new junior cycle music book - higginsandhiggins.ie

New Junior CycleMusic Book

1. Rhythm 1

2. Pitch 25

3. Harmony 43

4. Composing 59

5. Instruments 79

6. Chosen Works 93

7. Music Technology 137

8. Using Music 157

CONTENTS

Junior Cycle Music

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© Higgins & Higgins You do NOT have permission to copy this page.

Activity 1

Beat, metre and pulse are all terms associated with rhythm. For this, you need notes, rests, bars and a time signature.

Music Notation - RhythmMusic Notation - Rhythm

The following exercise is in 4-time. The count is written below each note.

• Listen to track 1 twice and (i) clap along the first time; (ii) conduct.

1

The Metronome• A composer will sometimes include a metronome or a tempo mark to indicate the speed.

• q = 60 is a good example of a metronome mark.

• This tells us that there are 60 crotchets in a minute.

• It’s the simplest speed to work out if you don’t have a metronome, as each beat will be equal to a second.

• Watch the seconds tick by on your clock/watch or phone.

• Tap the beat out.

• This is q = 60 and means that each crotchet equals a second.

P1, Ex 1 & 2

ConductActivity 242 …to…

Track 2 is q = 60. A tempo mark for this would be Adagio. It’s a slow speed.

Track 3 is q = 100. A tempo mark for this would be Andante. It’s a moderate speed.

Track 4 is q = 130. A tempo mark for this would be Allegro. It’s a lively speed.

Revision - Semitones BookRevision - Semitones Book

Listen to each track and conduct along - in 4-time.

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• The first beat in a bar has a natural accent. When conducting, this is the down-beat.

• When grouping or beaming notes, it’s important to maintain the natural accents. In 4/4 time, notes should be beamed or grouped in crotchets.

• In 4-time, there is sometimes a second strong accent - on the 3rd beat of the bar. This is especially true in pop and rock music.

• When beaming notes, the first note of the beam will also have a slight accent.

• In 4/4 time: quavers are grouped in 4 pairs of two.

• They’re grouped in crotchets.

• Quavers beamed incorrectly.

• The second beat has been accented.

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Beaming Quavers

Matching bars to tracksActivity 3

P2, Ex 3

see page 23 for standard drum beats.

85 …to…Tap each of the following bars separately, accenting the first beat.

• Ask the following questions:

Where are the short notes - the beginning or the end?

Where are the long notes - the beginning or the end?

• As a group, listen to each track in turn and select which track matches which bar.

P2, Ex4

bar 1: track 5 bar 2: track 6 bar 3: track 7 bar 4: track 8

Take Note

• Beaming Quavers - It is very important to beam quavers correctly, as incorrect

beaming will change the pulse.

• Double Bar-lines - The end of a piece or section

is usually indicated by a double barline.

• Repeat Marks - There’s a start repeat mark telling

us where to begin the repeat from. There’s an end

repeat mark which tells where to stop and repeat from.

OR

Startrepeat

Endrepeat

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Step 1: Counting syllables

When choosing a rhythm for lyrics or text, each syllable must have at least one note.

• Count the syllables in each word.

Step 2: Grading syllables

With single-syllable words, you need to distinguish between long and short syllables.

• For example - both Nice and Like are short in comparison to Green.

Here is a possible rhythm:

• With 2 or more syllable words, you need to decide if

(i) all the syllables are equal or

(ii) some syllables are more important than others.

• For example - the word apple has two syllables.

Choice 1

If the first syllable is the

important one, here are

two possible rhythms.

Choice 2

If the second syllable is the

important one, here is

a possible rhythm.

Step 3: Combining syllables

Composing - Setting words to a rhythmComposing - Setting words to a rhythm

1-sylable words 2-syllable words Many-syllable words

Nice Ap-ple Cap-i-tal

Like Dub-lin Enn-is-ker-ry

Green Mus-ic Com-pos-ing

Word Nice Like Green

Rhythm q q h

Word ap - ple

Rhythm q q >

ap - ple

q q>

or

Word ap - ple

Rhythm e q. >

VerseThe apple is big,The apple is green.I like big apples,I like green apples.

(i) The apple is big

(ii) The ap-ple is big

(iii) The apple is big

Reading line 1,here are three possiblerhythmic plans.

• The second option (ii) reads the best.

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While many dances use the same time signature and note values, each individual dance has its own distinctive rhythm.

Features of Irish Dance MusicMost Irish dances have similar features:

• 32 bars made from two 8-bar phrases (an A and a B phrase).

• Section A is called the tune and is repeated.

• Section B is called the turn and is repeated.

• The turn is a melodically higher section than the tune.

• This is functional music - it’s meant to be danced to.

• It should have a clear, strong and even beat throughout.

• Repetition of sections is common.

• The Irish reel is a lively dance in 4-time/common time.

• It features mainly quavers and some crotchets.

• It’s typically danced with soft shoes.

Performing - Dance RhythmsPerforming - Dance Rhythms

A

B

30

P10, Ex 21

Father Kelly’s Reel

The Irish Reel

upbeat

3 beats

Take Note

• Irish music is an aural tradition.

• Performers traditionally learnt a tune by ear and would

not have read from a printed score.

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PITC

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The Treble Clef

Five Lines are: Four Spaces spell:

Every Good Boy Deserves Food F A C E

Writing a StoryActivity 3

Each of the following staves spell out a word. Each word forms part of a story.

Read the story so far:

You must complete the story yourself, in your exercise book.

P14, Ex 5 & 6

P13, Ex 1 - 4

Lunch at the was strange. I was uneasy and on

& w ww

w

the whole time. I felt

& w w w ww

C A F E

E D G E C A G E D

The five lines and four spaces of the treble clef, along with mid C, only cover eleven notes.And so, if you need to go above F5, you can add extra lines and spaces.

• These extra lines and spaces are called Ledger Lines.

Ledger Lines

correct width

Revision - Semitones BookRevision - Semitones Book

It’s important to include all the extra lines needed below a note.

Take Note

Spacing - Always ensure that the distance between

all lines and spaces is the same each time.

This is important when writing mid C also.

P15, Ex 7

More NotationMore NotationTONE

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Take Note Many ethnic tunes (including Irish) are modal. Modes are old scales.

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Greensleeves: An English Folksong from the 16th century

• It’s used as the melody for the Christmas Carol What Child is This.

• It’s mentioned twice in Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor (1597).

• It’s rumoured to have been written by King Henry VIII for his future wife, Anne Boleyn.

• It’s a folk tune, handed down by word of mouth, that’s been used on TV and in film.

• For ‘melodic’ reasons, a piece written in a minor key, can include/exclude raised notes.

• The notes usually affected are the 6th and 7th.

• Here are three different versions of this song:Version 1 is mainly minor - but the 7th note is not always raised.Version 2 has the raised 6th in bars 1 and 5.Version 3 does not raise the 7th note in bars 11, 12 or 15 so it’s modal.

Using MinorUsing Minor

GreensleevesVersion 1

Version 2: bars 1 - 4 (track 49)

Version 3: bars 9 - 12 (track 50)

P19, Ex 19

5048 …to…

7th NOT raised raised 7th

6th is raised

tonic note

6th is raised

7th NOT raised

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P20, Ex 20 & 21

A mode is a scale, similar to the major and minor scale, but with a different distribution of tones and semitones. The note most affected is the 7th.

Two versions of Eleanor Plunkett on Tin Whistle

Irish Music and the modes

Turlough O’Carolan (1670 - 1738)O’Carolan was an Irish harper who composed and performed traditional music. He wasvery aware of the music that was being composed across Europe at that time - the musicof the Baroque era. He wrote his Carolan’s Concerto in the style of Geminani and Corelli,Italian composers he admired. He was frustrated by the limitations put on him by the old Irish harp. It was not possible to raise or lower a note on the harp during a performance. While the modern harp has levers or pedals that can do this, the old bardic harp did not. As a result, a lot of the traditional tunes we now have are modal.

O’Carolan was a well-respected harper. He travelled around Ireland performing. During these journeys, he would stay with different families. In return, he would compose a piece of music as a gift. These pieces are called planxties and carry the name of the person for whom they were written (e.g. Planxty Irwin, written for Colonel John Irwin).

5251 &

This planxty was composed by O’Carolan for the Plunkett family.

• The piece has the key signature of G major. However, both phrases end on an A (ray).

• It is said therefore, to be in the ray mode. This is also called the Dorian mode.

In the key of G major, the 7th note is F#. In Eleanor Plunkett, this note is skipped for themost part. Both phrases end on A. The 7th note in the ray mode is not raised (it would beG in this piece). Hence, the piece is in the ray mode.

Take Note

Here is the ray mode, on D

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56Ár nAthair (The Lord’s Prayer)

Religious Music

Brother Ben Hanlon (b.1952)Brother Ben has been at the forefront of choral music in Ireland for many decades. He has received commissions from international choirs and his music is regularly performed in other countries. As a teacher, composer, conductor and arranger, he has successfully fused traditional Irish features into religious music, as O’Riada did before him. Brother Ben composed his Ár nAthair in 2014 for the De La Salle, Waterford choir, a male voice choir (TTBB). Notice the many religious and Irish features.

bars 1 - 5, full score (TTBB - Tenor I, Tenor II, Baritone, Bass), sung a cappella.The rhythm is dictated by the words.

drone provided by the baritone and bass this is organum

This is followed by a solo baritone singing the melody (ornamented), over a vocal drone.

bars 29 - 31 - The final Amen

bars 6 - 11, melody only, Tenor I. time signature changes

P22, Ex 24

ends ona majorchord.

Tenor l

Tenor ll

Baritone l

Baritone llBass

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see page 47

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Sample QuestionActivity 12

Here is the wording of an exam-style harmony exercise.

“Examine the following four-bar jingle. Insert suitable chords in the boxes provided. The final chord has been inserted for you. As this jingle is designed to be repeated over and over, it does not end with a Perfect cadence.”

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HA

RM

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Notesof

chord

G A B C D E F

E F G A B C D

C D E F G A B

Chord symbol C Dm Em F G Am B°

Roman numeral I ii iii IV V vi vii°

Chord Bank Grid - Key of C Major

• A chord bank grid has been supplied, in the key of C. Examine chords I, ii, IV, V and vi. You will not be using chords iii or viio as they have their own set of rules.

• Some of the notes have been coloured. Those notes are highlighted here (not in the actual exam question) to make the passing notes easier to see. Passing notes do not belong to the chord. They often move by step. It is a good idea to cross them out (in pencil) when you are trying to choose the chord to fit the tune.

• The final two chords form a cadence. This makes our choice easier as there is a limited number of options.

• It is very usual to start with the tonic chord (chord I) as this establishes the key.

• Look at the good progressions on page 55 to see if any of them can be applied here.

• Make sure to use block capitals when writing your chords but to use a lower case letter ‘m’ for the minor chords.

• Do not use the same chord in consecutive boxes.

• Complete this exercise in your exercise book.

P30, Ex 22

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When we look at a music score, we can work out when a chord needs to change because we can see the notes on the stave. We are now going to notice when chords change by listening to the music without a music score. An audio clip is provided for each tune.

Identifying Chord Changes in a Song Activity 13

Listen to a verse from a folk song, the lyrics of which are written below.

• The first chord is heard on the lyric ‘hang’, in Line 1.

• There are TWO chord changes during the rest of the verse.

• On your show-me board, or in your copy, write down the two words during which these chord changes occur, making sure to mention the line.

• Listen to the recording four times.

Line 1 Hang down your head, Tom Dooley.

Line 2 Hang down your head and cry.

Line 3 Hang down your head, Tom Dooley.

Line 4 Poor boy, you’re bound to die.

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P31, Ex 25 - 29

Identifying Chord Changes by Ear

Identifying Chord Changes in an Instrumental Piece Activity 14

Listen to 16 bars of a well-known tune in time. Each box in the grid below represents one bar of music.

• The first chord is heard in bar 1 and there are chord changes in bars 4, 7, 13 and 14, indicated in red below.

• Four more changes of chord occur.

• On your show-me board, or in your copy, write down the bar numbers that correspond with those four chord changes.

• Six pulse beats are heard, with the tune beginning on the sixth pulse beat, just before bar 1. Listen to the recording four times.

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P32 & 33, Ex 30 - 33

Pulse Pulse Bar Bar Bar Bar

/// /// 1 ü 2 3 4 ü

5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12

13 ü 14 ü 15 16

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CO

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Theme: Frère JacquesActivity 14

The brackets indicate the cadence point at the end of each phrase.

• Perform the Frère Jacques theme with the suggested chordal accompaniment.

Variation 1: MarchActivity 15

• Listen to Variation 1 of the Frère Jacques theme (track 74).

• In pairs, discuss the three most obvious modifications you hear in this version.

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P42, Ex 33

A variation is a composing technique by which a theme is repeated in a modified form. The changes usually involve tonality (key), melody, rhythm, harmony, instruments, tempo, style and texture.

Themes and Variations

see Semitones page 25

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Sample QuestionActivity 7

This composing exercise starts with a listening task. Play track 70 four times.

(a) Bar 2 Fill in the three missing melody notes using the given rhythm.

(b) Bars 9 - 12 Compose your own melody in the key of D major to the given rhythm, to complete the tune. End on the keynote / ’doh’.

Part (a) focuses on listening, particularly in bar 2.

• Write in the tonic solfa names of the notes in bar 1. Sing the notes.

• The first missing note is more than likely very close to the preceding note – possibly even a repeat.

• There are probably no large leaps in the missing notes.

Part (b) focuses on composing, beginning in bar 9.

• Write in the tonic solfa name of the preceding note and avoid an awkward leap.

• Although the repeated rhythm pattern in bar 10 gives the opportunity to compose a sequence, it’s not compulsory to do so.

• Remember the notes that form a Perfect cadence for the final two notes.

• Complete the exercise in your Exercise Book.

P39, Ex 23

70

Repeated pattern.Could be a sequence

Compose astrong endingTO

NES

TE

XTBO

OK

• A set of uillann pipes is made up of a bellows, bag and pipes - which include the chanter, drones and regulators.

• Pipers pump the bellows with one elbow to keep the bag full of air. They play the tune on the chanter with both hands.

• Unlike the Scottish bagpipes, they are played indoors, sitting down. They have a range of 2 octaves.

108

Donegal Style

The main feature of D

onegal fiddling is the use of single-note bowing, w

ith short bow-strokes.

The style has a staccato-like effect, helped by fast tempos. The bow

-hand carries out most of

the ornamentation so there are m

ore trebles and bowed triplets than rolls in D

onegal-style

fiddling. The Scottish influence is evident in the repertoire, which includes highlands and

strathspeys and in the drone effect used by some players. M

any Donegal tunes are in the key

of A. The G

lackin brothers(from

Dublin) and the fiddlers in A

ltan, Mairéad N

í Mhaonaigh

and Ciarán Tourishare exponents of the D

onegal style.

Clare Style

The Clare style has a more relaxed tem

po, allowing the fiddler to concentrate on the beauty of

the tune. There is great use of rolls. The bowing is m

ore rhythmical but less slurred than in Sligo.

The type of tune and the slower speed m

ake the Clare style sound different from the others.

Martin H

ayesand his father P.J. (of the Tulla Céilí Band) are the best-know

n fiddlers in the

Clare style.

Sliabh Luachra Style

Often called the Cork-Kerry style, it favours polkas and slides, played at a fast tem

po and

geared towards dancing. The left hand provides the ornam

entation, while the bow

-hand

produces characteristic rhythmic effects, such as drones (ie. w

hen an open string is struck

simultaneously w

ith a fingered string). In fact this is probably the most rhythm

ical style. The

fiddler leans hard on the bow and this can m

ake the tone sound rough. There are also many

slow airs in this region. M

att Cranitchis an exponent of this style of playing.

Performers and Tunes

Martin H

ayesfrom

Co Clare and living in the USA

, has recorded the reel, The Morning D

ew,

the jig, I buried my w

ife and danced on her graveand the G

alway Bay H

ornpipe. He

collaborates with the guitarist D

ennis Cahill. Nollaig Casey

is from Co Cork and is both a

classical violinist and a traditional fiddler. She has played on the soundtrack of over twenty

feature films and she has recorded the slow

airs Caoineadh Eoghain Ruadhand Cape Clear. She

now perform

s and records with the guitarist A

rty McG

lynn. Other w

ell-known fiddlers include

Liz Carroll, Frankie Gavin, Eileen Ivers, Seán K

eane, andTom

my Peoples.

TIN W

HISTLEThere is evidence that the tin w

histle existed in Ireland in the 12th century and possibly earlier.

It is a small end-blow

n flute normally m

ade of tin, brass, wood or plastic. It has six holes on

which a m

ajor scale can be played. Its range is just over two 8ves. The Clarke w

histle is made of

rolled metal w

ith a wooden fipple or plug. A

ir is blown through a narrow

channel against a

Tin Whistle or Feadóg Stáin

Irish Music

69

©H

iggins & H

iggins

LOW WHISTLE

Low Whistle

Irish Flute or Feadóg MhórClassical Flute

The low whistle appeared in the early 1970s and was made from aluminium tube. It is usually

tuned to D, an 8ve below the usual D tin whistle and is twice as long (about the same size as a

flute). The most popular models are not tuneable. It is especially effective for slow airs. The

piper, Davy Spillane, played the low whistle in Riverdance.

FLUTE

It is unlikely that the flute appeared in Ireland before the 18th century, but it is not possible to

be exact about this. The traditional Irish flute is a crosswind flute, made from boxwood or ebony,

and is about 55cm long. It has an embouchure (mouth-hole) and six holes and can be played in

the keys D and G without difficult cross fingerings. This suits a large variety of traditional Irish

melodies. The key of A major is also manageable as there is only one half note (G#) to contend

with, the F# and C# already taken into account on a D flute. By adding four metal keys, mounted

to wooden blocks, this flute becomes a fully chromatic instrument. On a fully-keyed instrument,

it can be difficult to slide into the note or roll a note, so many players stick to the basic model.

It has a range of more than two 8ves, one less than the classical flute, but it has a mellower tone.

The open finger hole design allows the flute player to use musical decorations such as cutting,

rolling and cranning (which is a piping ornament). Indeed, many of its stylistic features are

influenced by the piping tradition. Since tonguing does not apply in Irish piping, many Irish flute

players do not use it, preferring to articulate the notes by using grace notes. Tonguing occurs

when the player utters the syllables ‘tack-a-ta’ to achieve an effect. Performers also use a strong

attack in the lower register. Unlike Classical flautists, they do not use breath vibrato. However,

finger vibrato occurs as an ornament. The staccato of the Classical flautist has not been adopted

by traditional players who prefer legato-playing and who aim for a full, rich, mellow sound with

a clear melodic line. Tempo and dynamics remain even.

Irish Music

71

©Higgins & Higgins

292

INST

RU

ME

NTS

Traditional Irish InstrumentsTraditional Irish Instruments

• Made from tin, brass, wood or plastic.

• Built in different sizes and keys.

• Range of two 8ves

• Blow into a mouthpiece

104

A ‘céilí’ is a gathering of people for dance. The function of the céilí band is to provide music for the dancers. The first céilí was held in London in 1897. Céilí music needs to be loud enough for those at the back of the hall to hear it.

Tin Whistle

• Made from wood; six holes on the body.

• Built in different sizes and keys.

• Range over two 8ves

• Blow across the mouth-hole

105Irish Flute

Piano Accordion Concertina Button Accordion

• The Banjo is a melody instrument

• It has four strings - G,D,A,E

• It’s an 8ve lower than the fiddle.

109Banjo

A Typical Band

• 2 to 4 from Flute, Tin Whistle or Fiddle (Violin). These would be at the front of the stage.

• Behind would be 1 Banjo or Mandolin, with 1 to 2 Accordion, Concertina or Uilleann Pipes.

• Finally, 1 Drum Kit and 1 Piano are at the back.


• Wind instruments; air is created by bellows which is pushed in and out by both hands.

• The Piano Accordion has a keyboard for melody and buttons for chords.

• The Button Accordion has buttons for melody and buttons for chords.

• The Concertina has buttons on both sides for melody only.

Uilleann Pipes

107106 &

P48, Ex 12

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The Classical Period (1750 - 1810)

The word Classical means something that lasts; something that is perfect, superior and balanced. There was a desire for a simple, uncluttered sound after the complex music of the Baroque era.

The music has a light, clear texture and is usually homophonic. Organised into well defined phrases and sections, with a distinct balance between an elegant melody over a simple, repetitive chordal accompaniment.

Features

• The piano replaced the harpsichord for keyboard music.

• Key choices and formal structure centred on tonic and dominant chords and keys.

• The continuo was phased out so there was now a need for a conductor.

• Composers had more freedom in what kind of music they composed.

• The orchestra grew in size with more instruments available and a greater number used. It would consist of 2 each of the following:

Flutes, Clarinets, Oboes, Bassoons, Horns, Trumpets and Timpani and the full String family.

World eventsThis was the age of the Industrial Revolution in Europe and the US. It was a time of innovation and creation, with machines taking over from hand production. There was an increase in commerce and technologies along with a rise in the average salary.

• The White House in the US was completed in 1800.

• The French Revolution (1789 - 1799) brought an end to the monarchy.

Music EventsWith all the political changes in Europe during the 1700s, music was no longer just for royalty and the nobility. Concert halls and theatres were built for everyone to use.

Form

• The Classical period saw the establishment of four large-scale forms:Symphony, Sonata, Concerto and String Quartet.

• Generally speaking, Classical pieces were not given a descriptive name by their composer. They don’t tell a story and are referred to as ‘Abstract’ or ‘Absolute’ music.

• Some have been given nicknames because of where the composer was when they were written: eg. The London Symphony and The Prague Symphony.

• Others were given a name because of an effect or sound in it: The Clock Symphony. Auld Lang Syne was published for the first time in 1794.

In Ireland, the music of Thomas Moore was very popular. He composed songs such as The Minstrel Boy and ‘Tis The Last Rose of Summer. In 1792, the Belfast Harp Festival was held, in an attempt to revive the harping tradition of Ireland.

ComposersThe two prominent composers of this era are Haydn and Mozart.

• Their legacy is the volume of music they have left us, across all the genres. This was an enormous influence on the composers that followed.

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broken chord thoughoutq = 60

sustained sustained a tie3

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bars 5 - 8 form a sequence

etc.etc.

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Bach - Keyboard PreludeBach - Keyboard Prelude

Bach’s 48 Preludes and Fugues for the Well-Tempered Clavier, are split into two books of 24, one for each key in each book.

• They’re numbered sequentially - No 1 C major, No 2 C minor, No 3 C# major and so on.

• Notice each bar features a broken chord idea played twice.

112Prelude No 1, in C, BWV 846, Book 1bars 1 - 8 of this 35-bar piece

P50, Ex 3 & 4

• The middle section (not printed here), uses chromatic notes and is more dramatic

The final three bars (1’39”)

for Gounod’s use of this piece in his own composition.

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33 different harmony in each hand ... but the clash works

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see page 124 see page 159

resolves to thetonic at end

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Bologne - Over tureBologne - Over ture

This overture (also known as his Symphony no 2) was written in 1775. It’s an overture to his opera L’Amant Anonyme and is divided into three movements. The score below is from the first movement - a lively Presto.

• As was common in the Classical period, this first movement is in Sonata Form.

• Sonata form has two themes (the 2nd in the dominant key), heard first in the Exposition.

• After that, the Development is where some of the music is reused, differently.

• Finally, a Recapitulation (Recap) restates the themes again, both in the tonic key. The piece is completed with a Coda.

The work is written for a typical Classical orchestra of

2 Oboe, 2 Horns, Violins l and ll, Viola ‘Cello and Double Bass .

• The treble instruments (often doubled) take the melody and are accompanied by the low string instruments.

• The accompaniment features repeated notes, tremolo strings and some broken chords.

• The piece features staccato (in melody and accompaniment) and ornaments in melody.

• With the exception of theme 2, which hints at polyphony, the movement is homophonic.

Notice the use of repetition of notes, motives and melodies. The exposition is also repeated.This overture is 132 bars long and lasts approximately 3’20’’.

Over ture to L’Amant Anonyme, 1st movement, PrestoExposition, bars 1 - 64Theme 1, bars 1 - 16. (oboes, horns, violins l and ll)

P55, Ex 12

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Link - bars 17 - 23

Theme 2, bars 24 - 47 (at 24’’)

Link - bars 48 - 64

• The Development (at 2.09’’) is from bar 65 - 91. It uses some new keys and rhythms.

• The Recap (at 2’39’’) is at bar 92 and is of theme 2 (tonic key). Theme 1 is not recapped.

• The Coda (at 3’03) is at bars 116 - 132.

semiquaver runsplayed by violins

Oboe solo (with violins)

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Gounod - Ave MariaGounod - Ave Maria

The Hail Mary has been set to music many times, using the Latin text - Ave Maria.Two of the most popular settings have been by Gounod and Schubert.

Translation of the Text

Ave Maria, gratia plena, - Hail Mary, full of grace,Dominus tecum. - the Lord is with you.Benedicta tu in mulieribus, - Blessed are you among women,et Benedictus fructus ventris tui, - and blessed is the fruit of your womb,Iseus. - Jesus.Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, - Holy Mary, Mother of God, Doora pro nobis peccatoribus, - pray for us sinnersnunc et in hora mortis nostrae. - now and at the hour of our death.Amen. - Amen.

• Gounod composed his version over Bach’s almost unchanged Prelude.

• Written in1853 as an instrumental for violin/’cello with piano accompaniment and titled Meditation, it was rearranged in 1859 as Ave Maria.

• It’s through-composed and written in a very high register. Composed in C major, it has been rearranged a number of times. This recording features harp and strings.

Gounod/Bachbars 1 - 8. First, there’s a 4-bar introduction, played on harp.

P 62, Ex 25

133

bars 9 - 16

read theaccompanimentof bars 5 - 8 for this piano introduction part

see page 110

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Glossary - FormGlossary - Form

Absolute MusicThis is music that’s not about anything, is not describing an event and is not telling a story.

Alberti BassThis features a repeated figure in the left hand accompaniment of a piano piece, which ismade up of the notes of a chord played in a repeated broken chord pattern.

Art SongThis type of song is usually for solo voice with piano accompaniment. The accompaniment,melody and words are equal and contribute to mood. It is usually through-composed(ABCD …) and not strophic form (same music for each verse). The composer is known.Germany is known for its Lied or Lieder as they’re called.

CanonThis is a polyphonic/contrapuntal technique which is a strict form of imitation. A numberof voices or instruments repeat a melody, each entering at a specific distance, before theprevious voice finishes. The lines must overlap.

Chamber MusicChamber music is classical music composed for a small group of instruments. The groupwould expect to perform in a palace ‘chamber’ or a large room, not a concert hall.

CodaMovements of classical pieces end with a coda. It is music that completes a piece and willrefer back to some melodies or ideas heard in the movement. The ending of a sectionwithin a movement is called a codetta - a little ending.

ConcertoA concerto is written for a solo instrument, or group of solo instruments, accompanied byan orchestra and is divided into contrasting movements. From the mid 1800s, the orchestralpart became more equal with the soloist and less of an accompaniment.

FugueThis is a polyphonic/contrapuntal piece for at least two ‘voices’, built around one themeand featuring imitative entries. Unlike the canon, the theme is completed each timebefore the second voice enters. There is a counter theme which plays against the theme.

Grace NoteThese are ornamental notes that have no set value, but take their time off the note they’reornamenting. There are two types: (i) acciaccaturas, are played as fast as possible and (ii) appoggiaturas, that take up to two-thirds of the value off the note they’re ornamenting.

Ground BassThis is a theme, motif or melody played throughout a piece in the bass part, repeated likean ostinato. It can be a melodic, rhythmic or harmonic motif.

HomophonicThis is a texture that features a single line of melody with harmonic support.

ImitationImitation in music is when a second voice/ instrument repeats a melody, almost note fornote. The second voice enters before the first has finished, so the parts overlap.

MelismaticRefers to the setting of the text in a song, with each syllable set to a number of notes.

MonophonicThis is a texture featuring a single, unaccompanied line of music.

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CONTENTSReference 94Composing - Found sounds, Audio Editor 139 - Loop, Soundtrap - Beat-Based piece, Audacity - Soundscape, AudacityMusique Concrète 145 - Etude aux Chemins de Fer - DripsodyOther 20th Century Genres 147 - Minimalism - Electronic MusicComposing Incidental Music, Musescore 149 - Transition Phrase - Ringtone - Computer GameThe Impact of Technology 152 - Listening - Performing - ComposingGlossary of Sound Terms 154Glossary of Editing and Processing Effects 155

7Music Technology

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Example 1: Beat-Based Composing

Composing with Found Sounds in AudacityComposing with Found Sounds in Audacity

Track 153 is a 60” beat-based piece based on three found sounds - a ticking clock, a ‘ping’ from a drinking glass and a saucepan being struck by its lid.

• Here is the Audacity multitrack screen, where the three sounds are positioned.

• All of the tracks are mono (not stereo).

• Sound sources are shown on the left side of the graphic

Points To Note About Composing With Found Sounds

• The waveform shows that the clock ticks are not all identical, to start with.

• The clock recording was normalized and compressed in Audacity, to achieve a satisfactory tone quality.

• The same clock is used in the first three tracks but by placing it at different starting points, cross-rhythms are created and a layering effect makes the texture richer and more interesting.

• Using change pitch in Audacity, three different pitches were created from the glass ping – Bb, C and D. These are placed on different tracks to allow the sounds to overlap.

• The metallic saucepan sound underwent the biggest transformation of all, using time stretch, reverse, fade in and fade out. One version of the saucepan is panned to the left on Track 7 and the other is panned to the right on Track 8. The original saucepan sound is no longer recognisable. This is called an acousmatic effect.

• The structure / form (- the organising and repetition of ideas) is visible in this screen.

153

P67, Ex 1 - 3

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Step 1

Riordan favours percussive and melodic sounds when he is composing, for example

(i) plucking the drawstring on a window-blind (melodic)

(ii) hitting a wall with his hand (percussive)

(iii) releasing a door handle (percussive)

Listen to the three sounds – his raw material – on track 147.

Step 2

He loaded these three recordings into Soundtrap:

Step 3

He ‘cropped’ the sounds to isolate the musical material he wanted. Then he copied and pasted the three sounds, moving them around until he produced the rhythm patterns he liked. One single bar of rhythm looks like this on the screen and on the stave.

The found sounds composer, JJ Riordan, tells us how he composes a short piece in Soundtrap. Here is a short synopsis of his process for creating a repeatable rhythm pattern from three sounds. This could be used as a loop track in a larger composition.

Composing a Beat-Based Loop in SoundtrapComposing a Beat-Based Loop in Soundtrap

Found Sounds Composing Process

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Activity 7

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It is possible to create (or ‘synthesise’) sounds electronically, using scientific equipment such as an oscillator.

For his early work, Studie 1 (1953), Karlheinz Stockhausen generated sine tones and used reverb to add a spatial dimension. His Studie 11 (1954) featured noise.

Composers of electronic music had full control of the tones, clicks, pulses and noise that they created because they were able to filter out or choose specific frequencies.

The umbrella term ‘electroacoustic’ is now applied to both electronic and musique concrète music, despite the different approaches to sound creation used in their making.

Electronic Music and Electroacoustic MusicElectronic Music and Electroacoustic Music

Step 1

• Generate a tone.

• Choose Sine, 440hz (the note A)

Step 2

• Add a wahwah effect.

• Fade in and out to remove clicks.

Step 3

• Add a phaser effect.

• Add a sliding stretch.

• Choose -12 (semitones lower).

Step 4

• Add reverb.

• Choose ‘Cathedral’.

Synthesising A Sound

With basic software we can now synthesise our own basic sounds on a computer. This will help us to become familiar with the type of sounds heard in Stockhausen’s works.

Here is a simple guide, using some default choices in Audacity.

Activity 8

Listen to track 160. It illustrates the progress through the four steps outlined above.

This type of weird, slightly wobbly, electronic sound added a feeling of horror to many early, low-budget, B movies where it was a background to alien or supernatural events.

160

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Arranging Music for a Group PerformanceArranging Music for a Group Performance

• This ballad was composed around 1919 by Father Charles O’Neill, in response to the slaughter of Irish people in the Easter Rising of 1916 and in World War 1.

The Foggy DewIrish Ballad

Step 1: Choose a key that suits the instrumentalists

• Violin, recorder and tin whistle players like the keys of G and D whereas ukulele players find the keys of C and F comfortable.

• Find out and avoid the difficult chords e.g., the chord of Bm is tricky on the guitar.

Step 2: Write a bass-line

• Bass Guitar or Cello plays the root of each chord e.g., in Am, it’s the note A.

Step 3: Compose some harmony

• Change the vocal texture from unison to harmony in places. Choose notes from the given chords for the harmony line. Hold on notes that are common to two chords.

Step 4: Add percussion

• Add a percussion part – maybe not in verse 1. A slow bodhran figure would suit.

Step 5: Change key

• Move up a step for the final verse e.g., from key F to key G.

• If the song then becomes too high for the singers, give the main melody to a violin / flute / tin whistle / recorder. In your MS copy or Musescore, write out the music in G.

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Borrowing a TuneBorrowing a Tune

• A different set of lyrics can change the purpose and mood of a song.

• Play this tune or sing it using the tonic solfa note names.

• Then sing the song with the lyrics for the war song, Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya and the children’s song, The Animals Went in Two by Two.

Activity 11

In Semitones (page 28) you heard the madrigal, Mein Gmut is Mir Verwirret, composed by Hans Leo Hassler (1601) and the chorale O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden composed by JS Bach to the same melody in 1727.

The songwriter, Paul Simon, used the melody in An American Tune, in 1973. Listen to him singing it online, paying attention to his lyrics. Is it a love song, a religious song, a children’s song or another type of song?

• How have the tune and the performing medium changed in the Paul Simon version?

P81, Ex 15 & 16

Example 1

Activity 10

Why does this tune suit these two songs, despite their different themes? Discuss.

P82, Ex 17 & 18

Example 2

Song 1 V1 When on the road to sweet Athy, hurroo hurroo. (twice) When on the road to sweet Athy, a stick in the hand and a drop in the eye. A doleful damsel I heard cry. Johnny I hardly knew ya. Chorus We had guns and drums and drums and guns, hurroo hurroo. (twice) We had guns and drums and drums and guns. The enemy nearly slew ya. Well my darling dear, you look so queer. Johnny I hardly knew ya

Song 2 V1 The animals went in two by two, hurrah, hurrah! (twice) The animals went in two by two, the elephant and the kangaroo. And they all went into the ark for to get out of the rain.

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New Junior CycleMusic Book

new junior cycle music book - higginsandhiggins.ie

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