Oklahoma Flashcards
1
Q
Richard Rogers, how was he innovative?
A
- Establishment of the integrated musical - songs which emerge seamlessly from the plot and contribute to character development.
- Hammerstein’s deceptively simple lyrics
- Clearly drawn, realistic characters (Annie)
- Rogers’ musical style - romantic
- Revolutionary opening - opening with the chorus
2
Q
Lonely room - Judd main points
A Section:
A
- B minor
- Characteristic discordant crotchet ostinato
- Recitative-like melody with limited pitch range (4th in opening)
- Limited pitch range expands upwards as her resolves to liberate himself from his circumstances
3
Q
Lonely room - Judd main points B section (Bar 11):
A
- Introduction of descending semiquavers in the harp (day dream like)
- Tonic to dominant bass of chord I juxtaposed with a cluster version of chord V over the top which causes dissonance (instability)
- Series of Unconventional chords, major and minor swells throughout ‘shadder of a tree’ sounds major, ‘dancing in my head’ sounds minor (confusing)
- Range increases and climaxes in B26 with a high B on ‘he thinks he is better than me’
- B27 firmly in a major key chords G7-C (unrelated to B minor) change of mood when he thinks about having Laurie as his own
4
Q
Lonely room - Judd main points
B section continued:
A
- This section climaxes again and end with an even higher note, top C# over C# major chord on the word ‘storm’ - the choice to go to the major version of chord II is an odd one, shows how delusional his dream is
- B27 - tutti and use of block chords that glissando into one another, sounds heavy, passionate and intentional (strong desires to win over Laurie
- After the climax, there is a return to section A and the characteristic discordant crotchet ostinato and limited pitch range returns
- Section develops into a new idea of Judd’s thought at B44 - B minor tonic chord with no alterations (dissonance) for the first time (less confused than the beginning)
5
Q
Lonely room - Judd main points
B section continued 2:
A
- Series of ascending unrelated chromatic chords with leaping octaves at ‘ain’t gonna leave her alone’ as his thoughts become uncontrollable and his intentions get out of hand
- Last 6 bars finish with glissando block chords, again highlighting his strong intentions and desires
- Piece climaxes on the top C# again which clashes with the tonic bass - the accompaniment ends with chord V and I juxtaposed. This again highlights the instability of Judd and the uncertainty of the future
6
Q
Oh What a Beautiful Morning main points
A
- First 12 bars are firmly in the tonic E major chord, with pedal note on the tonic and dominant notes - safe, grounded and homely
- High pitched orchestration such as the oboes and the trilling flutes and represent the birds and wildlife
- Dotted rhythms and lack of an ostinato gives laid back ‘free’ feeling
- B13 curly singing a capella which brings the audience to his personal world
- Opening melody lazily goes up and down the scale in a conjunct movement which reflects his laid back attitude
- B29 repeated B’s on ‘looks like its climbing clear up to the sky’ reflect wide open spaces of Oklahoma
- This is underpinned by 4 chromatically ascending notes, ending on the dominant - word painting on ‘climbing…’
7
Q
Oh What a Beautiful Morning main points continued
A
- B29 Curly breaks into the chorus - swung feel of 3/4 and descending and ascending triads/arpeggio figures, reflect Curly’s enthusiasm and positive outlook
- Chromatically altered notes on poignant words such as ‘morning’ D natural makes ‘feeling’ D# sound elevated
- Detail in instrumentation at B84 ‘All the sounds of the Earth are like music’ staccato bells, strings, harp and horn.
8
Q
Other notable points - Oh What a Beautiful Morning
A
- Annie in Oklahoma - indecisive adolescent temperament is shown in metre changes, contrasting textures, some syncopation and touches of chromatic harmony and melody
- The AABA chorus of ‘The Surrey with a Fringe on Top’ - persistent rhythms suggest the sound of horse hooves
