Contour + Motivic Development

A melody can be defined by it's contour or shape.

The shape of a melody can take many forms, such as conjunct or disjunct or mixed, ascending or descending or combinations of both. Melodies can have sequences and repetition of melodic ideas, or ostinato patterns.

Conjunct Motion:

Conjunct motion has primarily step-wise, or scale-based movement between notes.

• “Mary Had a Little Lamb”

Conjunct Melodic Examples:

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622, III
• Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op. 9
• Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet in F major, Op. 59, No. 1 (Razmovsky), I
• “America” (patriotic song)
• Beethoven, “Ode to Joy” from Symphony No. 9 (Start listening at the 2:30 mark)

Disjunct Motion:

Disjunct motion melodies have more distances, or larger intervals between notes:

• Johannes Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major , Op. 77, III
• Claude Debussy: Children's Corner Suite, "Golliwog's Cakewalk"
• Wagner: “Ride of the Valkyries”
• Piazzolla: Primavera portena (Spring) Piano trio

Disjunct Melody Examples:

Ascending Melody:

• Strauss: Don Juan / Dudamel · Berliner Philharmoniker

Descending Melody:

• Handel: Joy to the World!

Contour

Wavelike:

• La Marseilleise (French national anthem)

Arch-Shaped Melody

• Dmitri Shostakovich - Romance (from The Gadfly)

Learn about Sequences (with audio examples)

http://musictheoryprof.com/2015/11/whats-a-sequence/

Sequence Phrase Example:

• Sibelius: Finlandia

Ostinato: (repeating sections/motives)

• François Couperin: Second livre de clavecin, "Les barricades misterieuses"
• Chopin: Marche Funebre Emanuel Ax, piano
• Erik Satie - Gymnopédie No.1

Experiment making your own melodies:

• https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Melody-Maker/