Unity

Question 1

with regard to unity, contrast, variety, balance… how are they achieved?

Answer 1

Through manipulation of the concepts of music

Question 2

What must you do if you get a question on how unity, contrast, variety, balance… how are achieved?

Answer 2

deal with each concept thoroughly with relation to the question

Question 3

what is unity?

Answer 3

A sense of sameness or belonging to the one thing, ie: choosing the musical materials which make the individual sections sound as if they belong to the one piece.

Question 4

What would be achieved through

Answer 4

Repetition

•

Question 5

What are the different ways that a melody could be repeated?

Answer 5

• Using inversion
• Different instruments
• Changing certain intervals -
• Ornaments -
• Changing btw maj& min
• Augmenting/diminishing note values
• Developing only a part of the motif -
• sequences
• Using imitation
• Using repetition

Question 6

What would Repeating a rhythmic motif do?

Answer 6

inspire unity

Question 7

what would Maintaining the same rhythmic ‘feel’ •

Answer 7

unity

Question 8

What would Repeating a harmonic pattern/ostinato do?

Answer 8

unity

Question 9

What would Using a drone / pedal point do?

Answer 9

unity

Question 10

what would Maintaining one performing medium do?

Answer 10

unity

Question 11

how could the structure of a piece inspire unity?

Answer 11

• repeating same sections of music/return to same sections

- repetition of microstructure

Question 12

What would Using melodic sequences do?

Answer 12

unity

Question 13

How could texture inspire unity?

Answer 13

• Maintaining one texture / layer = consistency
• same no. layers
- same density throughout

Question 14

How could unity be inspired through tonality?

Answer 14

same tonality

Question 15

How could unity be inspired through harmony?

Answer 15

• same use of patterns eg. walking bass, chord progressions

- rate of chord progression

Question 16

How could unity be inspired through melody?

Answer 16

• riffs, melodic ostinatos, motifs, rep
• similar shaped contours
• having fragments of melody throughout piece

Question 17

How could unity be inspired through melody?

Answer 17

• riffs, melodic ostinatos, motifs, rep
• similar shaped contours
• having fragments of melody throughout piece

Question 18

how could unity be achieved through instrumentation?

Answer 18

same instruments with same roles throughout

Question 19

how could a mood achieve unity?

Answer 19

Having consistent mood throughout

Question 20

How could unity be inspired through melody?

Answer 20

• riffs, melodic ostinatos, motifs, rep
• similar shaped contours
• having fragments of melody throughout piece

Question 21

Although expressive techniques provide contrast, how can they inspire unity?

Answer 21

They can reinforce the melody throughout the piece, whilst providing some variation

Question 22

How could unity be achieved through pitch?

Answer 22

same phrase lengths

• between melody and words- word matching?
• same register & range
• drone in unison with changing chords

Question 23

How could unity be achieved through pitch?

Answer 23

same phrase lengths

• between melody and words- word matching?
• same register & range
• drone in unison with changing chords

Question 24

When looking for repetition, what do you listen for?

Answer 24

• exact rep/slightly altered.
• abab structure
• same change in tone colour
• identify what is repeating

Question 25

phrases to talk about unity (1)A

Answer 25

Unity is created by… Further unity is created when… A unifying element of this piece…

Question 26

phrases to talk about unity (2)

Answer 26

unifying aspect of this piece is the… When the brass introduce the main melody this reinforces the unity of the piece The use of repeating chord progressions creates unity

Question 27

phrases to talk about unity (2)

Answer 27

A unifying aspect of this piece is the… When the brass introduce the main melody this reinforces the unity of the piece The use of repeating chord progressions creates unity

Question 28

When doing an interest/variety question what must you principally ask?

Answer 28

How has the composer changed the music to make in interesting?

Question 29

what must you do in an interest question?

Answer 29

describe the musical features that stand out

Question 30

what would Using changes in time signature achieve?

Answer 30

variety/interest

Question 31

would using different instruments/tone colours achieve balance or variety?

Answer 31

variety/interest

Question 32

How could dynamics achieve variety?

Answer 32

Using different dynamics in contrasting sections •

Question 33

what would Using new material, either motifs or sections do?

Answer 33

create interest

Question 34

what would Presenting the same material in a different way eg: developing a motif do?

Answer 34

create interest

Question 35

how could texture create interest>

Answer 35

Changing the texture eg: thick/thin, homophonic/polyphonic •

Question 36

How could rhythm create interest?

Answer 36

Using different rhythmic patterns •

Question 37

How could rhythm create interest?

Answer 37

Using different rhythmic patterns/ developing rhythms to make them more complex

Question 38

what would Using different chord progressions and/or harmonic styles do?

Answer 38

provide interest/variety

Question 39

how could a melody be developed to provide interest?

Answer 39

adding notes to melody, sequences

Question 40

what would having contrasting arpeggios with chords do?

Answer 40

provide interest

Question 41

How could accents provide interest?

Answer 41

by having accented patterns/syncopation

Question 42

How could tone colour be used to provide variety/interest?

Answer 42

combing contrasting/strange tone colours

Question 43

how could instrumentation (tone colour) be used to create interest?

Answer 43

having contrasting groups of instruments (therefore contrasting timbres)

Question 44

What would a theme and variation structure provide?

Answer 44

interest as each section is varied

Question 45

When talking about interest what would you do as a summary sentence?

Answer 45

Write a final sentence with 1 or 2 of the best key features from your answer. ‘By the use of melodic development and contrasting textural layers the composer creates interest in this piece.’

Question 46

what are some phrases for interest sentences to link to the question?

Answer 46

Interest is created when Further interested is developed when… Interest is maintained by…

Question 47

What does a tension question ask you to do?

Answer 47

link the use of musical concepts to the style and the composer’s dramatic intention of the piece.

Question 48

What is tension

Answer 48

mental or emotional strain; intense, suppressed suspense, anxiety, or excitement

Question 49

what is vital in a tension question?

Answer 49

the features of the musical concepts you mention are linked to the composers intent of creating unease or emotional strain.

Question 50

what would an ascending pitch, dissonance, or pedal notes with changing harmonies create?

Answer 50

tension

Question 51

if the pitch was descending and consonant, with bass notes matching the harmony, what is happening

Answer 51

tension could be being released

Question 52

How could duration create tension?

Answer 52

faster tempo, shorter note values, accents, irregular accents, Multimetre (changing time signatures), irregular time signatures, polyrhythm

Question 53

How could tension be released through duration?

Answer 53

slower tempo, longer note values

Question 54

How could texture create and then tension?

Answer 54

increasing layers & thickness, then thinner layer/denisty

Question 55

What would repetition of shorter phrases and building up of different sections achieve?

Answer 55

tension

Question 56

What would returning to a main section/familiar part after repetition of shorter phrases and building up of different sections do?

Answer 56

release tension

Question 57

What would staccato, marcato notes create, as well as increase in dynamics & crescendo?

Answer 57

tension

Question 58

What would a decrease in dynamics and a diminuendo and legato achieve?

Answer 58

release tension

Question 59

how could tone colour achieve tension?

Answer 59

non traditional playing techniques

Question 60

dissonance creates

Answer 60

tension

Question 61

How could tone colour relieve tension?

Answer 61

by returning to traditional playing techniques

Question 62

what sort of rhythm achieves tension?

Answer 62

complicated rhythm;

Question 63

what sort of dynamics builds tension?

Answer 63

extreme dynamics

Question 64

how else could pitch create tension?

Answer 64

extreme pitch register, leaping pitch, dissonant intervals, atonality,

Question 65

insistent tonal centres vs absence of tonal centres builds.

Answer 65

tension

Question 66

what does each instrument, with its assigned pitch, competing with the others for much of an excerpt create?

Answer 66

tension

Question 67

what does insistent repetition (of pitches and rhythmic patterns) achieve

Answer 67

tension

Question 68

what feeling could sudden dynamic changes/contrasts create?

Answer 68

tension

Question 69

stark tone colour contrasts within instrumental combinations achieves

Answer 69

tension

Question 70

how could instrumentation and structureachieve tension?

Answer 70

sudden changes of tone colour | stark tone colour contrasts within instrumental combinations

Question 71

unpredictability of musical events creates

Answer 71

tension

Question 72

what can a sudden change in register do?

Answer 72

create tension

Question 73

what can the introduction of completely different pitch material do?

Answer 73

create tension

Question 74

what could contrast against the rubato rhythm of vocals

Answer 74

a strict repetitive accompaniment