Electric Counterpoint III

Question 0

What term is used to describe a repeated phrase?

Answer 0

Ostinato

Question 1

Describe the texture of the first section (up to 0.42)

Answer 1

Polyphonic contrapuntal texture. Guitars in canon (out of sync). Parts coming in one at a time gradual build up.

Question 2

What defines the start of section 2?

Answer 2

Bass guitars entering using note addition and makes key of E minor clear. Before it was ambiguous.

Question 3

What times signature is the piece in?

Answer 3

3/2

Question 4

Name five minimalism techniques.

Answer 4

Phasing, contrapuntal texture, layers, canon, rhyming displacement, thematic metamorphosis, augmentation, diminution, syncopation.

Question 5

What is the overall structure of the piece?

Answer 5

There are three sections: A,B and Coda. A and B have four sub parts each, defined by new concepts being added to the piece. The coda plays the original melody from the beginning but uses frequent modulations.

Question 6

Which instrument enters at the start of section 2 and what bar is this?

Answer 6

Bass guitar and bar 24.

Question 7

What is the tonality of the piece?

Answer 7

For the majority it is in E minor which is defined by the bass guitars entering at bar 42. Before then the tonality is ambiguous and towards the end there are frequent modulations to C minor.

Question 8

What studio effect has been used to help separate out the guitar parts?

Answer 8

The parts have been panned across the left and right speakers. This is also used within the bass guitar parts.

Question 9

Why did minimalist music begin?

Answer 9

It was a response to the rebirth of serialism. Composers felt they couldn’t express themselves through serialism so minimalism evolved.

Question 10

Where and when did minimalism start?

Answer 10

In North America in the 1960-1970s.

Question 11

How many instruments are in the ensembles?

Answer 11

10 guitars: one libpve guitar part, 7 pre recorded guitar parts and 2 bass guitar parts.

Question 12

What is a technique where it starts with some parts in sync and then one or two go out of sync using displacement?

Answer 12

Phasing

Question 13

What is augmentation?

Answer 13

Making the rhythm longer by doubling the rhythm of the notes. Eg crotchet to minim.

Question 14

What is note addition?

Answer 14

Starting with an incomplete ostinato and gradually adding notes until it is the full ostinato.

Question 15

What is the technique describes by this definition?

A harmony that almost always stays on one chord.

Answer 15

Static harmony

Question 16

In which bar is the first big key change?

Answer 16

74

Question 17

What does resultant melody mean and where is this used in Electric counterpoint iii?

Answer 17

A new melody that is produced as a RESULT of a variety of parts playing their melodies at the same time. It is used by the live guitar part in sections A1 and A4.

Question 18

Why does minimalism sound almost hypnotic?

Answer 18

It is the combination of layers of ostinati, thematic metamorphosis, drones, interlocking repeated phrases and rhythms, diatonic harmony and cross rhythms.

Question 19

What type of chords are used?

Answer 19

Chords with added notes if 7ths, 9ths, 11ths and sometimes 13ths.

Question 20

What happens at the coda?

Answer 20

The texture returns to the four part canon that was used at the beginning of the piece. However, the metre and key change frequently.

Question 21

What type of harmony is associated with minimalism?

Answer 21

Tonal- meaning major or minor but in minimalism it is usually minor.

Question 22

What does displacement mean?

Answer 22

Where the accented notes fall in different places.

Question 23

What does counterpoint mean?

Answer 23

A texture where two or more melodic lines are combined.

Question 24

How can the piece be performed?

Answer 24

Either using 10 live guitars or the nine pre recorded parts with a live guitar part as well.