musical contexts: melody

Question 1

give 3 general characteristics of melodies in the Baroque period

Answer 1

1. moved from being based on modes to major or minor scales. by the end of the Baroque period the 12-key system that we know today was established.
   2.based on motifs, which were often repeated and developed
2. became longer and ends of phrases merged into the starts of new ones.

Question 2

what melodic devices were used during the Baroque period?

Answer 2

• sequence
• imitation
• ornamentation (trills, mordents and turns)

Question 3

what are the general characteristics of melodies in the Classical period?

Answer 3

1. diatonic with the occasional chromaticism (notes from the chromatic scale are added to primarily diatonic chords and music)
2. Phrase lengths were even - usually four or eight bars long
3. Balanced phrases - a question phrase was answered by a phrase of a similar length and rhythm.
4. Josef Haydn’s melodies were monothematic, ie melodies that evolved and developed out of a short musical idea.
5. Appoggiaturas were commonly used in Classical melodies, especially those written by Mozart
6. passing notes were frequently used to decorate melodies

Question 4

give an example of a balanced phrase in the classical period

Answer 4

Question and answer phrases are also known as antecedent and consequent phrases e.g. in the opening of the first movement from Mozart’s Symphony No. 40.

Question 5

explain how appoggiaturas were used in the classical period + example

Answer 5

• used as a dissonance (chords using notes not in the diatonic chord
• used to sound a note outside the chord, which would then fall or rise by step to a note within the chord
• e.g. Mozart’s Concerto No. 3 for violin

Question 6

explain how acciaccaturas were used in the classical period?

Answer 6

An acciaccatura is played as quickly as possible before the note that follows it. It is sometimes called a crushed note.

Question 7

give the general characteristics of melodies in the romantic period

Answer 7

1. range of the melodies was larger than in earlier periods
2. composers would use extreme ranges of instruments to make their music more expressive e.g. a piccolo
3. generally diatonic but chromatic passages became much more frequent than in earlier periods.
4. lyrical and had longer phrases over more advanced harmonies than in the Classical period.
5. Leitmotif was used in programme music and operas to represent a theme, character or mood.
6. rise of the virtuoso encouraged fast and exciting melodies.

Question 8

give an example of a romantic period song

Answer 8

Prelude in D flat major Op.28, Section A, by Frederic Chopin

Question 9

give 3 features of Chopin’s Prelude in D flat major from the romantic period

Answer 9

• melodies in the opening section are fast, enabling the pianist to demonstrate his or her virtuosity.
• a lot of chromatic movement in the melodies, although the music is clearly in a minor key.
• slow middle section boasts the long lyrical melodies that are associated with Frederic Chopin and the Romantic period.

Question 10

what scales did popular and world music come from?

Answer 10

• blues scale (scale which flattens the 3rd, 5th and 7th) -rock ’n’ roll, jazz
• scales from around the world including raga, Arabic scales and pentatonic scales

Question 11

how were melodies decorated in popular and world music?

Answer 11

• pitch bends, often heard in Israeli folk music
• scales from around the world including raga, Arabic scales and pentatonic scales