1. Making Musical Decisions
Chapter 7

2. What You Will Learn
Identify the musical elements composers use to create
Describe the distinction between composers and arrangers
Explain the musical form of theme and variations
List the responsibilities of the conductor

3. Terms Minor scale Symphony “felt” time Arranger Transcriptions
Theme and variations
Harmony
Primary chords
Conductor
Rubato

4. Musician Profiles
Bright Sheng
Marin Alsop

5. Music Compositions: Integrating Musical Elements
Composing music involves making decisions
Decisions involve the base building blocks of music
Form
Structure and design of a composition
Melody
Intentionally organized succession of musical tones
Timbre
Distinct tonal quality
Rhythm
Combinations of long and short sounds

6. Musical decisions about form
The structure and design of a composition, incorporating repetition, contrast, unity, and variety
It gives shape and direction
12 bar blues – three lines of lyrics in AAB form
Activity 1, p. 147 CD 4:35
“Rock Around the Clock” Bill Haley and His Comets

7. Musicals decisions about melody
Melodies may be flowing or angular, narrow or wide, short or long
Melodies are almost always built on a musical scale
Minor scale:
A sequence of eight pitches built on the pattern of one whole step, one half step, two whole steps, one half step, and two whole steps
Singing a major scale from LA to LA instead of DO to DO gives the relative minor scale

8. Activity 2, p. 148 CD 5:1 Symphony No. 1 in D Minor by Gustav Mahler
Used the tune Frere Jacques in the third movement
Symphony:
An extended work for orchestra with several contrasting movements

9. Activity 3 p. 149 CD 5:2 TRB 7-3
“I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good” by Duke Ellington sung by Sarah Vaughan
Octave displacement:
Melodic intervals that jump up or down from the original octave
How would you describe the emotional affect of accentuating the words “treats me” in this way?
What does this do to accentuate the words “treats me”?

10. Musical decisions about timbre
Composers choose from a palette of colors(tone color) or timbre
Some composers use conventional instruments in unconventional ways
Tuned differently
Played differently
Manipulated sound
Using timbres from non-Western cultures
Some composers use unconventional instruments – found instruments

11. Bright Sheng (b. 1955) Born in Shanghai, China Sutdied piano
Was discovered by Chairman Mao’s wife and allowed to continue studying
Moved to New York and studied with Leonard Bernstein
In 2001 he won the MacArthur foundation Fellowship(genius grant)
Under the grant he composed his opera Madame Mao – the story of Chairman Mao’s wife, who was one of the leaders of China’s cultural revolution

12. Activity 4, p. 150 CD 5:3 Tibetan Dance by Bright Sheng
You’ll hear the pipa (Chinese lute) and the cello
How does the pipa give the piece a dance like feeling?
Beyond the timbre itself, can you identify any musical elements that sound unusual to your ears?

13. Activity 5 p. 151 Compose a rhythm score
Select 4 different timbres from rhythm instruments
Compose a short 8 bar piece that you can play with several classmates
As you create, answer these questions
How will you provide musical unity and variety?
Make a list of all the musical decisions you must make.

14. Musical decisions about rhythm
Felt time:
An aspect of music that controls the listener’s sense of how much time has passed
Activity 6, p. 152 CD 5:4-5
Adagio for Strings
“Badinerie” from Orchestral Suite No. 2
Which words characterize both selections?
Which piece of music feels longer? Why?

15. Assignment
Choose one of the musical elements: form, melody, timbre, or rhythm
Create a list of decisions that composers have to make about the assigned musical element.

16. The decision making skills of the arranger
Composers arrange all the elements of music when creating a work
Arranger:
A musician who reworks existing musical material
Adapts a composition written for one performing medium to another
Recomposes a work to suit different circumstances

17. Arranging jazz instrumentals
Jazz songs written to be sung with lyrics are commonly arranged as purely instrumental tunes
Sometimes the lyrics are dropped and the part is assigned to an instrument
Arrangers make artistic choices and can be just as creative as composers

18. Activity 8, p. 153 CD 5:6-8
“What’s New” by Johnny Burke and Bob Haggart in 1939
Compare the role of the voice in the Benny Goodman version with that in the arrangement sung by Billie Holiday
Goodman – the voice is secondary to the clarinet and instrumental improvisations
Holiday – the voice is the primary focal point
Even when there is no singer, as heard in the version performed by J.J. Johnson, can you match the lyrics with the melody?
How did each of the arrangers differ in their approach to the piece
Goodman- it’s for big band with vocalist, featured clarinet slower
Johnson – slower and sadder, arranged for 4-piece combo
Holiday – voice and story are primary with small combo
Were they equally effective in expressing the mood?
Which arrangement do you like better? Why?

19. Activity 9, p. 154 CD 5:9 “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Benny Goodman
Arranged by William T. McDaniel Jr.
Have you heard this piece before, played in a different arrangement?
Do you recognize the main melody that begins right after the introduction?
In what order did McDaniel choose to have each group of instruments enter the arrangement?
The instruments enter from low to high, brass and percussion only: drums, then sousaphones, baritones, and trombones, and last, flugelhorns, and trumpets
The long drum solo was originally played by one person on a trap set. Estimate how many marching band percussionists perform the solo in this arrangement?
24 total – 12 snare, 4 bass, 4 cymbals, 4 quad toms
What is the overall purpose of this musical arrangement?

20. Transcribing music The artistic involvement of the arranger can vary
The exact notes of the composer are rescored for any combination of instruments or voices
Transcriptions:
Arrangements of music transferred from medium to another

21. Activity 10, p. 155 CD 5:10-11
Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C Major by J.S. Bach for organ
Band arrangement by John P. Paynter
How does the arrangement for band differ from the organ original
The band arrangement has more instrumental colors, a greater variety of timbres
Which do you think is musical more effective? Why?
Is it likely that you would typically hear both the original and the transcription in the same setting? Why or why not?

22. Theme and Variations
Composers extend a musical idea through subtle and obvious changes
Sometimes it is hard to recognize the theme(melody)
Composers present a theme in many ways
The theme can be original or borrowed

23. Theme and variations
A musical form in which a melodic idea is stated then varied in a succession of statements
The theme can be
Ornamented
Tempo altered
Harmony changed
Texture transformed
New rhythm
Played backwards or upside down
Activity 11, p. 157 CD 5:12
“Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye”
Activity 12, p. 157 CD 5:13 TRB 7-8
American Salute by Morton Gould

24. Using harmony to create variations
Vertical blocks of different tones that sound simultaneously
Primary chords:
Harmony built on the first, fourth, and fifth degrees of the scale
The root is the tone on which the chord is built
All notes in the scale can be harmonized by one of these chords
Most song begin on the I chord or tonic
The V7 chord likes to move to the I chord

25. Converting the Classics for Popular Appeal
Using an existing musical idea requires many informed musical decisions
Learning to hear a mix of styles
John Lewis ( ), pianist and founder of the Modern Jazz Quartet
Made an album called “One Diamond” showing subtle changes in style
He transforms J.S. Bach’s Prelude No. 16 in G minor, from the 18th century into a contemporary jazz piece

26. Activity 13, p. 160 CD 5:14 “One Diamond” by John Lewis
Describe the two styles you heard
How did you know that a change in style had occurred?

27. Finding Inspiration in the Classics
Many great composers use earlier works when writing later works
J.S. Bach and George Frideric Handel
Eric Carmen’s song, “All by Myself” uses the main theme of Sergi Rachmaninoff’s 1901 Second Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (opus 18)

28. Activity 14, p. 161 CD 5:15-16
Compare Rachmanioff’s Piano Concert No. 2 with Eric Carmen’s “All By Myself,” performed in Spanish by Celine Dion
What orchestral instrument plays the main theme that Carmen borrowed?
Clarinet
Why would the style of “romantic” music be appropriate for both pieces
In reference to these two pieces, how would you describe the way music is able to express and touch our feelings?
Can it do so even if you don’t understand the lyrics in Spanish?
Would you say the musical link between these pieces is close or remote? Why?

29. Musical Decisions in Performing for Others
Conductor:
The director of an orchestra, choir, or other performing group
The roles and skills of a conductor
Must know the music well enough to detect an error by a single musician
Select the music
Rehearse the musicians
Maintain the beat
Facilitate the performers interpretation of the music
Make musical decisions regarding expressive matters
Give visual cues to the performers
Conduction requires technique and an excellent sense of rhythm
They indicate the beat and meter with specific conducting patterns
Activity 15, p. 163 CD 5: 13 & 1

30. Playing with the tempo Rubato: Activity 16, p. 164 CD 5:17
The free treatment of tempo within a musical phrase
Activity 16, p. 164 CD 5:17
“Blue Danube Waltz” by Johann Strauss II

31. Marin Alsop (b. 1956) Female conductor
Conducting has been dominated by men
Marin Alsop helped to change that
Born and raised in New York City
Parents were professional musicians
Main instrument in violin
Was inspired by Leonard Bernstein
Won the Barrier Breaker Award

32. Activity 17, p. 165 CD 5:18 “On the Waterfront” by Leonard Bernstein
Conducted by Marin Alsop
Will your beat pattern be in three or four?
Why does it seem difficult to find beat 1

33. Review - terms Arranger Conductor “felt”time Harmony Minor scale
A musician who reworks existing musical material
Conductor
The director of an orchestra, choir, or other performing group
“felt”time
An aspect of music that controls the listener’s sense of how much time has passed
Harmony
Vertical blocks of different tones that sound simultaneously
Minor scale
A sequence of 8 pitches built on the pattern of one whole step, one half step, two whole steps, one half step and two whole steps

34. More terms Primary chords Rubato Symphony Theme and variations
Harmonies built on the 1st, 4th, and 5th degrees of the scale
Rubato
The free treatment of tempo within a musical phrase
Symphony
An extended work for orchestra with several contrasting movements
Theme and variations
A musical form in which a melodic idea is stated then varied in a succession of statements
Incorporate all seven tones of the scale

35. More terms Transcriptions Pipa Root Octave displacements
Arrangements of music transferred from one medium to another
Pipa
Chinese lute
Root
The tone on which a chord is built
Octave displacements
Melodic intervals that jump up or down from the original octave
Singing any major scale from LA to LA instead of DO to DO
Relative minor scale

36. Who did what? Won the “Barrier Breaker Award”
Marin Alsop
Composed the “Blue Danube Waltz”
Johann Strauss II
Transformed an 18th century work into “One Diamond”
John Lewis
Used the pipa in classical compositions to bridge the gap between Western and Eastern cultures
Bright Sheng
Wrote “I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good”
Duke Ellington

37. Who wrote what? Created an orchestration of the “Frere Jacques” theme
Gustav Mahler
Composed Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C Major
Johann Sebastian Bach
Pianist and founder of the Modern Jazz Quartet
John Lewis
Recorded “I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good”
Sarah Vaughn
Composed Piano Concerto No. 2
Sergi Rachmaninoff

38. Wrote “All By Myself” inspired by Rachmaninoff’s Piano concerto No. 2
Eric Carmen
Wrote Sing, Sing, Sing
Benny Goodman
Wrote “American Salute” for orchestra and transcribed it for band
Morton Gould
Composed Adagio for Strings
Samuel Barber
On what chord do most melodies begin and end?
I chord

39. What are some ways a composer can change a theme into a variation?
The key
Tempo
Rhythm
Meter
Texture
Timbre
Melody
Harmony
Style

40. Explain the difference among composing, arranging, and transcribing
A composer creates a totally new piece
Arranging
An arranger manipulates notes, harmonies, rhythms, and other musical elements in a n existing composition
Transcribing
A transcriber assigns the music to a different set of players or singers, changing the medium of the music, but not the arrangement of the material