Some help with music terminology and piano music! Please?

[musicbeginner]

Hello everyone,

I have begun to take a music class and I need some help if possible with two piano songs. I hope I am writing in the right place, if not I am very sorry. I am not even sure if I can ask this question on the site, so I apologize in advance if I can't.

In my class we are to observe two favorite songs our own and break them down using music terminology.

1. The songs texture is Polyphony?

2. I am a bit confused with the tempo throughout the song. I need to explain it in the italian terms such as Moderato, Allegro, etc. Am I listening to the notes that are being played, because if so, the tempo changes quite a bit throughout the song, but if I am wrong, I am assuming it stays the same.

3. Man, I am not even sure about the time signature for this song, but I am assuming it is 4/4 and doesn't change throughout the song?

4. I need to explain the dynamics of the song in the italian terminology throughout. This is my observation. From 0:00 to 0:49 the dynamic is Mezzo Piano (medium soft), 0:49 to 1:10 is forte (loud) and decreases around the 1:10 back to Mezzo Piano until 2:10 with the last few seconds being piano (soft). Does this sound about right?

5. Not sure if this is duple or triple meter? If you know can you please explain to me how and why? I'm so confused with these two!

6. The cadence at the end is also confusing to me. Is it an authentic or full cadence...I know it isn't a half cadence or a plagal cadence?

7. The form of song is also confusing to me...ABA?



The second song:

1.I am kind of confused on the texture of this song...Polyphony?

2.I am assume the tempo stays the same throughout the song? Moderato?

3.Tempo is 4/4 throughout whole song.

4.Dynamics are a bit confusing to me with this song, it seems to be mezzo piano but turns to forte at around 1:26 to forte and back to mezzo piano at 1:37?

5.Still confused on duple and triple meter!

6.Cadence is confusing to me here too because it seems as though the song is left without an ending, but not at the same time... is it Half Cadence?

7.The form is ABA?

If anyone can help me, I would really appreciate it. I am so confused with music and terminology, but I am really trying to understand it.
Thanks!

[quantum]

Hi and welcome to Pianostreet.

Have you approached your teacher regarding your questions?  If not, I would recommend you do so.  It seems like there is till a large gap in your understanding of the course material.  

Here is an example of polyphony, notice the independence of each part:

Your uncertainty of the texture is probably due to the accompaniment in your selected pieces sometimes being played above the melody, or being tightly woven into a figuration.  

Think in terms of meter not time signature.  Time signatures are formalities of the score, and there can be many correct responses for time signatures using a given meter.  

In your first piece the cadence may not have been covered in your material.  It is a VII-I.  The V chord being replaced with a modal VII.

In your second piece the cadence moves from ii-I.  Trick is to listen to the bass.

Italian tempo indications are relative, not absolute.  To familiarize yourself with the terms, take Allegro for example, go listen to some given examples where the indication is Allegro.  

Duple meter means two in a bar, triple meter means three in a bar.  Ask yourself when  you listen, what does the music feel like 2 or 3.  From there you determine simple or compound.  Simple means beat subdivision in 2, compound means beat subdivision in 3.

You need to familiarize yourself with what these terms sound like before attempting to recognize them in music.  Go through known examples of them (you should have been provided these in your course), and listen carefully.