John Williams Star Wars

Question 1

When was star wars released?

Answer 1

1977

Question 2

What is a leitmotif?

Answer 2

Musical ideas associated with a character, object or event that are transformed to become grander, sadder, more romantic or whatever else the dramatic situation demands

Question 3

Give the first leitmotif in star wars

Answer 3

The motif starting on the upbeat to bar 4 of the set work is used to portray heroism and adventure, it soon becomes associated with the hero Luke Skywalker

Question 4

How does Luke’s leitmotif get a heroic quality?

Answer 4

Loud dynamics
.Scoring for trumpets
.Focus on the tonic and dominant of Bb major (Bb and F)
.Strong rising intervals
.The triplet in bar 5, instead of continuing down to Bb leaps a 7th to Bb

Question 5

How do the triplets add to the first leitmotif?

Answer 5

.Often a feature of heroic music

.Add to the march-like quality

Question 6

What does the syncopated accompaniment do with the first leitmotif?

Answer 6

Add excitement

Question 7

Whats the second leitmotif?

Answer 7

Rebel Blockade Runner, introduced in the final ten bars, used whenever the rebel alliance is trying to outrun the Empire, it is essentially just an interval of a minor third

Question 8

Who is the music scored for?

Answer 8

A full symphony orchestra

Question 9

How big is a full symphony orchestra and who is in it?

Answer 9

90 people:
.10 woodwind
.11 brass
.6 persussion
.Harp
.60 strings - (first violins, second violins, violas, cellos, double basses)

Question 10

What is tutti and give an example where

Answer 10

All, or everyone, plays - for example, bar 21

Question 11

What is tremolo and give an example where

Answer 11

On strings, it is small very rapid movements of the bow against the strings - for example, bars 1 - 6

Question 12

What is there no use of?

Answer 12

electric guitars, synthesizers or electronic effects

Question 13

Describe the structure

Answer 13

An introductory fanfare in the first 29 bars followed by an ABA ternary form, the second part after the first 29 bars sets the scene for this particular film

Question 14

What happens in A?

Answer 14

4 bar theme on trumpets, immediately repeated with a different accompaniment

Question 15

What happens in B?

Answer 15

8 bar contrasting theme on violin plus a link

Question 16

What happens in A1?

Answer 16

A repeat of A, more fully scored with small changes and a link

Question 17

What happens in the 3 sections after the ABA section

Answer 17

.Shortened fanfare, crescendo and diminuendo
.Piccolo solo and mysterious harmony
.Sudden orchestral outburst followed by Rebel Blockade Runner leitmotif

Question 18

Describe the tonality up till bar 29 (end of ABA) and how it is enforced

Answer 18

.Bb major
.enforced by an inverted tonic pedal on Bb in bars 1-6
.Dominant pedal on F in bars 11-14
.Phrases that end with a dominant chord of F, creating imperfect cadences

Question 19

The tonality of the second half

Answer 19

.Increasingly atonal
.Dissonant chords
.Sense of bitonality in the last 10 bars
.Chords in Ab minor clash with a rhythmic ostinato on a pedal C

Question 20

Harmony in the first 7 bars

Answer 20

.Quartal harmony, chords built from 4ths
.Chords in root position with some added notes
.Some chromaticism like the parallel triads in bar 7

Question 21

Why do bars 33-35 have little sense of key?

Answer 21

Unrelated keys

Question 22

How is a mystic tone created through harmony?

Answer 22

Interval of an augmented 5th between Ab and E natural through bars 32-39

Question 23

Harmony at the end?

Answer 23

.Chords becoming increasingly dissonant
.Ab clashing with triads of C major
.Note clusters of C-Db-F-G are hammered out bars 46-50
.Parralel triads return in the last 4 bars over a pedal C

Question 24

How does the opening fanfare link to the melody of section A?

Answer 24

.Intervals of 4th and 7th

.Triplet quaver rhythms

Question 25

How does the main theme of Section B differ to that of section A

Answer 25

.For violins in octaves
.Less forceful dynamics
.more stepwise

Question 26

How is the main theme of Section B similar to that of section A

Answer 26

.Intervals of 4ths and 7ths

.Quaver triplet rhythms

Question 27

How is a march-like military mood created?

Answer 27

.Brisk tempo

.4/4 time

Question 28

What does the syncopated accompaniment do?

Answer 28

Add excitement

Question 29

How does the rhythm change throughout the piece?

Answer 29

.Pulse less obvious from bar 33
.Time changes to triple meter at bar 44
.Music gradually slows from 47 to 50
.The last 10 bars are at a faster tempo

Question 30

What is the texture mainly?

Answer 30

Homophonic (melody and accompaniment, often with the melody doubled in octaves)

Question 31

Give an example of an imitative point

Answer 31

Trumpets and trombones in the opening fanfare

Question 32

Where is there a homorhythmic texture present?

Answer 32

Block chords in bars 44-50

Question 33

Give an example of a pedal

Answer 33

A rhythmic ostinato on a pedal C in bars 51 to end