Transcript Lecture #11
Introduction to Music: Musical Forms & Styles Instructor: Anthony Johnson Course: Music 100 Musical Form Theme and Variation- Theme and variations form is the simplest. At the beginning of a movement, the theme is clearly stated. Each section thereafter in the movement is a variation on the theme. Variations may be as simple as a change in key or accompaniment, or a complicated restatement of the theme which may not be recognizable as the original theme. There may be any number of variations on the theme. The end of the movement will have a coda, an extended conclusion to the movement. Once again the contrasting sections have greater autonomy in harmony and sometimes in melody. Musical Form Theme and Variation cont. Overall way of thinking about the Theme and variation" it is a popular musical form in which a composer states a melody and then repeats it several times with changes to create more interest and variety. In finality it will end with a coda. Examples: Charles Ives' "Variations on America" or Mozart’s Twelve Variations on Vous dirai-je, Maman" K. 265/300e Musical Form Diagraming the Theme and Variation If you diagram the theme and variation in the same manner as we have discussed it would look like this: A A’ A” A”’ Remember that the A section is the initial announcement of the theme and A‘ prime A” double prime indicator shows that the theme is still present, but is a variation of the previous section. Musical Form Techniques used in Composition Melodic Variation Rhythmic Variation Tone Variation Harmonic Variation Ornamentation Style Variation Instrumentation Musical Form Further Reading Musical form in which a statement of a theme or melody or harmonic pattern is followed by a series of altered versions of the theme . The practice , originally involving use of a repeated bass line (basso ostinato , or ground bass) , began in early-16th-cent . dance music in Italy and Spain . English keyboard composers were soon developing melodic variations extensively , as were J . P . Sweelinck and his followers . Ground-bass forms include the chaconne and passacaglia , both of which usually employ a brief bass line repeated many times . In the 17th cent . , organ and harpsichord variations became a standard form in Germany . Keyboard variations in the 19th cent . often employed popular tunes or opera melodies; variation form was also commonly used in symphonies , quartets , and sonatas . It declined in importance after the Classical era , but has never ceased to be employed by important composers . Chaconne A repeated short harmonic progression, often involving a fairly short repetitive bass-line (ground Bass) which offered a compositional outline for variation, decoration, figuration and melodic invention. Passacaglia Italian, from Spanish passacalle, or pasacalle: (“street song”), musical form of continuous variation in 3/4 time; and a courtly dance. The dance, as it first appeared in 17th-century Spain, was of unsavoury reputation and possibly quite fiery. In the French theatre of the 17th and 18th centuries it was a dance of imposing majesty. Little is known of the actual dance movements and steps. Musically the passacaglia is nearly indistinguishable from the contemporary chaconne; contemporary writers called the passacaglia a graver dance, however, and noted that it was identified more frequently with male dancers. Questions & Disscussion 1-The composer states a melody and then repeats it several times with changes to create more interest and variety this is called: Theme & Variation 2-Diagram what in letter form a theme and variation. A A’ A” A’’’ 3-Listen and name the pieces of music playing and the composers. Charles Ives' "Variations on America" or Mozart’s Twelve Variations on Vous dirai-je 4-What are some techniques used to create the variations on musical themes? Melodic, Rhythmic, Tonal, Harmonic, Ornamentation, Style, Instrumentation. 5-A musical form of continuous variation in 3/4 time; and a courtly dance. Passacaglia