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Episode 7 included some life lessons we find by examining the way composers deploy "Non-Harmonic Tones." Episode 8 continues the discussion with a Non-Harmonic Tone Watson loves to hear in music, and use in his own compositions...the Pedal Point. With roots in music's past and lots of cool application in the music of today, the Pedal Point is a non-harmonic tone extraordinaire!
4 Comments:
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Anonymous
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Scott,
Thanks for including me in looking at your excellent presentation. Would it be possible and of interest to you to share this with the over 2000 teachers that we include in our programs each year at Festivals of Music and Music in the Parks?
Once again congratulations in this contribution to music education.
Jim Wells
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Lisa
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I really like that piece composed by the High School student. Ive never attempted to use pedal point but it sound really cool.. and really easy. :-D
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Kaitlyn
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It was mentioned that the pedal point used most commonly is on the first scale degree. I am personally curious as to if there have ever been any equally as beautiful pieces that used a pedal point on a different scale degree, or really, if it is possible to do and still sound good. Also, as a personal preference, I think the pedal point being played as the highest note, by the violins in the ballet example, is more suspenseful than in the bass. As a soprano myself, it is very very common that the final note of every piece we sing ends on the first scale degree or something similar. However, we don't often create suspension or intensify the music by singing a pedal point. Perhaps, maybe, that is why it is more interesting to me to hear the pedal point as the highest note than the lowest.
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Katie
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I can think of two peices this year that have employed the pedal point technique. The first one was it the arrangement of O Come, All Ye Faithful that we sang in chorale. In the chorus, the the bass would sit on do and so while the upper voices sang different notes. We got a lot of really great comments about the arrangement of that song, which just goes to show that it has a very aesthetically pleasing effect. The other time I remember was in full orchestra when we were playing Russian Christmas. At the very end of this long peice the low strings hold the tonic pedal point while the violins and winds build toward the end, where all instruments move to a tonic unison. Pedal point is just really great because it can be used in so many different ways to yeild all sorts of different feelings from the music accopanying it.
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