week 1 discuss
1. Pick out just one melody you have heard during your life that moved you and tell about it.
Although it may seem odd to some, to this day one of the most emotionally stirring yet calming pieces I have ever heard is the acoustic guitar solo during the song “Is There Anybody Out There” by Pink Floyd. If you have never heard it, or even if you do not care for Floyd, I would still suggest you take an opportunity to hear it. The melody is very strong yet simple. All of the elements of melody, harmony, and texture are present which is to say perhaps the reason I enjoy such a simple piece so much is because it is so simple and yet complicated at the same time, much like me. The key it is played in is most likely not nearly as important, although if it were played in another key, I am sure I would quickly notice. The section I am referring starts at 1:24 into the song (The Wall CD) and continues to 2:40, the strength of the melody almost forces all of the accompaniment to the background so much so it is not really heard as much as it is felt.
2. Which is most important to you in establishing the mood of a piece of music: melody, harmony, texture, or key and mode? Support your answer
I do not know that I could single out any one mechanic for importance. With such a variety of music in my life from the past to present, the individual artists have been the determining factor as to what they decided to use to enhance the experience they were trying to convey. For some, the strength of the melody as in “Is There Anybody Out There” by Pink Floyd is the driving force for others it could be texture as in the textbooks example of “Ode to Joy”; however, for me, I choose a piece of music for its overall complexities much as I choose an apple, not just for its flavor but for its bright red color, smell, texture and taste. If I were forced to make a choice of my favorite mechanic I would have to say harmony. Growing up as a tenor, harmony has always been very appealing to me, to
Although it may seem odd to some, to this day one of the most emotionally stirring yet calming pieces I have ever heard is the acoustic guitar solo during the song “Is There Anybody Out There” by Pink Floyd. If you have never heard it, or even if you do not care for Floyd, I would still suggest you take an opportunity to hear it. The melody is very strong yet simple. All of the elements of melody, harmony, and texture are present which is to say perhaps the reason I enjoy such a simple piece so much is because it is so simple and yet complicated at the same time, much like me. The key it is played in is most likely not nearly as important, although if it were played in another key, I am sure I would quickly notice. The section I am referring starts at 1:24 into the song (The Wall CD) and continues to 2:40, the strength of the melody almost forces all of the accompaniment to the background so much so it is not really heard as much as it is felt.
2. Which is most important to you in establishing the mood of a piece of music: melody, harmony, texture, or key and mode? Support your answer
I do not know that I could single out any one mechanic for importance. With such a variety of music in my life from the past to present, the individual artists have been the determining factor as to what they decided to use to enhance the experience they were trying to convey. For some, the strength of the melody as in “Is There Anybody Out There” by Pink Floyd is the driving force for others it could be texture as in the textbooks example of “Ode to Joy”; however, for me, I choose a piece of music for its overall complexities much as I choose an apple, not just for its flavor but for its bright red color, smell, texture and taste. If I were forced to make a choice of my favorite mechanic I would have to say harmony. Growing up as a tenor, harmony has always been very appealing to me, to