Star Wars Flashcards

1
Q

What is the instrumentation of “Star Wars”?

A

Full symphony orchestra

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2
Q

What is the metre of the piece?

A

4/4 (simple quadruple)

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3
Q

Describe what the brass instruments play in the introduction.

A

Fanfare

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4
Q

What characteristic features of a fanfare are heard in this piece?

A

Triplets, repeated notes, notes of a broken chord and played by brass instruments

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5
Q

Which instrument plays the main theme when it is played the first time? (bar 4)

A

High trumpets

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6
Q

The tempo is 100bpm, how does this tempo fit the mood of the film?

A

The fast tempo matches the exciting mood of this action film

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7
Q

Describe the accompaniment to the main theme (bar 4).

A

Block chords

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8
Q

Describe the rhythm of the accompaniment to the main theme (bar 4).

A

Off beat quavers, triplet quavers/semiquavers with frequent rests

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9
Q

Which percussion instrument emphasizes the accompaniment played with the main theme? (bar 4)

A

Snare drum

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10
Q

Describe what the upper strings and woodwind play in the introduction and above the main theme (bar 4).

A

Inverted pedal (high pedal note)

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11
Q

What playing technique do the upper strings use in the introduction and during the main theme?

A

Tremolando

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12
Q

Why is the metre appropriate for the film?

A

4/4 metre reflects the military nature of the war between rebels and the imperial forces

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13
Q

What is the tonality for the first 29 bars of the piece?

A

Bb major

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14
Q

What happens to the tonality from bar 30 onwards?

A

It becomes less clear with unstable harmonies and chord progressions

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15
Q

What do the bass instruments play when the spaceships appear?

A

Pedal note on C

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16
Q

Which instruments play the melody in the contrasting section (B)?

A

Strings

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17
Q

Across how many octaves is the melody played in the contrasting section?

A

3

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18
Q

Describe the tonality in bars 39 - 41 (planets appear).

A

Atonal

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19
Q

Identify the cadence at the end of the main theme in bar 7.

A

Imperfect

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20
Q

Which instruments play the main theme when it returns in bar 21?

A

Violin, viola, cello, horns and trumpets

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21
Q

Which instruments play the chordal accompaniment in the contrasting section?

A

Horns, piano and oboe

22
Q

Which tuned percussion plays the important notes of the melody in the contrasting section?

A

Glockenspiel

23
Q

Which percussion instrument plays on the first beat of the main theme when it returns in bar 21?

A

Cymbal

24
Q

What does the harp play in bar 29 at the end of the return of the main theme?

A

Glissando (slide)

25
Q

What do the upper woodwind play in the return of the main theme?

A

Rushing scalic-like passages

26
Q

Describe what the brass instruments play at bar 30 (space is filled with stars).

A

Fanfare-like idea

27
Q

Identify the features of the fanfare played by the brass instruments in bars 30 and 31.

A

Repeated staccato quaver/triplet semiquaver rhythm that builds up in a chord

28
Q

Describe what the strings play at the end of the star-filled space section (bars 31 - 32).

A

Rapid staccato sextuplet semiquavers in a rising sequence

29
Q

What happens to the tonality at bar 30 (star-filled space)?

A

It becomes less clear

30
Q

What do the strings and harp play in bars 33 - 35 (transition section)?

A

Fast broken chord/arpeggios

31
Q

What happens to the texture at bar 36?

A

It is much lighter/thinner

32
Q

Which instrument plays the melody at bar 36?

A

Piccolo

33
Q

What does the harp play underneath the piccolo melody in bar 36?

A

Broken chord pattern

34
Q

What does the flute play underneath the piccolo melody in bar 36?

A

Trills between G and Ab

35
Q

What key is the music in at bar 36 (where piccolo plays the melody)?

A

C major but with Ab

36
Q

What do the violins, celeste, vibraphone and woodwind play in the accompaniment to the piccolo melody at bar 36?

A

Held/sustained chords

37
Q

Describe what the strings play as the planets appear at bar 39.

A

Rapid rising semiquaver sextuplets

38
Q

Describe what the trombones and horns play as the planets appear. What does this represent?

A

Chords representing the imperial force

39
Q

Describe the tonality when the planets appear at bar 39.

A

Atonal

40
Q

What do the bass instruments play as the spaceship appears in bar 42?

A

Pedal note on C

41
Q

What do the brass instruments play as the spaceship appears in bar 42? What does this represent?

A

Chords representing the imperial force

42
Q

Which percussion instrument plays a rhythm that suggests that something bad is going to happen?

A

Timpani

43
Q

Describe the metre at bar 44 when the larger spaceship is in pursuit of the rebel spaceship.

A

Changes to simple triple (3/4)

44
Q

Describe the harmony of the chords played by the orchestra when the larger spaceship is chasing the smaller one.

A

Dissonant (clashing) chords

45
Q

Describe the articulation of the chords from bar 44 to the end.

A

Accented

46
Q

What happens to the tempo as the larger spaceship is in pursuit of the smaller spaceship?

A

It slows down (ritardando)

47
Q

What is the tempo at the end of the extract (from bar 51) where the action moves inside the rebel spaceship?

A

It changes to 160 bpm

48
Q

What rhythmic device is played at the end of the extract (from bar 51)?

A

Ostinato (repeated pattern) on the note C

49
Q

What is the tonality at the end of the extract?

A

Bitonal ( 2 tonalities at the same time)

50
Q

What is the main texture of the extract?

A

Homophonic (melody and accompaniment)