Fusions - Shankar - Breathing Under Water - STRUCTURE/TONALITY

Question 1

Outline the key and features of tonality of Breathing Under Water

Answer 1

• Key of Db major (clear from end plagal cadence)
  BUT starts obliquely in Bb minor

Section 1
- alternates chords of Bb minor and Ab major
(could be I and VII in Aeolian Bb minor BUT more likely VI and V in Db major.
- Db tonality is hidden until “disguised” plagal cadence in bars 14-17 (disguised by sus4)

Section 2 
- = more ambiguous
- key sig = 4 sharps BUT not really E major C# min COS no E or C#min chords
- most common chord is A major
- D#s may hint at A maj Lydian 
BUT final chord is A minor

Sections 3 and 4
= diatonic and tonally ambiguous, similar to section 1, until clear ending in Db major

Question 2

Outline of structure of Breathing Under Water

Answer 2

4 sections and a short coda:

Section 1

• Db
• balanced 4-bar phrases: A-A1-B-B1 (extended to link with next section)

Section 2

• C#
• 4-bar phrasing BUT sitar phrases out of sync with accompaniment phrases (1-bar later)
• new motif for sitar THEN voice added

Section 3

• Db
• variation of opening section
• co-ordinated with voice

Section 4

• Db
• elaboration of sitar material plus vocal and slow melody in strings

Coda

• chromatic line in cello solo
• plagal cadence