Release

Question 1

What are the Celtic forces?

Answer 1

hurdy-gurdy, uillean pipes, low-whistle, fiddle, bodhran and accordion

Question 2

What are the African forces?

Answer 2

Kora and talking drum

Question 3

What are the Western forces?

Answer 3

electric piano, synthesiser, shaker, tambourine, male vox, female vox, drum machine and breath samples

Question 4

Describe the structure of the piece?

Answer 4

1. It is in verse form
2. There are 3 verses
3. There is also an intro, solos, a break and an outdo

Question 5

Describe the intro

Answer 5

1. A synth pad drone with filter sweeps establishes the key
2. A talking drum solo joins in (for effect rather than pulse)
3. A shaker starts to introduce the rhythm
4. The pulse becomes clear with the addition of a bodhran rhythm
5. Male, African spoken vocals are heard
6. A simple kora riff can be heard twice over the loops

Question 6

Describe verse 1

Answer 6

1. Sung by Sinead O’Connor in English
2. Each line is split into two-bar phrases
3. The instrumentation builds up in the next 8 bars
4. An ascending chromatic bass line is played in the next 8 bars

Question 7

Describe the break

Answer 7

8 bars of bodhran, bass guitar, percussion and breath sample

Question 8

describe verse 2

Answer 8

1. Larla O Lionaird sings this verse in Gaelic and splits the phrases more irregularly than O’Connor
2. In the final 8 bars there is an ascending chromatic line and the bass drops out

Question 9

describe solo 1

Answer 9

1. uilleann pipes solo
2. doubled by the tin whistle in the second four bars
3. lasts 8 bar

Question 10

describe solo 2

Answer 10

1. low whistle solo
2. over ascending chromatic line
3. the bass drops out and the bodhran part is much simpler and sparser

Question 11

describe the second break

Answer 11

1. 2 bars long
2. repeated vocal sample with the accordion rhythm as the main driving force while most other parts drop out

Question 12

describe solo 3

Answer 12

1. hurry-gurdy solo
2. with vocal sample
3. the other parts join in

Question 13

describe verse 3

Answer 13

1. same as first verse but the hurdy-gurdy solo continues underneath
2. after 8 bars, the uilleann pipe solo is added

Question 14

describe the build/outro

Answer 14

1. interweaving loops of plucked and electronic instruments are added
2. there is another hurdy-gurdy solo which is then joined by the uilllean pipes
3. loops to fade

Question 15

describe the tonality and harmony of the piece

Answer 15

1. the piece is in C Aeolian so is modal
2. the C drone continues throughout almost the entire piece despite the tonality changing
3. During the uillieann pipes solo, the Dorian mode is used because the A (6th note) is not flattened
4. the accordion has a rhythmic riff that plays a C chord through much of the piece
5. the hurdy-gurdy has a rhythmic part that drones on the note C
6. the bass guitar plays a repeating riff, frequently playing gate note C
7. the harmony is said to be static because everything is based on the C drone despite other chords being hinted at
8. slow harmonic pulse
9. use of extended chords
10. chromatic notes

Question 16

what are the uillean pipes and what do they play?

Answer 16

1. they are played by pumping bellows under the arm
2. they are a Celtic instrument
3. they play solo 1
4. they play during verse 3 and the outro

Question 17

what is the hurdy-gurdy and what does it play?

Answer 17

1. it looks a bit like a violin but is played by turning a wheel which rubs against the strings
2. it is common in European folk music traditions
3. it plays solo 3
4. it plays during verse 3 and in the building/outro

Question 18

what is the kora and what does it play?

Answer 18

1. it is a string instrument that looks a bit like a harp
2. the strings are plucked

Question 19

what is the bodhran and what does it play?

Answer 19

1. it is a drum
2. it’s pitch can be altered by applying pressure to the skin with the hand that holds the drum
3. it forms the rhythmic backbone of the piece against which other rhythms work
4. it plays a one bar rhythmic ostinato

Question 20

describe the rhythm, metre and tempo of the piece?

Answer 20

1. the introductions starts with no regular pulse and has no metre
2. the tempo remains at 100 bpm once the bodhran is introduced and establishes a regular pulse
3. a polyrhythmic texture is created as other rhythmic ostinatos interweave the bodhran rhythm (eg in the accordion part where different parts of the beat are accented)
4. triplets
5. simple quadruple metre

Question 21

describe the melody

Answer 21

1. limited range for female vocalist (6th)
2. more extended range for male vocalist
3. main verse is syllabic
4. some spoken words
5. repetitive
6. use of glissando

Question 22

how are the uilleann pipes solo and low whistle solo different or similar?

Answer 22

1. uilleann pipes solo is more repetitive and has less rhythmic variety than the low whistle solo
2. they both oscillate around C and mostly move in semiquavers

Question 23

describe how the texture changes in the introduction

Answer 23

1. we first hear a synth pad drone with a filter sweep effect
2. more synth parts are added whilst our ears are drawn to the talking drum
3. then a shaker rhythm and African vocals are added
4. the bodhran then enters along with some other percussion loops
5. then a female voice replaces the spoken male African voice

Question 24

describe some of the textural effects used

Answer 24

1. the bass drops out during the rising chromatic line at the ends of verses and the second solo to heighten the sense of anticipation
2. layering is used
3. texture is constantly changing as parts are added or removed
4. main texture is homophonic
5. some polyphony (eg when the hurdy-gurdy solo continues during verse 3 underneath the vocals)
6. loops are used

Question 25

how is music technology used in this piece?

Answer 25

1. mixing is used to adjust the positions of the recorded parts in the stereo field (eg the hurdy-gurdy solo is moved from the front of the mix further back so that is does not detract from the vocals at the start of verse 3)
2. synthesisers are used to create sustaining pads for chords and drones
3. loops are used