Introduction to Musical Concepts

More on Texture

Short Examples of Various Textures

Imitative Polyphony

Example 1. Gustav Mahler, Symphony No. 1 in D major, 3^rd Movement

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An example of a Canon/Round (like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"). Listen to how the melody is repeated in different instruments. Does the melody sound familiar?

Example 2. The Beach Boys, God Only Knows

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An example of a Canon/Round structure in a popular song heard at the end of the song

Example 3. Johann Sebastian Bach, Fugue in C Minor
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In this example, each voice in the fugue is played by a different synthesizer sound

Non-Imitative Polyphony

Example 1. Madonna, Cherish

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Near the end of the record, a second melody appears and is heard through the end of the record as the chorus repeats

Example 2. John Phillip Sousa, Stars and Stripes Forever

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The piccolo comes in with a counter-melody while the strings play the main melody

Changing Texture

Whitney Houston, I Will Always Love You

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This record is primarily homophonic but it starts with a voice-only monophonic section and becomes homophonic when the instruments come in

Monophonic Texture

Janis Joplin, Mercedes Benz

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An example of a monophonic record by a popular music artist. (You could argue that it's not monophonic because there's a hand-clapping or tapping sound accompanying her singing.)

Homophonic Texture
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See if this mixer application makes it easier for you to hear how a popular song is arranged. Listen to some of the individual parts, then listen to the whole mix.