Bredon Hill Flashcards
What is the difference in the beginning of stanza 1 and stanza 2?
Stanza 1 begins with anacrusis, while stanza 2 is on beat 1.
How is the accompaniment different between stanza 1 and stanza 2?
Stanza 1 is accompanied by sustained chords throughout, whereas stanza 2 features a more interesting, dotted rhythm.
What is the texture of the accompaniment in stanza 2?
Stanza 2 features antiphonal accompaniment between strings (playing the dotted rhythm) and the piano that plays alternating minor 7th chords.
How do the melodic rhythms of the two stanzas differ?
The melodic rhythms of the two stanzas are slightly different to allow room for the lyric.
Where is an occasional 2nd inversion chord heard?
In the first section A
What chromatic chord is heard in bar 104 to accompany the words ‘groom there was none’?
A half diminished chord (G, Bb, Db, F).
What two instrumental techniques are used at the very start in the upper strings?
Con sord and double stopping.
How does the composer give the impression of bells?
By using tied semibreves and solemn sustained chords, like the tolling of bells.
Describe the texture when the vocal enters (bar 24).
Melody dominated homophony.
Describe features of the vocal melody.
Frequent anacrusis to fit the iambic poetry rhythm, recitative-like, mainly syllabic, with some melismas such as ‘ring’ and ‘happy’ - Word painting.
Describe the use of harmony in this piece.
Chords alternate between two different chords, with rising parallel 7th chords in bars 9-10 and parallel 4ths in bars 16-17 and 20-23.
What is the melody’s mode and style?
Diatonic melody in mixolydian mode, with a folk-like quality.
What is notable about the phrases in the vocal melody?
The first three short phrases of each stanza are higher than the previous.
What is the tessitura of the vocal melody?
Limited tessitura.
What type of chords open the piece?
Minor 7th block chords.
What rhythmic motif is present in the melody?
A dotted rhythm motif with two different notes, giving the impression of two bells.
What is the structure of the song ‘Bredon Hill’?
Introduction A
ABB1CDAPostlude
Before section B, how is the instrumentation reduced and what rhythm is played?
Piano plays crotchet triplets.
What two string techniques are used simultaneously to sound like church bells?
Pizzicato and arco.
What string technique is heard towards the end, before Section A returns?
Open harmonics.
What rhythmic feature is often used at the start of a phrase to fit the iambic nature of the poetry?
Anacrusis.
What mode is explored in the vocal line to create a folk song melody?
Mixolydian on G (flattened 7th).
What melodic feature is used on the word ‘melisma’?
Through long sustained chords (tied semibreves).
How are the strings used at the start to imitate the sound of tolling bells?
Sustained minor 7ths all in root position.
