Melodic Phrases
A melodic phrase is a group of notes that make sense together and express a definite melodic “idea”, but it usually takes more than one phrase to make a complete melody. A musical phrase can be compared to a grammatical phrase. (a group of words that expresses. The grammatical phrase is a part of a sentence but not a complete sentence by itself. A melodic phrase is also part of a larger musical idea.
Pauses identify the beginnings and endings of phrases just as phrases in a sentence. One pauses between the different sections in a sentence (“wherever you go, there you are.) as melodies pause at the end of each musical phrase. In vocal music, the musical phrases tend to follow the phrases and sentences of the text. Listen (Click on this link and open in a new tab. Alsop click register later.) You will hear the very simple phrases below. Note: Wait after a few seconds for this to come up. Notice that the notes of the phrases above are grouped into clear melodic “ideas.”
This melody has four phrases, one for each sentence of the text.
Symmetrical phrases are the easiest phrases to distinguish. They are balanced and enable the listener to feel (often intuitively) the phrases as they occur. Little musical background is necessary to accomplish this.
Antecedent and consequent phrases: Examples of some symmetrical phrases are those that come in pairs, with the first phrase feeling very unfinished until it is completed by the second phrase, as if the second phrase were answering a question asked by the first phrase. When phrases come in pairs like this, the first phrase is called the antecedent phrase, and the second is called the consequent phrase.
In the figure below, the rhythm of the first two phrases of “Auld Lang Syne” is the same, but both the melody and the harmony lead the first phrase to feel unfinished until it is answered by the second phrase.- hense we have a grouping of two phrtqases: antecedent an d consequent
Antecedent and Consequent Phrases
Example of phrases in a composition: In this video of the Brahms Lullaby hear the consequent and antecedent phrases at the time references indicated below as you listen following the time line on the video screen. hear the first phrase – phrase A – (antecedent) from 0’00”-0’18”, phrase B (consequent) from 0’19” – 0’36”.
Then phrase A repeats from 0’27”- 0’54 while B repeats at 0’55”-1’12”. The two phrases repeat again beginning at 1’13” see if you can hear when B occurs.
Of course, melodies don’t always divide into clear, separated phrases. Often the phrases in a melody will run into each other, cut each other short, or overlap. This is one of the things that keeps a melody interesting.
Camptown races: Listen to the first 40 seconds of this selections. Phrases are in an aab pattern https://youtu.be/HDZA4Z7bSoE
Introduction 00:00 – 00:15
a – Phrase one – 00:15 – 00:23 –
a – Phrase two – repetition of phrase one 00:24- 00:31
b – Phrase 3 melody changes 00:32-00:40
The selection above is a “flash mob” video of this work. The melody is repeated many times as it is in the Ninth Symphony by Beethoven. Listen for the phrases above. The tune of this theme will be very familiar Lines 1,2, and 4 have the same notes notes and therefore could be labeled “a”. Line three is different – therefore it would be labeled “b”.The musical scores for movies and television contain themes, which can be developed as in a symphony or may be used very much like operatic leitmotifs. For example the music
John Williams composed for the Star Wars movies contains melodic themes that are associated with the main characters. These themes are often complete melodies with many phrases, but a single phrase can be taken from the melody and used as a motif. A single phrase of Ben Kenobi’s Theme, for example, can remind you of all the good things he stands for, even if he is not on the movie screen at the time.