Musical composition for human voice with pitches and melodies
This article is about musical composition with vocals. For the activity of producing song, seeSinging. For other uses, seeSong (disambiguation).
Fortechnical reasons, terms beginning with "Song #" redirect here. For the song by Serebro, seeSong Number 1. For the song by Blur, seeSong 2. For the single by Stone Sour, seeSong 3.
American jazz singer and songwriterBillie Holiday in New York City in 1947
Asong is amusical composition performed by thehuman voice. The voice often carries themelody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have astructure, such as the commonABA form, and are usually made of sections that are repeated or performed with variation later. A song withoutinstruments is said to bea cappella.
Written words created specifically for music, or for which music is specifically created, are calledlyrics. If a pre-existing poem is set to composed music in the classical tradition, it is called anart song. Songs that are sung on repeated pitches without distinct contours and patterns that rise and fall are calledchants. Songs composed in a simple style that are learned informally by ear are often referred to asfolk songs. Songs composed for themass market, designed to be sung by professional singers who sell their recordings or live shows, are calledpopular songs. These songs, which have broad appeal, are often composed by professional songwriters, composers, and lyricists; art songs are composed by trained classical composers for concert or recital performances. Songs are performed instudios and anaudio recording is made, or they are performed live for audience. (In some cases a song may be performed live and simultaneously recorded.) Songs may also appear in theatre (e.g.,opera), films and TV shows.
A song may be for a solo singer, a lead singer supported bybackground singers, aduet,trio, or larger ensemble involvingmore voices singing inharmony, although the term is generally not used for large classical music vocal forms including opera andoratorio, which use terms such asaria andrecitative instead.[1] A song can be sung without accompaniment by instrumentalists (a cappella) or accompanied by instruments. In popular music, a singer may perform with an acoustic guitarist, pianist, organist, accordionist, or abacking band. In jazz, a singer may perform with a single pianist, a small combo (such as a trio or quartet), or with abig band. A Classical singer may perform with a single pianist, a small ensemble, or an orchestra. In jazz and blues, singers often learn songs by ear and they may improvise some melody lines. In Classical music, melodies are written by composers in sheet music format, so singers learn to read music.
Art songs are songs created for performance by classical artists, often with piano or other instrumental accompaniment, although they can be sung solo. Art songs require strong vocal technique, an understanding of language, diction, and poetry for interpretation. Though such singers may also perform popular or folk songs on their programs, these characteristics and the use of poetry are what distinguish art songs from popular songs. Art songs are a tradition from most European countries, and now other countries with classical music traditions. German-speaking communities use the termart song ("Kunstlied") to distinguish so-called serious compositions fromfolk songs (Volkslied). The lyrics are often written by a poet or lyricist and the music separately by a composer. Art songs may be moreformally complicated than popular or folk songs, though many early Lieder by the likes ofFranz Schubert are in simplestrophic form. The accompaniment of European art songs is considered as an important part of the composition. Some art songs are so revered that they take on characteristics of national identification.
Art songs emerge from the tradition of singing romanticlove songs, often to an ideal or imaginary person and from religious songs. Thetroubadours and bards of Europe began the documented tradition of romantic songs, continued by the Elizabethan lutenists. Some of the earliest art songs are found in the music ofHenry Purcell. The tradition of the romance, a love song with a flowing accompaniment, often in triple meter, entered opera in the 19th century and spread from there throughout Europe. It expanded intopopular music and became one of the underpinnings of popular songs. While a romance generally has a simple accompaniment, art songs tend to have complicated, sophisticated accompaniments that underpin, embellish, illustrate or provide contrast to the voice. Sometimes the accompaniment performer has the melody, while the voice sings a more dramatic part.
Folk songs are songs of often anonymous origin (or arepublic domain) that are transmittedorally. They are frequently a major aspect of national or culturalidentity. Art songs often approach the status of folk songs when people forget who the author was. Folk songs are also frequently transmitted non-orally (that is, assheet music), especially in the modern era. Folk songs exist in almost every culture. The German termVolkslied was coined in the late 18th century, in the process of collecting older songs and writing new ones. Popular songs may eventually becomefolk songs by the same process of detachment from their source. Folk songs are more or less in the public domain by definition, though there are many folk song entertainers who publish and record copyrighted original material. This tradition led also to the singer-songwriter style of performing, where an artist has writtenconfessional poetry or personal statements and sings them set to music, most often with guitar accompaniment.
Although songs about boxers and successful racehorses were common in the nineteenth century, few are performed by current singers. In particular, fox-hunting is consideredpolitically incorrect. The most famous song about a foxhunter, "D'ye ken John Peel" was included inThe National Song Book in 1906 and is now often heard as a marching tune.A. L. Lloyd recorded two EPs of sporting ballads; "Bold Sportsmen All" (1958) and "Gamblers and Sporting Blades (Songs of the Ring and the Racecourse)" (1962). TheHigh Level Ranters and Martin Wyndham-Read recorded an album called "English Sporting Ballads" in 1977.The Prospect Before Us (1976) byThe Albion Dance Band contains two rarely heard hunting songs.
The term lute song is given to a music style from the late 16th century to early 17th century, late Renaissance to early Baroque, that was predominantly in England and France. Lute songs were generally in strophic form or verse repeating with a homophonic texture. The composition was written for a solo voice with an accompaniment, usually the lute. It was not uncommon for other forms of accompaniments such as bass viol or other string instruments, and could also be written for more voices. The composition could be performed either solo or with a small group of instruments.
A part song, part-song or partsong is a form ofchoral music that consists of asecular (vs. ecclesiastical) song written or arranged for severalvocal parts. Part songs are commonly sung by anSATB choir, but sometimes for an all-male or all-female ensemble.[5]
The patter song is characterized by a moderately fast to very fasttempo with a rapid succession of rhythmic patterns in which each syllable of text corresponds to one note. It is a staple ofcomic opera, especiallyGilbert and Sullivan, but it has also been used inmusicals and elsewhere.[6]
Marcello Sorce Keller (1984), "The Problem of Classification in Folksong Research: A Short History",Folklore XCV, no. 1, 100–104.
Jean Nicolas De Surmont (2017),From Vocal Poetry to Song, Toward a Theory of Song Objects with a foreword by Geoff Stahl, Stuttgart, Ibidem.
Jean Nicolas De Surmont: From Vocal Poetry to Song. Towards a Theory of Song Objects. Tr. Anastasija Ropa, with a foreword by Geoff Stahl. Stuttgart: Ibidem, 2017.ISBN978383821072-8. 175 pages.
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