Rediscovering Melody

Music from Scratch

Melody —Part 1

How many different styles of melody are there?

For starters we consider music from Gregorian Chant, the Troubadours, Notre Dame, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, continuing into the 20th century up to the Estonian master, Arvo Pärt, the Beatles and Dylan. Later on, we’ll come to 21st century music. The number of possible melodic styles seems almost infinite, but this number cannot be infinite as long as the number of melodic elements are discrete and finite. However, the number of kinds of melodies that already exist is so enormous that it might as well be infinite.

The Three Elements

Although our focus is on melody, the rhythm, harmony, and melody are bound together. And in Western music especially, harmony cannot be separated from melody even if no harmony is explicitly given, or even when a melody is harmonized in more than one way. Harmony is a fundamental aspect of our music, whether or not a composer of a melody is “using” it since the scale and the harmonies are both produced from the relationships of the natural phenomenon of overtones. Possibilities of harmony are therefore at least implicit in every real melody.

Form and Content – a Superficial Duality

The question of form. Much about melody in the literature is about the formal structure, but not too much is said about the essence of melody because so little is understood, intellectually. Almost everyone who has seriously studied the subject agrees that a great deal of knowledge is embedded in Beethoven’s sketchbooks. Beethoven, like Van Gogh in painting, was the only great composer who left us an extraordinary record of how he worked on his music, and especially on his themes.

Some consider form to be like a container into which the content is inserted — as if there were a boundary between the form and the content. But the form that is within the “container” –- i.e., the melody or the music itself– is like an audible record of an organic development, i.e., a form if you will, that starts at a definite point (the beginning!) and, as has been said in many ways “it must progress as it proceeds.”

The Real Duality

In my opinion, “form” versus “content” is not the primary duality. The most fundamental one is between the visible (the inaudible) and the visible (the audible). The composer is the bridge–and afterwards it is the interpreter who acts as the bridge. Here is Beethoven on this subject:

When at eventide I contemplate in wonderment the firmament and the host of luminous bodies which we call worlds and suns, eternally revolving within its boundaries, my spirit soars beyond these stars many millions of miles away towards the fountain whence all created work springs and whence all new creation must still flow. When from time to time I try to give shape and form in sound to the feelings roused within me, alas! I meet with cruel disappointment. In disgust I throw away the sheet of paper I have soiled, and am almost convinced that no earthborn being can ever hope to set down by means of sounds, words, color, or in sculpture, the heavenly pictures that rise before his awakened imagination! What is to reach the heart must come from above: if it does not come thence, it will be nothing but notes–ody without spirit. The spirit must rise up from the earth, whence for a time the heavenly spark is banished, for only by hard, persistent labor through such powers as are bestowed on a man can the work of art be made worthy of the Creator and Preserver of everlasting nature.

Beethoven obviously managed to surmount his doubt.

The above remarks may seem too “metaphysical” for some. But I believe that these are essential notions. One can always substitute one’s own cultural expressions for some of the words. For me, the primary point is that as composers (or artists in any medium) something comes to us from an unknown place, one that feels somehow larger than one’s usual conception of the world. It comes in a flash of time; it seems to me small, but loaded with (non-verbal) content. Our task is to unfold the package–or perhaps to allow the package to unfold–organically. And hone it until it corresponds to what we received.

That what Beethoven received was not whatever was at the source, itself, is affirmed over and over by the fact that the first appearance in his notes at least of an idea was often in the form of a very poor or crude motive or theme and often included an awkward continuation. This material was worked upon until it corresponded to the inspiration or content that Beethoven felt obligated to convey.

Different composers work in different ways. But there are essential processes common to all. For some, like Beethoven, the music is often developed in detailed work from often quite raw material. For others, like Mozart, who was also obviously well-trained, the music often appears all at once. But this doesn’t address what processes that integrate knowledge and heart were going on in his exceptional functioning before the appearance. Schubert, whose songs seemed to “pour out of him,” was keen on getting more counterpoint instruction just before he died (at age 31).

Succeeding posts

We’ll explore various kinds of melodies and even ask what might be coming next in the culture of both pop and classical music.

Music from Scratch

Melody —Part 1

How many different styles of melody are there?

For starters we consider music from Gregorian Chant, the Troubadours, Notre Dame, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, continuing into the 20th century up to the Estonian master, Arvo Pärt, the Beatles and Dylan. Later on, we’ll come to 21st century music. The number of possible melodic styles seems almost infinite, but this number cannot be infinite as long as the number of melodic elements are discrete and finite. However, the number of kinds of melodies that already exist is so enormous that it might as well be infinite.

The Three Elements

Although our focus is on melody, the rhythm, harmony, and melody are bound together. And in Western music especially, harmony cannot be separated from melody even if no harmony is explicitly given, or even when a melody is harmonized in more than one way. Harmony is a fundamental aspect of our music, whether or not a composer of a melody is “using” it since the scale and the harmonies are both produced from the relationships of the natural phenomenon of overtones. Possibilities of harmony are therefore at least implicit in every real melody.

Form and Content – a Superficial Duality

The question of form. Much about melody in the literature is about the formal structure, but not too much is said about the essence of melody because so little is understood, intellectually. Almost everyone who has seriously studied the subject agrees that a great deal of knowledge is embedded in Beethoven’s sketchbooks. Beethoven, like Van Gogh in painting, was the only great composer who left us an extraordinary record of how he worked on his music, and especially on his themes.

Some consider form to be like a container into which the content is inserted — as if there were a boundary between the form and the content. But the form that is within the “container” –- i.e., the melody or the music itself– is like an audible record of an organic development, i.e., a form if you will, that starts at a definite point (the beginning!) and, as has been said in many ways “it must progress as it proceeds.”

The Real Duality

In my opinion, “form” versus “content” is not the primary duality. The most fundamental one is between the visible (the inaudible) and the visible (the audible). The composer is the bridge–and afterwards it is the interpreter who acts as the bridge. Here is Beethoven on this subject:

When at eventide I contemplate in wonderment the firmament and the host of luminous bodies which we call worlds and suns, eternally revolving within its boundaries, my spirit soars beyond these stars many millions of miles away towards the fountain whence all created work springs and whence all new creation must still flow. When from time to time I try to give shape and form in sound to the feelings roused within me, alas! I meet with cruel disappointment. In disgust I throw away the sheet of paper I have soiled, and am almost convinced that no earthborn being can ever hope to set down by means of sounds, words, color, or in sculpture, the heavenly pictures that rise before his awakened imagination! What is to reach the heart must come from above: if it does not come thence, it will be nothing but notes–ody without spirit. The spirit must rise up from the earth, whence for a time the heavenly spark is banished, for only by hard, persistent labor through such powers as are bestowed on a man can the work of art be made worthy of the Creator and Preserver of everlasting nature.

Beethoven obviously managed to surmount his doubt.

The above remarks may seem too “metaphysical” for some. But I believe that these are essential notions. One can always substitute one’s own cultural expressions for some of the words. For me, the primary point is that as composers (or artists in any medium) something comes to us from an unknown place, one that feels somehow larger than one’s usual conception of the world. It comes in a flash of time; it seems to me small, but loaded with (non-verbal) content. Our task is to unfold the package–or perhaps to allow the package to unfold–organically. And hone it until it corresponds to what we received.

That what Beethoven received was not whatever was at the source, itself, is affirmed over and over by the fact that the first appearance in his notes at least of an idea was often in the form of a very poor or crude motive or theme and often included an awkward continuation. This material was worked upon until it corresponded to the inspiration or content that Beethoven felt obligated to convey.

Different composers work in different ways. But there are essential processes common to all. For some, like Beethoven, the music is often developed in detailed work from often quite raw material. For others, like Mozart, who was also obviously well-trained, the music often appears all at once. But this doesn’t address what processes that integrate knowledge and heart were going on in his exceptional functioning before the appearance. Schubert, whose songs seemed to “pour out of him,” was keen on getting more counterpoint instruction just before he died (at age 31).

Succeeding posts

We’ll explore various kinds of melodies and even ask what might be coming next in the culture of both pop and classical music.

Music from Scratch

Melody —Part 1

How many different styles of melody are there?

For starters we consider music from Gregorian Chant, the Troubadours, Notre Dame, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, continuing into the 20th century up to the Estonian master, Arvo Pärt, the Beatles and Dylan. Later on, we’ll come to 21st century music. The number of possible melodic styles seems almost infinite, but this number cannot be infinite as long as the number of melodic elements are discrete and finite. However, the number of kinds of melodies that already exist is so enormous that it might as well be infinite.

The Three Elements

Although our focus is on melody, the rhythm, harmony, and melody are bound together. And in Western music especially, harmony cannot be separated from melody even if no harmony is explicitly given, or even when a melody is harmonized in more than one way. Harmony is a fundamental aspect of our music, whether or not a composer of a melody is “using” it since the scale and the harmonies are both produced from the relationships of the natural phenomenon of overtones. Possibilities of harmony are therefore at least implicit in every real melody.

Form and Content – a Superficial Duality

The question of form. Much about melody in the literature is about the formal structure, but not too much is said about the essence of melody because so little is understood, intellectually. Almost everyone who has seriously studied the subject agrees that a great deal of knowledge is embedded in Beethoven’s sketchbooks. Beethoven, like Van Gogh in painting, was the only great composer who left us an extraordinary record of how he worked on his music, and especially on his themes.

Some consider form to be like a container into which the content is inserted — as if there were a boundary between the form and the content. But the form that is within the “container” –- i.e., the melody or the music itself– is like an audible record of an organic development, i.e., a form if you will, that starts at a definite point (the beginning!) and, as has been said in many ways “it must progress as it proceeds.”

The Real Duality

In my opinion, “form” versus “content” is not the primary duality. The most fundamental one is between the visible (the inaudible) and the visible (the audible). The composer is the bridge–and afterwards it is the interpreter who acts as the bridge. Here is Beethoven on this subject:

When at eventide I contemplate in wonderment the firmament and the host of luminous bodies which we call worlds and suns, eternally revolving within its boundaries, my spirit soars beyond these stars many millions of miles away towards the fountain whence all created work springs and whence all new creation must still flow. When from time to time I try to give shape and form in sound to the feelings roused within me, alas! I meet with cruel disappointment. In disgust I throw away the sheet of paper I have soiled, and am almost convinced that no earthborn being can ever hope to set down by means of sounds, words, color, or in sculpture, the heavenly pictures that rise before his awakened imagination! What is to reach the heart must come from above: if it does not come thence, it will be nothing but notes–ody without spirit. The spirit must rise up from the earth, whence for a time the heavenly spark is banished, for only by hard, persistent labor through such powers as are bestowed on a man can the work of art be made worthy of the Creator and Preserver of everlasting nature.

Beethoven obviously managed to surmount his doubt.

The above remarks may seem too “metaphysical” for some. But I believe that these are essential notions. One can always substitute one’s own cultural expressions for some of the words. For me, the primary point is that as composers (or artists in any medium) something comes to us from an unknown place, one that feels somehow larger than one’s usual conception of the world. It comes in a flash of time; it seems to me small, but loaded with (non-verbal) content. Our task is to unfold the package–or perhaps to allow the package to unfold–organically. And hone it until it corresponds to what we received.

That what Beethoven received was not whatever was at the source, itself, is affirmed over and over by the fact that the first appearance in his notes at least of an idea was often in the form of a very poor or crude motive or theme and often included an awkward continuation. This material was worked upon until it corresponded to the inspiration or content that Beethoven felt obligated to convey.

Different composers work in different ways. But there are essential processes common to all. For some, like Beethoven, the music is often developed in detailed work from often quite raw material. For others, like Mozart, who was also obviously well-trained, the music often appears all at once. But this doesn’t address what processes that integrate knowledge and heart were going on in his exceptional functioning before the appearance. Schubert, whose songs seemed to “pour out of him,” was keen on getting more counterpoint instruction just before he died (at age 31).

Succeeding posts

We’ll explore various kinds of melodies and even ask what might be coming next in the culture of both pop and classical music.

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Music from Scratch

Melody —Part 1

How many different styles of melody are there?

For starters we consider music from Gregorian Chant, the Troubadours, Notre Dame, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, continuing into the 20th century up to the Estonian master, Arvo Pärt, the Beatles and Dylan. Later on, we’ll come to 21st century music. The number of possible melodic styles seems almost infinite, but this number cannot be infinite as long as the number of melodic elements are discrete and finite. However, the number of kinds of melodies that already exist is so enormous that it might as well be infinite.

The Three Elements

Although our focus is on melody, the rhythm, harmony, and melody are bound together. And in Western music especially, harmony cannot be separated from melody even if no harmony is explicitly given, or even when a melody is harmonized in more than one way. Harmony is a fundamental aspect of our music, whether or not a composer of a melody is “using” it since the scale and the harmonies are both produced from the relationships of the natural phenomenon of overtones. Possibilities of harmony are therefore at least implicit in every real melody.

Form and Content – a Superficial Duality

The question of form. Much about melody in the literature is about the formal structure, but not too much is said about the essence of melody because so little is understood, intellectually. Almost everyone who has seriously studied the subject agrees that a great deal of knowledge is embedded in Beethoven’s sketchbooks. Beethoven, like Van Gogh in painting, was the only great composer who left us an extraordinary record of how he worked on his music, and especially on his themes.

Some consider form to be like a container into which the content is inserted — as if there were a boundary between the form and the content. But the form that is within the “container” –- i.e., the melody or the music itself– is like an audible record of an organic development, i.e., a form if you will, that starts at a definite point (the beginning!) and, as has been said in many ways “it must progress as it proceeds.”

The Real Duality

In my opinion, “form” versus “content” is not the primary duality. The most fundamental one is between the visible (the inaudible) and the visible (the audible). The composer is the bridge–and afterwards it is the interpreter who acts as the bridge. Here is Beethoven on this subject:

When at eventide I contemplate in wonderment the firmament and the host of luminous bodies which we call worlds and suns, eternally revolving within its boundaries, my spirit soars beyond these stars many millions of miles away towards the fountain whence all created work springs and whence all new creation must still flow. When from time to time I try to give shape and form in sound to the feelings roused within me, alas! I meet with cruel disappointment. In disgust I throw away the sheet of paper I have soiled, and am almost convinced that no earthborn being can ever hope to set down by means of sounds, words, color, or in sculpture, the heavenly pictures that rise before his awakened imagination! What is to reach the heart must come from above: if it does not come thence, it will be nothing but notes–ody without spirit. The spirit must rise up from the earth, whence for a time the heavenly spark is banished, for only by hard, persistent labor through such powers as are bestowed on a man can the work of art be made worthy of the Creator and Preserver of everlasting nature.

Beethoven obviously managed to surmount his doubt.

The above remarks may seem too “metaphysical” for some. But I believe that these are essential notions. One can always substitute one’s own cultural expressions for some of the words. For me, the primary point is that as composers (or artists in any medium) something comes to us from an unknown place, one that feels somehow larger than one’s usual conception of the world. It comes in a flash of time; it seems to me small, but loaded with (non-verbal) content. Our task is to unfold the package–or perhaps to allow the package to unfold–organically. And hone it until it corresponds to what we received.

That what Beethoven received was not whatever was at the source, itself, is affirmed over and over by the fact that the first appearance in his notes at least of an idea was often in the form of a very poor or crude motive or theme and often included an awkward continuation. This material was worked upon until it corresponded to the inspiration or content that Beethoven felt obligated to convey.

Different composers work in different ways. But there are essential processes common to all. For some, like Beethoven, the music is often developed in detailed work from often quite raw material. For others, like Mozart, who was also obviously well-trained, the music often appears all at once. But this doesn’t address what processes that integrate knowledge and heart were going on in his exceptional functioning before the appearance. Schubert, whose songs seemed to “pour out of him,” was keen on getting more counterpoint instruction just before he died (at age 31).

Succeeding posts

We’ll explore various kinds of melodies and even ask what might be coming next in the culture of both pop and classical music.