Este año haremos un recorrido por los distintos tipos de música que podemos encontrar y para ello nos haremos de esta herramienta que nos ayudará a seguir mejor las clases e ir repasando en casa.
Y, ¿Qué mejor manera de empezar que hablando sobre lo que es la música.
UNIT 1: LET'S SING TOGETHER
Singing groups are groups of people who meet to sing together. We also call them choirs or choruses. There are different ways to classify types of choirs.
THE CHOIR
A choir can be
considered a musical instrument, but it is not made of wood or metal. A choir
is composed by people. It is the sum of the voices of the singers. Sometimes, all the voices sing the same melody (cantan
al unísono). Some others, they are divided into groups singing
different melodies (polifonía). Most times, the choir sings alone (a capella).The conductor coordinates the different voices.
We can find different choirs depending on the kind of
singers that participate on it.
Classification of the human voice
Listening: MONTSERRAT CABALLÉ
Montserrat Caballé is an opera singer from Barcelona,
Catalonia.
She studied really hard because her family didn’t have
money.
Luck and fame came surprisingly: one day, she
substituted a soprano who was ill in “Lucrecia Borgia” by Donizetti, in New
York. She succeeded so much in her interpretation that the public applauded for
20 minutes.
Since that moment her fame reached all over the world.
Her career has been varied, although her fundamental
activity has had to do with opera, she has sung in concerts singing alone with
a pianist.
She not only likes opera, during the inauguration of
the Olympics in Barcelona 92, she sang with the pop singer Freddie Mercury, and
it was a great success.
She has sung in the best theatres and concert halls
around the world like: Milan’ s Scala,
Sydney’s Opera, Barcelona’s Lyceo and Moscow’s Bolshoi.
Montserrat has one of the most beautiful voices ever
known, but she usually tells an anecdote in which his professor told her to
abandoned singing. He though she weren’t good enough. Thankfully, she continued
singing and she became the most famous soprano singer in the world.
VOLUME SYMBOLS.
ANACRUSIS
el término anacrusa hace referencia a la nota o grupo de notas sin acento que preceden al primer tiempo fuerte de una frase y que, por lo tanto, aparecen antes de la barra de compás.
UNIT 2:SMALL GROUPS, GREAT MUSIC
CHAMBER MUSIC
Chamber music is played by small instrumental groups. This name comes from a long time ago, when people played this music in chambers (rooms) in European palaces.
Chamber groups started in medieval palaces in the 12th century. The music developed a lot in the following centuries. In the 19th century, people started playing it in concert halls.
Chamber music includes different instruments. Each musician specialises in an instrument. When they play, the players complement each other. They are like soloists playing together, each one with a different part.
One of them directs the group with gestures, but continues playing.
FLAMENCO
El flamenco
es un estilo de música propio de Andalucía, considerado Patrimonio Cultural
Inmaterial de la Humanidad. El flamenco actual data del siglo XVIII aunque se
desconoce su origen la opinión más aceptada es que el mestizaje cultural que se
dio en el sur de España (Andalucía, Extremadura y Murcia) propició el nacimiento
de este género. Contribuyeron musulmanes, castellanos, judíos y especialmente
la etnia gitana que desempeñó un papel esencial en su evolución, siendo eta
música un signo de identidad de este pueblo.
Los “Palos” son los distintos tipos del cante flamenco y pueden clasificarse según sea su compás, su carácter serio o festivo, su origen geográfico, etc. Entre los más conocidos están el fandango de Huelva, la bulería de Jerez, las alegrías y los tanguillos de Cádiz, los verdiales de Málaga, la malagueña, la granaína, la soleá o la seguiriya.
El nombre de los intérpretes del flamenco
tiene su vocabulario propio: se llama cantaor en vez de cantante, a los que
tocan las palmas, palmeros y los que bailan bailaores.
All in all, Flamenco is a fusion of cultures, music and feeling, and definitely a fusion of art
 |
| Miguel Poveda |
EL CANTE
Singing is one of human beings´natural ways of expressing feelings. One of the first known styles of singing in Flamenco is called “tonás”. The lyrics in flamenco are called “coplas” and most of them are really ancient so, the singer or cantaor is not the author. There are 50 or more different styles of singing depending on the time signature, the topic or the context.
EL BAILE
The dancer is called
“bailaor/bailaora”.
Dancing flamenco music implies the
movement of feet, body, arms and hands together in an harmonious way.
We could find different elements
incorporated to the dance as castanets, hat, “mantón”…
LA GUITARRA
 |
| Vicente Amigo |
The guitar is the first instrument
related to flamenco during XIX century, thanks to the flamenco shows in certain
places called “cafés cantantes”.
Since its incorporation to flamenco
music, the roll of the guitar was simple, accompaniment to the singer, it helps
with the organization of rhythm and time signature.
TONOS Y SEMITONOS
UNIT 3: MANY MUSICIANS, LOTS OF MUSIC
When many musicians play
together, there is a lot of music. This happens with the biggest instrumental
group of all: a symphony orchestra.
Curiosidades sobre los instrumentos de la orquesta
Jugamos a aprender los instrumentos de la orquesta
Juega a distinguir quienes están tocando
What is a soundtrack? Did you know that in many TV commercials we can hear classical music?
There are a lot of musicians and they need a
conductor to coordinate them. A symphony is a long musical piece played by
orchestra instruments: string instruments, woodwind instruments, brass wind
instruments and percussions instruments.
An orchestra is the biggest kind of instrumental group. A symphony
orchestra has more than 80 musicians. They are divided into families of
instruments.
Orchestra instruments
· String instruments are the biggest
section. There are around 60. They are divided into groups. Each group plays
the same part.
· Each woodwind instrument plays a
different part. They can also play solos. Brass wind instruments play very
loudly. That is why they are near the back.
· The percussion instruments are at the
back. There are many different percussion instruments. Some play melodies and
others only keep the rhythm.
People in an orchestra.
· The composer of a work of music
indicates what instruments the orchestra must play to perform the piece.
· The conductor is responsible for
keeping the beat and tempo and showing how to express the music. The conductor
directs the orchestra with his or her hand s and with a baton.
· The instrumentalists perform the music.
To be part of an orchestra, they have to study for many years and pass
difficult tests.
Curiosidades sobre los instrumentos de la orquesta
Jugamos a aprender los instrumentos de la orquesta
Juega a distinguir quienes están tocando
Music and cinema.
What is a soundtrack? Did you know that in many TV commercials we can hear classical music?
The soundtrack of a film is the background music we
hear while we are watching a film. All the music, the sound effects and the
songs are just as important as the story or actors and actresses.
28 th of December, 1895, Lumière brothers showed in Paris the first
film in history: it was a documentary about a trains arriving to the station.
For
many years, films were silent and any dialogue appeared written below the
picture or on cards between the scenes.
To create an atmosphere, theatres hired musicians who performed live music
suitable for each scene.
Nowadays, music is still very closely linked to cinema and sometimes soundtracks become even more famous than the film they were created for.
Nowadays, music is still very closely linked to cinema and sometimes soundtracks become even more famous than the film they were created for.
Music is used in many ways in films. It creates
tension and suspense in thrillers and horror films. It sets the mood in
romantic scenes and it adds to our sense of triumph in victory scenes. It is
used to introduce and represent certain characters such as the villain or the
hero.
Silent
films disappeared in 1927, when the first films with dialogues and music was
showed: “The jazz singer”. Since that moment the sound and the image has been
inseparable.
In the 1980s, many pop songs were used in films and
the recordings of the soundtracks sold quickly. Some were new compositions by
others were old songs like I’m a believer from the films Shrek.
Many pop stars have written and sung songs for cartoon
films too. Elton John wrote music for The
Lion King and Phil Collins wrote music for Tarzan.
We also have background music in many TV programmes
such as serials or documentary films. Music helps create the different
environments and each one has its own theme tune.
UNIT 4: OUTDOOR MUSIC
Some bands play outdoors. They usually include only wind and percussion instruments.
Types of bands.
Marching bands have only wind (brass and wood wind) and percussion instruments. There are other types of bands with fewer instruments. These bands include drum and bugle corps and brass and percussion groups.
SIGNOS DE PROLONGACIÓN (calderón, ligadura y puntillo)
The pause sound over or under a note indicates we can extend this notes till we want.
UNIT 5: PLUGGED IN MUSIC
In the 20th century, electricity, electronics and computers became part of the world of music and music groups. Many composers now write songs using computers. And many musicians play electric guitars and electronic keyboards. This allows them to create new sounds.
ELECTROPHONE INSTRUMENTS. MUSIC GROUPS.
Electrophones need electricity to produce or amplify sound. They can be electric or electronic. They all use amplifiers.
On electric instruments, we replace the sound box with a microphone and an amplifier. But there are still parts that vibrate, like the strings.
Electronic or digital instruments produce sound using only electronics and computers. Popular music (pop, rock or jazz, for example) and many orchestras use computers and electrophones.
They also combine them with traditional instruments: string (chordophones), wind (aerophones) an dpercussion (membranophones, etc.)
TEMPO
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece.A piece of music's tempo is typically written at the start of the score, and in modern Western music is usually indicated in beats per minute (BPM).
El tempo de una canción u obra musical se refiere a la velocidad.
Normalmente se suele indicar de dos formas en una partitura: usando palabras en italiano (como puedes ver en la imagen) o también con números (indicando la cantidad de "beats" por minuto).
STRING INSTRUMENTS
This family implies three different classifications of string instruments. But all are instruments whose sound comes from the movement or the vibration of a string.
Bowed strings--> These instruments are played using a bow. bowed strings
Strike strings --> Strings are hit using a king of little hammers.piano
UNIT 3: MUSIC AND DANCE
Music makes us move.
A simple clap or the banging of two sticks can be enough to make us start dancing. And in the case of classical dance, a whole symphony orchestra is at the service of dancers.
Dances for everyone.
Man has always felt the need
to express joy, love, sadness and in general all his feelings. Through dance we have fun, we express ourselves and we relate to others.
In prehistoric times, people danced more because of the need to attract hunting or to invoke the rain than as entertainment or spectacle. So they used ritual dances in their ceremonies, often with religious character. Some of these have been transforming according to new trends or simply to adapt to new social conventions. One example is the Haka
In prehistoric times, people danced more because of the need to attract hunting or to invoke the rain than as entertainment or spectacle. So they used ritual dances in their ceremonies, often with religious character. Some of these have been transforming according to new trends or simply to adapt to new social conventions. One example is the Haka
In Egypt, Greece and Rome there are testimonies of
festive character and entertainment of the most varied dances.
In
the Middle Ages the minstrels were the great entertainers of popular festivals,
a mixture of actors, acrobats and dancers.
At the beginning the plots are based on the Greek and
Roman mythology, later it evolves and stories, dramas and comedies are used.
More and more specialization and technique is required in the professionals who
practice them. The ballet demands a hard daily training, as hard or more than
that of the elite athletes and an effort and sacrifice out of the ordinary.
In the nineteenth century, it reaches its maximum
splendor with spectacular shows. There are many authors who have composed music
for ballet, among the best known we can point to:
Ø
Tchaikovsky
à “El lago de los cisnes”, “La bella
durmiente” y “El Cascanueces”.
Ø
Igor
Stravinsky à “El pájaro de fuego” y “La consagración
de la primavera”.
Ø
Manuel
de Falla à “El sombrero de tres picos”
Ballet dancers wear costumes that consist of tights and a tutu or short skirt, and are designed for ease of movement. The shoes are designed to allow dancing on tiptoe. Ballet performance.
On the other hand, different types of dances such as the tango, salsa, rock and roll or break-dance were born in cities. These types of dances are called street dances, and they are all about entertainment and the relationships between the dancers.
Today, the art of dance continues to evolve. Modern dance adapts itself to new tastes that are constantly emerging.
break- dance
UNIT 4: MUSIC AND NATURE
THE SOUND OF OUR LAND
Traditional music is an asset that all of us should cherish and preserve.
In Spain, all the autonomous communities have a unique musical folklore. When you combine all the traditions of each autonomous community the result is one of the richest cultural representations in Europe.
Discuss:
--> What traditional songs do you know?
--> Why do you think it is so important that we preserve our traditional music?
FOLK MUSIC IN SPAIN.
In Spain there is an ancient and abundant cultural tradition that is reflected in its music. Spanish folk music is rich and varied, in its songs and dances, as well as in the instruments.
Many folkloric events have religious origins. Examples of this are in the romerías or pilgrimages, which are festivals with songs and dances that are interpreted for and around a chuch. There are also folkloric events related to the seasons of the year, to different work activities, to traditional trades and to rural life.
The jota for example is, with its many variants, the most widespread traditional dance in Spain. It is accompanied by thitars, mandolins, lutes, flutes, drums and a large number of percussion instruments.
In addition to music, all these musical events are characterised by the traditional instruments that are used. Each musical performance is linked to certain traditional instruments, which explains the existence of such a wide variety of instruments.
Interest in traditional music has grown considerably lately. Many contemporary artists have merged moder melodies and instruments with those more commonly used in the past opening new avenues of musical creation.
Carlos Núñez
UNIT 5: LIGHTS, CAMERA, MUSIC!
Music and cinema.
On 28 th of December, 1895, Lumière brothers showed in Paris the first film in history: it was a documentary about a trains arriving to the station.
For many years, films were silent and any dialogue appeared written below the picture or on cards between the scenes.
To create an atmosphere, theatres hired muscians who performed live music suitable for each scene.
Nowadays, music is still very closely linked to cinema and sometimes soundtracks become even more famous than the film they were created for.
" The lion's cage" by Charlie Chaplin
"Eating machine" by Charlie Chaplin
Nowadays, music is still very closely linked to cinema and sometimes soundtracks become even more famous than the film they were created for.
" The lion's cage" by Charlie Chaplin
"Eating machine" by Charlie Chaplin
Music is used in many ways in films. It creates tension and suspense in thrillers and horror films. It sets the mood in romantic scenes and it adds to our sense of triumph in victory scenes. It is used to introduce and represent certaisn characters such as the villain or the hero.
Silent films disappeared in 1927, when the first films
with dialogues and music was showed: “The jazz singer”. Since that moment the
sound and the image has been inseparable.
Discuss:
--> Do you remember the music of any film you have seen?
--> Do you think music makes a film more or less enjoyable?
Music in films not only serves to accompany the scenes. Filmmakers also use music to express emotions and create moods. They also often use musical settings to characterise places or characters.
--> Do you remember the music of any film you have seen?
--> Do you think music makes a film more or less enjoyable?
Music in films.
 |
| diegetic music appears directly onscreen. |
There are two main types of music in films. Diegetic music is part of the story being told. For example, the music you hear when a musician appears onscreen, or someone turns on a radio or television.
In contrast, non-diegetic music is made to accompany the film, without showing where or who it is coming from onscreen. For this reason it is often called 'background music'.
To identify a specific character, an object or a feeling, film soundtracks use a leitmotif. A leitmotif is a specific melody or musical passage that you hear when, for example, the character it represents appears onscreen. It is used to show the character's mindset and convey their personalty to spectator. Example of leitmotif: dark vader
Furthermore, not only music and dialogue, but also the sound of objects, background sound and that produced by special effects are extremely important for the soundtrack of a film.
Si queréis seguir investigando sobre cine... en el cole se ha hecho un blog super interesante que no podéis dejar de visitar: cinema en el juan de mena
