Purcell: Music for a While

Question 1

Melody

Answer 1

• the melodies of the song feature stepwise movement with passing notes, and there are sequences
• the detached notes for the lyric ‘drop’ is an example of word painting
• bar 20 and 21 feature melisma on the word ‘eternal’
• phrase lengths are not regular
• ornamentation is used in the harpsichord part
• there are frequent descending phrases

Question 2

Harmony and tonality

Answer 2

• dissonance and suspensions to aid the message of the lyrics and story of Oedipus
• a ground bass with chromatic notes
• Tierce de Picardie in bar 23
• false relations
• The overall tonality is A minor

Question 3

Structure

Answer 3

• the song is written in da capo aria form, which is a type of ternary form
• the song revolves around a ground bass in the left hand of the harpsichord and bass viol

Question 4

Metre, rhythm and tempo

Answer 4

• a simple time 4/4 metre
• a continuous quaver pulse is maintained by the ground bass throughout
• performing the song slowly, but has no written tempo marking which was common in the Baroque period

Question 5

Timbre

Answer 5

• countertenor voice (now performed with a soprano)
• harpsichord
• bass viol

Question 6

Texture

Answer 6

• melody-dominated homophony
• some imitation between the voice and harpsichord right hand parts
• the left hand of the harpsichord together with the bass viol double the same part

Question 7

Dynamic

Answer 7

-there are no alterations to the dynamic level or articulation in the performance as they are not written in the score