Defying Gravity by Stephen Schwartz Flashcards
list as many features of the melody of DG as you can
- 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
describe the structure of DG
- 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
list as many features of the harmony DG as you can
- 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
describe the tonality of DG
- ambiguous
- B maj, D maj, B min, G maj
describe the texture of DG
- sparse texture at first with monophonic vocals
- chordal accompaniment
- counterpoint
- tutti
- ostinato
list as many features of the instrumentation of DG as you can
- 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
describe the rhythm, metre, tempo of DG
- 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
give an example of a rising bassline in DG
b.46-48 to build anticipation
give an example of a rising sequence in DG
b.6-7 ‘hurt your cause’
give an example of a sequence in DG
Elphaba’s intro is one semitone below Glinda’s but the same pattern (D vs Db)
give an example of when the D maj chord is outlined by the melody
- unlimited theme
- bar 50 chorus ‘it’s time to try’ (d is the tonic, this is the title hook and leading melody)
give an example where DG is scalic
b.49-50 broken chords
give an example of ostinato in DG
b.88 onwards - D f# and G, unlimited notes
give an example where DG references other songs
- 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
give an example of how DG is mostly conjunct
bar 2 ‘I hope you’re happy’ also syllabic
what is ostinato
what does colla voce mean
what does recitative mean
what does monophonic mean
what is melody dominated homophony
give an example of some leaps in DG
- perfect 5th b.34 ‘has changed
- compound 5th b.140 ‘lately every’
- 8ve b.135 at belting climax
- 11th b.39-40 ‘the rules’
give an example of word-painting in DG
- b.49 ‘leap’
- b.168 ‘down’ note stays high
give an example of dissonance and resolution in DG
b. 174 - ‘bring her’ to ‘down’
- b.24-25 ‘still be with the wizard’
give an example of low loud brass chords in DG
b.20 to hint at main song, andn b.58
give an example of chromatically descending chords in DG
b1-13 - D, C#m, C, B then Db, Cm, Cb
when does the harmonic rhythm speed up in DG?
b.40 ‘rules of someone else’s game’
give an example of power chords in DG
b51 onwards - B5-G5-A5-A5 repeatedg
give an example of an imperfect cadence in DG
b.48-49 D-A
give an example of an interrupted cadence in DG
b168 goes to Bm
give an example of 3rd harmony in DG
b107 ‘you and I’
give an example of unison in DG
b18-20 ‘I hope you’re happy right now’, b105
give an example of root position chords in DG
b11
give an example of sus chords in DG
b42 Csus2 and Dsus4
what does the ambiguous tonality of DG singify?
questioning characters
when does DG modulate to G?
b88 contrasting section (unlimited)
when does DG modulate to D?
b 33 at the start of song proper and at b103
when does DG modulate to B?
b20
when does DG modulate to C?
b129-131
give an example of counterpoint in DG
b168 climax
when does the accompaniment become homophonic and chordal in DG?
b111
give an example of drum techniques used in dg
- closed hi-hat crotchets for rhythmic momentum b51 ‘defying gravity’
- b122 cymbal roll bring excitement for key change
give an example of guitar techniques used in dg
b45 overdrive
give an example where tubular bells are used in dg
b147 ethereal sonority
give an example where glockenspiel and synth are used in dg
- synth b33 outlines d maj
- b80 high glock quavers - magical
give an example where there is strong piano accompaniment in dg
3rd chorus b103
give an example of metrical displacement in dg
b51-53 - 3 notes before repeat doesnt fit 44 time sig
why does the time sig of dg change?
to fit the words
give an example of triplets in dg
b 60 ‘can’t i make you understand’ has a syncopated version b63
