Black And Tan Fantasy

Question 1

Form

Answer 1

Based on 12 bar blues

Question 2

Tonality

Answer 2

Home key B flat minor
Modulates to B flat major (bar 13)
Blue notes

Question 3

Harmonic features

Answer 3

Tonal
Diatonic
Chromaticism
Major and Minor chords

Question 4

Modulations

Answer 4

B flat major - bar 13

B flat minor - bar 87

Question 5

Chords

Answer 5

B flat minor 5/3 (root position) - bar 12
E flat minor 6/3 (first inversion) - bar 25^3
Dominant 7th - bar 18^4
F9 - bar 64^4

Question 6

Composition techniques and devices

Answer 6

Chromatic harmonies - bars 19-20
Triplets (e.g bar 37)
Syncopation - bar 60 (RH piano)
Piano stride (New Orleans style)
Blues notes
Blues scale
Jazz quavers swung (e.g piano solo)

Question 7

Instrumentation

Answer 7

Jazz ensemble:
Alto Sax
Tenor Sax
Trumpet (plunger mute)
Trombone
Piano
String Bass
Banjo
Drum kit

Question 8

Points of interest

Answer 8

Shades of Negro spiritual in this composition
Quote from Chopin’s Funeral March in last 4 bars
Major to minor tonalities
Echoes early New Orleans minimal style with strict rigid tempo

Question 9

When was it written and why?

Answer 9

1929 for short film featuring Duke Ellington and his band

Question 10

Bar number for each section (structure)

Answer 10

A (1-12)
B (13-20)
B (21-28)
A (29-40)

A (41-52)
A (52-64)
A (65-76)
A (77-86)

Outro (87-90)

Question 11

What is a New Orleans piano stride?

Answer 11

LH plays single notes (pulse)

RH plays melody

Question 12

A (1-12)

Answer 12

B flat minor
Trio for trumpet, piano and trombone - play parts based on a minor blues sequences
Sad tonality (same as Funeral March quote in final 4 bars)

Question 13

B (13-20)

Answer 13

B flat major
Solo Alto Sax begins over G flat7 harmony then the major chords B flat, E flat, (E flat minor), B flat major, C7, F7, B flat major
Other instruments support harmonies

Question 14

B (21-28)

Answer 14

Alto Sax solo

Accompaniment repeated except bars 27-28 which ends on F9 chord (leads on to the B flat chord in bar 29)

Question 15

Structure

Answer 15

ABBA
AAAA
Outro

Question 16

A (29-40)

Answer 16

B flat major
Improvised trumpet solo with some blue notes and triplets
Thin texture
Supported only by piano and rhythm section

Question 17

A (41-52)

Answer 17

Repeat with same rhythmic 4/4 backing pulse

Piano solo starts on final bar of Trumpet solo

Question 18

A (52-64)

Answer 18

Piano solo in stride style played by Duke

Chromatic bass line and D7 chord in bar 59

Question 19

A (65-76)

Answer 19

Trombone solo colourful effects (bar 73) such as plunger mute, glissandi, trills and staccato

Question 20

A (77-86)

Answer 20

Trumpet solo in quavers and semi quavers plus blue notes used
Rhythm section back solo but tutti accompaniment bars 64-85

Question 21

Outro (87-90)

Answer 21

Quote from Chopin’s Funeral March in B flare minor tonality (same as opening tonality)
Tutti ensemble

Question 22

Composition techniques and devices

Answer 22

Chromatic harmonies (bars 19-20)
Triplets (bar 37)
Syncopation (bar 60 RH piano)
Piano stride, New Orleans style
Blues notes
Blues scale
Jazz quavers are swung