Solo songs

Question 1

I Hate Men

Answer 1

Kiss me, Kate - Cole Porter

• sung during ‘The taming of the shrew’ by Katherine
• high pitch in the more aggressive sections for emphasis
• contrasting articulation legato/staccato
• mostly conjunct movement
• sextuplets, mordents, trills echo the era the song is being sung in
• binary form
• crescendo through ‘Oh, I hate men’
• sfz to end lines with percussion
• moderato
• screaming/shouting alongside lyrics
• spread chords
• multiple key changes
• alberti bass
• tonality juxtaposes lyrics - major key + angry lyrics

Question 2

Memory

Answer 2

Cats - Andrew Lloyd-Webber

• keyboard synthesised accompaniment
• legato
• showstopper song
• balanced phrases
• repeated melody in verses
• minor section
• instrumental section plays the melody
• crescendos to full orchestra accompaniment in final verse
• diminuendo to end
• plays overture motif in final bars

Question 3

Climb Ev’ry Mountain

Answer 3

The Sound of Music - Richard Rodgers

• generally major key
• 2/4
• crescendos throughout piece
• moderato
• pizzicato bassline
• sung about someone else
• cello introduction - thin texture
• begins at low pitch and becomes higher for dramatic effect throughout song
• rubato adds feeling

Question 4

Why God, Why?

Answer 4

Miss Saigon - Claude-Michel Shonberg

• homophonic instrumental introduction
• changes in time signature to keep the song moving 4/4 -> 2/4 -> 3/4
• multiple key changes
• crescendos through song
• rallentandos used to emphasise words and before moving into the next section
• use of silences for dramatic pauses
• instrumental section used to introduce the tone/feeling of the next verse for the vocalist
• American character, American style (7th chords/jazz)
• faster syncopated section when talking about the war indicates anger