GCSE Music – 9-1

Baroque Concerto

Years

1625-1750

Composers

Bach / Handel / Purcell

/ Vivaldi

Strings

Violins

Violas

Cellos

Double Bass

Woodwind

Flute

Recorder

Oboe

Bassoon

Brass

Natural Horns

Natural Trumpets

Percussion

Timpani

Keyboard

Harpsichord

Organ

Orchestra

Key Features

- Use of harpsichord

/ continuo

- Small orchestra

(Woodwind:

recorders, oboes,

bassoons, flutes /

Brass: Natural

horns, natural

trumpets)

- Terraced dynamics

- Lots of

ornamentation

- Polyphony

Concerto Grosso

A form of concerto with

a group of soloists rather

than just 1.

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/wXtYLSKXjgo

https://youtu.be

/4ObukMS1v0w

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/UNsrdjzLrzM

https://youtu.be

/m1k_yexUE6s

https://youtu.be

/uIzgayrp7gE

GCSE Music – 9-1

Classical Concerto

Years

1750-1825

Composers

Beethoven / Haydn /

Mozart / Schubert

Strings

Violins

Violas

Cellos

Double Bass

Woodwind

Flute

Clarinet

Oboe

Bassoon

Brass

French Horns

Trumpets

Trombones

Percussion

Timpani

Snare Drum

Bass Drum

Cymbals

Keyboard

n/a

Orchestra

Key Features

- Slightly larger

orchestra –

standard set-up

(More strings /

Woodwind: no

recorders, add

flutes / Brass: no

natural

instruments, add

trumpets,

trombones, and

French horns /

more use of

timpani)

- More melodic

content

- Balanced phrases

- Alberti bass

- Greater reliance on

tonic-dominant

chord sequences

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/81POr1RrcCc

https://youtu.be

/6-7VbxD-1dA

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/o_gm0NCabPs

https://youtu.be

/0Cg_0jepxow

https://youtu.be

/vpFaWJQHwbA

GCSE Music – 9-1

Romantic Concerto

Years

1825-1913

Composers

Liszt / Mendelssohn /

Schumann /

Tchaikovsky

Strings

Violins

Violas

Cellos

Double Bass

Harp

Woodwind

Flute

Piccolo

Clarinet

Bass Clarinet

Oboe

Cor Anglais

Bassoon

Contrabassoon

Brass

French Horns

Trumpets

Trombones

Tuba

Percussion

Timpani

Snare Drum

Bass Drum

Cymbals

Xylophones

Glockenspiel

Lots of small percussion

Keyboard

Piano

Celeste

Orchestra

Key Features

- Large orchestra

- Chromatic harmony

- More interesting and

growingly

ambiguous tonalities

- Longer melodic

phrases, and

generally more

memorable tunes

- More varieties in

texture, dynamics,

tempos, and

tonalities with more

frequent changes

- Chromatic melodic

lines

- Greater use of

expression,

programme, and

rubato

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/7VJtknZcQk0

https://youtu.be

/TeG5bK_gNJU

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/o1dBg__wsuo

https://youtu.be

/_W1_shm7vdE

https://youtu.be

/rEGOihjqO9w

GCSE Music – 9-1

African Music

Country

Sub-Saharan countries

Instruments Key Features

- Variety of drum

sounds including

different hands,

open, and muted

sounds.

- Polyrhythms

- Cross rhythms

- Call & response

- Short melodies

- Percussion based

- Led by master

drummer

- Cyclic rhythmic

patterns

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/IqZkm3iHXUo

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/kZHfmgIb4mc

https://youtu.be

/Rde_f5lbceE

https://youtu.be

/B4oQJZ2TEVI

Dundun Djembe

Agogo

Talking Drum

Vocals

Bells and Rattles

Balafon Mbira

GCSE Music – 9-1

Indian Classical

Music

Country

India

Instruments

Key Features

- Raga – collection of

notes improvised

on

- Drone – repeated

note/set of notes

- Tala – A rhythmic

cycle. The table

plays the tala, the

most famous being

the tintal (16

beats) or Jhaptal

(10 beats)

- Structure:

- Alap – free time;

exploratory intro

- Gat – clear pulse;

improvised; fixed

phrases

- Jhala – fast and

exciting; complex;

virtuosic

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/hxOPn3Lww4E

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/-wra4p4zARw

https://youtu.be

/9xB_X9BOAOU

https://youtu.be

/kfBvz2rG-NI

Vocals

Tanpura (drone – similar to sitar)

Tabla – (two drums; play tala)

Sitar (melodic – plays the raga)

GCSE Music – 9-1

Bhangra

Country

India / UK

Instruments

Key Features

- A FUSION of

traditional Punjabi

music and western

dance music (club

based). 80s+

- Use of chaal

rhythm

- Shouts of hoi

- Sung in Punjabi

- Lots of technology

- Traditional

bhangra a harvest

music from the

Punjabi region

- Mixed with

Western Pop in UK

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/0G-ye4xnqPE

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/Pm2uQDvjAK0

https://youtu.be

/xwwAVRyNmgQ

https://youtu.be

/7TcD_IeMdG4

Vocals

Tanpura (drone – similar to sitar)

Dhol

Sitar (melodic – plays the raga)

Drum Kit

Bass Guitar

GCSE Music – 9-1

Greek Music

Country

Greece

Instruments

Key Features

- Music to dance to

- Unusual metres

(5/8 or 7/8)

- Simple melodies

with

ornamentation.

Conjunct

- Use of thirds in

harmony

- Short sections with

repetition

- Use of tremolo in

bouzouki

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/lx2AHOSAN6M

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/K3_udupzKAg

https://youtu.be

/zx-a_17OVc4

Vocals

Defi (hand drum)

Doumbek (traditional drum)

Bouzouki (lute like instrument)

GCSE Music – 9-1

Israeli &

Palestinian Music

Country

Israel & Palestine

Instruments

Key Features

- Use of modes

- Three tones on

drum (doum [low],

Tek [high right

hand], & Ka [high

left hand])

- Wazn – rhythmic

Arabic pattern

- Some irregular

time signatures

- Israeli music used

for dancing with

more common

time signatures,

are fast, and use

more

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/lx2AHOSAN6M

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/--UABwqW9Sg

https://youtu.be

/hQ5OBio4Cy0

https://youtu.be

/BxSEVBqkQOo

Israeli Only: Clarinet

Israeli Only: Accordion

Doumbek (traditional drum)

Oud (lute like instrument) Israeli Only: Violin

GCSE Music – 9-1

Samba

Country

Brazil

Instruments

Key Features

- Always in 2 (metre)

- Polyrhythmic

- Call & response

- Led by one player

on the repinique

- Music taught

aurally

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/Eq3RRGIG86Q

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/jQLvGghaDbE

https://youtu.be

/oD8EITpCvww

https://youtu.be

/lRt1jTd5G8c

Agogo

Surdo – large drum

Led by repinique and whistle

Tamborim – incredibly high pitched drum Caixa – snare drum

Brass Vocals

GCSE Music – 9-1

Calypso

Country

The Caribbean

Instruments Key Features

- Call & response in

the chorus

- Short phrases and

simple

- Syncopation

- Major

- Melody &

accompaniment

- Use of tremolo on

Steel Pans

- Story led songs

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/33iCZ3C6U5k

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/woBZME7sN3E

https://youtu.be

/rfBW1SaQTAo

https://youtu.be

/MpxoUs_3tfw

Maracas Guitar Steel Pans Vocals

GCSE Music – 9-1

Film Music

Music Composed for Film

Composers

John Williams / Hans

Zimmer / John Barry

Key Features

- Music represents the action on screen

- Create links between elements and mood

- A sad film may have a minor key and a slow

tempo.

- A romantic film may have lots of strings,

sudden swells in dynamics, and lots of

suspensions.

- A creepy film will be chromatic, have sudden

changes in dynamics, texture, and pitch.

- A war film will be stirring, at 120 bpm, have

lots of brass and percussion like a marching

band

- Films use leitmotif – these are themes based

around individual characters and/or scenes.

See all of Star Wars’ music!

Classical Music used in

Film

Composers

Beethoven / Wagner

Music Composed for

Video Games

Composers

Koji Kodo / Michael

Giacchino

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/XacNZ5fRBuI

https://youtu.be

/yVVg-95K2nc

https://youtu.be

/N0zU7E_-5qo

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/as_FkQenP-8

https://youtu.be

/aXnxGDxtff4

GCSE Music – 9-1

Rock ‘n’ Roll Years

1950s-1960s

Artists

Elvis / Buddy Holly / The

Beatles / The Beach

Boys

Vocals Drum kit Bass guitar Rhythm guitar Electric guitar

Early rock n roll Instruments

Key Features

- Use of 12 bar blues

chord sequence

- Blue notes

- Upbeat

- Swung sometimes

- Improvisation in

solos

- Melody and

accompaniment

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/51PBI9CIlTs

https://youtu.be

/W2rSTMiXT3Q

https://youtu.be

/NzVanMOoT3g

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/gj0Rz-uP4Mk

https://youtu.be

/Yjyj8qnqkYI

https://youtu.be

/lD4sxxoJGkA

Saxophone Piano

Later add:

Add orchestra;

more brass;

acoustic guitar;

strings

GCSE Music – 9-1

Rock Anthems

Years

1970s-1980s

Artists

Queen / ACDC / Bon

Jovi / Led Zeppelin

Vocals Drum kit Bass guitar Electric guitar

Early rock anthem

Instruments Key Features

- Melody driven

- Loud

- Moderately fast

- M&A

- Straight rhythms

- Showy solos

- More technology

- Heavy backbeat

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/1aH6TGNmRmE

https://youtu.be

/W2rSTMiXT3Q

https://youtu.be

/NzVanMOoT3g

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/-tJYN-eG1zk

https://youtu.be

/RPTk5poAa1c

https://youtu.be

/lDK9QqIzhwk

Later add:

More technology;

synth;

organ;

brass

GCSE Music – 9-1

Pop Ballads

Years

1970s-1990s

Artists

Elton John / Whitney

Houston / Nilsson

Vocals Piano Bass guitar Acoustic guitar

Early pop ballad

Instruments

Key Features

- Focus on vocals

and lyrics

- Slow

- sometimes minor

- Countermelody

- Usually 4/4

- Rubato

- Inversions in

chords

- Sentimental

- Reverb

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/1aH6TGNmRmE

https://youtu.be

/W2rSTMiXT3Q

https://youtu.be

/NzVanMOoT3g

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/8dnUv3DUP4E

https://youtu.be

/NoOhnrjdYOc

https://youtu.be

/3JWTaaS7LdU

Later add:

More technology;

Backing vocals;

Strings;

Lots of instruments

GCSE Music – 9-1

Solo Artists

Years

1990s-2010s

Artists

Michael Jackson /

Britney Spears / Adele

Vocals Piano Bass guitar Acoustic guitar

Instruments Key Features

- Over-produced

- Build ups in

instrumentation

and textures

- Use of hooks and

riffs

- No fixed genre –

anything solo in

this period!

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/1aH6TGNmRmE

https://youtu.be

/W2rSTMiXT3Q

https://youtu.be

/NzVanMOoT3g

YouTube

https://youtu.be

/XAi3VTSdTxU

https://youtu.be

/CduA0TULnow

https://youtu.be

/fLexgOxsZu0

Strings Backing Singers Technology Electric guitar