notes from score - the dutchess

Question 1

general

Answer 1

• mostly melody-dominated homophony
• classical orchestration (harp & strings, later horns & woodwind)
• elements of traditional classical orchestra - but not pastiche - not used in ‘classical way’
• straight 4-bar phrases
• major modality - sense of optimism
• no chromaticism apart from C♮ - diatonic within mode
• chord I & V the whole way - simple harmony
• phycho - much more liberal use of dissonance & complex chords - here much more simple - attitude/optimism of a young person

Question 2

opening

Answer 2

• harp ostinato figure used 4th & 5th intervals - used throughout - sense of energy
• quite sparse texture
• simple phrasing
• b 1 tonic, b 3 minor dominant (b 4 uses c♮)

Question 3

bars 9 - 14

Answer 3

• slightly fuller texture with violin 2 added
• Amin7 chord used b 11
• b 12 appoggiaturea used - resolves by step - diatonic dissonance
• b 13&14 extended Amin chord for 2 bars (asymmetry - maybe due to film edits) - prior to transition & rit - similar to elfman

Question 4

bars 15 - 34

Answer 4

• a tempo, slightly fuller texture
• D pedal b 15 - 36 (tonic)
• b 17 violin solo (repeated again b 27 - slight variation)
• b 17-18 - note of anticipation & appoggiatura
• tonic-dominant upbeat in timp & cellos
• b 21 D pedal is played uder Am7 chord - simple but effective use of harmony
• b 25 addition of bassoon - more textural layers gradually being added (classical orchestra)
• b 33 counter-melody introduced in cellos

Question 5

bars 35 - end

Answer 5

• tutti with addition of horns & woodwind - elements of classical orchestra
• counter-melody continues in cellos (Dmaj & Amin arpeggios)
• ends on tutti chord of Dmaj