AOS 3 - Wicked Flashcards
Who wrote the music and lyrics for Wicked, in what year was it first staged, and what story does it tell?
Stephen Schwartz – 2003 – Alternative version of the Wizard of Oz from the witches’ point of view.
Where does ‘Defying Gravity’ fall within the show and what is happening within the story?
Act One finale – Elphaba discovers the Wizard is not a hero and vows to fight him and his plans.
What type of ensemble is the piece scored for?
Large pit band.
Which voice type is the duet written for, and what range is needed?
Soprano/Mezzo Soprano – Range just under 2 octaves (G-F#)
How can we describe the structure of this piece?
Verse – Chorus form.
What does the term ‘recitative’ mean?
Vocal music mimics the rhythms of regular speech.
Why is the opening considered tonally ambiguous?
It uses lots of chromatic and unrelated chords.
The piece modulates frequently, but which key are the main parts of the song in?
D Major.
There are pedal notes used within this piece, what does this mean?
A sustained or repeated note, with the harmony changing around it.
There are some occasional sus chords, what does this mean?
The 3rd of the chord is replaced by either the 2nd above the root (sus2) or the 4th above the root (sus4).
Is the text setting mainly syllabic or melismatic?
Syllabic
How can we describe the movement of the melody throughout the piece?
It begins conjunct, with increasingly wide angular leaps through the piece.
What is the main texture during the verses?
Melody dominated homophony.
Why is the duet writing considered simplistic?
It is mostly sung separately or in unison, it is only briefly written in thirds.
Why is syncopation important to the rhythm of this piece?
Push rhythms support building anticipation and suspense.
