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 Music -- etymology
‡ Greek phrase ³mousike techne´ ³art of the
Muses´ (Online Etymology Dictionary)

‡ Latin ³musica´
Muse reading a scroll
(c. 435-425 BC)
 Musical sound
‡ Music is ³organized sound´ (Edgard Varèse)
‡ Is any sound music?
‡  
is perceived through the change of the
air pressure in the ear (irregular pressure= noise)
‡ Regular change of pressure by regular
vibrations = pitch (a note) D musical sound/music
‡ Pitch (higher or lower) depends on the
frequency of vibration
 Musical sound
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 (relative highness or lowness of the
sound)

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(loudness or softness)

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(longer or shorter duration of the
sound ± creates rhythm)
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In music, every sound has a definite  

Tone is the frequency of vibration (faster vibration ± higher
sound)
Piano keys:
-- White keys: 7 different tones (do- re- mi- fa- sol- la- ti-
do..). From ³do´ to ³do´ or from ³re´ to ³re´ = octave

-- Black keys: 5 tones (do# -- do sharp = re flat)

Totally there are 
notes (or pitches).

Music is made of the combinations of notes.







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‡ A gradual increase in loudness creates

excitement, a decrease creates sense of
calmness.

Italian terms ³forte´ (loudly), ³piano´ (soft).

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‡ Quality of the tone that distinguishes one

instrument from another.
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‡ It creates rhythm of the music.

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Ôotation is any system of symbols that allows to
write down the music that we hear.
Ôotation existed in several ancient cultures ±
Babylonian, Greek, Indian and Chinese.
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Khat notation (India)

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(1) Middle Ages (450-1450)

(2) Renaissance (1450-1600)
(3) Baroque (1600-1750)
(4) Classical (1750-1820)
(5) Romantic (1820-1900)
(6) 1900-1945
(7) 1945-present
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(1)Church music dominated (which function --?)

The aim: to enhance the church service/feelings
(Gregorian Chant Y e uia: Vidimus Ste am.
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&& a melody set to sacred texts
-- not accompanied by any music instrument
áá monophonic (lit. having one sound) texture
-- the first melodies were passed orally, notation
appeared later
&& the composers are unknown (individual is not
important)
Early European music notation
 

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‡ Born: Florence(??), Italy
‡ Composer, singer, poet, organist, philosopher,
scholar, inventor
‡ Wrote mostly secular music (not for church)
‡ Ballate (sing.ballata), madrigal (Italian songs
for two or three voices)
‡ Themes: nature, love, politics, morality
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English translation:
Spring has come.
It makes the heart joyfu

ow it¶s time to fa in ove
Ynd be happy,

etc.
 
 
 
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‡ ³Renaissance´ (Fr.) -- ³rebirth´ (of human

creativity)
‡ Period of exploration. The age of curiosity
and individualism (Christopher Columbus;
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).
‡ ´umanism, focus on human life and
accomplishments.
‡ Musical education a requirement for any
educated person
 _



 
 



‡ (1) secular music becomes increasingly

important (e.g., madrigal)
‡ (2) vocal music is more important than
instrumental
‡ (3) music used to enhance the meaning and
emotion of the text D



(musical representation of
specific poetic image).
‡ (4) Polyphonic texture (two, three, four, five, six
voice parts of equal melodic importance)
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-- originated in Italy around 1520

-- several solo voices set to a short poem
-- usually about love
áá combines homophonic and polyphonic texture
-- word painting
‡ English madrigal (the rule of Queen Elizabeth
(1533-1603); lighter and more humorous than
Italian; simpler melody and harmony.
 2



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-- written to honour Queen Elizabeth

-- six voice musical piece
-- light and joyous mood
 
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Y     

Ys Vesta was from Latmos hi descending

She spied a maiden queen the same ascending
Yttended on by a the shepherd swain,
To whom Diana¶s dar ings came running down amain.

First two by two,

Then three by three together
Leaving their goddess a a one, hasted thither«. (etc.)
««.. ««««««.
Long ive fair Oriana!
 
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‡ Karoque (³bizarre, flamboyant, elaborately

ornamented´)
‡ Particular style in the arts (music, painting,
architecture)
‡ Epoch of great composers (Bach, Handel,
Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Vivaldi)
‡ Ôew musical forms were developed (fugue,
opera).
 
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(1) instrumental music becomes as important as vocal

(2) unity of mood (what begins joyfully will remain joyful
throughout)
(3) feeling of continuity (an opening melody will be heard
again and again)
(4) unity of dynamics (the level of volume tends to stay
constant); terraced dynamics
(5) like in R., music is used to depict the meaning of
specific words (³heaven´ in high tones, ³hell´ in low
tones)
(6) Development of new musical forms (e.g., concert,
fugue, opera)
 

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‡ Born in Venice, Italy

‡ Virtuoso violinist, violin teacher, composer
and conductor
‡ One of the most brilliant composers
‡ enormous impact on the development of
the concerto form
‡ great influence on 18th century music
   

 
  

 

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Vivaldi is best known for a group of 4 concertos ³Four Seasons´

A group of  
(sing. concerto) describing each season
- 1. "La primavera" (Spring)
- 2. "L'estate" (Summer)
- 3. "L'autunno" (Autumn)
- 4. "L'inverno" (Winter)

A concerto for each season is accompanied by poems

-- concerto: ³An extended composition for instrumental soloist and orchestra´;

has 3 movements (1) fast; (2) slow; (3) fast
 *

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(poem in Italian)
(1) "Aggiacciato tremar trà neri algenti
Al Severo Spirar d' orrido Vento,
Correr battendo i piedi ogni momento;
E pel Soverchio gel batter i denti;"

(2) "Passar al foco i di quieti e contenti

Mentre la pioggia fuor bagna ben cento"

(3) "Caminar Sopra 'l giaccio, e à passo lento

Per timor di cader gersene intenti;
Gir forte Sdruzziolar, cader à terra
Di nuove ir Sopra 'l giaccio e correr forte
Sin ch' il giaccio si rompe, e si disserra;
Sentir uscir dalle ferrate porte
Sirocco Borea, e tutti i Venti in guerra
Quest' é 'l verno, mà tal, che gioja apporte."
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Toccata (it. toccare, "to touch") is a virtuoso piece

of music typically for a keyboard or plucked
string instrument. Generally emphasizing the
dexterity of the performer's fingers.
Fugue (it. fugere ³to flee´): a composition in two or
more voices, built on a subject (theme) that is
introduced at the beginning in imitation and
recurs frequently in the course of the
composition.
 Questions
1. Gregorian chant ± which purpose/function?
2. What is ³word painting´? Give some examples.
3. In which period instrumental music becomes
as important as vocal?
4. Which great composers worked during the
Baroque period?
5. Music recognition.