Swing Your Razor Wide, Sweeney

Question 1

Dynamics - Swing your razor wide, Sweeney

Answer 1

Marking of ff

Question 2

Rhythm - Swing your razor wide, Sweeney

Answer 2

In 6/8

Question 3

Pitch - Swing your razor wide, Sweeney

Answer 3

Full range in pitch across all voices and the accompaniment

Question 4

Structure - Swing your razor wide, Sweeney

Answer 4

3 bar phrase + 1 bar extension = tension
Vocals have split into 5 parts - soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass
1 bar ‘Sweeney’ raises tension

Question 5

Melody - Swing your razor wide, Sweeney

Answer 5

‘Razor’ in sop+alto, falls a major 3rd from the dominant note in the chord, = tension and evil which rises a S.T to ‘wide’ = Sweeney raising the razor
‘Razor wide’ chromatic rise in higher bass part - Sweeney isn’t swinging his razor around because efficient and clean
‘Sweeney’ lands on the 9th which creates dissonance
Homophonic writing

Question 6

Use of instruments - Swing your razor wide, Sweeney

Answer 6

Marking of ‘marcato’ = accented - all is accented = loud and strongly dramatic

Question 7

Textures - Swing your razor wide, Sweeney

Answer 7

Tutti orchestra
Violins and viola = tremolo
‘Carrying a body tied in a bag’ = stage direction - analysis reflects this

Question 8

Tonality - Swing your razor wide, Sweeney

Answer 8

F#minor - no change of key
1st 5 notes of the Dies Irae is now transposed on the 5th note of the scale in the soprano melody

Question 9

Harmony - Swing your razor wide, Sweeney

Answer 9

Soprano and altos in unison and 2 bass parts in octaves
Tonic pedal in cello/double bass to maintain tonality
False relations in orchestra, between the upper strings and left hand piano over ‘Sweeney’ which creates dissonance on his character = emphasis on evil character

Question 10

Chords - Swing your razor wide, Sweeney

Answer 10

V711(no 3rd) - I#7 to IVb911b - Ib913(no 3rd) = strongly dissonant
‘Razor’ end on Im#7
‘Wide’ on IVb911b in 1st inversion with no 5th
‘Sweeney’ = Ib913 (no 3rd) to I#79