Rhythm Melody Harmony And Intervals
178. The four elements commonly attributed to music (in the order of
their development) are: Rhythm, Melody, Harmony, and Timbre (or
tone-color).
179. Rhythm is the regular recurrence of accent. In music it is more
specifically the regular recurrence of groups of accented and
non-accented beats (or pulses)--according to some specified
measure-system. Since rhythm implies continuity, there must usually be<
at least two such measure groups in order to make musical rhythm
possible. (See p. 44, Sec. 97.)
180. A melody is a succession of single tones of various pitches so
arranged that the effect of the whole will be unified, coherent, and
pleasing to the ear.
The soprano part of hymn-tunes and other simple harmonized
compositions is often referred to as the melody.
181. Harmony is the science of chord construction and combination.
The term harmony refers to tones sounding simultaneously,
i.e., to chords, as differentiated from tones sounding
consecutively, as in melody. The word harmony may therefore
be applied to any group of tones of different pitches sounded
as a chord, although specifically we usually refer to a
succession of such chords when we speak of harmony. It is
possible to use the same combination of tones in either melody
or harmony; in fact these two elements as applied to modern
music have developed together and the style of present-day
melody is directly based upon the development that has
recently taken place in harmonic construction.
Harmony (as contrasted with counterpoint) first began to
be an important factor in music about 1600 A.D., i.e., at
the time when opera and oratorio came into existence, when
form was established, and when our modern major and minor
scales were adopted. Before this practically all music was
composed on a contrapuntal basis.
182. Timbre is that peculiar quality of sound which enables one to
distinguish a tone produced by one instrument (or voice) from a tone
produced by an equal number of vibrations on another instrument.
The word timbre is synonymous with the terms quality of
tone, and tone quality (Ger.--Klang-farbe), the excuse for
using it being that it expresses adequately in one word an
idea that in our language takes at least two: this excuse
would disappear (and incidentally a much-mispronounced word
would be eliminated) if the single word quality were to be
adopted as the equivalent of timbre. Thus, e.g., the
soprano voice singing c' has a quality different from the
contralto voice singing the same tone.
(The remainder of this chapter and all of Chapter XVIII deal
with terms commonly encountered in the study of harmony.
Courses in this subject usually begin with a study of scales,
but since this subject has already been somewhat extensively
treated, this chapter will omit it, and will begin with the
next topic in harmony study, viz.--the interval.)
183. An interval is the relation of two tones with regard to pitch. If
the two tones are sounded simultaneously the result is an harmonic
interval, but if sounded consecutively the result is a melodic
interval. Fig. 62 represents the pitches f' and a' as a harmonic
interval, while Fig. 63 represents the same pitches arranged as a
melodic interval.
184. In classifying intervals two facts should be constantly kept in
mind:
(1) The number name of the interval (third, fifth, sixth,
etc.), is derived from the order of letters as found in the
diatonic scale. Thus the interval C--E is a third because E
is the third tone from C (counting C as one) in the diatonic
scale. C--G is a fifth because G is the fifth tone above C
in the diatonic scale.
It should be noted however that the same number-names apply
even though one or both letters of the interval are qualified
by sharps, flats, etc. Thus e.g., C--G[sharp] is still a
fifth, as are also C[sharp]--G[flat] and C[flat]--G[sharp].
(2) In determining the specific name of any interval
(perfect fifth, major third, etc.), the half-step and
whole-step (often referred to respectively as minor second,
and major second) are used as units of measurement.
The half-step is usually defined as the smallest usable
interval between two tones. Thus, C--C[sharp] is a
half-step, as are also B--C, F--G[flat], etc.
A whole-step consists of two half-steps. C--D is a
whole-step, as are also B[flat]--C, E--F[sharp],
F[sharp]--G[sharp], G[flat]--A[flat], etc.
The expressions half-step and whole-step are much to be
preferred to half-tone and whole-tone, as being more clear
and definite. Thus e.g., the sentence The two tones are a
half-step apart is much better than The two tones are a
half-tone apart.
185. A prime is the relation between two tones whose pitches are
properly represented by the same degree of the staff.
A perfect prime is one whose tones have the same pitch.
Middle C sounded by piano and violin at the same time would
offer an example.
An augmented prime is one whose second tone is one half-step
higher than the first. Ex. C--C[sharp].
186. A second is the relation between two tones whose pitches are
properly represented by adjacent degrees of the staff. (The first line
and first space are adjacent degrees, as are also the third line and
fourth space.)
A minor second is one comprising one half-step. Ex. B--C.
A major second is one comprising two half-steps. Ex.
B--C[sharp].
An augmented second is one comprising three half-steps. Ex.
F--G[sharp].
187. A third is an interval comprising two seconds.
A diminished third has two minor seconds (i.e., two
half-steps). C--E[double-flat].
A minor third has one minor and one major second (i.e.,
three half-steps). C--E[flat].
A major third has two major seconds (i.e., four
half-steps). C--E.
188. A fourth is an interval comprising three seconds.
A diminished fourth has two minor and one major second.
C[sharp]--F.
A perfect fourth has one minor and two major seconds. C--F.
An augmented fourth (tritone) has three major seconds.
C--F[sharp].
189. A fifth is an interval comprising four seconds.
A diminished fifth has two minor and two major seconds.
C--G[flat].
A perfect fifth has one minor and three major seconds. C--G.
An augmented fifth has four major seconds. C--G[sharp].
190. A sixth is an interval comprising five seconds.
A minor sixth has two minor and three major seconds.
C--A[flat].
A major sixth has one minor and four major seconds. C--A.
An augmented sixth has five major seconds. C--A[sharp].
191. A seventh is an interval comprising six seconds.
A diminished seventh has three minor and three major
seconds. C--B[double-flat].
A minor seventh has two minor and four major seconds.
C--B[flat].
A major seventh has one minor and five major seconds. C--B.
192. An octave is an interval comprising seven seconds.
A diminished octave has three minor and four major seconds.
C--C[flat].
A perfect octave has two minor and five major seconds. C--C.
An augmented octave has one minor and six major seconds.
C--C[sharp].
193. A ninth is usually treated as a second, a tenth as a third,
etc. The interval of two octaves is often referred to as a fifteenth.
194. If the major diatonic scale be written and the interval between
each tone and the key-tone noted, it will be observed that the intervals
are all either major or perfect. See Fig. 64.
In this connection also it will be noted that the interval next smaller
than major is always minor, while that next smaller than perfect
or minor is always diminished: but that the interval next larger
than both major and perfect is augmented.
195. An interval is said to be inverted when the tone originally the
upper becomes the lower. Thus C--E, a major third, inverted becomes
E--C, a minor sixth.
More
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Terminology Adoptions 1907-1910
1. Tone: Specific name for a musical sound of definite pitch. Use neither sound, a general term, nor note, a term of notation. 2. Interval: The pitch relation between two tones. Not properly applicable to a single tone or... Some Principles Of Correct Notation
1. The note (from nota--Latin--a mark or sign) consists of either one, two, or three parts, (<img src=/images/notes.jpg>) these being referred to respectively as head, stem, and hook. The hook is often called tail or cross-stroke. The stem appea... Abbreviations Signs Etc
49. A dot after a note shows that the value of the note is to be half again as great as it would be without the dot, i.e., the value is to be three-halves that of the original note. <img src=/images/dot.jpg> 50. When two dots follow the note ... Acoustics
NOTE:--It is usually taken for granted that the student of music is familiar with the significance of such terms as over-tone, equal temperament, etc., and with principles such as that relating to the relation between vibration... Auxiliary Words And Endings
96. Being a list of articles, adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions, and endings, often utilized in compounding terms relating to musical effects. A--preposition--variously translated to, at, for, by, in, with, towards. A cappella--in church st... Chords Cadences Etc
196. A chord is a combination of several tones sounding together and bearing an harmonic relation to each other. The simplest chord is the triad, which consists of a fundamental tone called the root, with the third and fifth above it. C--E--G is a... Dynamics
120. The word dynamics (cf. dynamic--the opposite of static) as used in the nomenclature of music has to do with the various degrees of power (i.e., the comparative loudness and softness) of tones. As in the case of words referring to tempo, the... Embellishments
64. Embellishments (or graces) (Fr. agrements) are ornamental tones, either represented in full in the score or indicated by certain signs. The following are the embellishments most commonly found: Trill (or shake), mordent, inverted mordent (or p... Measure
97. From the standpoint of the eye, a measure is that portion of the staff found between two bars, (in certain cases this space may be less than a measure, as e.g., at the beginning and end of a movement); but from the standpoint of the ear a sing... Miscellaneous Terms
A battuta--with the beat; in strict rhythm. [Transcriber's Note: Corrected error battua in original.] A quatre mains--for four hands. Accompagnamento--the accompaniment. All'unisono--in unison. Alla breve--2/2 measure. The term a... Miscellaneous Terms (_continued_)
Lyric--a short, song-like poem of simple character. Also applied to instrumental pieces of like character. Maggiore--major. Marcato il canto--the melody well marked; i.e., subdue the accompaniment so that the melody may stand out strongly. ... Musical Instruments
1. Broadly speaking, musical instruments may be divided into two classes, viz.: (1) those that have a keyboard and are therefore capable of sounding several tones simultaneously; (2) those that (as a rule) sound only one tone at a time, as the vio... Rhythm Melody Harmony And Intervals
178. The four elements commonly attributed to music (in the order of their development) are: Rhythm, Melody, Harmony, and Timbre (or tone-color). 179. Rhythm is the regular recurrence of accent. In music it is more specifically the regular recu... Scales
76. A scale (from scala, a Latin word meaning ladder; Ger. Ton-leiter) is an ascending or descending series of tones, progressing according to some definite system, and all bearing (in the case of tonality scales at least) a very intimate relation... Scales (_continued_)
84. The minor diatonic scale is used in several slightly different forms, but the characteristic interval between the first and third tones (which differentiates it from the major scale) remains the same in every case. This interval between the fi... Symbols Of Music Defined
12. A staff is a collection of parallel lines, together with the spaces belonging to them. The modern staff has five lines and six spaces, these being ordinarily referred to as first line, second line, third line, fourth line, and fifth line (be... Symbols Of Music Defined Part Two
21. The natural[8] (sometimes called cancel) annuls the effect of previous sharps, flats, double-sharps, and double-flats, within the measure in which it occurs. After a double-sharp or double-flat the combination of a natural with a sharp, or a n... Tempo
104. The word time in musical nomenclature has been greatly abused, having been used to indicate: (1) Rhythm; as the time was wrong. (2) Variety of measure-signature; as two-four time. (3) Rate of speed; as the time was too s... Tempo (_continued_)
110. Innumerable combinations of the words defined in Sec. 109 with one another and with other words occur. Some of these combinations with their approximate meanings follow. The meaning of any such expression not found in the list may usually be ... Terminology Reform
A recent writer[43] on vocal terminology makes the following statement as an introduction to certain remarks advocating a more definite use of terms relating to tone production by the human voice:--The correct use of words is the most potent facto... Terms Relating To Forms And Styles
132. A form in music is a specific arrangement of the various parts of a composition resulting in a structure so characteristic that it is easily recognized by the ear. Thus e.g., although every fugue is different from all other fugues in actual m... Terms Relating To Forms And Styles (_continued_)
(Sections 144 to 160 relate particularly to terms used in descriptions of monophonic music[33].) [Footnote 33: There is a very pronounced disagreement among theorists as to what terms are to be used in referring to certain forms and pa... Terms Relating To Vocal Music
161. An anthem is a sacred choral composition, usually based on Biblical or liturgical[34] words. It may or may not have an instrumental accompaniment, and is usually written in four parts, but may have five, six, eight, or more. [Footnote 34: ... The History Of Music Notation
Many conflicting statements have been made regarding the history and development of music writing, and the student who is seeking light on this subject is often at a loss to determine what actually did happen in the rise of our modern system of wr...