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Lecture 5
The Musical Elements: A Summary
Music, in performance, is a type of sculpture.
The air in the performance is sculpted into something.
—Frank Zappa
The Elements of Music, part 5
Over a five-lecture sequence, we are exploring the elements of music - music broken down into its individual component parts : Rhythm, Melody, Harmony, Texture, Timbre and Form.
This lecture (Lecture 5) begins by looking at form; it ends by bringing together all these various elements.
Topics covered:
- form and structure
- wrap-up
Objectives:
- hearing the larger patterns in the music that create the form
- test your newly-developed listening skills
- how many different elements can you hear as you listen your way through the music?
Assignments:
- watch lecture 5 (in multiple parts for quicker download)
- review previous chapters, as necessary
- read textbook, Chapter 6
- regarding developing listening skills: you should be in the habit of developing your listening skills early in the game - the assignments will get more complex through the semester and you may find yourself unable to keep up. As simple as these early assignments may seem to some of you, they will help to keep you on the right track, and help you develop the skills required for a greater appreciation in listening to music, including the music that you listen to for your own enjoyment. Of course, those objectives are in total sync with the success you hope to have in this class. Remember that your ability to recognize the music on your CDs will be tested and will, of course, impact your grade.
Audio / Video lecture
- click lecture segments below in sequence
- presented in several segments to reduce download time
- total lecture time: approx. one hour 15 minutes (all segments included)
5.1 Musical Form
5.2 Building Blocks of Form
5.3 Wrap-Up: Theme and Variations
5.4 Bolero