How to Listen for Music

1. a. the sensuous plane As Copland points out, the appeal of music at this level is self-evident. The sound element in music is a powerful as well as a mysterious agent. The surprising thing (he adds) is that many people who consider themselves qualified music lovers listen at this level only; they go to concerts in order to lose themselves; they use music as a consolation or as an escape. However, there is such a …

…the long line," which provides listeners with a sense of direction. A composer might employ the principles of repetition and non-repetition to give a long piece and a short piece respectively the feeling of "balance." The composer also "shapes" his or her musical materials by "partitioning" the work, presenting in in a number of movements (say). Fundamental forms include the fugue, the concerto grosso, the sonata, and the symphony, to some a few traditional forms.