Elements%20of%20Music%20(continued)

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Elements of Music (continued)

• Rhythm

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Rhythm

• (General) The ordered flow of music through time
• (Specific) a pattern of durations of notes and
  silences in music

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Beat

• Regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music
  into equal units of time
• In music from the late Middle Ages and
  Renaissance, the beat was called a tactus
• If you can tap a steady pulse to a piece of
  music, then it has a beat
• Some music, such as Gregorian Chant, doesnt have
  a beat

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Underlying BEAT structure for Frere Jacques
(Are you sleeping)
1 2 321 1 2 321 3 4 5
etc.
Beats
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Underlying BEAT structure for Frere Jacques
(Are you sleeping)
1 2 321 1 2 321 3 4 5
etc.
etc.
Beats
Subdivisions
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Underlying BEAT structure for Frere Jacques
(Are you sleeping)
1 2 321 1 2 321 3 4 5
ACCENT - dynamic emphasis of a note
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Underlying BEAT structure for Frere Jacques
(Are you sleeping)
1 2 321 1 2 321 3 4 5
S W S W S W
Strong Weak
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Meter

• Organization of beats into regular groups
• These recurring patterns most often are grouping
  of 2, 3, or 4
• 2 (Duple) - Example HAYDN Surprise Symphony
• 3 (Triple) - Example BRAHMS How Lovely
• 4 (Quadruple) - Example BEETHOVEN Mvt. 1 from
  Symphony No. 5

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IGOR STRAVINSKY Dance of the Adolescents from
Rite of Spring
1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2

Accented notes occurring on regularly unaccented
beats or subdivisions
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Syncopation

• Accenting of a note at an unexpected time, as
  between two beats or on a weak beat or
  subdivision
• Examples
• WILLIAM GRANT STILL Afro-American Symphony
• PHILIP GLASS Knee Play 1 from Einstein on the
  Beach

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Rubato

• Slight holding back or pressing forward of tempo
  to intensify the expression of the music, often
  used in romantic music
• Example
• FREDERIC CHOPIN - Nocturne in Eb

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Dotted Rhythms

• Long-short rhythmic pattern in which a dotted
  note is followed by a note that is much shorter
• Example
• GEORGES BIZET Faradole from LArlesienne Suite

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Tempo

• Basic pace of the music
• The absolute speed of the beat
• Can be measured or indicated exactly by a
  Metronome Marking (beats per minute)

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Tempo Indication

• Words, usually at the beginning of a piece of
  music, often in Italian, which specify the pace
  at which the music should be played

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Tempo Indication words

• Largo, Adagio - slow
• Andante, Allegretto, Moderato - moderately
• Allegro, Vivace, Presto - fast