Defying Gravity Flashcards
Intro dynamics
Sf and accented but used crescendo showing increasing anger
Intro rhythm
- 3/2 which shows they are not on same wavelength and not aligned
- Heavy syncopation to show unstableness with metric shift to 22 at B2 na back to 32 in B8
Intro context / studio techniques
Guitars playing with overdrive on b11 such as wah wah effect
Intro structure
Intro…
Intro melody
- many spoken not sung
- text is mainly syllabic
Intro instrumentation
- vocals
- brass
- winds
- keyboard
- drum kit
- guitar
- tubular bells
- synth
Intro texture
Mainly MDH but usés ‘colla voce’ to follow the voice
Intro key sig
D major as it was transposed from Db major
Intro harmony
- short snappy chords that shift down semitone tone to create chromatic and dissonance as if they arguing
- use of augmented chords
- perfect cadence to end intro
L1 Middle
- homophonic (almost full fanfare)
- change into andante
- key sig of B major and B notes to complement
- motif used throughout
- quieter with use of flute and clarinet
L1 (sad and melancholic) dynamics
- quieter with many crescendos and dims
- fermentas
L1 rhythm
- syncopated
- motif
L1 Mélody
- conjunct with few angular leaps (the disjunct and rising melody is more in chorus)
- few leaps to show the inclination to subvert stereotypes
- legato and melancholic
L1 instruments
- bass clarinet b28
- b30 with guitar and strings to show dissonance and bass guitar
L1 texture
Homophonic choral opening which is legato and conjunct
L1 Harmony
- key sig of F major with reinforced f notes in bass
- rising perfect 5ths
- d resolves to c to create suspension and dissonance
Verse 1 dynamics
- a tempo
- dims to start ‘something has changed within me..’
- pause before ‘leap’
V1 rhythm
-syncopation
- main theme
V1 context
- guitar and overdrive at b45
V1 melody
- usually conjunct with few angular leaps
- uses word painting
V1 instrument
-strings play tremolo
- synth to play main theme
- guitar
V1 texture
MDH
V1 harmony
- back into d major then g major
- along with tremolo of strings, G sus chord played with A to create dissonance
- c sus chords with extended chords
V1 harmony change
Pitch change into G F# D A which shows a lift in mood
Chorus 1 dynamics
- allegro
- crescendo to show growing confidence
C1 rhythm
- motif
- short repeated pattern of ostinato creating cross rhythm over bars
- dotted rhythm
- syncopation
C1 Melody
- high tessitura and range
- scaling arpeggiated pattern
- word painting of ‘pull me down’
- high conjunct with angular leaps
C1 instrumentation
- orchestra has dramatic effect
- brass plays homophonic choral music to create fanfare manner
- tremolo to add tension
- cymbal roll for excitement and hi hat for rhythm
-full band (tutti) to give grand feel
C1 harmony
- b6
- g4
- a5
Section 2 rhythm and harmony
- motif continues
- syncopation
- triplets
- short cycle of 5ths = D G C
C2
- not clashing anymore
- interrupted cadence
- high tessitura
- synth and glockenspiel used for a high magical and celestial sound with repeated quaver accompaniment
- harmony = B6, G5, A4
End of c2 to transition
- harmony and key sig chnages into G major for ‘down’ where it is bitonal
- the c plays the g in bass
- time sim changes from 22 to 44
Transition ‘unlimited’
- leitmotif based on over a rainbow with contrasting sections in g major
- unlimited differences - g g8 f d, together were ‘e f g a’, b b8 a d
- metric shift at b101 to 34 and back after a bar
C3
- allegro
- returns to d major with string piano accomp in 5,4,3 sung by both characters
Build/L2
- homophonic chordal
- sus chords
- B115 into 22 and returns to chromatic melody of opening
- cymbal roll to add excitement
- sing in 3rds and united feel with warmth
REPRISE
- loud dynamics and full orchestra
- homophonic chords
- EVEYRONE = compound perfect 5th jump
- tubular bells giving sense of ethereal
C4
- higher register and chest vogue
- build up finale with tutti in Bm
- flattened submediant of Dmajor
End
- played ‘maestoso’ = majestically
- contrapuntal texture with different music ideas
- harmonic tonic pedal of D but B168 was Bm
- vocalisation to end ahhhh
- fermenta
- end in d major
- polytonic chords of all tones and semis
