User:Ekkobekko/sandbox

= Germaine Tailleferre =

Early Life
Marcelle Germaine Tailleferre (née Taillefesse) was born in a middle-class Paris suburb [use existing location info]. Her parents, [names] had an unhappy relationship, causing a variety of difficulties for young Germaine. Although Tailleferre demonstrated an early affinity for music, her father would not allow her to seek musical instruction. Tailleferre's mother, along with a group of nuns, helped her access music lessons undectected.

Tailleferre began to study piano and solfege at the Paris Conservatoire de Musique, where she would win first prize in solfege.

First Compositions and Les Six
In 1913, Tailleferre began to study counterpoint at the Conservatoire under Georges Caussade. In this class, she met Darius Milhaud, Arthur Honegger, and George Auric, who would soon become compatriots in the musical collective known as Les Six.

Her study was interrupted by the onset of World War I in 1914. With her sister Margeurite, Tailleferre studied nursing in a Paris clinic to aid in the war effort. Also during this period, Tailleferre's father became ill and died, which Tailleferre considered a great relief [cite].

Although the Conservatoire was mostly empty during the war, Tailleferre continued to study with Charles-Marie Widor. Along with Milhaud, she wrote four-hands transcriptions of Petrouchka and Le Sacre de Printemps.

Return to France
* When and why does the name change happen? Conflicting sources.Ekkobekko (talk) 14:16, 15 July 2020 (UTC)

= Musical Form =

Around the World
I'd still like to include common forms from the rest of the world. Anybody got anything on this already?

-According to the article, it says we should stick to not adding anything from other cultures besides western. This shows up in the little pop up that says "This article has multiple errors" bit at the top of the page. Ill quote it, just in case it doesn't pop up on your screen for whatever reason: "The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with Western culture and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject".

Single Forms
What the heck is single forms. The reading for this is ok I think, but there could be a better title heading than "Single Forms". I'm not all too sure about this one. Can we change this to "Types of Western Musical forms"? I looked for "single forms" and came up empty.

Or rather "Musical Forms in traditional Western Music"

The Binary Section
The binary section is kind of off. I'll quote it:

This form uses two sections (AB...), each often repeated (AABB...). In 18th-century western classical music, "simple binary" form was often used for dances and carried with it the convention that the two sections should be in different musical keys but the same rhythm and duration.

-Firstly it needs a citation. Secondly, some information isn't necessarily true relating to the musical keys part. Editing this to reflect a more general concept about binary form (as opposed to 18th century western classical music specifically) where we can link the other wikipedia page will be great. I have just the theory book to use for the definition as well. Side note: This musical example there is from a reputable source and works well with the information about binary form.

Possible written update:

The term "Binary Form" is used to describe a musical piece with two sections that are about equal in length. Binary Form can be written as AB or AABB. Using the example of Greensleeves provided, the first system is almost identical to the second system. We call the first system A and the second system A' (A prime) because of the slight difference in the last measure and a half. The next two systems (3rd and 4th) are almost identical as well, but a new musical idea entirely then the first two systems. We call the third system B and the fourth system B' (B prime). As a whole, this piece of music is in Binary Form: AA'BB'. (References cited and all that junk)

About the binary form, there isn't any information about rounded binary form on that page? Maybe we can cite something about that. From the Binary Form page.

 

Intro Section
Current introductory definition: "In the tenth edition of The Oxford Companion to Music, Percy Scholes defines musical form as "a series of strategies designed to find a successful mean between the opposite extremes of unrelieved repetition and unrelieved alteration."

That took me, like, several tries to understand.

As a contrast, here's the whole passage on form from my undergrad Ethnomusicology text (Worlds of Music), very much designed for the layman:

"The word 'form' has many meanings. From your writing assignments you know what an outline is. You might say that you are putting your ideas in 'outline form.' By using the ford 'form' here, you call attention to the way the structure of your thoughts is arranged. Similarly, in music, painting, architecture, and the other arts, form means structural arrangement. To understand 'form' in music, we look for patterns of organization in rhythm, melody, and harmony. Patterns of musical organization involve, among other things, the arrangement of musical units of rhythm, melody, and/or harmony that show repetition or variation.[...] Form can also refer to the arrangement of the instruments, as in the order of solos in a jazz or bluegrass performance, or the way a symphonic piece is orchestrated. Form refers to the structure of a musical performance: The principles by which it is put together and how it works." It then goes on to give examples about the blues, Jiangnan sizhu music, Native American music, etc. Ekkobekko (talk) 02:09, 15 September 2018 (UTC)

Intro Draft: In music, Form refers to the structure of a musical composition or performance. In "Worlds of Music", Jeff Todd Titon suggests that a number of organizational elements may determine the formal structure of a piece of music: "the arrangement of musical units of rhythm, melody, and or/ harmony that show repetition or variation, the arrangement of the instruments (as in the order of solos in a jazz or bluegrass performance), or the way a symphonic piece is orchestrated", among other factors.

These organizational elements may be broken into smaller units called phrases, which express a musical idea but lack sufficient weight to stand alone. Musical form unfolds over time through the expansion and development of these ideas.

Sonata-allegro form[edit]
Main article: Sonata form

This form, also known as sonata form, first movement form, compound binary, ternary and a variety of other names,[example needed] developed from the binary-formed dance movement described above but is almost always cast in a greater ternary form having the nominal subdivisions of Exposition, Development and Recapitulation. Usually, but not always, the "A" parts (Exposition and Recapitulation, respectively) may be subdivided into two or three themes or theme groups which are taken asunder and recombined to form the "B" part (the development)—thus e. g. (AabB[dev. of a and/or b]A1ab1+coda).

The paragraph above is a copy from the wikipedia Musical Form, and now I find a better description of sonata form in a website.

According to the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, sonata form is “the most important principle of musical form, or formal type, from the classical period well into the twentieth century.” As a formal model it is usually best exemplified in the first movements of multi-movement works from this period, whether orchestral or chamber, and has, thus, been referred to frequently as “first-movement form” or “sonata-allegro form” (since the typical first movement in a three- or four-movement cycle will be in allegro tempo).

A sonata-allegro movement is divided into sections. Each section is felt to perform specific functions in the musical argument.

It may begin with an introduction, which is, in general, slower than the main movement. In terms of structure, introductions are an upbeat before the main musical argument.

The first required section is the exposition. The exposition presents the primary thematic material for the movement: one or two themes or theme groups, often in contrasting styles and in opposing keys, connected by a modulating transition. The exposition typically concludes with a closing theme, a codetta, or both.

The exposition is followed by the development where the harmonic and textural possibilities of the thematic material are explored.

The development then re-transitions back to the recapitulation where the thematic material returns in the tonic key, and for the recapitulation to complete the musical argument, material that has not been stated in the tonic key is “resolved” by being played, in whole or in part, in the tonic.

The movement may conclude with a coda, beyond the final cadence of the recapitulation.

The Sonata Form is "the most important principle of musical form, or formal type from the classical period well into the twentieth century." It is usually used as the form of the first movement in multi-movement works. So, it is also called "first-movement form" or "sonata-allegro form"(Because usually the most common first movements are in allegro tempo).

Each section of Sonata Form movement has its own function. It may have an introduction at the beginning.

Then, the exposition is the first required section. It lays out the thematic material in its basic version. There are usually two themes or theme groups in the exposition, and they are often in contrast styles and keys and connected by a transition. In the end of the exposition, there is a closing theme which concludes the section.

The exposition is followed by the development section in which the material in the exposition is developed.

After the development section, there is a returning section called recapitulation where the thematic material returns in the tonic key.

At the end of the movement, there might be a coda, after the recapitulation.

The "Levels of Organization" Section
Is this a thing? I'm not sure this is the best way to introduce how form works. Should we really be talking about motifs and figures? And why is 'notation' buried in this section? Maybe that should go in its own section about "Describing Form" or "Labeling Procedures" or something.Ekkobekko (talk) 02:56, 15 September 2018 (UTC)

Val: I can see why you might be able to add talking about motifs and figures when talking about forms. I guess in a way to help people find where some sections might end and others begin based on the different figures and motifs, but without proper musical examples to demonstrate, talking about them seem a bit redundant.

Proposed new "Labeling Procedures" section: To aid in the process of describing form, musicians have developed a simple system of labeling musical units with letters. In his textbook "Listening to Music," professor Craig Wright writes,

"The first statement of a musical idea is designated A. Subsequent contrasting sections are labeled B, C, D, and so on. If the first or any other musical unit returns in varied form, then that variation is indicated by a superscript number-- A1 and B2, for example. Subdivisions of each large musical unit are shown by lowercase letters (a, b, and so on)."

Some writers also use a prime label (such as B', pronounced "B prime", or B '', pronounced "B double prime") to denote sections that are closely related, but vary slightly.

Musical Examples
If anyone's got a Norton Anthology still hanging around, there are often charts that go with each piece. These include the measure number, alphabet-letter form labels, and a description of the events or characteristics of each formal section. This could be a model for how we might provide some examples that would certainly beat "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." In general, we're missing a global viewpoint, and we're also missing pop music. Verse form is buried.Ekkobekko (talk) 02:09, 15 September 2018 (UTC)

Twinkle Twinkle is an example of binary. I have a musical example that works really well. "Greensleeves" !! I can add that to it and it would look aesthetically pleasing too.

List of Forms
There is an existing list of musical forms by era listed on this page. Should we consider starting a list of musical forms by culture of origin?Ekkobekko (talk) 02:56, 15 September 2018 (UTC)

"Escaping the Formalist Trap"
Yeah, I have no idea why this section exists. However, it might be worth discussing a rejection of traditional forms, or form in 20th century music, or something.Ekkobekko (talk) 02:56, 15 September 2018 (UTC)