elements of music - prelude Flashcards
1
Q
melody
A
- favours use of motifs from which he builds longer melodic structures by repetition, sequence & development
- melodic component of Prelude idea 2 (violin 1 b 5) is constructed from 2 interlocking major 3rds E/G# & F/A, which is also used to create ostinato from b 29 - figure similar to one from Rite of Spring
- upwards semitone figure first heard b 3 used in many ways throughout the film (could be connected to ‘duality’ of norman bates’ mind:
- used as an ostinato in predlude b 3 onwards
- ‘sighing’ motif (inverted) b 45-46
- (other instances throughout the film)
2
Q
harmony & tonality
A
- chromatic harmony which avoids a tonal centre
- opens with ambiguous minor-major chord that becomes important feature of the subsequent music
- opening uses dissonant chord ‘Hitchcock chord’ consisting of minor chord with added major 7th - stanes starkly as immediately unstable sound at head of film & does not develop or lead anywhere - used throughout Prelude both in its ‘rhythmic’ version & as accompaniment to other material (eg b 47-48, 126-130)
- extension chord eg b 21 - C#7 chord with minor 9th added (make triads dissonant)
- juxtaposition of chords a semitone apart eg b 37-40 Ebmin, b 41-44 Emin
3
Q
tempo, rhythm & metre
A
- broadly fast in tempo
- 2/4
- strong rhythmic drive fuelled by incessant quaver movement
- interrupted by syncopated shythm of ‘hitchcock’ chord
- nervous bartok-like triplet semiquaver figure (idea 1 violin 1 b 5)
- contrasting dotted quaver/semiquaver figure (b 21) always concluded by a syncopated pizz accent in bass
- moments of relaxation in idea 4 b 37-48
4
Q
sonority
A
- opening ‘hammered chords’ (repeated down bows)
- ‘obsessive’ quaver ostinato figures
- pizzicato cello and bass notes, sometimes as a pulse b 5-14 & sometimes as syncopated punctuations (bass in b 21-24)
- fingered tremolo b 41
5
Q
texture
A
- homorhythmic texture in opening bars
- homophonic texture b 37-48
- b 27-34 layers three ostinato ideas
