Elements of Figuration. Rhythmic Placement

June 29, 2020 by inalbis

Blog, Figuration, Melody, Rhythmic Placement

The most important distinction among the various nonharmonic tones is whether the dissonance occurs on the beat (accented) or off the beat (unaccented). Dissonances placed on the beat are much stronger and often create a powerful emotional impact, whereas those placed off the beat generally pass almost unnoticed smoothing out melodic lines. Some nonharmonic tones occur in both accented and unaccented contexts; others appear only as accented or as unaccented dissonances.

George Frideric Handel – Sarabande

June 26, 2020 by inalbis

Classical, Video

The Keyboard suite in D minor (HWV 437) was composed by George Frideric Handel, for solo keyboard (harpsichord), between 1703 and 1706. It is also referred to as Suite de pièce Vol. 2 No. 4. It was first published in 1733.

The sarabande is first mentioned in Central America: in 1539, a dance called zarabanda is mentioned in the poem Vida y tiempo de Maricastaña written in Panama by Fernando de Guzmán Mejía. The dance seems to have been especially popular in the 16th and 17th centuries, initially in the Spanish colonies, before moving back across the Atlantic to Spain. In its time, it was controversial since it was thought too indecent—Miguel de Cervantes once said it was “invented in Hell”. It was banned several times, but it was still performed by many people and even by clerics during the mass. While it was banned in Spain in 1583 for its obscenity, it was frequently cited in literature of the period (for instance, in works by Cervantes and Lope de Vega). It spread to Italy in the 17th century, and to France, where it became a slow court dance.

One of the best known constant harmony variation types is the anonymous La Folia whose harmonic sequence appears in pieces of various types (mainly dances) by dozens of composers from the time of Mudarra (1546) and Corelli through the present day. The theme of the fourth-movement Sarabande of Handel’s Keyboard suite in D minor (HWV 437) for harpsichord is a variation of this piece.

Elements of Figuration. Passing Notes

June 22, 2020 by inalbis

Blog, Figuration, Melody, Passing Notes

Passing notes are typically used to fill out the interval of a third, and on occasion a larger interval, such as a fourth. As is the case with any type of melodic decoration, passing notes can be used effectively on both accented and unaccented parts of the beat. When used on an accented part of the beat, the dissonance introduced by the passing note is more prominent. Passing notes that belong to the major or minor scale of the key being used are called diatonic passing notes. Passing notes can also be chromatic. A chromatic passing note borrows from those notes of the chromatic scale not belonging to the diatonic scale of the key. The most typical use of a chromatic passing note is to fill in the interval of a major second between the voice parts. This creates a moment of tension as the chromatic note then resolves either upward or downward to the harmony note, as the case may be. Where the chromatic note occurs as a rising passing note, it is typically notated as a sharp. Where it is being used as a falling passing note, it is notated as being a flat. This is because these symbols naturally reflect the directional tendencies of the passing note.

Frédéric Chopin – Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9, No. 2

June 21, 2020 by inalbis

Classical, Video

The Nocturnes, Op. 9 are a set of three nocturnes written by Frédéric Chopin between 1830 and 1832, published that year, and dedicated to Madame Camille Pleyel. The second nocturne of the work is widely regarded as Chopin’s most famous piece, and is regularly featured in films, television programs and video games.

This popular nocturne is in rounded binary form (A, A, B, A, B, A) with coda, C. The A and B sections become increasingly ornamented with each recurrence. The penultimate bar utilizes considerable rhythmic freedom, indicated by the instruction, senza tempo (without tempo). Nocturne in E-flat major opens with a legato melody, mostly played piano, containing graceful upward leaps which becomes increasingly wide as the line unfolds. This melody is heard again three times during the piece. With each repetition, it is varied by ever more elaborate decorative tones and trills. The nocturne also includes a subordinate melody, which is played with rubato.

A sonorous foundation for the melodic line is provided by the widely spaced notes in the accompaniment, connected by the damper pedal. The waltz-like accompaniment gently emphasizes the 12/8 meter, 12 beats to the measure subdivided into four groups of 3 beats each.

The nocturne is reflective in mood until it suddenly becomes passionate near the end. The new concluding melody begins softly but then ascends to a high register and is played forcefully in octaves, eventually reaching the loudest part of the piece, marked fortissimo. After a trill-like passage, the excitement subsides; the nocturne ends calmly.

Elements of Figuration. Nonharmonic Tones

June 18, 2020 by inalbis

Blog, Figuration, Melody, Nonharmonic Tones

Elements of Figuration

The term “figuration” refers to a melodic progression that animates a linear harmonic substructure by means of quicker motion or rhythmic displacement.

Nonharmonic Tones

Harmonic tones are the chord tones: root, third, or fifth. Nonharmonic tones (nonchord tones) are pitches that sound along with a chord but are not chord pitches. Most nonharmonic tones are dissonant and create intervals of a second, fourth, or seventh. Diminished or augmented intervals are also considered dissonant. The dissonance created by nonharmonic tones is calculated against the lowest-sounding tone of a chord, no matter how many other voices are present. An exception occurs when the nonharmonic tone is positioned in the lowest-sounding voice itself (usually bass). Nonharmonic tones generally occur in a pattern of three pitches:

Preceding tone tone (chord tone)
Nonharmonic (not a chord tone)
Following tone (chord tone)

The various nonharmonic tones are named by the intervals between the preceding tone, the nonharmonic tone, and the following tone.

Melodic Auxiliaries

A melodic auxiliary is any note that lies either side of the harmony note—in other words, a single step above or below the harmony note in the scale. For this reason an auxiliary is also sometimes referred to as a neighbor note (returning tone figure). There are two general types of melodic auxiliaries. There are diatonic auxiliaries (At times the word diatonic is used to indicate a tone that is part of a particular scale pattern—as distinguished from a nondiatonic tone that does not belong to the scale pattern. The major scale is one kind of diatonic scale. All diatonic scales contain five whole steps and two half steps within the octave, but each of the different types of diatonic scale has the half steps in different places), in which the note is a part of the major or minor scale of the key being used.

And then there are chromatic auxiliaries, in which the note is not a part of the scale being used—in other words, it is taken from outside of it from the other notes of the chromatic scale.

Variations of the Auxiliary

There are numerous variations of the melodic auxiliary, all of which can be used to good effect to bring more interest to harmony parts. One such variation is where an auxiliary skips a third in the opposite direction before returning to the harmony note. This is called a changing note figure. There are two ways in which a changing note figure can occur:

Another variation is where the auxiliary skips down by a third to the harmony note of another chord. Sometimes called an echappée, this is a great way to introduce an element of tension into the harmony:

When instead of returning to a harmony note, an auxiliary moves to another harmony note in the same direction, the decorative note is said to be a passing note as seen above.

Song Review: Blanco, Gris

June 13, 2020 by inalbis

General

alternative, ambient, classical, indie, minimal, minimalist, neo classical, post-classical, post-minimalist, solo instrumentalist

Blanco, Gris feels like a piano concert, taking place on a cold, rainy night, and at certain points reminds of some of the more classical-like work of impressionist composers.

Listen: http://go.inalbis.net/the-river

Melodic Lines. Part 2

June 11, 2020 by inalbis

Blog, Melodic Lines, Melody

Parallel Supporting Melody (PSM)

Parallel supporting melodies (PSM) are melodies that are similar in contour to a primary melody (a) or secondary melody (b). They often maintain a constant interval relationship with the melody they support.

Static Support (SS)

Static supporting (SS) parts are of two types: (a) sustained tones or chords, which are often pedal tones, and (b) repeated melodic and rhythmic figures or ostinato.

(a)

Bouygues Telecom: Flashback Book Facebook App

June 7, 2020 by inalbis

Commercials, Video

Music Score:

Information:

Advertising Agency: DDB, Paris, France
Executive Creative Director: Alexandre Hervé
Copywriters / Art Directors: Siavosh Zabeti, Alexander Kalchev
Account Supervisor: Marie-Laure Dangeon, Antoine Gilbert
Strategic Planner: Fabien Leroux
Development: Perfect Fools

Monthly Archives: June 2020