Music Assessment Preperation

Please memorise this and the songs of you want to pass...

National Anthems

The general characteristics of anthems
Anthems usually involve simple rhythm and stepwise movements in their main melodic lines for their citizens to easier learn it.
Anthems involve significant intervals of 4s and 5s to project a sense of stability and "grandiosity".
Most anthems end in the Tonic for a sense of closure, finality.
Countries have anthems to forge a sense of unity and identity and to stir up pride amongst its people.
"That's all folks !!"

 

Jazz

Where it started
Jazz music started from the spiritual songs and work songs of African slaves in America.
Its relationship to other music forms
It influences many of the major music forms-genres including the pop, hip-hop and rock.
Musicians
Many performers include jazz in their works and repertoire. Outstanding among them is B.B. King.
Technical aspects
The main melodic phrases of a jazz piece is carried mainly by what is known as the "12 Bar Blue Scale"
The accompaniment's harmonic progression of a typical jazz piece usually follows this pattern: 5 6 5 6 / 5 6 5 6 OR "Extended 5 - / Extended 5 –

The Chinese Orchestra

What are the main instrumental groups in the Chinese Orchestra ??
- Idiophones: jade stone ( qing ) / lian hua ban / luo / etc
- Aerophones: suo na / etc
- Chordophones: pipa / ruan / er hu / gao hu / zhong hu /
- Membranophones: da gu etc

Trace the initial development of the Chinese Orchestra:

1) Villagers, the urban environment
2) The royal courts 
3) Back again to the common people 
p/s: With influences from neighbouring regions throughout the process ( eg: Central Asia etc )

Art forms / other genres traditionally associated with the Chinese Orchestra:
- Literature, poetry and the arts

What is the impact of global-interactions on Chinese Orchestra ??
Instruments: Adoption of certain western instruments into the Chinese orchestra ( eg: cello and double bass )
Performances: expansion of performance venues to include western cities and other non-Asian regions.
The formation of the Chinese orchestra itself: simulating the Western Symphonic Orchestra, beginning in the 1950s … from Shanghai and Beijing which in turn triggered extensive composition for the Chinese orchestra. Traditionally, it exists in small ensembles.

 Shawn