variations op. 27
Chord is the combination of three or more simultaneous notes that are built by superposing 3rd intervals over the lowest note called root.
Arpeggio: a chord whose notes are played successively, one after the other, instead of simultaneously.
Triad: 3-note chord made up of a root, a third and a fifth above it. Most of our music is based on this type of chord. If we keep adding thirds we'll obtain chords such as sevenths, ninths, elevenths, etc.
Chord inversions
-
Root position: chord position in which the lowest note is the root of the original triad. E.g. Do-Mi-Sol
-
1st inversion: chord position in which the lowest note is the 3rd of the original triad. E.g. Mi-Sol-Do'
-
2nd inversion: chord position in which the lowest note is the 5th of the original triad. E.g. Sol-Do'-Mi'
Degrees: Chords are built on scale degrees and share the same functions and rules as individual notes. The most important chords in a key are Tonic (I), Subdominant (IV) and Dominant (V). These three chords form the harmonic foundation for most Western music because they contain every note of the key.
Cadence is a two-chord progression at the end of a musical phrase that marks a point of rest to separate different ideas or to indicate the end. We can think of them like commas (,) and full stops (.) in a sentence. Types:
Conclusive: closed and strong cadences that give the sense that the music has finished.
-
Authentic cadence: conclusive cadence that strongly marks the end with a dominant to tonic sequence (V - I).
-
Plagal cadence: conclusive cadence that marks the end with a subdominant to tonic sequence (IV - I).
It is called the Amen cadence due to its use in religious music.
Inconclusive: open and weak cadences that sound incomplete and invite continuation.
-
Semicadence: inconclusive cadence that ends in the dominant, regardless of the preceding chord.
A common sequence is subdominant and dominant (IV - V).
-
Deceptive cadence: inconclusive cadence in which the dominant resolves in any chord except the tonic.
A common sequence is dominant and submediant (V - VI).
2. TEXTURE
Texture is the study of the number of individual melodic lines and the relationship between them. Be careful not to confuse the number of melodic lines with the number of performers producing them.
-
Monophony or monody consists of one melodic line, that can be performed by one or many musicians. Although several performers take part, everyone plays or sings at once. It is the simplest type of musical texture.
-
Polyphony or counterpoint consists of several melodic lines that are independent of each other, and imitation is often used. When two or more voices perform simultaneous variations of the same melody, it's heterophony.
-
Homophony or homorhythmic texture consists of several melodic lines that follow the same rhythm, creating blocks of chords.
-
Accompanied melody consists of a main melodic line and other melodic lines which provide chordal support. It is the most common type of musical texture in modern popular music.
3. MUSICAL FORM
Musical form is the organization of musical elements in time and it is divided into sections, which are usually marked using capital letters (A, B, C...). Rhythm, pitch, melody, dynamics, timbre and texture interact to produce a sense of structure in a composition.
Techniques that create musical form
-
Repetition (A A) creates a sense of unity and we feel satisfaction when we recognize musical fragments.
-
Contrast (A B) provides variety, conflict, change of mood and opposition.
-
Variation (A A') provides unity and opposition at the same time. In the variation of a musical idea some features are retained while others are altered.
Types of musical form
Strophic form consists of one section that repeats over and over again. If the song has words, this part is called the verse. Sometimes the lyrics change in each verse, but the melody is the same each time.
E.g.: "Deck the Halls", "Old MacDonald Had a Farm", Das Wandern by Franz Schubert.
Binary form consists of two sections that contrast with each other. Sometimes both sections are repeated.
E.g.: Minuet in G major by Petzold / Johann Sebastian Bach.
Ternary form consists of three sections with a return of the initial music after a contrasting section. Symmetry and balance are achieved through the repetition of the initial section.
E.g.: Minuetto by Luigi Boccherini.
Rondo form consists of one recurring section which alternates with several contrasting sections. The main theme keeps coming back after each new section of music.
E.g.: The Typewriter by Leroy Anderson, Te Deum by Charpentier.
Theme and variations consists of one section that is continuously repeated in an altered form. The main theme is played first, and each repetition changes something (rhythm, tempo, melody, dynamics, or instruments). In each variation, the original theme should still be recognizable.
E.g.: Ah! vous dirai-je, maman, K. 265 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Through-composed or Durchkomponiert is a structure in which there is no repeat or return of any large-scale musical section. E.g.: Erlkönig by Franz Schubert.
Form in popular music
Song structures in popular music are generally repeating forms like strophic, verse-chorus or the 12-bar blues.
Typical sections:
-
Introduction (Intro): opening section.
-
Verse: section with the same music but different lyrics.
-
Chorus (Refrain): section with the same music and same words.
-
Bridge: contrasting material that connects two sections.
-
Solo (Break): instrumental interlude, often improvised or based
on the main melody. -
Coda (Outro): closing section.
Verses and choruses repeat throughout the song, while intro, bridge, solo and coda usually appear only once.
Intro and coda are common but not essential.
ACTIVITIES
1. Listen to the musical examples and identify the texture.
-
a) Tallis - If Ye Love Me
-
b) John Lennon - Imagine
-
c) J. S. Bach - Little Fugue BWV 578
-
d) Debussy - Syrinx
-
e) Lady Gaga fugue
-
f) You'll Never Walk Alone
-
g) Chopin - Waltz in A minor B150
-
h) Henry Purcell - Thou Knowest Lord
-
i) Salve Regina
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
2. Listen to the musical examples and identify the form.
-
a) Bizet - Carmen overture
-
b) Tchaikovsky - Old French Song
-
c) Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
-
d) Mozart - Minuet K1f
-
e) Scarborough Fair
-
f) Schubert - Impromptu D935 n. 3 op. 142
Bizet - Carmen overture
Tchaikovsky - Old French Song
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
Mozart - Minuet K1f
Scarborough Fair
Schubert - Impromptu D935 n. 3 op. 142