Esperanza Spalding: Samba Em Preludio

Question 1

Which styles is it a fusion of?

Answer 1

Jazz and South American music

Question 2

What is the key of the piece?

Answer 2

B minor

Question 3

What are the parts and what order do they go in?

Answer 3

Intro→Verse 1→Guitar solo→Verse 2→Coda

Question 4

What is the rhythm from bar 19 onwards?

Answer 4

Bossanova rhythm

Question 5

Which instruments play the melody in the first two verses?

Answer 5

Voice and accoustic bass guitar.

Question 6

How do the melodic phrases often start in the first verse?

Answer 6

Triadically

Question 7

Describe the melodic phrases of the first verse.

Answer 7

descending chromatic sequences

Question 8

Describe the music of verse 2.

Answer 8

Stepwise movements and repeated melodies, typical flatened 5th (jazz style)

Question 9

Describe the texture.

Answer 9

Start with monophony in accoustic bass guitar, then mostly polyphonic.

Question 10

Describe the harmony.

Answer 10

Contrary motion, many chord extensions, chromatic chords, diminished intervals

Question 11

What is the metre?

Answer 11

4/4

Question 12

What tempo does it open with?

Answer 12

Free tempo, lots of rubato in verse 1.

Question 13

What is the tempo in verse 2?

Answer 13

Fixed bossa nova tempo, about 140.

Question 14

What is the tempo in the coda?

Answer 14

Free tempo.

Question 15

Describe the rhythms.

Answer 15

Complex rhythms- syncopation, triplets, cross rhythms.

Question 16

Describe the sonority.

Answer 16

Low alto voice, accoustic bass guitar.

Question 17

What ornamentation are used in the accoustic bass guitar?

Answer 17

Double stopping, mordents, glissandos, harmonics.

Question 18

Describe the dynamics.

Answer 18

No written dynamics, but performed very expressively.

Question 19

When was the piece written?

Answer 19

1962 by Brazilian jazz guitarist Baden Powell and composer Vinicius de Moraes

Question 20

When was Spalding’s cover released?

Answer 20

2008