'Somethings Coming' From West Side Story Flashcards
On what play is west side story based on?
Romeo and Juliet
What is the significance of this song in the musical?
It’s Tony’s first solo and it establishes his optimistic character
Who is somethings coming written for?
A solo tenor
What is the band made up of?
Woodwind, bars, persuasion and strings
What does the band use to make sure it doesn’t overpower the solo singer?
Quiet dynamics
Soft timbres
A homophonic textures
How does the accompaniment illustrate the lyrics “the air is humming”?
Using harmonics (very high notes) and tremolo
Is the melody syllabic or melismatic?
It is almost entirely syllabic
What are the three main themes?
- Quiet syncopated opening theme
- The loud strident theme in 2/4 (bar 21)
The lyrical, slow moving theme (bar 73)
What is the metre?
It changes between 3/4 and 2/4
What helps to maintain a feeling of excitement and anticipation?
The changes of metre, fast tempo and frequent syncopation
What is the key?
D major - with two contrasting sections in c major
Which interval acts as a unifying feature throughout west side story?
Tritons
Which notes are unusual but used throughout the piece?
The sharpened fourth and the flattened seventh
What is the tenors last note? What does this do?
Flattened 7th (C natural) It is unresolved so it creates a feeling of incompletion which fits well with Tony's sense of expectation
What is the harmony like?
Tonal
Jazz-influenced
Frequent 7th chords
Added note chords (chords with added notes that aren’t usually found in the chord)
