Star Wars

Question 1

Harmony and Tonality

Answer 1

• B flat major at the beginning (AO3), heroic strong (AO4)
• Inverted pedal (AO3)
• Tonality becomes ambiguous (AO3), unstable harmonies and progressions (AO3)
• B36 modulates to C major (AO3)
• Atonal near piccolo solo (AO3)
• Moments where it seems bitonal (AO3)
• Predominantly tonal (AO3)
• Chords mainly in root position or first inversion (AO3)
• Introduction- Quartal harmony (AO3) based on fourths rather than thirds (AO4)
• Contrary motion (AO3)
• Parallel triad (AO3), creates chromaticism (AO4)
• Chromatic harmony towards the end (AO3)
• Driving bass line under rebel fanfare leitmotif (AO3)

Question 2

Instrumentation

Answer 2

• Full Symphony Orchestra (AO3)
• Brass fanfare (AO3), strong heroic (AO4)
• Violin contrasting- legato, stepwise (AO3)
• Harp Glissando, mysterious (AO3)
• Piccolo solo, ethereal, mysterious (AO3)
• Percussion (Timpani, triangle, Snare-drum, Glockenspiel, Cymbals) (AO3), Drive the piece (AO4)

Question 3

Melody

Answer 3

• Accented (AO3), dramatic (AO4)
• Skywalker leitmotif, Rebel Fanfare leitmotif
• Chromaticism (AO3), mysterious, ambiguous (AO4)
• Fanfare
o triplets (AO3)
o arpeggio like shape (AO3)
o military like (AO4)
• Contrasting section
o Contrasting melody played by all strings apart from double bass across 3 octaves (AO3)
o Triplets (AO3)
o Mainly stepwise and conjunct (AO3), contrasts to previous section (AO4)
• Link- sextuplets (AO3), ascending passage (AO3)
• Piccolo solo- hexatonic (AO3)

Question 4

Rhythm metre tempo

Answer 4

• 4/4 (AO3), march style military nature (AO4)
• Triplets, sextuplets, quavers (AO3)
• Fast tempo for opening (AO3), matches mood and genre, excitement (AO4)
• Violin contrasting section- longer note values, legato, more lyrical (AO3)
• Metre change to 3/4 towards end (AO3)
• Changes of tempo (rits and accel) (AO3), creates excitement (AO4)

Question 5

Structure

Answer 5

• Ternary form (AO3)

* Fanfare, main theme, main theme repeated, contrasting, main theme played twice

Question 6

Texture

Answer 6

• Homophonic (AO3)

* Piccolo solo (AO3)

Question 7

Context

Answer 7

• Underscoring