MUSICAL TIME AS MEMORY
July 23, 2007 by Josh
All music, the world over, unfolds within some kind of time frame, ranging from a few seconds to several hours or more. To make sense of what we are hearing, it’s essential for us to notice how musical patterns are organized within a time frame.
This is a basic skill to develop in order to truly enjoy a piece of music or perform it or dance to it with some degree of accomplishment.
Here are some key questions to think about as you listen:
What patterns repeat?
What provides contrast?
Is there some kind of development?
Is the music static? What makes you say yes or no?
How does time feel to you as you listen to a certain piece of music?
What role does memory play in helping you recognize musical “time”?
