Star Wars Flashcards
What is a leitmotif?
A recurring musical phrase associated with a certain character
What ensemble is Star Wars work written for?
Symphony orchestra
What word is suitable to describe the introduction of Star Wars?
Fanfare
What are the key features of a fanfare?
Brass instruments play the melody, percussion instruments accompanied, dotted rhythms, triplets, arpeggios, quartal harmony, short and loud
What is quartal harmony?
Chords built on perfect 4ths
What harmonic device is heard in the opening bars of Star Wars?
Inverted tonic pedal played by the violins
Which playing technique do the violins use in the opening bars of Star Wars?
Tremolo / tremolando
What does syncopation mean?
Off beat rhythm
Which instruments play the main theme of Star Wars the first time it is heard?
Trumpets
Which families of instruments are most prominent in the contrasting B section of Star Wars?
Strings and woodwind
How is the music varied when section A of Star Wars repeats?
Melody is doubled by strings, woodwind scales added
Which melodic device is used in the link passage of Star Wars?
Sequence
How does the texture change in the starry night / rebel blockade section of Star Wars?
Thinner
What is the structure of the first half of Star Wars?
Ternary
What is the texture at the very start of the piece, when introducing the fanfare?
Polyphonic
What is the key of Star Wars?
Bb major
What is the key of the second half of Star Wars?
C major
What is the main texture of Star Wars?
Homophonic
Some parts of the second section of Star Wars are atonal - what does that mean?
No key
What does dissonant mean?
Clashing
What is a cluster chord?
A chord made of notes very close together/semitones
What is a tritone?
An interval built by 3 whole tones = an augmented 4th
Which three intervals are most important in the main Star Wars melody?
5ths & 7ths
What is an anacrusis?
When the music starts on an upbeat
Is the melody of Star Wars more conjunct or disjunct?
Conjunct, with the occasional leap
What is the metre of Star Wars?
Simple Quadruple (4/4)
What is the metre o the second half of the piece?
Simple Triple (3/4)
What does homorhythmic mean?
Rhythmic unison, used in March section
What harmonic device is often used through out the set work?
Pedal notes
What is the structure of the whole star wars?
Fanfare - Skywalker’s leitmotif A section - B lyrical section - A section - link - ‘rebel blockade runner leitmotif - link - March - codetta
in the ‘Rebel Blockade Runner’ theme, what instrument plays the melody?
piccolo, very high pitch , creates the starry dark night feeling.
