‘EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK’ AURAL SKILLS Preparation for Assessment Task ‘EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK’

LISTEN TO THE EXCERPT AND MAKE NOTES ON HOW IT RELATES TO THE SIX CONCEPTS OF MUSIC

1. What does ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’ mean and who was the composer?

What does ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’ mean and who was the composer? ‘A Little Night Music’. The composer was Mozart.

2. To what genre and period of music does this music belong 2. To what genre and period of music does this music belong? What is the meaning of the word genre?

2. To what genre and period of music does this music belong 2. To what genre and period of music does this music belong? What is the meaning of the word genre? -The Classical Period 1750 1830. -A genre is category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, marked by a distinctive style, form, or content.

3. Describe the performing media 3. Describe the performing media. To what musical concept does performing media belong? How would the performing media be classified in terms of timbre?

3. Describe the performing media 3. Describe the performing media. To what musical concept does performing media belong? How would the performing media be classified in terms of timbre? The String section of the orchestra. Performing media belongs to the musical concept of timbre. String instruments are chordaphones.

3. (cont.) What instruments comprise the string section of the orchestra?

3. (cont.) What instruments comprise the string section of the orchestra? 1st Violins 2nd Violins Violas Cellos Double Basses

5. What is the key signature 5. What is the key signature? What does it indicate in terms of tonality? To what musical concept does tonality refer?

5. What is the key signature 5. What is the key signature? What does it indicate in terms of tonality? To what musical concept does tonality refer? The key signature is G major. It indicates a MAJOR tonality (happy,positive). Tonality refers to the concept of pitch.

6. What is the time signature. What does it indicate 6. What is the time signature? What does it indicate? To what musical concept does it refer?

6. What is the time signature. What does it indicate 6. What is the time signature? What does it indicate? To what musical concept does it refer? The Time signature is C for common time. Common time is another way of indicating the 4/4 time signature. It indicates 4 quarter notes per bar. Time signature refers to the musical concept of Duration.

7. What does the musical sign ‘f’ mean? (see the very first bar). To what musical concept does it belong?

7. What does the musical sign ‘f’ mean? (see the very first bar). To what musical concept does it belong? ‘f’ indicates forte which is Italian for loud. Forte belongs to the musical concept of dynamics.

8. Examine the rhythm used in the first two bars 8. Examine the rhythm used in the first two bars. Is it the same or different for all of the instruments in the first two bars? Notate the rhythm below.

8. It is the same for all of the instruments.

9. Examine the rhythm in bars 3 and 4 9. Examine the rhythm in bars 3 and 4. Is it the same or different for all of the instruments? How does it compare to the rhythm in bars 1 and 2.

9. The rhythm in bars 3 – 4 is the same for all instruments 9. The rhythm in bars 3 – 4 is the same for all instruments. The rhythm in bars 3 -4 is a repetition of the rhythm used in bars 1 -2.

10. Draw a pitch contour diagram for the first nine pitches in bars 1 and 2 (first violin).

10. H Pitch Contour Diagram M L

11. Draw a pitch contour diagram for the nine pitches in bars 3 and 4 (first violin).

11. Pitch Contour Diagram H M L

12. Describe the two pitch contours from bars 1 and 2 and bars 3 and 4.

12. Describe the two pitch contours from bars 1 and 2 and bars 3 and 4. The first 6 notes of each pitch contour are the same, although at different pitch positions. The last three notes of each contour change creating a question and answer effect.

13. Analyse and describe the way Mozart has used pitch and rhythm in bars 1 to 4.

13. Analyse and describe the way Mozart has used pitch and rhythm in bars 1 to 4. Mozart has repeated the rhythm of bars 1-2 in bars 2-4 creating unity whilst varying the pitch contour creating variety. This creates a complex interaction between pitch and rhythm.

14. Describe the texture used by Mozart in bars 1 to 4 14. Describe the texture used by Mozart in bars 1 to 4. What term is used to describe this texture?

14. In Bars 1 – 4 all the instruments play the same melody ( with some instruments doubling in octaves). This is MONOPHONIC texture.

15. Describe the texture Mozart uses in bars 5 to 8 15. Describe the texture Mozart uses in bars 5 to 8. What term is used to describe this texture?

15. In Bars 5 -8 the texture changes to HOMOPHONIC texture which consists of melody (1st violin) and accompaniment (chord patterns and bass line).

16. How does Mozart create contrast in bars 1 to 8? What is contrast?

16. How does Mozart create contrast in bars 1 to 8? What is contrast? Mozart creates contrast through changing the texture from MONOPHONIC (bars 1-4) to HOMOPHONIC (bars 5-8). To contrast is to create a difference.

17. A change is indicated by a single letter in bar 11 17. A change is indicated by a single letter in bar 11. What is the letter? What is it an abbreviation for? What does the letter indicate and to what musical concept does it belong? What does this change create?

17. A change is indicated by a single letter in bar 11 17. A change is indicated by a single letter in bar 11. What is the letter? What is it an abbreviation for? What does the letter indicate and to what musical concept does it belong? What does this change create?

17. The letter is p . This letter is an abbreviation for piano in Italian which means play softly. This is associated with the musical concept of dynamics. This change in dynamics from forte to piano creates contrast.

18. In what bar does the next change of dynamics occur 18. In what bar does the next change of dynamics occur? What sign is used to indicate this change and what does it mean?

18. In what bar does the next change of dynamics occur 18. In what bar does the next change of dynamics occur? What sign is used to indicate this change and what does it mean?

18. The next dynamic change occurs in bar 18 18. The next dynamic change occurs in bar 18.The sf sign is used to indicate this change. sf is an abbreviation for the Italian word sforzando which means to play a note with sudden strong emphasis.

19. In bar 20 a new dynamic marking is indicated 19. In bar 20 a new dynamic marking is indicated. What is this marking an abbreviation for and what does it mean?

19. In bar 20 a new dynamic marking is indicated 19. In bar 20 a new dynamic marking is indicated. What is this marking an abbreviation for and what does it mean?

19. The dynamic marking in bar 20 is cresc. Which is an abbreviation for the Italian word crescendo. Crescendo means getting louder gradually.

20. What is the final dynamic marking on the first page of this score 20. What is the final dynamic marking on the first page of this score? What is it an abbreviation for and what does it indicate?

20. What is the final dynamic marking on the first page of this score 20. What is the final dynamic marking on the first page of this score? What is it an abbreviation for and what does it indicate?

20. The final dynamic marking is f which is an abbreviation for the Italian word forte which means loud.

21. Which section of instruments predominantly carry the melody on the first page of this score?

21. Which section of instruments predominantly carry the melody on the first page of this score?

21. The first violins predominantly carry the melody on the first page of the score.

22. THE CONCEPTS OF MUSIC DURATION is how long or short a sound or silence lasts. Two concepts associated with Duration are: (i)Tempo – The speed of the music. Allegro –lively tempo, Presto – very fast, Andante at a walking pace, Adagio –slow. (ii) Metre –refers to the beats in a bar which are indicated by the time signature. Metre can be simple or compound. 2/4 is simple duple metre. 6/8 is compound duple metre. Simple metre subdivides by divisions of 2. Compound metre subdivides by divisions of 3.

22. THE CONCEPTS OF MUSIC b) PITCH is how how high or low a sound is. Two concepts associated with Pitch are: (i) Tonality –Refers to Major and Minor tonality. Major creates a happy positive emotion. Minor creates a sad, negative emotion. As with comedy and tragedy I drama major contains minor elements and vice versa. (ii) Melody - Melody is a sequence of pitches composed with a specific rhythm. Melody is one of the most powerfully expressive elements of music.

22. THE CONCEPTS OF MUSIC c) TEXTURE refers to the layers of sound of which a piece of music consists. Two concepts associated with Texture are: (i) Monophonic – This texture consists of a single unaccompanied line. For example a solo singer singing the National Anthem unaccompanied. (ii) Homophonic - This is the most common texture consisting of a melody with chordal accompaniment. For example a solo singer singing the National Anthem accompanied by a band.

22. THE CONCEPTS OF MUSIC d) TIMBRE refers to the tone colour of music; that is the instruments or performing media employed. Two concepts associated with Timbre are: (i) Chordaphones – This term refers to stringed instruments, for example, guitar, piano, harp, and violin. (ii) Aerophones - This term refers to wind instruments, for example, flute, trumpet, trombone.

22. THE CONCEPTS OF MUSIC e) DYNAMICS and EXPRESSIVE TECHNIQUES. Dynamics refer to how loud or soft a sound is. Expressive techniques refer to the devices used by the performer to decorate and enhance the expressivity of the music. Two concepts associated with Dynamics are: (i) Forte – means play loud. (ii) Piano –means play soft. Two concepts associated with Expressive Techniques are: (i) Staccato – play the sounds short and detached. (ii) Legato – play the sounds without a break, joined together, undetached as if they were sung in a single breath or phrase.

22. THE CONCEPTS OF MUSIC e) STRUCTURE. Structure refers to the musical form or design of the piece of music. Two concepts associated with Structure are: (i) Binary – Two part form consisting of two contrasting sections usually referred to as A,B. (ii) Ternary –Three part form consisting of three sections usually referred to as A BA.