Once the breath has been released and the sound started, it may be possibleto play a succession of notes without the tongue interrupting the supply ofbreath. The result is an extremely smooth legato, and a group of notes playedthus is marked by a slur. But a legato effect can also be obtained by the use of aless explosive consonant than 't' to start the sound, such as 'd' or 'dh'. 'Legatotonguing' implies individually tongued notes but played as smoothly aspossible. Here it has to be added that tonguing techniques vary according tothe nature of the instrument. Legato tonguing, for example, is common withbrass instruments because a completely slurred legato would often beimpracticable, if not impossible.When notes are to be tongued separately but very rapidly (e.g. insemiquaver passages at fast speeds), more elaborate methods oftonguing areneeded. A succession of notes produced by the tip of the tongue - 'tttttt' etc. -would soon become tiring, so a 'k' sound produced with the back of the tongueis used in alternation: 'tktktk' etc. (double tonguing) or, in groups of three,'tkttkt' etc. (triple tonguing). Double and triple tonguing also make it possiblefor very rapid repetitions of a single note to be performed.An unusual kind of tonguing, occasionally required by 20th-centurycomposers, is created by rolling an 'r' on the tip of the tongue. This technique,known as 'flutter-tonguing', is generally indicated by the use of tremolo signs(e.g. J )and/or in words: the German Flatterzunge (abbreviated as Flzg.) isoften used. Flutter-tonguing is particularly suited to flue instruments such asthe flute, but it can be successful on others too, such as the trumpet andtrombone.

ctually, the reed in the oboe, cor anglais,bassoon and double bassoon is made of two pieces of cane bound together: allthese are therefore 'double-reed' instruments. The clarinets and saxophones,on the other hand, are 'single-reed' instruments

Transposing instruments are described by thenote which is sounded when Cis played

Transposing instruments

senza vibrato

a tiny circle written0above the note at the pitch at which it will be heard

Multiple stops

con sordino

Col legno

bowed tremolo

Down and up bows are indicated by the signs r; and V

from the 'heel' ofthe bow(the end which is held) to the 'point' (the far end),

lie corde

sui A

portamento

Outlined melody

The bass line

Motifs

Regular phrases

Melodic sequences

Aspects of melody

Melodic composition in more modern styles

Theexercisesthatfollow havebeengroupedinthethreecategories already explained.Whereatransposing instrumenthasbeenrequired,thegivenopeningisprintedhereasthepartwouldbewrittenforthatinstrument;i.e.theopeningmaterialisnotatconcertpitch,butalreadyinthetransposedkey.Exercises6d,6hand6nareexamplesof thismethodwhichisdifferentfromthelayoutinMusic TheoryinPractice,Grade5,SectionI.Inwriting yourmelodiestrytoremember:1)towriteinastylethatwill suitthegivenopening;2)tokeep withinthecompassofthegiveninstrumentandtowrite idiomatically, tryingtoimaginehowthemusicwillsoundinperformance;3)toplanthestructureofyourmelody,dependingonwhatisasked(itcanbehelpfultosketchintheprincipalcadences andmodulationsbefore tryingtowrite anypartofyourcontinuation-alterationsoradjustmentscanbemadelater,ifnecessary);4)toincludenon-harmonynotes,whichwillhelpyourmelodytoflowiftheyaresuitableand well-placed;5) to consider the harmonic implications of your melodic line;6) to consider the overall shape, balance and direction of your completed melody;

The third main category

EX

EX

The three main categories of tonal melodic composition for the Grade 6 examination are:Examples 45 to 54d below fall into the first of these categories. Here is the opening 12-barsentence of a Bourrée movement written by Handel:VIOLIN Handel: Organ Concerto, Op.7 No.1 (Bourrée)Allegro , : 47]Bb major: IbF major: IVb vii° I iib Ib vii°b =IBb major: I IV Ic Vv vi‘Consult AB Guide, Part II, Chapter 22, for more information on instrumental writing. There are many good bookson the subject and at this stage you could not do better than to read Gordon Jacob’s Orchestral Technique (OxfordUniversity Press, available as a paperback). You should try to listen to as much music as you can while followingthe printed score. It does not matter whether the music is ‘live’ or recorded, as long as you appreciate that reading

Melodic composition