Belshazzar's Feast - Walton - 3. If I Forget Thee/Shopping List Flashcards
Describe the texture at the beginning of the ‘If I Forget Thee’ section.
Tripple hetrophony is achieved between the orchestra and the soloist. The standard version of the theme is played in the orchestra. The soloist augments it and the high strings diminute it.
What key have we reached by the ‘If I Forget Thee’ section?
A Major. This can be seen as the lead melody features the notes C#, D, A and F#.
Describe the relationship through the ‘If I Forget Thee’ section between the soloist and the choir.
A call and response idea develops where the choir, in homophony, imitate the line that the soloist has just sung.
Describe the overall mood of the ‘If I forget Thee’ section and how is it created.
The mood is one of sadness. Walton gets this across to us by writing legato melodies and using pianissimo dynamics, as well as relying on more tonal stability than in previous passages.
Describe the chord on the word ‘Joy’ in the ‘If I Forget Thee’ section.
It consists of stacked 3rds. Specifically A#, C#, E, and G#. There is a diminished harmony created from this combination of notes, which suggests that the joy is perhaps tainted.
Describe the texture of the shopping list section.
Monophonic. The Baritone sings a capella as a solo. This creates the feeling of him giving an announcement.
What is special about the use of the word ‘great’ in the shopping list?
There is a septuplet melisma. It begins with a semiquaver descent but diminishes the ‘greatness’ of Babylon.
How does Walton make it clear that the shopping list section is an announcement?
The use of triplets, dotted rhythms and a lack of bar lines create a spoken feel. As well as the tendency to remain on one note for a long amount of time.
What does Walton do for treatment of the word ‘slaves’ in the shopping list?
A leap up of a minor 6th to show the negative connotations of the Babylonians.
What does Walton do for treatment of the words ‘souls of men’ in the shopping list?
To give the word ‘souls’ word painting, there is a legato melisma to represent the delicate nature of souls before a semitone decrease on the word ‘men’ shows the poor treatment of the Babylonians towards the Jews. There is also an appoggiatura which falls from an Eb to a D on the word ‘men’.
