Pop - Beatles - Eleanor Rigby - MELODY/TONALITY

Question 1

What is the key of Eleanor Rigby

Answer 1

E minor

with some striking modal inflections

Question 2

Name a striking feature of the melodic writing in Eleanor Rigby?

Answer 2

Its modal inflections

Bar 1 - F# over a C major chord - implies lydian mode

Bar 10 - C# seems to imply Dorian mode BUT Cnat in bar 13 hints at aeolian mode

Question 3

Describe the melody of the introduction to Eleanor Rigby

Answer 3

• The introduction = repeated rising and falling melody
• Initial stepwise line rising E to A over C chord
  BUT presence of F# implies Lydian mode (bright sound)
• Plunge down to G, 9th below highest note, harmonised by E min chord

Question 4

What are the interesting melodic features of the verses of Eleanor Rigby?

Answer 4

• Mode of verses seems to be E min dorian (shown by C# BUT replaced by Cnat (aeolian) in last bar of phrase
• First bar of vocal line - triadic descent highlights names of characters:
  Eleanor Rigby
  Father Mackenzie
• Middle 3 bars marked by descending sequence + syncopation

- Final single bar of verse highlights situation or message:
Verse 1 - "lives in a dream"
Verse 2 - "who is it for?"
Verse 3 - "no one comes near"
Verse 4 - "no one was saved"

Question 5

What is a feature of the melodic writing in the refrain of Eleanor Rigby?

Answer 5

The chorus melody avoids the 6th and 7th degrees of the scale

i.e. only uses notes 1, 3, 4 and 5

Question 6

How is despair underlined in the melodic writing of Eleanor Rigby?

Answer 6

Despair is underlined by:

• upwards octave leap -bar 20 - “where do they all come from..”
  followed by rapid descent to tonic
• leap of minor 10th - bar 24 “where do they all belong”
• closes on the mediant (3rd)