VPMA93H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: New Bethel Baptist Church (Detroit, Michigan), Nat King Cole, Irving Gordon
VPMA93 Lecture Notes
Lecture 4: Texture, Rhythm and Volume
Ginny Chan
ie: Gamelan Ensemble - orchestra and dancers perform together; usually singing, drums and wind instruments are
included → Composers are looking for ways outside of Western ideas to express their music
How do we describe pieces that have more than one melodic line going at a time? We use texture to describe this.
Texture
The general pattern of sound created by the elements of a piece of music; the blend of the various sounds and
melodic lines occurring simultaneously in a piece of music
→ How many pieces are you hearing? How are they related to each other?
Monophony (adj., monophonic music)
Music consisting of a single line or melody without an accompaniment that is regarded as part of the work itself
ie: Anon., Gaude virgo salutata from The Dublin Troper (c. 1360)
→ Even though multiple women and men are singing, this is still monophonic music because they’re singing the
exact same melodic line
Heterophony (adj., heterophonic)
The simultaneous statement of two or more different versions of what is essentially the same melody
→ More popular in Eastern or Southern Asia; Eastern Europe; Slavic or Croatian music
ie: Amazing Grace, New Bethel Baptist Church, Detroit (recorded in 1977)
Lining Out
A practice in Protestant psalm or churches and hymn singing where the congregation is led by the minister who
sings each line first and is then followed by the congregation who echoes the line back; there’s a mashup of the
same melody
Homophony (adj., homophonic)
Music in which melodic interest is concentrated in one voice or part that is provided with a subordinate
accompaniment
→ Most Western music falls into this
There are several subcategories of homophonic music:
Chordal Homophony
All parts move together, forming a succession of chords
→ They tend to switch pitches at the same time
ie: Michael Jackson medley, Pentatonix (acapella)
ie: Mozart, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, First movement (1787) - Instrumental Example*
Song Texture
Solo voice with chordal accompaniment
→ One dominant voice that is supposed to be focused on more than the others
ie: Irving Gordon, Unforgettable, performed by Nat King Cole; the strings are a supportive role and they all seem to
have their own agenda
ie: The Beatles, Nowhere Man
Document Summary
Ginny chan ie: gamelan ensemble - orches ra and dancers perform oge her; s ally singing, dr ms and wind ins r men s are incl ded composers are looking for ways o side of wes ern ideas o express heir m sic. The general pa ern of so nd crea ed by he elemen s of a piece of m sic ; he blend of he vario s so nds and melodic lines occ rring sim l aneo sly in a piece of m sic. M sic consis ing of a single line or melody wi ho an accompanimen ha is regarded as par of he work i self ie: anon. , ga de virgo sal a a from the d blin troper (c. 1360) Even ho gh m l iple women and men are singing, his is s ill monophonic m sic beca se hey"re singing he exac same melodic line.
