Exercises in Melody-writing

375.76

^duc.

Dej^t,

EXERCISES

MELODY -WRITING A

SYSTEMATIC COURSE OF MELODIC COMPOSITION, DESIGNED FOR THE USE OF YOUNG MUSIC STUDENTS, CHIEFLY AS A COURSE OF EXERCISE COLLATERAL WITH THE STUDY OF HARMONV

BY

PERCY GOETSCHIUS,

Mus. Doc.

(Royal Wiirtembcrg Professor)

A uthor

oj

'The Material Used in Musical Composition" 'The Theoky and Practicb of Tone-Relations The Homophonic Fokms op Musical Covhositk 'Models of the Principal Musical Forms," ktc. '

New York: G.

SCHIRMER.

Copyright,

(

1

>u

by G. Schirmer

(H)

PREFACE i.

The

object of this course of musical discipline

to assist the

is,

voung

student (whether or not he expects to become a composer) to form and to cultivate habits of correct melodic thought. It is

simply a carefully graded course of exercise in melody-invention,

conception.

The

into the latter are

—nor

agencies which conduce to the transition from the former

touched upon

in

paragraphs 125

to 129,

which

maybe

briefly

scanned, here, without harm.

The

reasons for urging such a course of technical practice upon students

of music (general, as well as special students) are two-fold: 1st,

because the prime object of all theoretical study in music

melody.

be,

A

and command of of

all

natural laws, pave the

its

other phases of discipline in music

successful studies in sight-reading,

for

is,

or should

thorough apprehension of the conditions of correct melody,

way

to the full

and easy reception

they are the only natural preparation

;

harmony, counterpoint, form,

instru-

mentation and interpretation. 2nd, because with

all

musical practice, productive or reproductive, in

all

other operations of

fore qualified exactly

mind and body,

is

the formation of these habits, and guide

proper channels, tional

common is

there-

in early

them

life.

The

effort to

con-

as early as possible into

therefore obviously the most valuable that a wise educa-

purpose can induce.

Whether to

is

and

according to the quality and energy of the habits which

have been contracted, by accident or intention, trol

the result of habit,

there are laws governing melodic conduct, or not,

which an answer

will

be found in the book

itself.

(iii)

OS

is

a question

I!.

to

It is

bc^innine;

be Inferred from the above,

:'..

LTTJf

the twelfth or thirteenth It

111

of the latter.

Bat

it

before

Harmony

fa

effii

ient

in

the

I

I

.is ,'ri

collateral

Harmony

harmonic study;

of ben<

01

number

fit

to

in

either

regular alter-

of times each

For

achieved.

movement

this reason, the

The musical

illustrations

in

is

is

exercised,-—precisely ns pro-

thoughtfully repeated.

until

its

aim,

It

— the fixing

course should cover a

full

a system of

is

of habits,

is

likely to

a

-a'

fa

this

be absorbed by the pupil

quite as readily through sensuous contact with melodic sounds, as

mud

—

year.

have been made unusually copious, because

particular phase of musical education

induction.

ts.

manifestly proportionate to the

is

any other item of pianoforte technique depends upon the

which must be persisted

drill,

be derived,

nness with which each lesson

•

»y

study,

;

nation with chapters of the latter, or interlined strictly according to subjei

The degree

1

taken up, or entirely independent

probably prove most

will

Ok

from the beginning, or

-.1

tad

divided into hro olaeeee: ••

'-t'l

which oonstitnte the Tonio They occupy

innoiiie oora of the key, ,, pur. 18 are fnaetiv. bermonk repeee, and arc therefore Inert, no4 •

:

they

lit •

r

7 ill.

Tin- direction,

I.i

1

11. .1

in

Chap.

np

itep-wise progressions,

rding 1 1

M

I

II

I

|

"..

i.-

I

rhythm

I

n.

;l

I

t«>

the

Ill,

or

ji.ir.

down

Primary Bole,

first

18. 19.

it

is

the line of the everywhere, per-

.If

(a)

To

*:

repeat a IONS, OflMM or oftener.

— -I--

r

•

For example:

'-S^a 7

Caret.

F

I

II

rep

rap

See also Ei

T ping one

3.

Num. I anJ C

;

Ex.

32,

eic.

No. 3, Ex.

30,

Noa.

1, 8.

9;

Ex. M.

ipward or downward by the interval of n

(b)

diatonic scale-step.

If this skip of a third is

third,

i.

e.,

made from an

If made from an Active Inactive lone, it invohis uo obligation whatever. aoaleetep [namely, from the 7th, 6th or 4th, as stated in par. 6d, the 2nd seale-sfc p is aol Bnbjecl to any of the rules of aetive steps), the consaqnenoea No subsequent consideration is direction of the leap. depend upon 1 -:irv if the melody makes the leap in the proper direction (from tho tale-step upward, from the 6th or 4th step downward, as is to be

—

1

done

in

1

<

-

the present lesson).

A. WtC in

Inactive tones.

For

illustration:

IN MEIiODV-WIUTING.

From Active

tones, in the proper direction.

^^^j^Ff^ k^J (par.

LESSON A cumber

MO.)

1.

of original melodies (at least one in each key), with strict

regard to the following limitations and directions: (1)

Only

(2)

Without modulations,

(3)

As 4-measuie Phrases, according

(4)

In

(5)

The rhythm

in

major keys.

—

i.

e.,

each melody in one key throughout.

strictly uniform,

Ex. (6)

e.,

i.

f, according to the chosen measure, (see

to the

2/2, 2/4, 3/2, 3/4, 3/8, 4/4, 4/8, 6/8,

models of Ex.

4.

and G/4-measure, successively. one tone to each beat, as P, f or

— excepting

the final cadence-tono

4).

The

scale-line, tone-repetitious,

and an occasional skip

of a third

Of the latter, only one at a time (perhaps returning, Ex. G),— not two successive leaps in the same direction.

are to be employed. as

shown (7)

in

No

violation of the natural tendency of Active scale-steps

mitted in this lesson. 2

Each

is

to

move

in the proper direction.

is

per-

Examples

and Gb.

—

Note The work should bo, at present, merely the mechanical application of the given rules; these rules are to become habits,— formed and established, as habits are, by persistent systematic effort. After regular, collect melodic movement has become a habit of thought, the tones will soon invest themselves, more or less unconsciously, with feeling and purpose; and all Sxceptional progressions will lie likely to rectify or justify themselves. At the same time, the student intttl endeavor to hear each tone as he writes it down, without the aid of an instrument, and must not desist until he can thus mentally follow, accurately, every melodic movement. Further, each melody, when completed, must lie sung, and then tested at the key-board, but not until completed ; the invention must bo prosecuted away from any instrument.

—

yri.. .pi

is

CHAPTKK

ukitinu.

II.

BOALE LINE, EXCEPTIONAL.

Tin:

o., bo counteract BeeolntJon, MmJ« iteps, Mid foitM tln-in t j>r< >grean m Um opposite direction, bj approaching them, along the Una