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    Compositional Devices PDF

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    frank orozco
    This document provides an overview of various musical techniques and compositional devices, along with recommended examples to listen to that demonstrate each technique. It describes techniques such as ostinato, contrary motion, ground bass, theme and variation, modulation, imitation, and fragmentation. For each technique, it lists terms, provides a brief definition, and recommends specific works of music that illustrate how the technique has been used by composers.

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    Compositional Devices PDF

    Uploaded by

    frank orozco
    811 views5 pages
    This document provides an overview of various musical techniques and compositional devices, along with recommended examples to listen to that demonstrate each technique. It describes techniques such as ostinato, contrary motion, ground bass, theme and variation, modulation, imitation, and fragmentation. For each technique, it lists terms, provides a brief definition, and recommends specific works of music that illustrate how the technique has been used by composers.

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    COMPOSITIONAL DEVICES.pdf

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    This document provides an overview of various musical techniques and compositional devices, along with recommended examples to listen to that demonstrate each technique. It describes techniques such as ostinato, contrary motion, ground bass, theme and variation, modulation, imitation, and fragmentation. For each technique, it lists terms, provides a brief definition, and recommends specific works of music that illustrate how the technique has been used by composers.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    811 views5 pages

    Compositional Devices PDF

    Uploaded by

    frank orozco
    This document provides an overview of various musical techniques and compositional devices, along with recommended examples to listen to that demonstrate each technique. It describes techniques such as ostinato, contrary motion, ground bass, theme and variation, modulation, imitation, and fragmentation. For each technique, it lists terms, provides a brief definition, and recommends specific works of music that illustrate how the technique has been used by composers.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
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    At a glance
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    The text discusses various musical techniques and compositional devices used by composers to manipulate music, such as ostinato, countermelody, ground bass, theme and variation, and more.

    Some examples of compositional devices mentioned are ostinato, ground bass, theme and variation, sequence, imitation, pedal, syncopation, and fragmentation.

    The three main textures discussed are monophony (a single melodic line), polyphony (two or more independent melodic lines), and homophony (all parts moving together in basically the same rhythm).

    Music Techniques / Compositional devices -recommended listening

    Compositional devices (music techniques) are musical ideas used by composers / arrangers to
    manipulate music to give a certain feel, sound like music from a specific period of time.

    Some ways in which music can be manipulated include:

    Music Techniques : Compositional Device Recommended Listening

    Ostinato – a persistent repeated phrase, chord YouTube: Pachelbel Rant by Rob


    pattern, or rhythm (repeated pattern of notes – Paravonian (this is musically very funny…
    usually occurs in the bass line) watch it!)

    Beethoven Symphony No 5 in C minor


    Op.67

    Beethoven Egmont Overture Op.84

    Contrary motion Parallel motion Search through your library of music and
    see if you can identify any of these in duets
    / trios/ piano accompaniments

    Counter melody – is an excellent example


    Oblique Motion of where these musical techniques can be
    used. (see recommended listening for Countermelody)

    Dido’s Lament – Dido and Aeneas by


    Ground Bass – a short motif in the bass which is Purcell (1689)
    constantly repeated
    Pachabel ‘s Canon in D (1686)

    YouTube: Pachelbel Rant by Rob


    Paravonian (this is musically very funny…
    watch it!)

    Theme and Variation – a main theme that is varied ‘Les Hommes pieusement, K455 by
    in places (the basic structure of the original melody Mozart(1784)
    stays intact throughout though.)

    ; ; Beginner string students often play


    “variations on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”
    ;

    Penny Mansell 2017.


    Ref: A665862
    Rhythmic Shift

    Peter Sculthorpe “Earth Cry”

    ^ * # * # ^ # ^ *

    Sequence – a more or less exact repetition of a Siciliana from Concerto in D by John Baston
    passage at a higher or lower level of pitch
    Caprice Anglais by Paul Harvey

    Fingal’s Cave Overture (Hebrides Overture


    Opus 26) Felix Mendelssohn

    Melisma – a group of notes sung to a single syllable. Handel’s ‘The Trumpet Shall Sound’ (from
    The Messiah)

    Monophony A variety in TEXURE (the thickness or


    thinness of the music) is created by the use
    of these.
    Polyphony
    Monophony – a single line of music.
    (Listen to Gregorian Chants/ Plainsong)

    Polyphony – 2 or more lines of music.


    Homophony (Listen to Bach and Handel Fugues)

    Homophony – (block chords) all parts of


    the music moving at same speed and in
    basically the same rhythm.
    (Listen to Barbershop Quartet / Church
    Chorales)

    Modulation In particular, vocal songs that modulate up


    a tone (tonic – supertonic) several times
    throughout the piece, create a sense of
    building up to a high point.

    You might want to watch this YouTube:


    www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp_zqRP9PMk

    “Livin’ On A Prayer” – Bon Jovi – (here Bon


    Jovi has to sing really high but energetically
    to accommodate the modulation)

    Penny Mansell 2017.


    Ref: A665862
    Imitation Imitation of a phrase previously stated by
    another…might have slight changes.

    Canon and Fugue is a type of imitation (is


    Fugue / Canon / Staggered entries very strict with identical musical parts
    played with staggered entry)

    Children’s Rounds – “Row Row Row your


    boat”

    Pedal A sustained note (usually dominant or


    tonic) in the lowest part of musical texture

    Syncopation
    Misplaced accent

    Jazz in particular includes lots of


    syncopation

    Diminution Shortening of the note values (perhaps


    with addition of extra notes) but basic
    melody remains the same in 2nd example.
    (Hint: if something is diminishing, it is
    becoming less)

    Augmentation Lengthening of the note values (perhaps


    with addition of extra notes) but basic
    melody remains the same in 2nd example.
    (Hint: if something is augmenting, it is
    becoming more)

    Counter melody Fantasia on the Dargarson – Holst 2nd Suite


    in F

    Scarborough fair / Canticle – Simon & Garfunkel


    (See Monophony / Polyphony)
    Les Miserables – One More Day

    Penny Mansell 2017.


    Ref: A665862
    As a quick rule of thumb; A counter melody should move when
    the main melody is stationary and vice versa. Invisible Touch - Genesis

    Call and Response “Perdido” by Juan Tizol


    Watch this really short master class (in 2
    parts)
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxg4AP1MKDk

    Recapitulation The restatement of the main theme.


    Ternary form (A-B-A) is a perfect musical
    example of this occurring.
    Any Sonata will feature a recapitulation.
    The form of a Sonata is:
    Exposition – Development – Recapitulation
    (2 main themes) (1 theme is developed) (the main themes are
    restated)

    Fragmentation A melody is developed by using ‘fragments’


    of the originally stated melody. These can
    occur in other parts (i.e. a counter melody
    or a bass line / ostinato) and not only in the
    main melodic line.

    Main melody …………………fragments of that melody

    Inversion To turn something upside-down – in a


    melody the intervals between each note
    are reversed. i.e. up a 3rd becomes down a
    3rd; up a 2nd becomes down a 2nd…

    12 Tone serialism uses prime order,


    retrograde order, inverted order and
    retrograde inversion

    Passing Note - a note which forms a discord and is


    between 2 chordal notes

    Auxilliary note – a discordant note (a step above or


    below) that occurs between two repetitions of the
    same concordant note

    Penny Mansell 2017.


    Ref: A665862
    Penny Mansell 2017.
    Ref: A665862

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