Rite of Spring vs. Bulgarian Chant

There are many ways of describing music. Examples of such descriptions may include identifying a song’s texture, harmony, and tempo, among other things. “The Rite of Spring” by Stravinsky and “Bulgarian Chant” by an unknown composer are two basic pieces that can be described with some basic terminology. “The Rite of Spring” is an instrumental piece composed by Stravinsky. This particular work of Stravinsky is polyphonic. The chords of the song are very dissonant and make for an unsettling and somewhat eerie tune. It is a complex piece, with a tempo varying from moderato to allegro. The piece contains many crescendos and decrescendos. Beginning very loud, it quickly decrescendos, only to crescendo right after. Finally, the timbre is also a descriptive way to classify a composition. The general timbre of “The Rite of Spring” is not contained to one instrument or pitch. Instead, it varies pitches and constitutes an entire orchestra almost the entire duration. “Bulgarian Chant” is an A-cappella piece of an unknown composer, originating from the Byzantine Christian Church. It is a monophony, with very consonant chords. The tempo of the piece is andante. Throughout the piece, the dynamics stay approximately the same, a soft melody. Lastly, the piece’s timbre is a combination of soprano and alto voices. I particularly favored the “Bulgarian Chant”. I also enjoyed the two movements of “The Rite of Spring”, but I found the “Bulgarian Chant” intriguing. I have heard pieces similar to “The Rite of Spring”, but I have never heard anything like the chant; I believe this is why I favored it. I noticed that even though I could not understand what they were chanting, I could still enjoy the