HUMANITIES 1

(Art Appreciation)

MODULE IV

(MUSIC AS ART AND SCIENCE)

Written exclusively for

CAP COLLEGE

by

MA. LOURDES C. SANCHEZ

1989

i
CAP COLLEGE SELF-LEARNING SERIES

for

Humanities 1

MODULE IV: MUSIC AS ART AND SCIENCE

Copyright c 1989

CAP COLLEGE
Makati City

and

Ma. Lourdes C. Sanchez

C. M. Recto Ave., Manila

-----

All rights reserved

CAP COLLEGE FOUNDATION, INC.

149 Legaspi St., Legaspi Village,
1229 Makati City, Philippines

ii
 CAP COLLEGE SELF-LEARNING SERIES

for

Humanities 1

MODULE IV. (MUSIC AS ART AND SCIENCE)

CONTENTS

Lesson 1. Introducing Music

Lesson 2. Understanding Music

Lesson 3. Enjoying Music

iv
 HUMANITIES 1

ART APPRECIATION

Description of the Course:

Introduction to the arts, development of perception into an

artist's creation.

Scope of the Course:

The course consists of five units, each one constituting a

module, as follows:

Module 1. The Humanities: Art and the Fine Arts

Module 2. The Visual Arts (Painting, Sculpture,

Architecture)

Module 3. The Literary Arts

Module 4. Music as Art and Science

Module 5. The Performing Arts (Dance, Drama, Films)

v
 Module 4

Music: An Art and A Science

Scope of the Module

This consist of three lessons, namely:

Lesson 1. Introducing Music

Lesson 2. Understanding Music as Art

Lesson 3. Enjoying Music

Overview of the Module

This module is designed to provide you with the basic

knowledge and background that would lead to greater enjoyment of

music which is very much a part of contemporary life. This would

enhance the quality of your life and make living more

pleasurable.

Objectives of the Module

After completion of this module, you should be able to:

1. recognize the role that music plays in your life;

2. infer the values that you can gain by acquiring the tools for

basic understanding of music;

3. identify the different types of music to which you are

constantly exposed.

Suggested Readings

Berry, Wallace. Form in Music. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Co.,

1966.

Erickson, Robert. Sound Structure in Music. USA: University of

California Press, 1975.

Harman, Carter. A Popular History of Music. New York: Dell

Publishing Co. INc., 1975.

Gaston, E. Thayer. Music as Therapy. New York: MacMillan Co.,

1968.
Kamien, Roger. Music: An Appreciation. USA: Mc-Graw-Hill. 1976.

Karolyl, Otto, Introducing Music. Great Britain: Jarrold and

Sons, Ltd., 1965.

Kuhn, Wolfgang E. Instrumental Music: Principles and Methods of

Instruction. Boston: Arlyn and Bacon, 1962.

Stearns, Marshall W. The Story of Jazz. New York: Oxford

University Press, 1965.
 Lesson 1

Introducing Music

Music: A Form of Expression

Music is a form of expression exclusive to human beings. It

is composed of tones and pauses or silences organized to express

the moods, emotions and thoughts of its composer.

Music is said to be the oldest and paradoxically, also the

youngest of the arts. It is considered the oldest art because

one can not imagine a time when men did not used vocal

inflections to instinctively express emotion or rhythmic sounds

to accompany body movements and gyrations. At the same time, it

is the youngest art since poetry, painting and architecture

reached maturity centuries before music merged from its crude,

elementary stages to become a real art of expression. As it

developed into a form independently from religious and social

rituals of which it was originally an integrated part,

inarticulate song merged with articulate language. Rhythmic

sounds coordinated with vocal influence. With the discovery and

use of musical instruments, the art of music is slowly evolved.

The history of the development of music shows the various

stages by which man brought senseless and aimless sounds into

orderly control and aesthetic form. Apart from the human voice

worth its emotional rise and fall of pitch, with without language

and apart from the realizations of man's time sense and innate

feel for rhythm, the laws of acoustics had to be discovery

through experiment and experience. The distinction between the

various types of vibrating bodies had to be learned and

understood before instruments for music could developed.

Music is the most precise yet the most subtle ever developed

by men to communicate with one another. It is subtle in

suggesting the fleeting thoughts and whims, the nuances of

changeable moods, the multifaceted prisms of dreams and memories.

Its precision lies in the unchanging tones and intervals created

when two tones are sounded together or one after the other.

Unlike words whose context can be changed, musical intervals are

unchanging regardless of the musical context where they appear.

Music has been a force in human affairs ever since the early

man raised his voice in song. Music deals with the very fabric

of our world. Today, music literally surrounds us.

Since music is both an art and a science, it is emotionally

appreciated and intellectually understood. The music lover who

enjoys listening to music but does not understand its language

maybe likened to a tourist in a foreign land who enjoys the

sceneries, sees the gestures of the natives, hears the sounds of

their voices but can not understand a word that is said. He

feels but he can not understand. Thus, acquiring the tools for a

basic understanding of music will ensure greater pleasurable

listening.

Sound: The Material of Music

Sound is the physical quality encountered by our sense of

hearing and produced by vibrators.

Like literature, music is an art that deals with sound.

Sound is produced by a kind of motion from something vibrating.

This generates waves of compression which travel through the air

to our ear. The speed at which sound travels from vibrating

body to the ear is about 1,100 feet per second. This speed

changes according to the condition of the atmosphere.

Classification of a Sound

1. Tones or musical sounds or euphony results from regular

vibrations. A note of definite pitch also results.

Euphony means pleasant or pleasing sound.

2. Noise or cacophony has irregular vibrations.

Properties of Sound

A. Timbre or Tone Color or Tone Quality enables us to

distinguish one sound from another. It differentiates a note

played on different musical instrument or sung by different

voices. Thus, the "color" of a note enables us to distinguish

between various instruments playing the same tune. What makes us

distinguish between the quality of a musical instrument and that

of another is the varying intensity of the overtones over the

actual notes played. Overtones are a series of other notes

simultaneously present with the basic note. Overtones are not

directly audible since their intensity is less than that of the

fundamental note. Overtones are important because they

determine the quality of a note and give brilliance to the tone.

Timbre, therefore, is the quality of sound which depends on

how the instrument accentuates the overtones within the sound

wave. It is influenced by factors such as the size, shape and

proportions of the musical instruments, the materials of which

these are made and the manner in which the vibration is set up.

Anything that vibrates can produce a sound. However, unless

the sound is amplified by a resonator, the sound may not be

audible. That object which amplifies the vibrations is called

the resonator.

To sum up, timbre results form the physical qualities of the

object which vibrates (vibrator), its thickness, length and

tautness with which it is stretched, and the physical

characteristics of the resonator.

B. Pitch refers to the highness or lowness of tone. The

location of a tone on the musical scale determine pitch.

All musical sounds have pitch. Pitch is affected by the

rate of vibrations which depends to a large extent, on the length

of the vibrating body. The shorter a string or column of air,

the faster it vibrates and the higher the resulting pitch. The

shorter a string or column of air, the fewer the vibrations per

second and the lower pitch. The width, thickness, density and

tension of the vibrating body also affect the outcome.

Because of pitch, musical scales can be constructed. The

word "scales" comes from the Italian word scala which means

"staircase". A scale, in musical parlance, is a series of

different tones arranged in a definite, fixed distance from one

another. These distances are called intervals. These tones of

different pitches may move in an ascending order (from tones of a

lower pitch to a higher one) or in a descending order (from

higher to lower pitch). Without the scale, the organization of

sounds into what we call music would not be possible, for the

scale provides a common vocabulary of tones from which the

musical composer chooses what he needs to express himself in a

musical composition. The notes on the scale, therefore, may be

likened to the words of a language which we use to communicate

and express ourselves.

From 1600 until the present, western music has used a scale

with seven tones within the octave (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti,

do). Together with the flats (half-tone lower) and the sharps

(half-tone higher), the western scale has twelve pitches. Using

a piano to illustrate this, flats and sharps and flats will, for

instance, consider the do-sharp also a re-flat on the piano.

At an international conference in 1939, most of the western

nations accepted as standard pitch a note with 440 vibrations per

second.

If you have been to a concert, you would have noticed that

the musicians of an orchestra or an ensemble would tune or adjust

their musical instruments to this standard pitch set by the first

violinist or by the principal oboe before the start of a concert.

C. Duration is the length of time a sound occupies or is heard.

This depends on the length of time the vibrating object continues

to vibrate. Because sounds have duration, these can be organized

rhythmically. Since music has rhythmic timing or beats, it has

to be organized in terms of duration.

There is no absolute measurements of duration in music.

Music tones are long or short in relation to one another. These

time values are indicated by means of symbols called notes.

There are seven kinds of notes:

whole note - O = 4 beats

half note - d = 2 beats

quarter note - d = 1 beat

eight note - d

sixteenth note - d
 thirty-second note - d

sixty-fourth note - d

The time values or the length of time occupied by these

different kinds of notes are related to the time value of the

whole note which has four beats.

Notes have two-fold function. They indicate pitch. They

also serve as signs for the length or duration of sound.

The Dot, the Rest, the Tie and the Fermata

A note may be prolonged by using a dot after it. This dot

represents half the time value or half the length of the note

itself. Thus, O. = O + d or six beats (4 + 2 beats). In the

case of two dots, the second dot adds half of the time values of

the first dot. So, O.. = O + d + d or 4 + 2 + 1 = seven beats.

A tie which is slightly curved line ( ) serves to attach

two notes of the same pitch. So, the sound of the first note

will be elongated according to the time value of the attached note.

For reasons of clarity, it is often preferable to use tied notes

instead of a dotted note.

_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________

The pause sign or fermata looks like this: . . Where it

appears, it means that the time value of the note should be

prolonged. Notes with pauses are usually held for twice the

normal length. However, they can be longer or shorter according

to musical taste. The pause often appears at the end of a

composition.
 _______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________

In speech, we can make our meaning more effective by making

a short pause after a word or sentence than by using more words

or sentences. Besides, we need time to take a breath or to think

before going further. In music, such silences are indicated by a

sign called a rest. The principle of rests is simple. Every

type of note has its own rest of similar time value.

____________________ ____________________
O ____________________ di ____________________
____________________ ____________________
____________________ ____________________
____________________ ____________________

__________________ ___________________ ___________________

__________________ ___________________ ___________________
__________________ ___________________ ___________________
__________________ ___________________ ___________________
__________________ ___________________ ___________________

Rests can be both dotted and marked with pauses like notes,

but never tied.

D. Intensity or Volume refers to the loudness or softness of

sound which results from the force or pressure used to cause the

vibrations that produce a sound. If the pitch of a note depends

entirely on the frequency of its vibration, the intensity or

volume of a note depends on the extent or fullness of the

vibration. More intensive vibration produces softer sounds. In

music, the degree of loudness or softness is referred to as

dynamics.

Italian terms printed on musical composition pieces indicate

how loudly or how softly certain notes of portions of the musical

piece are to be played, as intended by the composer. Some of

these Italian terms are:

a. fortissimo - very loudly

b. pianissimo - very softly

c. crescendo - becoming louder <

d. decrescendo - becoming less loud

e. diminuendo - becoming softer >

f. forte - loudly

g. piano - softly

Test your own progress by performing the Self-Progress Check

Test at the end of each lesson. Read the test instructions

carefully and understand them well. do not look at the answers

while taking the test.

Humanities 1
Module IV

Lesson 1

Self-Progress Check Test

(Answer the following questions as best as you can from what

you have understood of Lesson 1. Be fair with yourself. Make

this test a real gauge of what you know of the course)

Directions:

Fill in the blanks with the proper word or words to make

each item a complete and correct statement.

1. & 2. Music is composed of _________ and _________.

3. ________ is the physical quality encountered by our sense of

heaving and produced by vibrators.

4. If the vibrations are regular, the result is _________.

5. If the vibrations are irregular, the result is _________.

6. _________ enables us to distinguish one sound from another.

7. A whole note has _________ beats.

8. A _______ which is a slightly curved line serves to attach

two notes of the same pitch.

9. The quality of sound that refers to highness or lowness is

________.

10. ________ refers to the loudness or softness of sound.

Check your answers with the key at the end of the module.

Unless there if specific instruction on how to score your paper,

compute it by dividing the correct answers with the total number

of points and multiplying the quotient by 100. Keep your own

scores. If you get 70% or higher, you pass, otherwise, you have

to review the lesson and do the re-test, if any, before advancing

to the next one. Take note that in some cases, these lesson

tests are presented as Activities. Do them the same way.

 Lesson 2

UNDERSTANDING MUSIC

The Mediums of Music

The material of music is sound. Musical sounds are produced

by two mediums - the vocal medium and the instrumental medium.

Music is either sung or played on a musical instrument. The

materials of music are arranged by its composer by means of

visual notations on a sheet of paper which is read by the

musician. The result, however, is not itself the work of art.

It must be interpreted by the performer who makes it come to life

so that the listener can hear it.

The Vocal Medium

Music projected by the human voice in the form of song is

the most natural, the most personal and the most direct from of

music.

Voices differ in range, pitch and register. Generally,

voices are categorized from highest to lowest as:

Male Vocal Register Female

tenor high soprano

baritone medium mezzo soprano

bass low contralto or alto

In solo singing additional distinctions are usually made

with the use of specific terms indicative of their timbre or

quality of sound. This has resulted in twelve additional types

of singing voices - five, women's and seven, men's. These

voices can be identified by range, by their relative weight

(light to heavy) and by the style most suited to their type.

From highest to lowest they are as follows:

 1. Coloratura soprano is the highest and lightest of all

voices most suited to music full of trills and light ornament and

embellishments. The upper reaches of voice are usually

emphasized.

2. Lyric soprano is of medium weight. Less high and flute-

like this voice is suited to sweet, emotional songs with less

ornamental music and with thrust on beauty of tone.

3. Dramatic soprano is the heaviest of the soprano voices.

The full, clear tones of this type of voice are suited to songs

of grand passion and of a tempestuous vein. It can convey intense

emotions in dramatic situations.

4. Mezzo-soprano voice is between the soprano and contralto

In quality and range. "Mezzo" means "middle". The highly colored

tones of this type makes it suited to both lyric and lively or

animated songs. Another name for mezzo-soprano is lyric-

contralto.

5. Dramatic contralto has the deepest and richest of

women's voices. Low and rich in quality, the dramatic

contralto's range is like that of the mezzo soprano. Music of a

dramatic quality best suits this type of voice.

6. Lyric tenor is the lightest in weight of men's voices,

producing a pure, relatively thin tone, best suited to sweet

melodies just like the lyric soprano. The lyric tenor is often

refered to as the "Irish tenor".

7. Lirico spinto tenor is considered very Italian, because

of its beautiful singing style. "Spinto" means "with accent".

This type of voice is richer and more powerful than that of the

lyric tenor and is suited to emotional songs.

8. Dramatic tenor is often called the hero tenor since the

appropriate type of music for this kind of voice is the dramatic

and heroic type. Of the three tenor voices, this one is the

heaviest in weight and is even richer and more powerful than the

lirico spinto. It can convey intense emotion.

9. Lyric baritone is of medium weight. It falls between

the range of the tenor and the bass. Rich tones and the often

sustained melody fit this type of voice.

10. Dramatic baritone has wider range than the lyric

baritone. It is suited to music of an emotional or dramatic

intensity. This voice is capable of singing a wide range of

melodies with full and rich tones.

11. Basso Profundo or Deep Bass has the heaviest weight

and the deepest, richest timbre of all voices. Music of an

animated or dramatic character which contains the lowest tones

fit this voice register.

The Instrumental Mediums

Musical instruments figure in our music either singly, in

small groups (chamber music) in bands or in ensembles and

orchestras.

There are three main types of musical instruments. There

are those which are bowed. Others are blown. Some are struck.

Those that are bowed are the string instruments. Those that are

blown fall into two kinds - the brasswinds and the woodwinds.

The instruments which are struck are the percussion instruments.

Another category is the keyboard instruments which include the

piano and the organ.

The Stringed Instruments

All stringed instruments have a hollow sound box across

which nylon, wire or gut strings are stretched. These strings

are made to vibrate by means of a horsehair bow rubbed over them.

The pitches of the strings are produced by pressing the fingers

on the strings at different points on the fingerboard so that

only a part of the string vibrates at a time.

Among the stringed instruments are the violin, the viola,

the violencello or cello and the double bass. The violin, which

is the smaller stringed instrument in an orchestra, has the

highest pitch. Slightly larger than the violin, the viola has

longer thicker and heavier strings. The viola, like the violin,

is played by tucking it under the chin of the musician playing

it. Because the violencello or cello is much larger than the

violin and the viola. It rests on the floor by means of a large

protruding pin at its base. The largest among the string family

is the double bass. Its pitch is also the lowest. It seems

then, that the larger the musical instrument, the lower its

pitch. Because of its size, the musician who plays it has to

remain standing. The double bass does not play the melody, but

it is usually the foundation of the harmony and rhythm of the

musical piece that is played.

There are other stringed instruments which, however are not

part of a typical orchestra. These include the harp, the guitar,

the banjo, the mandolin, the ukelele, the lute. Of these the

guitar is perhaps the most popular and the most commonly played

today - either by itself or as accompanied to vocal renditions.

The latest and the most modern member of the guitar family is the

electric guitar which has an electric amplifier and speaker.

Most modern combos use the electric guitar as its lead

instrument.

The Woodwinds
 In an orchestra, the wind instruments are positioned behind

the stringed instruments. These wind instruments are played by

blowing into them, thus causing a column of air to vibrate. The

musician changes the pitch of the notes by lengthening or

shortening the column of air vibrating inside the instrument. He

does this way by covering and uncovering little holes with keys

worked by his finger alone. These types of instruments consist

of tubes usually made of wood, with holes on the sides. When one

or another of these holes is closed or opened, the length of the

column of air inside the tube is changed, thus producing tones of

different pitches. A set of keys, arranged to suit the natural

position of the fingers, is manipulated by the musician who plays

it.

In an orchestra, the woodwinds include the flute, the

piccolo, the clarinet, the oboe, the English horn or cor anglais,

the bassoon, the double bassoon or contrabassoon and the

saxophone. Although considered a wood wind instrument, the

saxophone is not a regular member of the orchestra and is made of

brass.

Some woodwind instruments have reeds at the mouthpiece.

This reed may be a flat piece of cane placed against a flat

surface as in the clarinet. It may also consists of two small

strips of cane with a small passage between for air as in the

oboe, the English horn or cor anglais, the bassoon and the

contrabassoon. One can easily distinguish the single-reed from

the double-reed instruments because of the appearance of the

mouthpiece. The saxophone is also equipped with a reed. The

flute and the piccolo, however, do not have any mouthpiece since

they do not have any reed in them. Both are played by blowing
across the hole, unlike the reed instruments which are played by

holding the mouthpiece between the lips and blowing through it.

The Brasswinds

The trumpet, the cornet, the horn, the trombone and the tuba

make up the brasswind family in an orchestra. Brasswind

instruments have varied uses. They are indispensable for melody,

for sustaining harmony, for rhythmic accent and for their

capacity provide the climax to a musical composition, since their

sound is very loud.

Except for the horn, brasswind instruments have cup-shaped

mouthpieces into which the performers blows, varying the note by

altering the tension of his lips. This allows him to blow a

series of notes but not a complete scale. The mouthpiece of the

horn is shaped like a funnel. Of the brasswinds it is the horn

that is the most expressive and can project sounds across great

distance. Versatile, it can be loud or soft, lyrical or

dramatic.

The Percussion Instruments

The term "percussion" means "the sharp striking of one body

against another". Almost any instrument that can be sounded by

striking, shaking, or scratching with the hands or with another

object is percussive. These instruments are used to emphasize

the rhythm, to generate excitement and to enliven the orchestral

sound. Some of these instruments are made of metal. Others are

made of wood. In the case of the drums, vibration is produced

by striking a stretched skin with special sticks.

There are two types of percussion instruments: those of

definite pitch, and those of indefinite pitch. The timpani or

kettledrums, which are the most important percussion instruments

in an orchestra and which are used in sets of two or three, have

definite pitch. Its dynamic range extends from a rumble to a

thunderous roll. Also with different, definite pitches are the

chimes, the German sets of bells known as glockenspiel, the

xylophone, the marimba which is a type of xylophone of African

and South American origin among others. Among the percussion

instruments with indefinite pitch are the bass drum, the snare or

side drum, woodblock, the maracas and the Chinese gong.

The Keyboard Instruments

These instruments, which include the piano, the organ, the

celesta, the harpsichord, are called keyboard instruments because

they are operated by means of a keyboard consisting of a series

of black and white keys. The above-mentioned examples of this

type of musical instrument have definite pitch. Each, however,

has physical properties quite different from the others. The

piano, for instance is basically a string instrument in which

the strings are struck by small hammer-like contraption attached

to a keyboard. Although the harpsichord is, in a way, also a

stringed instrument, its string are plucked by quills, leather

tongues or brass tongues called plectra attached to the keys.

The celesta, often considered a percussion instrument of definite

pitch has steel plates which are hammered. The organ, once

regarded as the "king of the instruments" is a wind instruments

whose sounds are made by air forced through pipes.

These instruments that have been mentioned are western in

origin, but they have been assimilated in Philippine musical

culture. They were brought over to our country by our western

colonizers. Thus, our symphony orchestras, our bands, our

chamber ensembles, use these musical instruments.

We have, however, our own native instruments, most of which

are tribal in origin. Pigafetta, one of the chroniclers of

Magellan's expedition recorded that when the Spaniards first

came to our shores, they found a rich and colorful culture which

included music sang and played by native musical instruments.

Some of these instruments of our ethnic tribes, many of

which have become extinct, are:

1. Gitigit of the Negritos resembles the violin. Made of wood,

it has two or three strands of human hair or abaca strings.

It is played with a bow of human hair.

2. Bangsi of the Hanunuo tribe is a three-stopped bamboo flute

blown at the end.

3. Butting of the Negritos of Zambales and Isabela is a bowed

harp. It looks like a bow and is played by the mouth.

4. Kubing of the Dumagats is a bamboo version of the ancient

jaw's harp.

5. Kaleleng or balingling of the Mountain Province is a nose

flute that is three-stopped. Its sound is produced by wind

blown through the nose.

6. Pas-ing of the Apayaos is a bamboo zither with two parallel

strings.

7. Kolitong is a polychordal bamboo zither with three to eleven

strings, some of which are high-pitched. Both hands play

its many strings.

8. Bilbil or Bungkaka are bamboo buzzers which are percussive.

9. Gangsa is a metal gong of the Mountain Province.

10. Bangibang consists as a pair of percussion sticks which was

played to announce a violent death.

11. Albon (rice drum), Sulibao (conical drum) and the Kalinga

cylindrical drum are among the drums of the Mountain Province

tribes.

12. Palendag of the Muslims of Mindanao is called lip valley

flute in English.

13. Sahunay is the pipe with reed of the Muslims.

14. Tumpung or the chip-on-tube flute is also a musical

instrument of the Muslims of Mindanao.

15. Serogaganding of the Maranaos is a stringed instrument. It

is a two-stringed zither.

16. Kudyapi is the most popular Muslims stringed instrument. In

English, it is known as the boat-lute because of its boat-

like body. Its two metal strings are raised on small

bridges.

17. Gamelan refers to an ensemble of a variety of gongs. This

ensemble includes the:

a) Agung - a brass gong which may be thin or thick-lidded,

small or big. Although it may be apart of a set suspended

from a frame in rows, it may be alone. It has a thick

muffled sound.

b) Babamder is a wide-rimmed gong usually made of thin

bronze. The rim is embossed with traditional Muslim

motifs. Its sound is very resonant and when beaten, the

sound is low.

c) Gandingan which is usually big, narrow-lidded and made

of brass has a low, thick sound.

19. Kulintang is a row of seven or eight gradually pitched

gongs horizontally arranged in a colorful wooden framework

that rests on the floor. It is beaten with a special stick

to produce the seven or eight different tones.

20. Gabbang is the Sulu version of the xylophone. It is a

series of bamboo slats nailed on wood, played by striking

the slats with a rubber-covered hammer.

21. Dabakan is the conical drum of the Muslims. Aside from

this, the Muslims have the chalice-shaped drum, the double-

headed drum and the cylindrical drum.

22. Kagul is the Tiruray's percussion drum.

There are many other of such native musical instruments from

tribes all over the country. Many of these, just like certain

characteristics of our ethnic music link us to the musical

traditions of other Asians.

The Elements of Music

The essential components which, when blended, form music are

rhythm, melody, harmony, tone color, musical texture and musical

form. Of these six elements, melody, rhythm and harmony are

considered the basic triumvirate without which there can be no

music.

Rhythm

The most fundamental element of music and the only element

which can exist independently of the others is rhythm. Music

always involves rhythm.

Rhythm is the only controlled movement of music. It is the

heartbeat and the pulse of music. It refers to the distribution

and arrangement of long and short notes and their accents or

beats. When music is sung or played on a musical instrument, we

feel the regular pulsations called beats. Music moves through

time. In music where rhythm has perhaps reached its highest

conscious systematization, this regular pulse beat appears in

groups of two or three, together with their compound

combinations. The first beat of each group is accented. The

metrical unit from one accent to the next is called a bar. In a

written musical piece, this unit is marked out by vertical lines

drawn through the staff ( a group of fine horizontal lines) in

front of each accented beat. These are the bar-lines. The end

of a musical piece or section within a piece is indicated by a

double-bar line.

Long before the other elements of music came to exist,

rhythm was already there. For rhythm exists in the universe.

There is the rhythm of the rolling waves. There is rhythm in

the rippling brook. Ancient man was quick to notice this and to

imitate it with the clapping of his hands, the stomping of his

feet, the thumping of his chest and his hips with his hands and

the gyrating and swaying of his body as he, for instance, went

through his ritual of worship of his heathen gods.

In music, just as in poetry, the regularity of accented and

unaccented beats form some kind of pattern of beats called meter.

The pattern of two beats is called duple. It has one strong

beat alternating with one weak beat. Music of marches follow

the duple pattern. When the pattern is made up of groups of

three - one accented beat followed by two unaccented ones - it is

called triple meter. The song Bahay Kubo illustrates this.

The quadruple meter consists of four beats. Here, the first and

the third beats are accented. The accent on the third beat,

however, is not as strong as on the first. There is a special

kind of beat called displaced beat which produced syncopated

rhythm. This means that a note on an unaccented beat is

accented and held over into a strong beat. Another type of

syncopated rhythm consists of a tone which begins a beat and is

carried over to the next one.

The number of beats in a pattern and the type of note or

durational value of the beat is the time signature or meter

signature . This refers to the two numbers which are placed at

the left edge of the staff after a G-clef.

Duple Time

Triple Time

Quadruple Time

The sign C is often substituted for 4/4 which is also called

common time. This C does not stand for common, but is a relic

of the period when triple time was considered "perfect" time

because of its analogy with the Holy Trinity and was symbolized

by a circle. On the other hand, quadruple time was considered

"imperfect" and was therefore symbolized by an incomplete circle.

The common time signatures are 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 and 6/8. The

upper numbers - 2, 3, 4, 6 - are the numbers of the beats in each

measure. The lower numbers - 4, 8 - represent the type of notes

to receive one beat. Thus, 2/4 means that there are two beats to

a measure and that the type of note to receive one beat is

quarter note.

Melody

Referred to by the poetically-inclined as "the soul of

music", melody is pitch added to rhythm. It consists of a

series of tones, related to one another, in varying pitches and

durations within a pattern and sounded in succession. It is what

the musical piece is all about. It communicates the theme which

is the basic tune or the melodic idea of a musical composition.

It is the musical idea around which a composition is developed

and constructed. It is, therefore, the essential unit of

communication in music.

A melody has been compared to a spoken sentence where words

have been arranged in relation to one another and spoken or read

with varying pauses and inflections. As in language, a musical

phrase denotes a unit of meaning within a larger framework or

structure.

Melody can do a number of things. It is what we can easily

identify in music. Thus, it provides us with one of the most

important approaches to intelligent listening. It is also that

element of music which makes the most direct appeal. This

appeal is mainly to the emotion. That is why melody is

described as sad or gay or nostalgic. Melody is also the element

in which the personal character of the composer is most clearly

revealed

Characteristic or Properties of Melody

A. Motif

The smallest melodic unit is called the motif. This motif

is expanded by the composer into a phrase, a succession of tones

that can be sang, hummed or whistled in one breath. The phrase

usually rises to a high point from which it falls to a point of

rest called cadence. In music, "cadence" means a closing

phrase. An entire melody is formed out of repeated and

contrasting phrases.

B. Dimension
 Melody has two dimensions: length and range. Some melodies

which are short and fragmentary are called motives. Other

melodies are long and extended. A lot of melodies, however are

neither very short nor very long. The length of a melody

depends on the number of measures which compose it. A melody of

eight measures is regarded as moderate in length.

The range of a melody is the distance between the lowest

pitch and the highest tone in a musical piece. Melodic range

varies and is part of the whole musical structure.

C. Register

A melody may have a high, medium or low register and may

shift from register to another. Register is the relative

highness or lowness of the mass of tones of a melody.

D. Direction

The direction of pitch of a melody may either move upward or

downward rapidly or gradually. Sometimes a melody remains on a

certain pitch for quite a while. This is referred to as static

melody. A melodic line usually moves towards the climax or the

high point of the melody. This melodic climax may appear at any

part of a melodic line.

E. Progression

Pitch distance or the intervals between tones as a melody

moves from one tone to the next is called melodic progression.

This progression may be from one note to an adjacent note. This

is called conjunction progression. Disjunct progression, on

the other hand, refers to the many distinct skips between notes.

A song or instrumental piece may have both types of progression.

Harmony

The element of music that refers to the simultaneous

sounding of two or more musical tones in a pleasing combination

is known as harmony.

A discussion of harmony will inevitably mention the chord

which is the sounding together of two or more notes. A chord is

considered an entity. The most common chord is the triad which

consists of three combined tones such as do, mi, sol played or

sang simultaneously.

Harmony is important because it gives depth, richness and

color to the melodic line as well as weight and body to the

musical tissue. Harmony is to music what perspective is to

painting.

Chord progression is the term used to refer to the change

from one chord to another according to a plan or pattern. It

refers to the different chords used to accompany a melody and the

pattern of their repetition.

Harmony also has rhythm since chord progression takes place

at certain intervals which may be regular or irregular and which

may or may not be independent of melodic rhythm. When the same

chord is struck for a number of measures, the harmonic rhythm is

called static.

Consonance and dissonance are terms that apply to the

effects of combination of sounds or tones. When the combined

tones are euphonious or pleasant to hear, consonance has been

attained. Jarring or unpleasant combination of tones such as re,

fa, sol, is known as dissonance or discord.

 Tonality is a quality of music closely related to harmony.

It results when a single "key" such as key of C, is used as the

tonal center. The whole musical piece gravitates toward that

key. The key of C, for example, will have do (C) as its tonal

center because this is the first and the last tone in the scale

of C. The tonal center of D is re. Most music is written in

one key. Chords that provide harmonic accompaniment revolve

around the key. This is known as tonal music which characterizes

traditional music. In contrast, tonality and polytonality

characterize modern music. Polytonal music uses two or more keys.

Atonal music avoids any feeling of key. Multitonal or displaced

tonality describes music that shifts from one tonal center to

another so fast that the key feeling is disturbed or even

destroyed.

Tone Color

The tempo, the dynamics and the timbre of the medium of

music results in the tone color of a musical piece. The term

"tone color", therefore, does not apply to only a sound, a tone,

a voice or an instrument .

A Tempo is the rate of speed at which music moves. It

determines the speed of the beats and the duration in actual

time. Tempo depends on the kinds of notes, beats, rests, etc...

Certain Italian terms indicate the tempo of musical pieces. Some

of these terms are:

Presto - very fast Andante - moderately slow

Allegro - fast Adagio - slow

Moderato - moderate Largo - very slow

The tempo which is connected to the mood of the piece, may move
irregularly. The music speeds up or slow down abruptly or

gradually. Italian terms on the musical piece also indicate the

composer's desire regarding this. For example:

Ritardando or ritard - gradual slowing down

Accelerando - gradual increase of speed

Tempo rubato - irregular speed for proper expression

These Italian terms or signs are written above or below the

portion of the musical selection which is supposed to be played

accordingly.

B. Dynamics refers to the changes from loud to soft in a musical

piece and to all processes involved in the change. The term

dynamics implies the use of force or percussion effects to

produce loudness. Some Italian words that guide the performer in

the use of dynamics are:

forte - loud piano- soft

fortissimo - very loud pianissimo - very soft

Mezzo forte - moderately loud mezzo piano - moderately

soft

C. Timbre is the distinctive quality of tone of every musical

medium. It means tone quality. Each musical instrument and each

type of human voice has its own characteristic quality that

distinguishes it.

Musical Texture

This element of music is the result of a combination of

sounds interwoven from melodic and harmonic factors.

Melodic and harmonic relationships have given rise to four

types of texture: monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic and non-

melodic.

A. Monophonic texture is the term that applies to music with a

single melody and without other vocal lines or a harmonic

accompaniment. Thus, a musical instrument or a voice performing

a melody minus any accompaniment illustrates the monophonic

texture. It is, of course, the simplest of the four types of

texture in music.

B. Homophonic texture is illustrated by a single melody with

chords such as when a pianist plays the melody of a piece with

her right hand and the accompanying chords with her left hand.

Another example could be a singer warbling the melody while

accompanied by a musical instrument.

C. Polyphonic texture means many-voiced texture. This refers to

a combination of two or more melodies heard simultaneously since

they sound compatible to the ears. An example would be the songs

Sarung Bangi and Dandansoy. These two folk songs can be sang at

the same time by two groups of singers without the sounds

clashing against each other.

Polyphony is almost synonymous to contrapuntal music or

counterpoint which indicates an interweaving of melodies

simultaneously. Several different melodies may move at the same

time at different levels of pitch. These melodies interweave

harmoniously, giving the effect of continually changing chords.

This was the accepted mode of composition during the Renaissance

Age. One of its greatest exponents was Johann Sebastian Bach.

D. Non-melodic texture result when harmonic sounds obscure or

partly exclude the melodic content of a musical piece. In modern

music, it is often used for social effects.

 Non-melodic texture has given rise to sonority, an attribute

of texture which is based more on harmonious qualities.

Sonority, which refers to the quality of richness or thinness of

texture, is determined by:

1. the number of voices or instruments

2. spacing of tones or musical intervals

3. register of tones (high, medium or low)

4. timbre of tone quality of qualities of the mediums

Musical Form

As an element of music, form refers to musical structure

which includes plan and design and which involves unity, variety,

repetition and balance.

Since music consists of a series of tones and rests, these

must be organized and arranged not only to be effectively

expressive of the composer's sentiments but to maximize the

aesthetic and euphonious effect. Having a definite form and

structure based on a design gives unity, direction and order to

any work of art - music, included.

The design of a musical composition starts with a theme

which consists of melodic, rhythmic and harmonic element combined

to give a distinct character to a musical idea.

The recurrence of a central theme throughout a composition

inevitably unifies the different parts of a musical composition.

In music, variety is achieved by modifying the theme.

Sometimes the alteration makes the theme hardly recognizable,

though the "soul" of the theme is still there. Variation may

also be in the use of digression - a deviation from the main

theme. Usually after a digression, there follows a return to the

theme.

Repetition is a basic part of musical structure. This is

particularly true of our folk songs where the second and

succeeding stanzas of the lyrics use the same music as the first

stanza.
Certain types of "high-brow" music have emerged from the use

of certain forms:

A. The sonata is a complex form of musical composition in three

or four movements. Its first movement alone, which is played

fast, has three sections:

1. The exposition or statement is where two or three contrasting

themes are played and where the main theme is forceful and

vigorous. The second theme is more lyrical. The third theme may

be entirely new or may refer to previous themes, usually with

some variations.

2. The development uses any or all of the themes in the

exposition. However, these themes are usually fragmented and

played by different keys or registers. In the development of

theme the composer exercises his creativity in the use of

variations in the choice of the different parts.

3. The recapitulation restates the exposition but with

variations. Sometimes the coda, a concluding section to the

whole movement is played as an epilogue. The length of the coda

is variable.

This first movement of the sonata is often called the

sonata-allegro form. Thus, it falls under the sectional category

of music.

The second movement of the sonata, which is usually slow, is

played in a contrasting key. This second movement may make use

of any of several options: the sonata-allegro form or the theme

and variation form.

The tempo of the third movement ranges from moderate to

fast. It uses the ternary form which has three main sections: the

middle section contrasting with the first and the last.

B. The sonatina is a brief or simplified sonata.

C. The concerto is a composition in sonata form. Unlike the

sonata, it does not have a third movement.

A concerto is played by a principal instrument with an

entire orchestra.

D. The fugue consists of a short theme called subject, and a

second theme called countersubject. The two differ in melodic

and rhythmic structure. The fugue is the most important

contrapuntal form.

Contrapuntal forms are based on two or more melodies with

similar as well as contrasting elements. The melodies may

interweave or may be performed simultaneously or may follow each

other. This form is used in choral compositions such as the

motet and the madrigal.

The motet is a religious composition, usually biblical in

nature and with a Latin text. Both text and melody are not

original. The melody of non-religious songs are often adapted.

To the main melody is added other melodies with other text and

performed in counterpoint to the principal melody.

The madrigal is the secular counterpart of the motet. It

combines music and poetry. Four or five voices characterize

madrigal music. Madrigal songs usually use the vernacular.

Free Forms

In music, the so-called free forms are those musical

compositions which are not sectional or polyphonic. This does

not imply the absence of any structural plan. All musical pieces

have a definite structure. Free forms do not adhere to any of

the traditional forms but they have their own distinct style.

The prelude, the fantasia and capricio and the symphonic poem are

examples of free forms.

The prelude was originally an introduction to a longer

composition. Today, the prelude is a short composition that

exists by itself.

The fantasia and capricio are fanciful unrestricted

compositions characterized by improvisation. Composers of the

Romantic Period in music were fond of these types.

Symphonic poems also known as tone-poems are orchestral

compositions with only one movement. Usually, this type of music

has a descriptive title. An example is "Afternoon of a Fawn" by

Debussy.

Philippine Music

In ancient times in our country, music and poetry were so

intertwined that they were generally regarded as not distinct

from each other. This was because epics and assorted verses

were chanted or sung.

Simple lyrics or narrative songs reflected the daily lives

and aspirations of the people. There were lullabies or oyayi

(hele), boat songs, songs of mourning, planting and harvesting

songs, feasting songs. The Filipino, it seems, were and continue

to be, musical by nature. These songs were chanted or sang with

or without native musical instruments, mostly percussive.

When the Spaniards came, the process of westernization was

clearly evident in the music of the people. Indigenous musical

forms and musical instruments were replaced by those brought over

by the colonizers. The guitar, the flute, the organ and the harp

were readily adopted. Like the country's other arts, Philippine

music from Spanish times to the present is, to a large extent, of

western tradition. During the Spanish era, the Spanish influence

on music was so great. Even Filipino composers merely imitated

popular Spanish musicians of the day, almost forgetting their own

traditional songs.

The Spanish era saw important modifications not only in

musical instruments but in the music itself. However, Spanish

songs in the minor mode were similar to Filipino songs of lament

over the death, cruelty or thoughtlessness of a loved one. That

was how the kundiman was born. The happier songs may have

evolved from Spanish dance music. On the whole, however, the

content has regained its native character. Despite the use of

the diatonic scale, the Filipino composers and musicians are at

their best in songs reflecting the sentiments, dreams and

aspirations of our people. The Filipino has always been innately

sentimental and acutely sensitive to his plight and to abuses

inflicted on our race. Then, as now, this has found its way in

our songs.

With the awakening of Filipino nationalism and the desire

for a sense of identity during the last quarter of the 19th

century. Filipino music made an effort to distance itself from

colonial influence. From Rizal's time, the kundiman came to be

regarded as national music and the answer to the search for

Filipino identity.

In the 19th century, native songs like kumintang, kundiman,

balitao ceased to be simply folk songs and were composed as art

songs.

The kumintang was a popular love song of the 18th century

sang at weddings in Balayan, Batangas and in some Bulacan towns.

In the 19th century, it was influenced by the metrical romances.

Its sincere sentiments because romantic sentimentality and poetic

conceits replaced its native metaphors.

The kundiman, coined from kung hindi man, is a love song

usually on unrequited love, thus, its plaintive melody and

lyrics. However, in the 1890's, the people's love of country and

example is the revolutionary hymn Jocelinang Baliuag. The lady-

love of the song symbolized Pilipinas.

The balitao has two types - the happy, humorous song, fast

in tempo, found in the Tagalog regions and the sad and slow

balitao of the Visayans. The Tagalog balitao is the balitao

mayor and the Visayas balitao is the balitao menor.

Church choirs soon formed secular musical groups. Thus was

the rondalla born. Rondallas are native string bands. Brass

bands and orchestras using western musical instruments, also

emerged. From these musical groups merged many well-known

Filipino musicians like Marcelo Adonay, Dolores Paterno, Juan

Nakpil, Ladislao Bonus.

The American regime saw the composition of the first opera

by a Filipino. The music was composed by Ladislao Bonus and the

text was by Pedro Paterno. This opera was perfomed five times at

the Teatro Zorilla in August 1902. Many of the musicians of this

period composed music for the zarzuelas. Zarzuelas, which

originally consisted of short songs and verse recitations,

evolved into entertaining musical plays, although some made use

of the comedia plots featuring Christian - Muslim conflict.

The well - loved song, "Ang Maya" was composed by Jose

Estella for his zarzuel, Filipinas Para Los Filipinos.

Nicanor Abelardo, regarded as "father of the Kundiman" also

composed for zarzuelas. His immortal "Bituing Marikit" was

composed for Servando de los Angeles zarzuela, Dakilang Punglo

(1929).

The outstanding musicians of that period were concerned

with the creation of a truly Filipino music despite colonial

influences. They also desired to uplift indigenous folk songs to

the level of art songs. Filipino composers have shown

flexibility in their compositions. They were "at home" with

traditional forms as well as with western forms. Using

traditional forms, Bonifacio Abdon came up with his "kundiman" in

1920, Nicanor Abelardo with his immortal kumintang "Mutya ng

Pasig" in 1926 and Francisco Santiago with his ever-popular

kundiman "Anak Dalita" in 1917. To prove their know-how of

western musical forms using native melodies, Abdon composed a

cantata based on the Tagalog pasyon entitled "O Dios sa

Kalangitan". Santiago's Sonata Filipina in 1922, was inspired by

the Tagalog balitaw in kundiman and the Visayan lulay.

Abelardo's "Concerto in B Flat" composed in 1923, was also based

on our native music. In his "Tagalog Symphony in D Major"

composed in 1909, Santiago introduced native instruments like

the Muslim gong and the barimban. Abdon, Santiago, Abelardo,

Estela succeeded in raising folk music to the category of concert

pieces, thus, to the level of art. However, their kundimans

remain their mist well-loved compositions.

Nicanor Abelardo, Francisco Santiago and later on, Antonio

Molina and Constancio de Guzman made names for themselves with

their compositions of beautiful haunting or lilting kundiman.

They made the kundiman songs of great lyric beauty. Even now,

their songs are so popular that they have become almost folk

songs. Abelardo, Santiago and Molina did not only compose

kundimans. They were such prolific musicians that they also

composed sonatas, art songs, chamber music and choral works.

Bonifacio Abdon who belonged to a generation before them was

one of the very first to use the kundiman as a musical art form.

Other notable composers who emerged during the latter part

of this period were Santiago Suarez, Manuel Vallejo, Lucio San

Pedro, Josefino Cenizal.

The onslaught of American culture into the very mainstream of

Filipino life brought to force the need for a national music.

This problem heightened when the rondalla lost its popularity by

1913 and the zarzuela was presented for the last time in 1927 at

the Teatro Zorilla.

Vaudeville took over and popular jazz and blues. Thus, the

Americanization of our musical culture became complete.

Jazz

Jazz was a type of music last developed by American Negroes

based on a bending of Africa rhythm, European harmony and melodic

ideas drawn from both African and European sources. Many such

music grew out of Negro folk music. Its dominant trait is the

use of flat notes. In its formative stages, it was influenced by

what was called ragtime period pieces, Negro work songs, marching

band music, minstral songs, cradles songs and protestant hymns.

Originally identified with "ragtime" music, the term "jazz" is

believed to have been first applied to the music in Chicago, USA

around 1910, when members of the local musicians union, used it

as a derisive reference to music played by white American

musicians from New Orleans, led by Johnny Stein, a drummer, at

the then popular Schiller's Cafe. The word "jazz" came from the

French word "jaser" which means "to babble". The intended

meaning, however, was of an erotic nature. Far from feeling

insulted or offended, the management of Schiller's Cafe turned

the situation to their advantage by boldly advertising the

musician's group there as "Jazz Band", thus attracting larger

crowds. There are two kinds of jazz: traditional and modern.

Traditional jazz is light-hearted, boisterous, exuberant. Modern

jazz is more subdued. Both types, however, use the flat notes.

In recent years, here in our country, especially since the

establishment of the Cultural Center of the Philippines,

indigenous music has undergone a revival, using ethnic musical

instruments, like gongs, wooden or bamboo xylophones, flutes and

other native equivalents of the woodwinds of the western symphony

orchestra and string instruments of various types. Indian and

Chinese influences are also sometimes evident in some of today's

music. The native violin, for instance, originally believed to

have been copied from the Europeans' violin turned out to have

been copied by Europe from India.

Big names in today's Philippine music scene includes George

Canseco, Levi Celerio, Tito Sotto, Gary Valenciano, Freddie

Aguilar, Ray-An Fuentes, Odette Quesada, Nonong Pedero, Nonoy

Zuniga, Florante, Apo Hiking Society, Jose Mari Chan, Willy Cruz,

Ryan Cayabyab among others.

Pop Music

Ask any young person today what music he goes for and in all

probability his answer will be "pop music". Now, what is pop

music?

Pop music refers to a large category of today's music

consisting basically of musical pieces designed to please the

general public. This includes "sweet" music, ballads, barroom

piano pieces, Broadway show music, dance music, cowboy hillbilly

music, even band music, "soul" music, "soft rock" music, "hard

rock" music and other current fads. Since public taste changes

what is popular for one age group during a period or an era may

not be regarded as popular by all.

Pop music came about in the 1950's in American and was based

on a combination of musical folklore and the fine arts. It was

initially characterized by a relatively strong beat.

The term "pop music" is also used in a general sense to

distinguish it from "serious" or "classical" music. One factor

that distinguishes pop music from serious music is commercial

success. The serious composer does not regard money as his

primary goal. He would rather create a work of art that will

endure long after his lifetime.

The difference between jazz and pop music is more a matter

of style and performance, rather than of composition. These two

modern musical types can not be completely divorced from each

other.

Introduction to Modern Music

There are certain so-called avant-garde music nowadays

which, like other modern art, tries to shock and to be original

for originality's sake.

Fantastic though this may sound, there are composers in the

American scene who compose music for what they call "prepared

piano" which involves stuffing the inside of a piano with a

variety of paraphernalia, including knots and bolts, to alter the

usual and the normal piano timbre.

There are also composers today who put artificial music

electronically on tape.

Another type of composition called "unpredictable music" is

written for an orchestra of radios.

To the exponents of these types of experimentation sounds,

this so-called music which has no melody, is a sign of our times

- of the machine age - and of the neuroses brought about by the

dizzying tempo of city life today. To most of us who are not

used to these sounds, what we hear cannot, by any stretch of the

imagination, be called music but cacophony, dissonance, noise.

And we wonder what has happened to the kind of beauty we

associate with the music we love to listen to. Modern composers

assert that their artistic goal is exactly the same as that of

Mozart, of Beethoven, and of the rest of such composers.

Actually, the music of modern composers - with the exception of

the symphony for radios - is only a natural extension of all the

music that preceded it. Similarly , those great composers in

their own time, were only extending the scope of the musical

tradition they inherited.

However, one basic change has occurred. This change may

explain why many of us wonder what has happened to beauty in

today's music. This change involves tonality.

Tonality is that quality in music which presents one

particular tone as the principal tone. This is called tonic.

All the other tones are different from - but related to - the

tonic. Also, these other tones eventually return to the tonic.

The rules and practices concerning basic physical law in nature

which asserts that when any one note is sounded, it is not the

tone heard, since it is made up of many other tones called

overtones which, at the same time, sound higher in pitch and

fainter in volume. So, when we hear a tone, whether we are aware

of it or not, we are also hearing a long series of overtones,

whose notes get progressively closer together until we can no

longer distinguish them. Also, these overtones get progressively

higher and higher in pitch until our ears can no longer detect

them. These overtones may be regarded as harmonic sounds.

Western music, which has influenced our own contemporary

music, developed into a tonal system. This means that the music

that has influenced our music, always uses one fundamental note

or one tonic center to which all other notes in the musical

composition are related.

In music, when we speak of modulations we refer to the

movement from one key to another or from one tonality to another.

A lot of pop music today make use of this. An example is the

latest song of Jose Mari Chan, "Beautiful Girl". Modulations are

used for variety's sake. The use of modulations add to the

richness of the music and make music more pleasant to listen to.

There was a time the musical center of the world was

Germany. Then the center shifted to Paris at the turn of the

19th century. The 20th century which produced Elvis Presley and

the Beatles veered away from Paris as the center and made the

United States and, to a certain extent, England as the centers of

the new type of music. The 20th century saw the fascination with

jazz and other new rhythms. Today, new sounds are the craze.

Today's composer seems ever in the search for a new sound - a

20th century sound through unusual instrumental combinations.

The trend today is to get away from the standard symphony

orchestra sound which the Germans had developed. Two types of

contemporary music hug the limelight nowadays - tonal and atonal.

Stravinsky is regarded as the lead exponent of tonal music while

Schoenberg leads the crusade for atonal music.

Since the 1960's, however, tonal and atonal music have come

closer together - both in search of a new beauty. This synthesis

points the direction for the future of modern music and towards a

new kind of beauty in music.

Test your own progress by performing the Self-Progress Check

Test at the end of each lesson. Read the test instructions

carefully and understand them well. Do not look at the answers

while taking the test.

Humanities 1
Module IV

Lesson 2

SELF-PROGRESS CHECK TEST

(Answer the following questions as best as you can from what

you have understood of Lesson 2. Be fair with yourself. Make

this test a real gauge of what you know of the course.)

Directions:

Fill in the blanks with the proper word or words to make

each new item a complete and correct statement.

1. _________ is the material of music.

2, & 3. The two mediums of sound are __________ and _________.

4. A male singer with a high-registered voice is called _______.

6 - 10. There are five types of western musical instruments

used in an orchestra. These are the ___________,

___________, ___________, ___________, ___________ musical

instruments.

11. The most fundamental element of music referred to as the

"heartbeat" of music is __________.

12. __________ is the element of music known as the "soul" of

music.

13. The pleasing combination of sounds results in __________.

14. __________ is the rate of speed at which music moves.

15. The changes from loud to soft in a musical piece is called

__________.

16. The __________ is a Filipino musical form associated with

haunting laments and love songs.

17. __________ music, which is typically American, makes use of

flat notes.

18. Today's music that range from "sweet" music to "hard rock" is

known as __________ music.

19. The piano and the organ are _________ musical instruments.

20. A well-known musical instrument from Muslim Mindanao which

consist of a row of seven or eight gradually pitched gongs

arranged horizontally is the _________.

Check your answers with the key at the end of the module.

Unless there is specific instruction on how to score your paper,

compute it by dividing the correct answers with the total number

of points and multiplying the quotient by 100. Keep your own

scores. If you get 70% or higher, you pass, otherwise, you have

to review the lesson and do the re-test, if any, before

advancing to the next one. Take note that in some cases, these

lesson tests are presented as Activities. Do them the same way.

 Lesson 3

ENJOYING MUSIC

Music Appreciation

Music appreciation is the acquired ability to listen to

music intelligently so as to be able to savor what music has to

offer. This implies that to appreciate is an ability that is not

inborn. It may be acquired usually through direct exposure.

This will of course, involve a deliberate, conscious effort on

the part of the person who is interested enough in music to want

to know more about it so that he can appreciate it better. Some

intellectual ability leading to comprehension is needed before

appreciation can be attained.

The trouble with many of us is that we are content to be

able to appreciate music that emotionally appeals to us. Most of

us do not make an effort to broaden our musical experience. We

should aim at variety of musical experience. We can derive a

variety aim at variety of musical experience. We can derive a

variety of pleasure by listening to different types of music.

Music is food for the spirit. Being partial or even addicted to

only one type of music is like partaking of only one kind of food

all the time. No matter how good that food is, it does not have

all the time. No matter how good that food is, it does not have

all the nutrients that we need. The same with music. Both what

is called "long-haired" or serious or classical music and rock

music have something to offer the listener by way of aural

experience. A well-rounded exposure to different types of music

will not only put a listener in a better position to make a

choice most suited to his taste, but his choice, will not be

based a mere instinct or emotional reaction. Thus, his choice

can make other listeners listen more sensitively to it to find

out what the music has which can move people.

Our enjoyment of certain organized sounds can emit varied

responses--from musical excitement to spiritual exultation.

The "magic of music" and man's instinctive response to it is

one of the hardest to explain. How can we satisfactorily explain

in ordinary prose the wonder of one note following or coinciding

with another in a manner that makes us feel that is exactly how

those notes had to be? No amount of rationalizing can truly

explain this. Even the most rational minds like Plato and

Socrates simply recognized and accepted the beautiful and

satisfying combination of mathematics and magic that music is.

They acknowledge that the study of music is one of the finest

disciplines for the adolescent mind. They made music an integral

part of education since they recognized in music scientific and

"spiritual" values. Yet Plato spoke to music in vague

generalizations although he was usually scientific about almost

everything else. Just like his contemporaries, he knew that

piped music inspired soldiers into battle. No aspect of science

could explain that.

Even today, we feel this magical effect of music. No

attempt at explaining scientifically why music affects us the way

it does has proven satisfactory and convincing. For instance,

one can try to explain the theme of a Beethoven symphony by

saying that it follows the formal principle of synthesis which

means that there is a short statement called theses followed by a

"questioning answer" called antitheses which is in turn, followed

by a development arising out of the conflict between the two,

called the synthesis. But why is the theme beautiful? There

are many themes composed in the manner of Beethoven's phony, but

they are not as beautiful. No one can really explain this

"magic" of Beethoven's music and our reaction to it. One thing,

though, is certain. The more we are exposed to a certain type of

music, the more we learn to understand it. And with

understanding will follow an intelligent and not just an

instinctive or an emotional appreciation of music which is very

much a part of our lives.

Learning to Judge Music

Our response to a musical composition or to a composer is,

to a large extent, subjective and is rooted in deep feeling.

Even professional critics may differ in their evaluation of a

musical performance. There is, therefore, no one "truth" about

what we hear and about how we ought to feel about it.

To a large extent, it is up to us, as listeners, to evaluate

the performance of a musician and the music that he performs. We

can do that in the most sensitive way by being alert and open-

minded, thus enhancing our capacity to compare performance and

to judge music, so that we can derive greater pleasure and

enjoyment from it.

There are certain questions we can ask ourselves when trying

to evaluate a musical performance:

1. Is a concept or an overall idea projected by the performer?

2. Do some sections of a musical piece communicate something to

us. If so, what is being communicated?

3. Why is it that there are musical compositions that do not

seem to communicate anything. Can you figure this out?

Subtle effects of phrasing, dynamics, tone color and tempo

become more noticeable after listening to a number of performers

playing or singing the same musical piece. See if you can

listen to the same musical composition played or sung by at least

three musicians. In all probability, you will be able to note

that were made by the three performers. This is what "molding an

familiarizing one's self with the nuances involved in an artist's

musical style will help one understand and appreciate his music

better.

Style and its Role in Music Appreciation

We use the word "style" in reference to any endeavor.

In music, "style" refers to a characteristic way of using

melody, rhythm, tone color, dynamics, harmony, texture and form.

The particular way these elements of music are combined can

result in a total sound that is distinctive or unique.

When we hear an unfamiliar musical piece and identify it as

jazz, as Italian opera or as a symphony, we are responding to its

style. Somehow, being able to identify the style of a particular

musical piece adds to one's sense of elation with regards to it.

We speak of the musical style of an individual composer, a group

of composers, a country, or a particular period in history.

Compositions created in the same geographical area or around the

same time same geographical area or around the same time are often

similar in style. Yet composers using the same musical vocabulary

can create a personal manner of expression, just as people

dressed in a similar style can have an individual look.

Like most things, musical styles change from one era in

history to the next. These changes are continuous. Any boundary

line between one style period and the next can only be an

approximation. Although sudden turning points have occured in

the history of music, even the most revolutionary new styles have

not overshadowed the well-loved music of earlier years. Very few

changes of style have swept away the past completely. Even after

a new style has become established, the elements of the previous

style, are usually preserved.

Western music may be categorized into these style periods:

Medieval (450 A.D. to 1450)

Renaissance (1450 to 1600)

Baroque (1600 to 1750)

Classical (1750 to 1820)

Romantic (1820 to 1900)

Twentieth century to 1950

Contemporary (1950 to the present)

An awareness of the characteristics of a style helps us to know

what to listen for in a composition written in that particular

period. By knowing the common practice of a period, we can

better appreciate the innovative or unique features of a

particular composition.

Music is not created in a vacuum. To fully understand the

style of a composition, one has to be aware of its function in

society. Trying to answer these questions will help in our

understanding:

1. Is a musical piece meant to provide entertainment in a

noble's castle or in a concert hall or in middle-class home?

2. Is it designed to accompany singing, dancing, religious rites

or drama?

Musical style is shaped by political, economic, social and

intellectual developments. Soon after Ferdinand Marcos declared

Martial Law, a lot of martial music was composed and heard over

the airlanes. In retrospect, when our people were in bondage

during the Spanish era, the kundiman with its sad, bondage

during the Spanish era, the kundiman with its sad, plaintive

music and lyrics appealed to our forefathers who felt that the

kundiman was evocative of their plight. When the Americans came,

composing gay songs and bar music that appealed to the G.I. Joes

became lucrative; so a lot of these surfaced. Often, similar

features of style can be found in the different arts of the same

period since art mirrors the milieu that produced it.

Test your own progress by performing the Self-Progress Check

Test a the end of the each lesson. Read the test instructions

carefully and understand them well. Do not look at the answers

while taking the test.

Humanities 1
Module IV

Lesson 3

SELF-PROGRESS CHECK TEST

(Answer the following question as best as you can from what

you have understood of Lesson 3. Be fair with yourself. Make

this test a real gauge of what you know of the course.)

Direction

Answer as briefly as possible, in a word or a phrase or a

clause.

1. What manner of listening is required to be able to appreciate

music?

2. How can one learn to appreciate the type of music to which

one does not respond to instinctively?

3. What is needed before true appreciation can be attained?

4. What is the most common type of layman's reaction to music?

5. What should we aim at by way of musical experience?

Note:

Each correct answer is equivalent to 20 points. 80 points

is considered passing.

(See No. 4 "Instruction to the Student")

Humanities 1
Module IV

Answer Keys

Lesson 1

1. tones } 6. timbre, tone color or

} in any order
2. pauses or } tone quality

silences 7. four

3. sound 8. tie

4. euphony 9. pitch

5. cacophony 10. volume or intensity

Lesson 2

1. sounds 11. rhythm

2. human voice 12. melody

3. musical instruments 13. harmony

4. tenor 14. tempo

5. contralto or alto 15. dynamics

6. percussion 16. kundiman

7. strings 17. jazz

8. woodwinds 18. pop music

9. brasswinds 19. keyboard

10. keyboard 20. kulintang

Lesson 3

1. intelligent 5. variety

2. through direct experience

3. understanding (comprehension)

4. emotional