ART

APPRECIATION
THE ARTIST’S MEDIUM
 MEDIUMS OF THE PERFORMING ARTS
 
 Performing arts are creative activities presented
before an audience, on stage, and in open places.
 When heard and seen simultaneously, these arts
become combined arts.
 The performing arts include music, dance, theatre
arts (play or drama), and literature.
Music
 Is art.
 Culture is reflected in art.
 The more music a man knows, the more cultured
he becomes.
 Deals with sounds.
 The mediums of music are vocal and instrumental
music.
Vocal Music
 Is the oldest and most natural form of music.
 Voice is produced by the vibration of the vocal chords
in the voice box.
 Resonators (lungs, esophagus, head, and mouth
cavities) are needed to increase its volume.
 Correct positioning of the body, head, and mouth will
enable the air to vibrate freely.
 Correct posture, breathing, placement of voice, diction
and interpretation.
Classification of vocal music:
 Long vocal forms
 Opera – drama set to music with action, costume, and scenery.
 Cantata – a story told in music without action. It is a smaller version
of the oratorio. Maybe secular or religious.
 Oratorio – a form of dramatic music based on biblical stories or
contemplative characters. It is performed in concert style, without
costume, scenery, or action.
 Zarzuela – a Philippine drama set to music that is similar to the
opera.
 Short vocal forms
 Folk songs, art songs, kundiman, balitaw, danza habanera, anthem,
motet, madrigal, ballad, chorale, round/cannon and area.
Vocal classification:
Voice differs considerably depending on its timbre (quality) and range. As to
timbre, voices are classified into: women’s and men’s voices.
1. Women’s voices
a. Soprano – tone is lighter in character, less somber, and
frequently more flexible.
a.1. coloratura soprano – highest and lightest of all voices.
a.2. mezzo-soprano – medium high in tonal quality.
a.3. lyric soprano – less high and flute-like. Suited for sweet
songs like melodies.
b. Alto or contralto – the tone is richer and fuller.
2. Men’s voices
a. Tenor – highest type
b. Baritone – lies between tenor and bass
c. Bass – lowest and deepest voice quality
Instrumental Music
Classified into:
1. Sonata – a long composition for solo instrument,
consisting of large sections called movements
(allegro, andante, and rondo). An example is
Sonata in C Major composer Wolfgang A.
Mozart.
2. Suite – a series of musical pieces that tells a
story. A music that tells a story is called program
music, while a music that tells no story is
absolute music. An example is the “Nutcracker
Suite” composed by Peter Tchaikovsky.
3. Symphony – a sonata for the orchestra. Ludwig Van
Beethoven (1770-1827) was a great musician
remembered for his immortal symphonies.
4. Concerto – a sonata for solo and orchestra
designed to show-off the virtuosity of the soloist.
Some of the greatest concerto musicians were J.S.
Bach and Vivaldi.
5. Chamber music – written for two solo instruments
(violins and flutes) and basso continuo (low string
and keyboard). Classified into sonata da camara
(chamber sonata) and sonata da chiesa (church
sonata). Some composers were Vitali, J.S. Bach,
Torelli and Purcelli.
Types of Musical Instruments
 String instruments (which are bowed)
Violin, viola, violoncello (or cello), string bass
Types of Musical Instruments
 Wind instruments (which are blown)
Fall into 2 groups: brasses (made of brass) and
woodwinds (made of wood)
Woodwinds: piccolo, flute, clarinet, oboe,
English horn, bass clarinet, bassoon,
contrabassoon.
Brasses: trumpet, French horn, trombone, tuba
The Properties of Musical Sound
1. Pitch
The highness or lowness of a tone in the musical scale.
2. Duration
Depends on the length of time over which the vibration is
maintained.
3. Volume
Refers to force or percussive effects, a result of which the tone
strikes us as being loud or soft. Forte means loud; piano means
soft.
4. Timber or tone color
Is the individual quality of the sound produced by other
instruments. Influenced by the number of factors such as the
size, shape, and the proportion of the instrument, the material
of which it is made, and the manner in which the vibration is setup.