Andrew Batterham - musician

Resources

This is a little collection of theory and music information for students and teachers alike.
Feel free to link to this page, and the musical terms pages.

Key signature checker

Check your keys one of two ways

 1. By key

Major keys C major C# major Db major D major Eb major E major F major F# major Gb major G major Ab major A major Bb major B major Cb major
Minor keys A minor A# minor Bb minor B minor C minor C# minor D minor D# minor Eb minor E minor F minor F# minor G minor G# minor Ab minor

2. By key signature

Sharps None 1 sharp 2 sharps 3 sharps 4 sharps 5 sharps 6 sharps 7 sharps
Flats None 1 flat 2 flats 3 flats 4 flats 5 flats 6 flats 7 flats

Dynamics

Tempo

Musical games

Dance 2 the Beat
Dance in time with the music to get the highest score possible

Up Beat
Keep the rhythm and rock the party! Good game for younger musicians

Note durations

Note durations are referred to in two different ways. The British system is also followed in Australia, New Zealand and many other countries. The American system is given alongside the British system below

Note

Rest

Name

Duration

Breve / Double Whole note

8 crotchets in length

Semibreve / Whole note

4 crotchets in length

Minim / Half note

2 crotchets in length

Crotchet / Quarter note

1 crotchet in length

Quaver / Eighth note

Half a crotchet in length

Semiquaver / Sixteenth note

Quarter of a crotchet in length

Note names

Note names in English are displayed below on the relevant note of a keyboard. The black keys can be referred to as being a sharp (related to the note below them) or a flat (related to the note above them). These are called "enharmonics"

Musical note names are different in each language, as are the common words for many other musical things. Below is a table outlining some of these words across several languages. In German, the note B natural is referred to as H, and B flat is B

English

French

German

Italian

major

majeur

Dur

maggiore

minor

mineur

Moll

minore

sharp

dièse

-sis

diesis

flat

bémol

-es

bemolle

A

la

A

la

B

si

H

si

C

ut/do

C

do

D

ré

D

re

E

mi

E

mi

F

fa

F

f

G

sol

G

sol

Musical forms

A few of the most common forms in classical music, and how they are constructed. Analysis of form in music generally involves the splitting up of the piece into various sections related by theme or mood. The first is designated the "A" section, the second the "B" section and so forth

Binary form

A form in two sections, with either being repeated. The sections should contain thematically related material and be of roughly the same length. The first section begins in the tonic and modulates to a related key, whilst the second finds its way back to the main key.

Simple binary - the material comprising the first section does not return at the close of the second. A very common form in the Baroque period

Rounded binary - the second section culminates with a return of the opening material, rather like a small recapitulation

Ternary form

A form in three sections, with the middle section containing different, contrasting material to the outer two. The third brings a return of the opening section's themes, which may be embellished slightly or be exactly the same. This form manifested itself in several very common types of classical music, including:

Minuet and trio - a short movement in triple time. The opening "A" section comprises the minuet, with the trio being different in character. The return to the minuet is the final "A" section, usually simply marked as "da capo" at the end of the trio

Da capo aria - from opera in the Baroque and Classical eras. The "A" section is the main body of the aria, with the "B" section a contrasting episode prior to the return to the beginning. In time the da capo was written out, to incorporate a stronger finish to the movement and more vocal virtuosity

March - a piece of military music in duple time. The "B" section again represented as a trio, with music of a more relaxed and smooth character, before a return to the main march theme

Rondo form

A form involving two or more contrasting episodes interspersed amongst a recurring main theme. Thematically the "B" and "C" sections should contain different material to each other, whilst the "A" section may be slightly changed in each of its reiterations. This is a common 'finale' form for concertos, with the orchestra playing the main theme and the soloist playing the episodes. Sometimes the final "A" section also brings a recapitulation of material heard in the other episodes

Ritornello form - an earlier Baroque version of Rondo form. In Latin 'ritornare' means 'to return', hence the theme was reiterated in between each different episode

Rondeau - French spelling of the word Rondo. Also an earlier form from the Renaissance, linked to poetry

Sonata rondo form - a movement incorporating elements of both sonata and rondo forms, much favoured by Mozart

Sonata form

A form developed in the Classical era, incorporating several linked sections with the possibility of smaller sections at the beginning and end. This form was favoured by symphonists and chamber music composers alike, and is outlined below

Introduction - an opening passage of music to set the mood and paint a picture, or even to let the audience know the music had started! This section was not always used, but by the Romantic era had become a major compositional feature

Exposition - the main thematic material, comprising a main subject upon which the whole character of the movement rests, and a second subject in a related key. The second subject frequently culminates in a codetta or small ending, tying up the exposition

Development - a section in which the material is developed, variated or even added to with new material. This section enables composers to let their imagination run wild. By the late Romantic era this was the longest part of the movement, and could digress quite far from the original material

Recapitulation - the return of the main themes of the movement. The main subject returns first, followed by the second subject now played in the tonic. Sometimes these themes may be changed slightly, affected by the development in the middle of the movement

Coda - like the introduction, not a mandatory element in the form. Coda literally means 'end' and acts as a structured tying up of the material, usually with an affirmation of the tonic key of the movement

Table of composers

Click the heading of any column to sort by that column. Click again to reverse the order

Composer	Born	Died	Musical era	Nationality	Symphonies	Operas	Other
Adams, John Coolidge	1947	-	Twentieth cen	American	-	4	Orch mus
Bach, Johann Sebastian	1685	1750	Baroque	German	-	224 cant	Organ mus
Beethoven, Ludwig van	1770	1827	Early Romantic	German	9	1	32 pno son
Bernstein, Leonard	1918	1990	Twentieth cen	American	3	2	5 musicals
Brahms, Johannes	1833	1897	Romantic	German	4	-	Cham mus
Broadstock, Brenton	1952	-	Twentieth cen	Australian	5	1	Brass mus
Copland, Aaron	1900	1990	Twentieth cen	American	3	2	3 ballets
Dvorak, Antonin Leopold	1841	1904	Romantic	Bohemian	9	9	Cello con
Haydn, Franz Joseph	1732	1809	Classical	Austrian	104	16	68 str qt
Hovhaness, Alan	1911	2000	Twentieth cen	American	67	7	2 filmscores
Kancheli, Giya	1935	-	Twentieth cen	Georgian	7	1	Filmscores
Mahler, Gustav	1860	1911	Late Romantic	Bohemian	9	-	5 song cyc
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus	1756	1791	Classical	Austrian	41	23	Everything
Rossini, Gioachino Antonio	1792	1868	Classical	Italian	-	39	Sacred mus
Schubert, Franz Peter	1797	1828	Romantic	Austrian	9	10	Lieder
Schumann, Robert	1810	1856	Romantic	German	4	1	Lieder
Strauss, Richard Georg	1864	1949	Late Romantic	German	-	15	10 tone p
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich	1840	1893	Romantic	Russian	6	10	3 ballets
Vine, Carl	1954	-	Twentieth cen	Australian	6	-	Film+TV
Wagner, Wilhelm Richard	1813	1883	Romantic	German	1	13	Influence