She's Leaving Home Flashcards
Key of the song
E major
Time signature of the piece
3/4
When was the song recorded
17th March 1967
Which instruments are not used in this track which are typically used in all other beatles song
Guitar and drums are not used
How many string instruments are used and name them?
10 string instruments. String nonet (4 violins, 2 viola, 2 cello, 1 double bass) and a harp
What is the form of this song
Intro Verse 1 (ABAB) Chorus 1 (CD) Verse 2 (ABAB) Chorus 2 (CD) Verse 3 (AB) Chorus 3 (C) Coda (DE)
Explain word painting
When the music reflects the meaning of the words or lyrics
What is the ending cadence to the song
Plagal IV - I
What instrument plays in the introduction and what melodic figure do they play
Harp plays an arpeggio figure
What pedal point is used in the introduction and by which instrument
Harp plays a triadic E chord for accompaniment
How s the word downstairs created musically in Verse 1?
A descending melody is played and there is a double bass introduced highlighting the idea of going downstairs
How is a mother sobbing created musically in verse 2?
A repeated syncopated rhythm on G# is used on the violin to show mother sobbing
Write out the rhythm used to represent the sobbing in verse 2
triplet quavers, crochet, double quavers / double quavers, crochet, triplet quavers / crochet, double quavers tied to double quavers / dotted minim
How is the anticipation of the meeting created in verse 3?
tremolo on the strings with repeated crochets on upper strings as the climax
What rhythmic figure played by which instrument describes the motor trade in verse 3?
Cello plays six quavers representing a car engine
What tonality are the three repeated chords at the end of chorus 1 and 2
F#m chords (chord ii)
What main rhythmic technique is used by the strings in the accompaniment of the verses
Constant rhythm of minim crochet representing a heartbeat
What two harp rhythmic motifs are used throughout the verse
Repeated three crochets
Syncopated rhythm - quaver, crochet, quaver
What solo instrument is used in an ascending melodic line at the end of phrase A in verse 1?
Cello
Which chord is used as the pedal point in the B phrase in the verses
Chord V (dominant)
What instrument plays the walking bass idea in verse 2
Cello
What is falsetto
Falsetto is a musical term for a male voice that’s artificially high pitched
Which member of the Beatles sings using falsetto in the chorus?
Paul McCartney
Describe how the chorus is polyphonic in texture?
There are two voices engaging in two separate melodies creating two part counterpoint. Paul McCartney sings a sustained falsetto note which John has interjections during of a lower melody representing parents
There are two voices in the chorus - which characters do they represent from the story on which the song is based?
Paul McCartney - high falsetto for girl child
John Lennon - Parents lower voice
Which interval is used when they sing bye bye
Major 3rd G#-E
What is the form in letters for verse 1?
ABAB
What is the form in letters for verse 2?
ABAB
What is the form in letters for verse 3?
AB
What is the form in letters for the chorus
CD
What is the story behind the lyrics of the song
A run-away girl who left home. McCartney read about a 17 year old schoolgirl who had everything at home but ran away. McCartney and Lennon made everything up only basing the story off the newspaper article about Melanie Coe buy got a lot of details coincidentally correct. The two voices in the chorus represent the girl and her parents
How does the cello answer differ when It is heard again in verse 2
Verse 2 features two part counterpoint with a violin descending line and cello ascending
Compare and contrast the string accompaniment in verse 2 with verse 1
Cello answer features in both verses after phrase A
Cello plays a walking bass crochet line in V2
V1 features harp three crochets, V2 has only last two beats of bar as harp
Both add double bass at second A section for word painting
V1 features contrary motion violin and rising bass
V2 word painting repeated G# syncopated rhythm on the violin to represent a mother crying
Compare and contrast the string accompaniment in chorus 2 with chorus 1
Both uses syncopated strings after interjections in C
C1 cello plays sustained notes with double bass but in C2 the cello plays a broken arpeggio accompaniment
C2 features rising string repeated notes not in C1
Compare and contrast the string accompaniment in verse 3 with verse 2
V2 cello plays repeated crochet idea in walking bass style but V3 has the harp do this
Cello answer changes from two part to three part counterpoint in V3
verse 3 half the length so double bass enters immediately for word painting
tremolos feature in V3 B section - repeated excitement
Different word painting - G# sobbing syncopated rhythm vs six quavers on cello for a car engine
Compare and contrast the string accompaniment in chorus 3 with chorus 2
C3 features repeated notes violin two bar rhythm that rises creating agitated atmosphere
Both feature syncopation after interjections and strings ascending before the harp enters at same point
C3 features coda
C2 is 19 bars- sense of uncertainty with C3 being 20 bars- more final
Which instrument is used in the coda and what melodic figure do they play
harp arpeggio figure from the intro
