Defying Gravity by Stephen Schwartz Flashcards

1
Q

list as many features of the melody of DG as you can

A
  • mostly conjunct
  • some leaps - 5ths and compound 5ths
  • word painting - ‘leap’
  • scalic
  • outlines D maj chord - ‘its time’
  • rising bassline before C1
  • dissonance - ensemble - and resolution (violin - ‘still be’)
  • edited quote from ‘wizard and i’ - ‘you can’
  • rising sequence - ‘hurt’
  • ostinato - repeated high quavers - and semiquavers - notes from somewhere over the rainbow - ‘unlimited’ - spread throughout
  • legato
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2
Q

describe the structure of DG

A
  • verse-chorus with added sections
  • intro: I hope you’re happy
  • V1: something has changed
  • C1: it’s time to try
  • V2: I’m through accepting limits
  • C2: i’d sooner try
  • bridge: unlimited
  • C3: just you and I
  • varied intro reprise: so if you care
  • C4: tell them how I’m
  • coda: and nobody in all of oz
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3
Q

list as many features of the harmony DG as you can

A
  • chromatically descending chords
  • sus chords
  • bare 5th power chords
  • 3rd harmonies
  • unison
  • low loud brass chords
  • interrupted and imperfect cadences
  • initial slow harmonic rhythm, slows then speeds up
  • root position chords
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4
Q

describe the tonality of DG

A
  • ambiguous
  • B maj, D maj, B min, G maj
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5
Q

describe the texture of DG

A
  • sparse texture at first with monophonic vocals
  • chordal accompaniment
  • counterpoint
  • tutti
  • ostinato
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6
Q

list as many features of the instrumentation of DG as you can

A
  • elphaba is mezzo soprano
  • glock and synth
  • guitar with overdrive
  • violin and strings with tremolo
  • low brass
  • fanfare-like - tutti climax
  • chordal and sustained
  • tubular bells
  • starts colla voce
  • drums
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7
Q

describe the rhythm, metre, tempo of DG

A
  • 3/2 then 2/2
  • triplets with syncopated version
  • counterpoint climax
  • tempo faster at climax chorus reprise, contrast at coda
  • recitative
  • metrical displacement
  • ff, mf, sf, pp, maestoso, andante
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8
Q

give an example of a rising bassline in DG

A

b.46-48 to build anticipation

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9
Q

give an example of a rising sequence in DG

A

b.6-7 ‘hurt your cause’

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10
Q

give an example of a sequence in DG

A

Elphaba’s intro is one semitone below Glinda’s but the same pattern (D vs Db)

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11
Q

give an example of when the D maj chord is outlined by the melody

A
  • unlimited theme
  • bar 50 chorus ‘it’s time to try’ (d is the tonic, this is the title hook and leading melody)
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12
Q

give an example where DG is scalic

A

b.49-50 broken chords

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13
Q

give an example of ostinato in DG

A

b.88 onwards - D f# and G, unlimited notes

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14
Q

give an example where DG references other songs

A
  • b.23 ‘You can still be with the wizard’ is an edited quote from the Wizard and I
  • unlimited notes come from somewhere over the rainbow
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15
Q

give an example of how DG is mostly conjunct

A

bar 2 ‘I hope you’re happy’ also syllabic

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16
Q

what is ostinato

A
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17
Q

what does colla voce mean

A
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18
Q

what does recitative mean

A
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19
Q

what does monophonic mean

A
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20
Q

what is melody dominated homophony

A
21
Q

give an example of some leaps in DG

A
  • perfect 5th b.34 ‘has changed
  • compound 5th b.140 ‘lately every’
  • 8ve b.135 at belting climax
  • 11th b.39-40 ‘the rules’
22
Q

give an example of word-painting in DG

A
  • b.49 ‘leap’
  • b.168 ‘down’ note stays high
23
Q

give an example of dissonance and resolution in DG

A

b. 174 - ‘bring her’ to ‘down’
- b.24-25 ‘still be with the wizard’

24
Q

give an example of low loud brass chords in DG

A

b.20 to hint at main song, andn b.58

25
Q

give an example of chromatically descending chords in DG

A

b1-13 - D, C#m, C, B then Db, Cm, Cb

26
Q

when does the harmonic rhythm speed up in DG?

A

b.40 ‘rules of someone else’s game’

27
Q

give an example of power chords in DG

A

b51 onwards - B5-G5-A5-A5 repeatedg

28
Q

give an example of an imperfect cadence in DG

A

b.48-49 D-A

29
Q

give an example of an interrupted cadence in DG

A

b168 goes to Bm

30
Q

give an example of 3rd harmony in DG

A

b107 ‘you and I’

31
Q

give an example of unison in DG

A

b18-20 ‘I hope you’re happy right now’, b105

32
Q

give an example of root position chords in DG

A

b11

33
Q

give an example of sus chords in DG

A

b42 Csus2 and Dsus4

34
Q

what does the ambiguous tonality of DG singify?

A

questioning characters

35
Q

when does DG modulate to G?

A

b88 contrasting section (unlimited)

36
Q

when does DG modulate to D?

A

b 33 at the start of song proper and at b103

37
Q

when does DG modulate to B?

A

b20

38
Q

when does DG modulate to C?

A

b129-131

39
Q

give an example of counterpoint in DG

A

b168 climax

40
Q

when does the accompaniment become homophonic and chordal in DG?

A

b111

41
Q

give an example of drum techniques used in dg

A
  • closed hi-hat crotchets for rhythmic momentum b51 ‘defying gravity’
  • b122 cymbal roll bring excitement for key change
42
Q

give an example of guitar techniques used in dg

A

b45 overdrive

43
Q

give an example where tubular bells are used in dg

A

b147 ethereal sonority

44
Q

give an example where glockenspiel and synth are used in dg

A
  • synth b33 outlines d maj
  • b80 high glock quavers - magical
45
Q

give an example where there is strong piano accompaniment in dg

A

3rd chorus b103

46
Q

give an example of metrical displacement in dg

A

b51-53 - 3 notes before repeat doesnt fit 44 time sig

47
Q

why does the time sig of dg change?

A

to fit the words

48
Q

give an example of triplets in dg

A

b 60 ‘can’t i make you understand’ has a syncopated version b63

49
Q
A