Music Question Thread

[jamonwindeyer]

Hello

For music compositions, is it necessary to have program notes? If so, what things do we need to include? e.g. do we need to state the length of our composition and do we need to include a short summary/story/influences of our composition?

Hey! To my understanding only the composition and associated scores/notations are actually marked, but you still need accompanying program notes/progress journal as proof the composition is yours (NESA can request to see these if needed). It's also just good practice in composition (even if it is a bit of a pain...).

^ That's my understanding, if anyone reads this and thinks I'm wrong do correct me!

[svnflower]

  Thankyou Jamon!!

[svnflower]

Hello,

Can a recurring single note throughout a piece be considered a motif? Also can contemporary expressive techniques that are repeatedly used throughout a piece be a motif?

If there is a lack of motifs in a piece, how can we justify this in our response if the question is in relation to "motivic development"?

[angewina_naguen]

Hello,

Can a recurring single note throughout a piece be considered a motif? Also can contemporary expressive techniques that are repeatedly used throughout a piece be a motif?

If there is a lack of motifs in a piece, how can we justify this in our response if the question is in relation to "motivic development"?

Hey, svnflower!

A good place to start would be to look at definitions for what a motif is. Wikipedia, though definitely not the most reliable source in the world, does provide some pretty solid descriptions in its definition; "a short musical phrase, a salient recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition." I would basically say that a motif is any collection of notes that reappear multiple times in a piece of music and has a significant melodic, harmonic and/or rhythmic role. This definition is still flawed and over-simplified though because I think it really depends on how the musical ideas behave whether they can be labelled a motif or not. If that single note is recurring throughout the piece to function within the character and story of the music, I would consider it a motif. However, if its repetition is more sporadic and seems more to be of a coincidence, rather than an intentional development of itself and previous iterations, I would probably not consider it one. I think it really depends on the context so if you have a piece or song which demonstrates this, perhaps I can provide a clearer answer  I also don't think that using expressive techniques, contemporary or not, repeatedly is really a motif. You could just argue that the repeated use of those techniques is a prevalent/salient feature that gives the music its character (through creating tension, unity etc.).

Overall, a question in the HSC exam wouldn't ask you to justify you to discuss motivic development if there wasn't a somewhat obvious motif. If you struggle to locate them, I have found that quickly scanning and looking for similar melodic contours and motions across all the parts in the music is the best way to identify them visually on a score or to listen out for any repeated passages/phrases/cells when dealing with a purely aural excerpt. You would then try to discuss how that motif has been re-contextualised in some way and transformed at a different point in the music (has it become louder, made more rapid from diminution, been moved in register to a lower instrument etc.) to justify that it has been developed for compositional and/or aesthetic purposes. Hope that helps but do let me know if you have any further questions!

Angelina 

[svnflower]

Thanks a lot Angelina, I have a clearer understanding now

I also wanted to ask what free-form lament structure is? (Wikipedia says it is a "short, free musical form appearing in the Baroque and then again in the Romantic periods...typically a set of harmonic variations in homophonic texture, wherein the bass descends through a tetrachord, usually one suggesting a minor mode." but I still don't quite understand?) Is it similar to through-composed form?

[angewina_naguen]

Thanks a lot Angelina, I have a clearer understanding now

I also wanted to ask what free-form lament structure is? (Wikipedia says it is a "short, free musical form appearing in the Baroque and then again in the Romantic periods...typically a set of harmonic variations in homophonic texture, wherein the bass descends through a tetrachord, usually one suggesting a minor mode." but I still don't quite understand?) Is it similar to through-composed form?

Hey again!

I'm not too sure what the free form part is but a lament is basically a musical form exploring the subject of death  I think that the Wikipedia definition is overcomplicating it a little. Perhaps an example could better illustrate what the nature and characteristics of a lament are! A really famous lament that I actually studied quite recently in uni is When I am Laid in Earth (Dido's Lament) from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. This aria is homophonic (melody sung by the mezzo-soprano and chordal accompaniment in the orchestra) and has a descending bass line which is built from a tetrachord. It also explores, in the subject matter of the lyrics, the character's desire to be remembered after her death. It's not exactly through-composed since there are repetitions in the musical material but other laments can be. If you're worried about them testing this in the HSC, I highly doubt that you will need to know it so it's okay if you don't grasp it completely but if it's for one of your set works, I'd be happy to explain further if you need clarification  Hope that helps!

Angelina 

[svnflower]

Understood, thanks so much!!! 

p.s. the aria gives me chills that song's been on repeat today!