Three-Part Melodies
3 Part Melodies
Traditional musicians often speak about "crooked tunes". This name can mean an odd structure or an irregular pattern of beats. Here's a good explanation of Crooked Tunes: http://www.fiddlingaround.co.uk/crooked%20tunes.html
Classic rag time music was often composed as multi-part melodies. Three or more sections were written. Very often rag time pieces were in the form of a medieval rondo. The form calls for a principal theme (Part A) to alternate with one or more contrasting themes (Part B).
A common form is A B A C A. Usually the C part is written in a different key.
It is likely that you know Jean-Joseph Mouret ‘s 1729 composition Fanfare and Rondo. Listen to it and follow the ABACA structure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZukLuZQeNHo
Listen to a piano roll recording of Scott Joplin playing his Maple Leaf Rag. The structure is an extended rondo form. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMAtL7n_-rc
Traditional musicians often speak about "crooked tunes". This name can mean an odd structure or an irregular pattern of beats. Here's a good explanation of Crooked Tunes: http://www.fiddlingaround.co.uk/crooked%20tunes.html
Classic rag time music was often composed as multi-part melodies. Three or more sections were written. Very often rag time pieces were in the form of a medieval rondo. The form calls for a principal theme (Part A) to alternate with one or more contrasting themes (Part B).
A common form is A B A C A. Usually the C part is written in a different key.
It is likely that you know Jean-Joseph Mouret ‘s 1729 composition Fanfare and Rondo. Listen to it and follow the ABACA structure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZukLuZQeNHo
Listen to a piano roll recording of Scott Joplin playing his Maple Leaf Rag. The structure is an extended rondo form. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMAtL7n_-rc
A Modern 3-Part Melody
We Hide and Seek by Jerry Douglas From his album Slide Rule
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5_8xJ410Bg
This multi-part melody has dramatic contrast between the A, B and C parts. Part A is lyrical. Part B is an extension of Part A and permits each member of the band to solo. Part C is distinctive as a highly traditional bluegrass instrumental.
Introduction with a driving ostinato
Part A
Part B - repeated in various voices with improv on the original theme. Each pass is a new motivic development of the initial theme.
Part C – a conventional bluegrass instrumental. This is the “chorus” of the instrumental piece. It never changes much.
We Hide and Seek by Jerry Douglas From his album Slide Rule
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5_8xJ410Bg
This multi-part melody has dramatic contrast between the A, B and C parts. Part A is lyrical. Part B is an extension of Part A and permits each member of the band to solo. Part C is distinctive as a highly traditional bluegrass instrumental.
Introduction with a driving ostinato
Part A
Part B - repeated in various voices with improv on the original theme. Each pass is a new motivic development of the initial theme.
Part C – a conventional bluegrass instrumental. This is the “chorus” of the instrumental piece. It never changes much.
