Elements of Music Overview (03:19)

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Maestro George Marriner Maull presents excerpts from a Gregorian chant, a medieval song, and works by Bach, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, and Bartok. All have rhythm and melody, but not all feature harmony. Elements of music include rhythm, melody, texture, harmony, dynamics, timbre, and form.

Rhythm (02:21)

Maestro Maull defines rhythm and demonstrates the concept of duration through a Mozart pattern. He distinguishes two beat from three beat meters.

Melody (01:59)

Maestro Maull defines melody as a pattern of pitches played one at a time. He defines pitch and demonstrates melodious and dissonant melodies.

Harmony (00:53)

Harmony is defined as at least two pitches sounding simultaneously. Maestro Maull demonstrates harmonies on the piano.

Dynamics (01:20)

When we speak, we adjust the volume of words and syllables. Composers write dynamic instructions into music to make sounds more expressive; Maestro Maull demonstrates symbols used.

Timbre (02:18)

Maestro Maull defines timbre as the instrument source of a musical sound. Hear a French horn, violin, English horn, flute, oboe, and clarinet.

Timbre Changes (02:51)

Maestro Maull guides viewers through timbre changes in the first movement of Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4.

Form (00:56)

Form describes the structure of music, from full compositions to simple phrases. Maestro Maull demonstrates a sequence on the piano.

Texture (05:40)

Maestro Maull demonstrates monophonic, homophonic, and contrapuntal (polyphonic) textures. The first has a melody; the second has a melody supported by harmony with or without different rhythms; and the third has multiple melodies occurring simultaneously.

Identifying Musical Elements (01:37)

Maestro Maull reviews rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, dynamics, timbres, and form as heard in Morton Subotnick's "Silver Apples of the Moon."

Credits: The Elements of Music: Episode 4—Fall in Love with Music (01:29)

Credits: The Elements of Music: Episode 4—Fall in Love with Music