Italy Secondaria di secondo grado – classe 4ª Theory, analysis and composition

1. Historical theory and composition

Counterpoint and harmony · Composition and arrangement

• Harmony: How Notes Sound Together – Melody is notes one after another. Harmony is notes sounding together. The basic chord is a triad: a root, a third and a fifth, stacked by skipping one letter (C–E–G). A major triad has gaps of 4 then 3 semitones (bright); a minor triad has 3 then 4 (darker). In a key, each chord has a job: I is home (tonic), IV moves away (subdominant), V pulls back home (dominant). A chord progression is a chain of chords. A cadence is a musical full stop: perfect (V–I), plagal (IV–I), imperfect (ends on V) and interrupted (V–vi). To harmonise a tune, pick chords that contain its main notes and move voices by small steps. Counterpoint is two or more independent tunes at once; a canon is one tune that chases itself. Harmony grew from modes, through major/minor functional harmony, to richer chromatic and jazz chords.
• Music Composition: How to Build a Piece from a Tiny Idea – Composing means building music from small ideas. Start with a motif (a few notes). Develop it by repetition, sequence (the same shape higher or lower), and variation (change rhythm, turn it upside down). Put harmony under it: chords like I, IV, V, I, ending with a cadence. Choose a texture (tune alone, tune with chords, or many tunes together). Shape the whole piece with a form like A B A or verse-chorus. Improvising is composing on the spot. A brief tells you the purpose, length and instruments; you plan, draft, test and refine.