1. Chapter 3 The Structures of Music
Texture

2. Key Terms Texture Monophony Monophonic texture Heterophony Homophony
Homophonic texture
Polyphony
Polyphonic texture
Counterpoint
Contrapuntal writing
Imitation
Imitative polyphony
Non-imitative polyphony

3. Texture Melody looks horizontally at musical lines
Harmony looks vertically at chords
Texture looks at the relationship between a melody and all other lines and figures that co-exist with it
Like melody, texture is universal phenomenon

4. Texture Listening for texture Who’s playing the melody?
What’s going on behind the melody?
Beethoven Symphony No. 9 excerpt (Listen CD-ROM)
Copland Appalachian Spring excerpt

5. Texture Beethoven Symphony No. 9 excerpt
Theme: played by cellos and basses with no accompaniment
Variation 1: violins play theme, low strings and bassoon play two countermelodies
Variation 2: violins play theme even higher, multiple countermelodies
Variation 3: trumpets take melody, block chord accompaniment (orchestral hits)

6. Texture Copland Appalachian Spring excerpt:
Theme: clarinet melody, offbeat long-tone accompaniment by flute, piccolo, harp
Var. 1: oboe melody, offbeat long-tone accompaniment by muted trumpets and (later) horns, flute, piccolo
Var. 2: “wall of sound” accompaniment (string pizzicato, glockenspiel, staccato woodwinds, harp, etc.); melody played by trombone and violas, imitated later by horns and violin, cellos and basses

7. Identifying Textures Three questions to determine texture:
How many “lines” can you hear?
Is there a foreground/background relationship, or are all lines equally interesting?
How similar or different are the lines?

8. Identifying Textures How many “lines” can you hear?
How many “lines,” or different “things,” are going on at a time
Is it melody only?
Is there more than one melody?
Are there various chords, figures, bass lines, and/or countermelodies in addition to the melody?

9. Identifying Textures
Is there a foreground/background relationship, or are all lines equally interesting?
Is there one main melody with clearly accompanimental patterns supporting it?
Is it hard to tell which is the main melody, because it is so busy and confusing?

10. Identifying Textures How similar or different are the lines?
Are they rhythmically the same or different?
Do they use the same melody or a different one?

11. Monophonic Texture How many “lines” can you hear?
Only one, nothing else
Foreground/background relationship, or are all lines equally interesting?
N/A
How similar or different are the lines?

12. Heterophonic Texture How many “lines” can you hear?
Basically one, but some instruments are adding more ornaments or more elaborate figures than the others
Foreground/background relationship, or are all lines equally interesting?
N/A
How similar or different are the lines?

13. Homophonic Texture How many “lines” can you hear?
Two or more
Foreground/background relationship, or are all lines equally interesting?
Foreground/background; there is one main melody and the other parts support it
How similar or different are the lines?
Different rhythms = melody and accompaniment
Similar rhythms = chordal (homorhythmic)

14. Homophonic Texture Melody and accompaniment texture
Chordal (homorhythmic) texture

15. Polyphonic Texture How many “lines” can you hear?
Two or more
Foreground/background relationship, or are all lines equally interesting?
All lines equally interesting, all competing for your attention; can be hard to follow
How similar or different are the lines?
Same tune = imitative polyphony
Different tunes = non-imitative polyphony

16. Polyphonic Texture (1)
Imitative polyphony

17. Polyphonic Texture (2)
Non-imitative polyphony

18. Texture Listening Name that texture! How many “lines” can you hear?
Foreground/background relationship, or are all lines equally interesting?
How similar or different are the lines?
Texture type?
Monophonic? Heterophonic?
Homophonic? Chordal or melody and accompaniment?
Polyphonic? Imitative or non-imitative?