Star Wars Flashcards
Key of intro
Bb major
Time sig of intro
4/4 giving a March and military feel
What is the intro known as
Fanfare - heavy use of brass and percussion to give a heroic and martial theme
Intro dynamic
Ff to signify grand epic movement
Accents to create typical fanfare idea
Intro instruments
Trumpets, horn, trombone, violin octave higher and timpani drums
Intro harmony
Quartal harmony with use of F Bb Eb Ab
Intro rhythm
Use of triplets to add interest and marching battle
Intro Interval
F to Eb which is minor 7th
Thème À structure
Ternary form ABA
Sing the hero leitmotif
B F EDC G F EDC G F EDEC
Orchestrally how is the theme A played
Tutti full orchestra as this was Williams forte
Accompaniment of theme A rhythms
Played syncopated rhythm with triplets
Harmonic device of theme A
Inverted tonic pedalling
Texture of theme A
MDH with block chords, arpeggios, and rhythmic articulation
Bar 7 of EDEC harmony
Ends on imperfect cadence 6-5 where F major goes back to Bb Major as dominant
Bass part of bar 7
Grace notes in percussion instruments - still inverted tonic pedalling varied on semiquavers lower auxiliary on alternate beats
What do flûte ans violin do to go back into theme A
Play Demi semi quavers adding to brilliance and excitement
How does theme A play again in section A (BA)
Plays same melody with less syncopation and dif harmony
How does harmony of theme A again chnage
Use of subdominant (iv) chords creating quartal harmony
How does section B start
On an anacrusis
How does Section B differ from A
- legato
- accompaniment bass changed to walking bass
- quieter
- played by violins
- more reflective and melancholy
Harmony of theme B
- played in octaves giving warm feel
- bass plays dominant pedal note of F = warm feeling
Intervals of theme B melody
G- E = 6th
F-C = 4th -> played with Dd in bass = quartal harmony
How is section B similar to A
Back to using triplets as it reverts to military March
Texture of section B
MDH
How does theme B return to A
- use of triplets introduced
- tonic held back to draw tension and slows down
How is theme A back
- played in octaves giving grand and epic feel
- syncopated like before
- similar chords
Transition/link key sig
Could be Eb or C minor and adds to unique and unusual
How does transition create ambiguity
Plays repeated F in bass along side Eb or C minor built from 4th
In transition link what do violins and flute play
Play ostinato of demisemiquaver sextuplets in a descending/ ascending pattern = contrary
Light airy part of link
- e natural and c play augmented 5th creating unstable/ tension
- f minor chord
- d in bass pedal creating ambiguity in key
- ADD TO PANIC AND URGENCY
Light airy part 2 harmony
- a natural
- Ab chord
- c augmented
- unclear key
Transition progresses into.., by
Piccolo solo:
- diminuendo
- arpeggios giving sense of calmness
- tremolo to add tension
Why is a piccolo used
Gives a light airy and outer space and magical feel
- quieter as well
Piccolo solo harmony
Use of c major chords with Ab bass
- key - modulates to C Major with added Ab
Piccolo solo - chromatic sequence
- strings and brass play in a different key making it atonal harmony
- active bass and add excitement/ panic on stage
End of piccolo solo
- block chords from horn (texture changes as more instruments introduced)
- crescendo
Section C final fanfare begin
- when spaceship introduced*
- reintroduces triplets and accents from theme A
- Grace notes played by timpani and C but accompanied by tam tam gong
Rhythm of section C
Ominous rhythm but changes after 2 bars into 34 portraying the inconsistency and rhythmic interest and orchestral layering
Section C harmony
Dissonant clashing chords of C Db G as harmony changes
- tritonal with D and G
Section C brass
Brass plays two chordal figures to represent imperial forces
End of section C
- rit… - slows down and pauses (fermenta) to emphasise effect
- texture also changes as they become homophonic - playing the same chords and rhythm
- octave chords for romantic
Coda key sig
Key of Eb major chord
- uses bitonality and atonal
Coda harmony
Melody plays Db chords with semitonal dissonance
Coda bass rhythm
- Repetitive rhythm while still in metric shift
- played by strings, lower brass and timpani
- ostinato
End of piece
- sustained Eb major chord with dissonance and clashing -> portraying conflict and tension
- low c in brass
- continues repetitive rhythm
- fermenta and quiet ending of pianissimo
End of piece Eb chord creates
Parallel harmony
What is a leitmotif
Reoccurring musical idea that is associated with a mood, character, theme or place
When was Star Wars made
1977 as a space opera film
