Assignment Overview
Purpose of this assignment:
The purpose of this assignment is to examine music using two equally important approaches. One is to look at music in terms of its Form by analyzing how the various elements of music can be found in your selected piece; and secondly to engage in music appreciation by providing your personal reaction to this musical work.
Steps for this assignment:
Please select any musical work (song or composition) of your choice. If it’s only a musical piece then write about the music and the musical composition; if it’s a song that has vocals then consider the music, musical composition, lyrics, and the singer interpreting the song.
Analysis of Form:
Look at the musical piece in terms of its elements (listed below) and provide a short analysis which includes the elements of music which are most relevant to your selected piece.
Basic Compositional Elements:
Tone (Tonality – the overall sound of the music as pleasant or unpleasant)
Scale
Rhythm
Melody (a series of pitches that makes a tune)
Harmony and the Orchestra (The instruments that support the melody with chords)
Silence (the quiet spaces between musical sounds) and Dynamics (loud, quiet, silence-how loud or soft the music is)
Other Elements to consider:
Tempo (fast or slow speed of the pulse or beat)
Texture (the layers of sound, how sparse or dense the music is)
Pitch (high or low)
Timbre (the unique sound quality of an instrument or sound)
Mood (happy, sad, upbeat)
Music Appreciation:
What is the genre of your selected piece?
Why did you select this musical composition or song?
Were you familiar with this piece prior to taking this class?
Does this piece hold special meaning for you in terms of the piece itself, the music and/or the lyrics?
What emotions do you think the artist or composer may have been trying to convey?
What feelings does this musical piece and/or song inspire in you?
Guidelines
The Music Essay needs to be at least 3 pages long, double spaced with standard sized margins, using a 12-point font.
It does not need to include a bibliography, but does need to include citations throughout the body of your essay and a list of URLs for any sources used. Please see the document on how to cite and use source material to guide you, titled Citing your Sources (link is below).
Please include a separate cover page and separate URL page.
Be sure to spellcheck, edit and proof your work before turning it in.
Citing Sources-1.docx
