Portman: The Duchess

Question 1

When was The Duchess released?

Answer 1

2008
20-21st century

Question 2

When is The Duchess movie set?
What is it about?

Answer 2

18th-century
Chronicle of life of an aristocrat in a loveless marriage

Question 3

What is the style of the music?

Answer 3

References made to music of 18th-century
But 21st-century adaptation of those styles combined with film underscoring

Question 4

What are the instruments in ‘The Duchess’?

Answer 4

Strings
Harp
Woodwind
Horns

Question 5

How is ‘The Duchess’ structured?

Answer 5

3 sections:
Theme A
Theme B
Theme C

Question 6

How are each of the 3 themes in ‘The Dutches’ similar?

Answer 6

Instrumentation
Stepwise movement

Question 7

What are the themes in ‘The Duchess’ underpinned by?

Answer 7

Simple harmonic scheme

Question 8

What chords is much of the 3 themes of ‘The Duchess’ based on?

Answer 8

D major
A minor

Question 9

How does ‘The Duchess’ open?
When does this appear in the score?

Answer 9

Harp playing quaver motif
Appears several times in the score

Question 10

What does ‘Mistake of Your Life’ reflect?

Answer 10

Mood of Duchess’s failing marriage

Question 11

What is the time signature of ‘Mistake of Your Life’?

Answer 11

Triple time

Question 12

How is ‘Mistake of Your Life’ structured?

Answer 12

Alternates between 2 main themes:

Intro, A, B, A ,B, A

Question 13

As ‘Mistake of Your Life’ opens,
How do the strings play?
What do they play over?
What repeated element is played with the strings?

Answer 13

Slow-moving
A sustained D
Timpani figure

Question 14

Describe theme 1 of ‘Mistake of Your Life’

Answer 14

Simple four-bar idea

Question 15

Through ‘Mistake of Your Life’, how is theme 1 changed?

Answer 15

Transformed melodically and harmonically

Question 16

How does ‘Mistake of Your Life’ end?

Answer 16

Low, ominous string chords

Question 17

How is the mood of ‘Six Years Later’ made to be different from the rest of the score?

Answer 17

Dance rhythms

Question 18

What is the dance rhythm used in ‘Six Years Later’?
How does the sting accompaniment add to this?

Answer 18

Waltz
‘Oom pah pah’ accompaniment

Question 19

What element of the rest of the score is kept in ‘Six Years Later’?
What does this create in the otherwise light-hearted theme?

Answer 19

Alternating chords of D major and A minor
Ambivalence (mixed feelings)

Question 20

When does ‘Six Years Later’ move into a new section?

Answer 20

Bar 29 after a pause

Question 21

What does the new section of ‘Six Years Later’ include?

Answer 21

Material from the opening cue

Question 22

In ‘Never See Your Children Again’, what note is sustained?

Answer 22

D

Question 23

What is the sustained D note heard against in ‘Never See Your Children Again’?

Answer 23

Background of dissonant harmonies with much use of dynamic shading
A short ascending theme

Question 24

What element from ‘Mistake of Your Life’ is heard in ‘Never See Your Children Again’?

Answer 24

The timpani figure

Question 25

What does the timpani figure form ‘Mistake of Your Life’ in ‘Never See Your Children Again’ lead into?
What is heard against the sustained D in the new section?

Answer 25

A new section
The harp motif

Question 26

What is the sound of the final chord in ‘Never See Your Children Again’?
How does it achieve this?

Answer 26

Ominous
G diminished chord over the sustained D

Question 27

What is the material form ‘The Duchess’ (End Titles) taken from?

Answer 27

The opening

Question 28

What is the structure of ‘The Duchess’ (End Titles)?

Answer 28

Theme A
Theme B
Theme C
Coda

Question 29

What are the themes in ‘The Duchess’ (End Titles) underpinned by?

Answer 29

A simple harmonic scheme where the chords change every 2 bars

Question 30

What does the coda in ‘The Duchess’ (End Titles) make much use of like other parts of the score did?

Answer 30

The alternation of D major and A minor chords