Class Notes 6

Melody

Vocabulary

melody - a sequence of pitches which make have a coherent shape,

discernible from the rest of the musical fabric

pitch - note which makes up a melody

scale - the notes which make up melodies, made of whole and half steps

tune - a familiar type of melody, simple and singable or whistleable

motive - a distinct fragment of melody, often repeated a.k.a. motif

theme - a complete phrase or subject which is used in longer pieces

phrase - a musical sentence. The subsections of a complete tune

sequence - a repeated pattern of melodic fragment. Duplication at two or more pitches

cadence - the punctuation in a musical phrase or the end of the phrase

parallelism - a device in song where similar text is set to similar melody

contrast - the opposite of parallelism, sections are contrasting

consonance - sounds which can rest together easily

dissonance - sounds which do not rest easily together, that create tension

monophony/monody- a single melody with no accompaniment

homophony - melody with chordal accompaniment

polyphony - several melodies at once

counterpoint - the melody which accompanies another melody

imitation - a device in fugal writing where a melody imitates the shape of another

tonality - the home key or chords which are part of melodies and their scalar components

modality - major and minor forms of scales. Often changed in mid-piece

I) Melody is the single most recognizable element of music. Can be just rhythmic.

A) Elements for consideration

1) Shape - the overall up &/or down-ness of the line, contour

2) Motion - steps or leaps between notes

3) Energy - lots of leaps is more energy. so is lots of fast notes

B) Technical terminology - golden rules of melody

1) Pitches make up scales which make up melodies

[Names for specific notes coincide with a specific pitch.]

2) Whole and half steps make up scales which make a mode,

either major or minor. [Kerman p. 33] E.g. "Row Row..." in major and minor

II) Describing melodies

- Melodies have a shape. Up and down, steps or leaps.

- When they are complete, or come to a cadence they are called a phrase.

- Phrases which hang together, are singable and make sense are tunes. E.g.

- Long melodies which are part of longer pieces are called themes. E.g.

- Repeated fragments are called motives. They can either be parallel or

- contrast what melodic material has come before.

E.g.s

Ellington "Dont Get Around Much Any More"

Beethoven Symphony #5

Mahler Symphony #5

- Sometimes a fragment is repeated at several different pitch levels and is

called a sequence.

E.g. Bach Invention a minor /"Weaver of Dreams"- Don Grolnick

III) Melodic Texture - how many melodies at one time.

- Monophony/Monody - like Gregorian chant, only one line.

Can be very effective as mood music in modern dance.

E.g. Hildegard of Bingen "Columba" also has a modal cadence.

- Homophony - melody with accompaniment as in Mozart e.g. from score reading.

- Polyphony - more than one melody at one time.

- Counterpoint is the other melody which happens at the same time.

Latin form = contrapunctus = point against point

E.g.s:

J.S. Bach Invention #6 or

Prélude in c- from WTCII or

Cherry String Quartet #2, 1st mvt.

IV) Tonality and modality

Modes are the scalar formulas that make up melodies. They come from ancient

times and cultures and have been adapted through time for various uses. In sum, they give

us the feeling of a home key - a tonality for a piece of music of melody. You know when

you hit the home key. It rings fully in your mind's ear. There will much more discussion of

this in the Harmony section.