Skyfall

Question 1

who wrote the music?

skyfall

Answer 1

Thomas Newman

Question 2

who wrote the music?

skyfall

Answer 2

Thomas Newman

Question 3

what is the piece called?

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Answer 3

Shanghai Drive

Question 4

what is happening in the scene?

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Answer 4

• This cue takes place around the midpoint of the film. Bond is tailing an important target, Patrice, around the neon-lit streets of Shanghai before the target arrives at a skyscraper. Although the scene isn’t relatively important or dramatic in the film as a whole, its purpose is to build suspense to the upcoming encounter and capture the danger of the world Bond involves himself in.

Question 5

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harmony

Answer 5

• The main device Newman uses to achieve the feeling of tension and suspense is chromaticism. Firstly, this is present with the synth ostinato present throughout. It’s a simple movement around A flat, the tonic, to B natural and then to B flat. It’s the movement between the B natural and flat that creates the tension. However, the notes don’t sound dissonant or out of place as they are still diatonic to the key of A minor.

• Syncopated accents in this ostinato also add to the uncomfortable feeling of the scene.
• There is further chromatic movement during the string countermelody which is introduced when Bond and Patrice are now on the road. The use of a sharpened forth indicates a want to rise to the fifth, however a descent down to the sharpened 3rd (Major third), creating a false relation (I think it’s a false relation you might have to check).

Question 6

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rhythm

Answer 6

• Syncopated accents in this ostinato also add to the uncomfortable feeling of the scene.

The constant semiquaver rhythm played by the percussion gives a sense of constant slow movement, fitting of two cars slowly moving through traffic.

Question 7

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timbre

Answer 7

• Delicate percussion fits the suspenseful mood. Its articulation creates a softer timbre, for instance cymbals are sometimes brushed by a stick instead of hit.
• The electronic timbre, i.e. the use of synths and an electronic bass, reflects the setting the scene is in. Shanghai is a technologically advanced city, filled with large skyscrapers, complex motorways, and neon lights. Newman does a similar thing with his choice of instrumentation for ‘Grand Bazaar, Istanbul.’

Question 8

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melody

Answer 8

• no distinctive melody

- chromatic rising passage on strings work as melody, creates tension while not taking away from the scene

Question 9

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tempo

Answer 9

• The andante tempo fits the pace of the scene, with Bond slowly tailing Patrice.

Question 10

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texture

Answer 10

• contrapuntal texture, creates creates tension and unclear/comfusing atmosphere to add to tension
  also creates busy piece to represent the amount going on on screen

Question 11

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dynamics

Answer 11

• slow build in dynamics thought out

- built the tension, make it feel as if band is getting closer to Patrice

Question 12

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instruments

Answer 12

• percussion

- electronic, synths and electronic bass