Ornamentation (music)

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ornamentation-music

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the expressive function?Enhances emotional depth, rhythmic vitality, and performer's virtuosity
2. What is musical ornamentation?Musical ornamentation is when musicians add extra notes or small musical tricks to a melody. These additions make the music sound more expressive and show off the performer’s skill.
3. Why do musicians add ornaments to music?Musicians add ornaments to give the music more feeling, make it sound urgent or grand, and to keep listeners interested with interesting sounds.

Virtuosity: Exceptional technical skill and mastery in the performance of music.
Improvisation: The spontaneous creation of music during a performance.
Treatise: A formal written work that discusses a particular subject in detail.