star wars

Question 1

what effect does the structure have on the film?

Answer 1

structure matches and reinforces the opening section of the film

Question 2

what is the structure of the main theme in this piece?

Answer 2

AABA shape, with 4 bar sections.

Question 3

what is the sturcture for the remainder of the piece?

Answer 3

the remainder of the extract takes its shape from the narrative/action on the screen

Question 4

what key is the piece in?

Answer 4

Bb major

Question 5

what key does it modulate to?

Answer 5

modulates to C major

Question 6

give 8 examples of harmony and tonality that are used in this piece.

Answer 6

• moments of almost atonality
• complex chords and dissonance
• elements of bitonality
• few conventional cadence points
• quartal harmony
• root and 1st inversion chords
• tertiary relationship between chords
• tritone

Question 7

context points about John Williams.

Answer 7

• John Williams is considered one of the greatest film composers of all time. he has won 5 Oscars so far and has been nominated for many awards.
• he re-popularised the use of grand late-Romantic orchestral scores when the genre was under threat from contemporary and pop-influenced styles. his musical technique is in the likes of Max Steiner, with a late nineteenth-century approach to melody, harmony, and orchestration.

Question 8

true or false:
John Williams used the device of motifs.

Answer 8

false.
he used the Romantic device of Leitmotif

Question 9

what ideas and themes are being put across in the opening scene of the film?

Answer 9

the opening theme is associated with Luke Skywalker and with ideas of heroism and struggle.

Question 10

what is the tempo in the opening section?

Answer 10

fast tempo

Question 11

give 4 points about rhythm, metre, and tempo in the piece.

Answer 11

• fanfare rhythms: repeated notes and triplets
• the main theme uses a strong quadruple pulse later on it becomes ambiguous moments of triple metre.
• homorhythmic chords in a passage similar to ‘Mars’ from ‘The Planets’
• ostinato figure towards the end

Question 12

give 3 points about the texture in this piece

Answer 12

• homophonic textures: block chord, arpeggios, and rhythmic articulation of chords accompaniment
• inverted and dominant pedal
• ostinatos

Question 13

give 3 points about the performing forces/ sonority in this piece

Answer 13

• full symphony orchestra with much doubling of parts.
• thickly score
• avoids the use of electronic instruments, strange for a film in the 1970s with a futuristic theme.

Question 14

give 3 points about the melody used in this piece

Answer 14

• memorable melodies
• opening 3 bar fanfare figure
• use of sequence

Question 15

the theme is made up of 2 ideas: themes A and B
name melodic feature used in theme A

Answer 15

4 bars to repeat to form 8 bar phrase. stepwise motion and leaps, auxiliary figure, rising 5th idea.

Question 16

the theme is made up of 2 ideas: themes A and B
name melodic feature used in theme B

Answer 16

anacrusis, triplet figures, contrary motion.