{"id":161,"date":"2016-10-17T03:48:17","date_gmt":"2016-10-17T03:48:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/vccs-tcc-music-rford\/?post_type=chapter&p=161"},"modified":"2021-12-29T00:45:44","modified_gmt":"2021-12-29T00:45:44","slug":"texture-kutsenova","status":"web-only","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/vccs-tcc-music-rford\/chapter\/texture-kutsenova\/","title":{"raw":"Texture","rendered":"Texture"},"content":{"raw":"\"Abstract<\/a>\r\n

Introduction<\/h2>\r\nTexture discussed in terms of\u00a0 Thick and Thin textures\u00a0<\/strong>\r\nTexture describes\u00a0 the combination \u00a0melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic materials\u00a0in a composition. \u00a0It is often described in terms of\u00a0density -\u00a0<\/span>thick or thin\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>which\u00a0 is determined <\/span>primarily\u00a0by the number<\/span>\u00a0 voices\u00a0 (or parts)<\/span><\/span>. A thick texture<\/span> would contain man\u00a0 \"layers\"\u00a0 (or voices) of instruments or <\/span>vocal\u00a0parts or\u00a0 both. A texture<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 with only a few layers would sound <\/span>thin<\/span>.<\/span>\r\n\r\nFour Categories of Texture\r\n<\/span><\/strong>The following discussion of the four texture is quire long. Do not loose track of the\u00a0 definitions of each of the four textures described below. Listen to the\u00a0 examples but\u00a0 maybe not the entire example (They are interesting to hear).\u00a0 We attempt\u00a0to more specifically describe texture using\u00a0 the\u00a0 categories\u00a0 below.\r\nThe four common\u00a0\u00a0common categories of texture \u00a0we will examine:\r\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 1.\u00a0 Monophonic\r\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 2.\u00a0 Polyphonic\r\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 3.\u00a0 Homophonic\u00a0 (includes Homorhythmic or heterophonic)\r\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 4 . Mixed (combination of polyphonic and mixed textures)<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\nBelow are short video examples of monophonic, homophonic, and polyphonic\u00a0 textures:\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/e5Ip742VIyQ\r\n\r\nLearn the definitions of the four textures\u00a0 and learn to\u00a0 distinguish between them.\u00a0 Discussion and numerous examples are presented below.\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\nMonophonic<\/b>\u00a0Texture\r\n<\/strong>Monophonic texture occurred at the beginning of Western European musical culture, before harmony and counter melodies \u00a0evolved.\u00a0Music with monophonic texture \u00a0may be defined as having only <\/span>one melodic line<\/em>, with no harmony or additional melodies.<\/span>\r\n\r\nExamples\u00a0 of monophonic texture.<\/span>\r\nOne person whistling a tune - single unaccompanied melody\r\n<\/span>A single bugle sounding \"Taps\" - single melody with not harmony\r\n<\/span>A <\/span>group<\/span> of people all singing a song together in unison, without additional parts \u00a0or instruments - such as the stars Spangled Banner without harmony - only melody\r\n<\/span>A fife and drum corp, with all the fifes playing the<\/span> same melody<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0(such as\u00a0 Yankee doodle)\u00a0but no other parts.<\/span>\r\n\r\nListen to this song: One Year begins (first on the list) which\u00a0 includes one solo singer (monophonic texture)\u00a0\u00a0One Year Begins<\/a>\r\n\r\nListen for the cello performing a single melody in Bach's Cello Suites.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/PCicM6i59_I\r\n\r\nMonophonic\u00a0texture can also be present a single melody\u00a0 sung (or played)\u00a0 by more than one singer or player.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/27ol_QffDhE\r\n\r\nIn this selection, sometimes one person sings, and, sometimes, more than one person sings (See item 1, above); however, they are all singing the same melody with no harmony (accompaniment) - one part only. . M<\/strong>o<\/strong>nophonic.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nIn this work Long sections of \u201cThe People that Walked in Darkness\u201d aria in Handel\u2019s \u201cMessiah\u201d are monophonic (the instruments are playing the same line as the voice). Apparently Handel associates monophony with \u201cwalking in darkness\u201d!\r\n\r\nSome parts\u00a0 (during\u00a0 the\u00a0 instrumental interludes have\u00a0 harmony\u00a0 (homophonic texture - not monoophonic)\u00a0 but largely this work is monophonic with instruments and singer singing and playing the same melody<\/span>.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/klt1zALIRog\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nMelodies sung at the octave:<\/span> Even\u00a0 if the melody is sung (or played) in octaves\r\ntexture is monophonic<\/strong>. (Pitches an octave apart are, in essence, one in the\r\nsame .\r\n\r\nNote that if only one instrument is performing it may not necessarily mean it is performing monophonic texture Instruments such as Piano or guitar \u00a0may perform harmony and polyphonic \u00a0and mixed textures<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0 Do not \u00a0assume that because a single instrument is performing, the texture is \u00a0automatically monophonic<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 Of course a piano can play \u00a0 many \u00a0textures (with ten fingers) as can the guitar and numerous other instruments.\r\n\r\nHomophonic Textrure\r\n<\/span><\/strong>Homophonic texture has\u00a0 chords, accompaniment, and\u00a0 harmony.\u00a0 There is one clearly melodic line\u00a0 which draws your attention. Other parts provide accompaniment or fill in the chords. The parts that are not melody may still have some\u00a0 melodic interest. but still may not be independent\u00a0melodic parts\u00a0<\/span>hence<\/span>\u00a0 they are harmony or supporting parts. Supporting parts may\u00a0 \u00a0have the same rhythm as the melody\u00a0but\u00a0their\u00a0purpose is still \u00a0to fill in the chords or harmony (i.e. they are not additional\u00a0 melodies). \u00a0Homophonic texture \u00a0can also be called homophony.<\/span>\r\n\r\nExamples of Homophony<\/span>\r\nMost traditional Protestant hymns and most \"barbershop quartet\" music are of\u00a0 homophonic. texture.\u00a0\u00a0Choral music in which the parts have mostly the same rhythms at the same time is homophonic.\r\nOthert examples wold be: a singer accompanied by a guitar picking or strumming chords, a\u00a0small jazz combo with a bass, a piano, and a drum set providing the \"rhythm\" background for a trumpet improvising a solo., a\u00a0single bagpipes or accordion player playing a melody with drones or chords.\r\n
\r\n

Listen: Homophony<\/h3>\r\nIn Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21, Andante (\"Elvira Madigan\"), listen for one independent melodic line accompanied by other voices or instruments.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/PqR1MS5E9Po\r\n\r\nIf you hear the melody, listen for the presence of harmony. It can\u00a0take on \u00a0many forms and shapes, depending on the style and the period in which it was written.\u00a0 For example, \u00a0the traditional \"basso continuo\" of the Baroque period is noticeably different from the harmony of the Classical period, for example.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/wTGVOvTv0zE\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nIf you hear the melody, listen for the presence of harmony. It can\u00a0take on many forms and shapes, depending on the style and the period in which it was written.\u00a0 For example, \u00a0the traditional \"basso continuo\" of the Baroque period is noticeably different from the harmony of the Classical period, for example.\r\n\r\n\"Rigoletto\" by Verdi - Listen only to \u00a00'16\" through 2'10\" for homophopinc texture\r\n
\r\n\r\nSchubert's \"Erlking\"\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/JS91p-vmSf0\r\n\r\nTranslation\r\n\r\nWho rides so late through the windy night?\r\nIt is the father and his child.\r\nHe holds the boy,\r\nWarm and safe.\r\n\r\nSon, why do you hide your face in fear?\r\nFather, do you not see the Elfking?\r\nWith his crown and train?\r\nSon, it's just the mist.\r\nCome with me, lovely child\r\nWe'll play games\r\nThere are flowers on the beach and\r\nMy mother has golden clothes\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\nHandel's Rejoice Greatly\u00a0 \u00a0A good example of melody and accompaniment (homophonic texture)\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/nNt1Qj4MA6M\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nA classic Scott Joplin rag: \u201cMaple Leaf Rag\u201d\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/aRYYouVWltI\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nHomorhythm<\/strong> is harmony moving in synchronization with the melody. For this\r\ncourse, we will refer to homorhythmic texture as homophonic texture.\r\n\r\nVarieties of Homophonic Texture:\r\n<\/strong>Heterophonic\u00a0 texture is rare in Western music. In heterophony, there is only one melody, but different variations of it are being sung or played at the same time.<\/span>\r\n<\/strong>\r\n\r\nHeterophony can be heard in the Bluegrass, \"mountain music\", Cajun, and Zydeco traditions.\r\n\r\nSome Middle Eastern, South Asian, central Eurasian, and Native American music traditions include heterophony. Listen for traditional music (most modern-composed music, even from these cultures, has little or no heterophony) in which singers and\/or instrumentalists perform the same melody at the same time, but give it different embellishments or ornaments\r\n\r\nPolyphonic Texture\r\n<\/strong>If more than one independent melody is occurring at the same time, the texture is polyphonic.\u00a0Polyphonic music can also be called polyphony, counterpoint, or contrapuntal music. Listen for additional melodies. \u00a0The melodies \u00a0can be subtle, winding, and sometimes elusive. As long as they exist, we have <\/span>polyphony<\/strong>. Contrapuntal devices, such as\u00a0 canon, and round which\u00a0contain\u00a0imitation\u00a0(repetition of a motive or melody in other parts)\u00a0 are significant types of polyphonic textures.<\/span>\r\n<\/strong><\/span>\r\n\r\nExamples of Polyphony\r\n