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Music GCSE 9-1 > Schwartz Defying Gravity > Flashcards

Schwartz Defying Gravity Flashcards

1
Q

What is a musical?

A

A play or film with music in a broadly popular style that generally includes some memorable hit songs

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2
Q

Where is defying gravity from?

A

Wicked, a musical first staged in the US in 2003

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3
Q

Who are the lyrics and words by?

A

Stephen Schwartz

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4
Q

Where in the musical is the piece from?

A

The act 1 finale

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5
Q

What form is it?

A

Verse-chorus form

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6
Q

What is recitative?

A

A type of vocal music that mimics the rhythms of human speech

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7
Q

State the different sections in order

A 
Intro
Verse 1
Chorus
Verse 2
Chorus
Bridge
Chorus
Varied reprise of intro
Verse 3
Chorus
Coda
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8
Q

Who is it scored for?

A

A 23 musician orchestra, the 4 woodwind musicians have to double on a variety of instruments

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9
Q

Name 5 of the instruments

A 
6 brass
a harp
2 electric guitar
3 keyboard synths
4 string parts
drum kit
timpani
glockenspiel
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10
Q

What type of distortion do the electric guitars have on at points

A

Overdrive

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11
Q

What does the chordal writing for the low brass contrast with

A

the solo synth melody

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12
Q

What does the string tremomlo create?

A

Excitement

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13
Q

What is the drum fill?

A

A brief improvisation to fill the gap between vocal phrases

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14
Q

What sort of scales does the bass clarinet have

A

Descending scales

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15
Q

What does the cymbal roll announce in bar 122

A

A change of key

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16
Q

What does tutti mean?

A

Full band

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17
Q

When does tutti happen?

A

The climax at bar 135

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18
Q

What do the synth and glockenspiel do as Elphaba sings of flying high

A

play a high pitched ostinato

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19
Q

What vocal range is each part?

A

Glinda is a soprano

Elphaba is a mezzo-soprano

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20
Q

What is a mezzo soprano?

A

Lower than a soprano but not as low as an alto

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21
Q

Where does the coda come in?

A

The final bars and it is labelled ‘ensemble’

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22
Q

What does ‘colla voce’ mean

A

‘with the voice’, the band must follow the rhythm of the singers

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23
Q

What does the introduction compose of?

A

Recitative between Elphaba and Glinda, punctuated by chromatic stabs (loud detached chords). Elphaba mimics but a semi-tone lower

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24
Q

During the ‘Elphie listen to me’ part how is an unsettling tone created?

A

The juxtaposition of unrelated keys B major and F major

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25
What is Glindas reasurence that Elphaba can still be with the wizard accompanied with?
Sustained harmonies in F major
26
What is 'something has changed within me' underpinned by
A sudden change of key to D major, the main key of the piece
27
How is Elphaba's desire to break free from expectations characterised by the music
.Wide leaps initially accompanied by a nervous tremolo from violins .Tempo tightens to allegro as it moves towards the chorus .More angular leaps occur in the vocal line, many of which are triadic .There's a repeating accompaniment of three ascending quavers high above the vocal line
28
Where do the introductory chords from bars 32-33 return?
Bar 59 as a repeated accompaniment to Glindas accusation in crotchet triplets that Elphaba is having 'delusions of grandeur'
29
How does Elphaba respond to being told she's having 'delusions of grandeur'?
Continues into the second verse at a faster tempo, with a firmly syncopated accompaniment
30
What happens to the key and tempo after the second verse?
It slows to moderato and the key changes to G major
31
What does the melody in bars 93-94 do?
Quotes the first seven pitches of the song 'over the rainbow' from 'the wizard of oz' (in the same universe as Wicked)
32
What is the 'unlimited' melody an example of?
A leitmotif, it reflects Elphaba's growing confidence
33
What direction is there at the end of bar 99?
colla voce, it is the start of a short section of recitative
34
In the third chorus who sings what?
They begin together but Elphaba finishes it alone
35
Where does the introductory music from bar 32 return for the second time?
Bars 111-114, leading to a recitative based on the chromatic chords of the opening bars
36
What subtle change does shwartz make to the lyrics
He removes 'now' from the sarcastic 'i hope your happy now' turning it into the affirmative 'I hope your happy' as they wish each other well
37
What happens after they wish each other well?
The tempo returns to allegro, the intro music from bars 32-33 returns, return of D major, an exciting orchestral build
38
How is the exciting orchestral build created
A crescendo on repeated quavers
39
What is special about the final verse?
Parts are sung an octave higher than previously
40
Describe the coda
Begins quietly and at a slower pace, quickly crescendos, Elphaba rises to her top notes, parts of the ensemble rush on stage and sing together 'look at her! She's wicked! Get her!'
41
What is Elphaba's top note?
F# on 'me' in bar 167
42
Describe the general texture
Brief monophonic texture at the start but mainly melody and accompaniment
43
How do the two leads sing together?
Either in unison or alternately
44
Give an example of 2 part vocal writing
Parallel thirds in bars 125-128
45
Where is there a brief contrapuntal section
The final bars
46
O_______ figures occur in bars 80-87, 89-97, 103-109 and 152-159
Ostinato
47
Describe the overall tonality
D major for the verse and choruses, G major in the bridge passage
48
Wheres the chromatic writing and what does it create?
At the start and bars 115-131, it creates an ambiguous tone
49
What chords are commonly used?
Root position triads and sus chords
50
Any pedals?
Inner pedal on A bars 162-167, inverted pedal on D starting bar 168
51
What does rall mean
Rallentando, slowing down
52
What is the word setting mainly?
Syllabic
53
What is the meter?
A minim beat (2/2 or 3/2) until the 4/4 in bar 88, 2/2 returns in bar 115
54
What rhythmic technique plays an important role in defying gravity?
Syncopation
55
What is Elphaba's vocal line mainly?
Triadic style
56
What do the long notes and wide leaps demonstrate?
Elphaba's new found confidence
57
What sort of intervals feature prominently in the vocal line?
4ths and 5ths
58
Give an example of a leap of an 11th
Bars 39-40
59
Give an example of a leap of a 12th
Bar 140
60
What is a title hook?
A hook is a melodic fragment designed to catch the ear of the listener, it's called a title hook when it has the words of the title in it
61
What is Defying Gravity's title hook?
The melody line for 'try defying gravity'

Music GCSE 9-1 (8 decks)

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