Musical Meaning Blog - Music & Form/Symmetry

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

Composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams; String Orchestra

    This piece clearly demonstrates the idea of musical form and symmetry because of it being built around a Renaissance hymn melody which was composed by Thomas Tallis in the 16th century. Vaughan Williams structures the whole piece by presenting the theme which then leads into him transforming it by using different sections of the orchestra. Through the use of increasing texture and intensity he is able to expand the music outward and then later in the piece go back to a calm version of the theme which creates an arch like structure. With the use of musical idea introduced earlier in the piece which eventually return to a similar form later he is able create a sense of balance and symmetry through this type of organization. Rather than going from on in no specific order form one idea to another, this composer establishes a theme and then develops it and then is able to return back to it in the end.

    For a large number of listeners, this piece creates a reflective and spiritual atmosphere because the original melody Tallis uses comes from Renaissance church music, which audience often associate to the sound of sacred traditions, worship, and quiet contemplation. Listeners are given the opportunity to focus on emotional depth rather than dramatic action because of the slow pace and harmonies that are sustained throughout. In addition to that the symmetrical structure also reinforces the feeling of calmness and order. As the music moves in the arch like structure where it grows in intensity and then gradually goes back to a peaceful ending, the listener gets to experience a sense of emotional balance as the song maintains balance. This connection this piece has between the historical church music and the modern day orchestra writing give this piece a special quality, which allow the audiences to reflect on tradition and spirituality from the church music aspect and musical history as they compare that to the modern orchestra.

    This piece creates a balanced and relaxed sound because of the meaning being so closely connected to the musical elements involved. Dynamics is one of the more important elements in the piece because as the music begins softly and then it gradually picks up getting louder and more intense as more instruments join in the texture of this piece. Anticipation and emotional energy are built up as the piece has layers including the piano, strings, guitars and vocals creating a steady increase in the musical density. The use of repetition is significant in this piece as well because the main melodic idea is present throughout the piece, helping bring everything together through the different parts of this song. Once the music reaches its climax, strong dynamics and the full texture come together to build a powerful emotional point before the sound gradually goes back down to a softer speed. By the use of repetition, instrumentation, texture, and dynamics, the song's structure is able to create a symmetrical music experience that supports its emotional meaning.

    

Starálfur

Performed by Sigur Rós 

    This also has musical from and symmetry from its very clear structural progression. The piece begins softly with a quiet piano accompaniment and gentle singing, which creates a calm atmosphere to start. Once the song continues other instruments begin to enter including strings, guitars, and percussion. The dynamics of this piece increase at a steady rate as the musical texture becomes thicker and powerful, which then leads to a strong emotional climax at the midpoint of the song. After it reaches its climax, the music starts to soften and calm down similar to the opening part. This piece also has an arch shaped structure where it begins soft picks up in the middle and goes back to how it was at the beginning at the end of the piece. Due to the arc shaped structure of the song the listeners get to experience a balanced and symmetrical journey.

    This piece creates a powerful and emotional experience that feels uplifting for many listeners. As it gradually builds up sound it makes the listener feel like they are on a journey moving from a quiet to intense back to quiet state through the song. Sigur Rós frequently performs in Icelandic or in their invented native language "hopelandic", which causes listeners to focus more on the feeling they get from the sound rather than the meaning of the lyrics they may not understand. This allows the listeners to build their own interpretation of the piece in their own person way. The symmetrical structure used truly reinforces the emotions the listeners feel as the go through a balanced song, exploring both calm and dramatic parts.

    The emotional meaning of the song is connected with the musical elements which build its structure. Dynamics is one of the most important elements. The music begins quiet and gradually gets louder and more intense as more instruments build the texture.  Adding in the piano, strings, guitars and vocals create a gradual increase in the density of the music. Which in turn builds the emotional energy and the listeners anticipation. Repetition is important because it appears throughout the song, which unifies the different parts of the song. At the climax the dynamics are stronger, and the texture is full which creates a very strong emotional moment before it returns back to calm and slower like the beginning. By using dynamics, repetition, instrumentation, and texture, the emotional meaning is supported by the symmetrical experience created by the texture.