I've having a bit of a hard time describing this music in the elements. I'm more of a visual person鈥擨 hear music and place it with a visual scene. I'm alright when it comes to describing tempo and dynamics, but all else seems to be way over my head. I need help describing some of the music on the website listed below. These are the terms that I specifically need help with : Rhythm, Melody, Harmony, Tonality, Texture, Homophony, Monophony, Polyphony.
http://www.stacyarnold.com/Audio.html Renaissance Fantasia: Polyphonic (which means multiple voices or melodic lines that work in counterpoint with each other)...which brings me to my next word...contrapuntal, canonic, or possibly even fugal-in texture. Minor mode - staying in the same key the whole time, but there are a few deceptive cadences in there and a picardy third at the end. You can tell that it's pre-baroque b/c of the frequent lowered 7th scale degree (no leading tone), call and response techniques.
Cancion del Emperador: Slow harmonic rhythm and relatively slow surface rhythm except for the 16th note quick scaler moments, call and response techniques, can "loosely" be described as having a choral type texture abd chordal, stasis type of quality with almost improvisational-sounding melodic passages. The texture is somewhat contrapuntal but parts also sound homophonic/melody+accompaniment. It's in minor but sometimes the mode is obscured due to lack of notes and tonic emphasis.
Bach Prelude: quick surface rhythm, slow harmonic rhythm, Very steady beat throughout; repetitive patterns/ostinati, thick notey texture but still homophonic (only one melody), has a bass pedal point with chords...the melodic notes share notes of the chords. Many non-harmonic tones (esp. neighbor tones) used throughout. Major tonality - modulates and cycles through diff. key areas.
Villa-Lobos No. 1 - Homophonic - Melody & Accompaniment texture. Slow harmonic rhythm; fast surface rhythm of the chords. Minor mode. A lot of it melody over the tonic chord, but there are few cadential sequences and some virtuosic passagework to break it up.
Villa-Lobos No. 3 - Has an almost recitative-like quality and is rhythmically free. Sounds improvisational. It is homophonic in texture (melody & accompaniment). Uses a lot of 7th chords and color tones (like in jazz). Make use of a "planing" technique with chords, which was often used by Debussy. |
