Music For A While

Question 1

What is the tonality?

Answer 1

• minor
• A minor
• Section B is C major
• modulations
• accidentals

Question 2

What is the ground bass part like?

Answer 2

Very chromatic with lots of accidentals

Question 3

What’s the structure/form

Answer 3

Ternary form. Final section is extended with another repetition if shall all your cares beguile

Question 4

What are the instruments?

Answer 4

• solo singer and continuo
• soprano
• basso continuo played by harpsichord, lute and bass viol

Question 5

What are they dynamics like?

Answer 5

Non existent

Question 6

What is the ground bass?

Answer 6

• a repeating melodic phrase in the bass part
• often chromatic
• 3 bars long (unusual for 4/4 time)
• continuous quavers-walking bass line
• played by harpsichord and bass viol

Question 7

What are examples of word painting?

Answer 7

1) short notes sound like raindrops on drop
2) notes descend like rain
3) music stops for a quaver to emphasise dead
4) eternity is dragged out with melisma
5) tierce de picardie (change of key)

Question 8

What is melisma?

Answer 8

More than one pitch per syllable

Question 9

What are the 4 features?

Answer 9

• ground bass
• word painting
• melisma
• suspensions

Question 10

What changes in the second A section?

Answer 10

• additional ornamentation, so singer shows of range

- final chord is arpeggiated