MOTET Music Online Telecommunications Environment for Teaching Music Composition for Music Students The following activities are directed at students and teachers interested in the compositional aspects of music. Please see the MIDI Technical page for details and links on using midi. Important for Macintosh users: If using a browser midi player, in order to download the midi file itself, press the OPTION key while clicking the link. This will enable you to save it on your hard disc. Otherwise, it will just activate the player and play. The following will explore particular aspects of Larry Thomas Bell's Bell Mahler in Blue Light. The Opening of Mvt. I: Fantasy and Fugue   Harmony Exercises   Melody Exercises   The Mahler Theme in Mvt. III: Variations on a Theme by Mahler   Harmony Exercises   Melody Exercises I. Harmonies of Opening, Mvt. I. First, listen to the sound file of the opening. Now download the MIDI version of the same section and compare. Close enough? The opening statement of a piece usually sets the stage for the entire work; typically tonality, mood, style, etc. What style is this piece in? What is the tonality, the key? 1. Extract the simple chords going measure by measure starting with measure 5, carefully write down the simple chords from each measure (G major, G7 with a Bb in the bass: G7/Bb, etc). Compare them to these chords.   2. Rewrite the harmonic sequence using your harmonies and voicings (this correllates to track 1 and 3 of the midi file).   3. Play the original melody over your new harmonic deduction, remember, we're working only with measures 5-18. Does it sound good, need to be tweaked?   4. Using the chords you extracted rearrange their order and recompose measures 5-18. You can repeat chords from measure to measure and use just some, not all of the chords, but limit the chords to those you extracted from the original.   5. Play the original melody over your new chord sequence. What works and what doesn't. Why?   6. Modify the melody to fit your chord sequence. Try to make it develop out of the opening. Melody of Opening, Mvt. I. 1. Extract the melody and just listen to it over and over until you can sing it from memory.   2. Rewrite the bass line in this example, it's track 3, the cello, which is providing the bass. Rewrite as you hear it fit. Mute the piano (harmonic) track so you're working only with the melody and bass.   3. Rewrite the chords to reflect your new bass line. Do they work when played with the melody?   4. How different is it from the original? Do you like it better or worse? The Mahler Theme: Harmony First, listen to the sound file of the original theme RealAudio or sound file by Mahler in his Das Lied Von Der Erde. Now, listen to the sound file of Mr. Bell's treatment RealAudio or sound file in his third movement. Now download the midi version of Mr. Bell's direct treatment in his 3rd movement. It's very tonal and song like. Listen to the selection several times, until you can sing it. What is the tonality and key here? Is the rhythm straight and what is the meter? Similarly to what we did above, let's examine the harmony of this quote. 1. Extract the simple chords going measure by measure, carefully write down the simple chords from each measure (G major, G7 with a Bb in the bass: G7/Bb, etc). Compare them to these chords.   2. Rewrite the harmonic sequence using the chords you extracted.   3. Play the original melody over your new harmonic pattern. Does it sound good, need to be tweaked?   4. Using the chords you extracted rearrange their order and recompose. Again, you can repeat chords from measure to measure and use just some, not all of the chords, but limit the chords to those you extracted from the original. Start and end with the same chords as the original.   5. Play the original melody over your new chord sequence. What works and what doesn't. Why?   6. Modify the melody to fit your chord sequence. The Mahler Theme: Melody 1. Rewrite the melody You know the melody pretty well by now. Using the original harmonies, rewrite a melody that is similar in style and mood.   2. A second melody on a new track, write another melody that is a variation of your new melody. Modify the shape, rests, lengths, etc.   3. Take 3 Now do a third attempt at a variation on this theme, only now, change both the melody and the harmonies. Try to keep close to the original flavor of Mahler's but add your own voice. At least 8 of the chords must be different from the original.   4. Take 4   Following exactly what you did in Take 3, this time try to stay as far away from the original as possible while still reflecting at least vaguely upon the original. All chords must be different.   5. Hints of Variation   Listen to this midi file of what Mr. Bell opened his third movement with. Sound familiar? Listen and see how he hints at the upcoming Mahler theme in this movement. This excerpt is from the 27th measure of the movement, immediately after the opening. Replace Mr. Bell's variations after the opening chords with yours. Make them fit musically. How are yours and his similar?   6. Change the instrumentation of the tracks and add a new track. Make it more percussive or more sonorous. Does it still maintain the character of the Mahler theme? Try changing the piano to a string bass and the saxophone to a harp. How about creating a string quartet? MOTET HOME