West End Blues, Louis Armstrong Blues Flashcards
What is the structure of West End Blues?
Head Section, 3 choruses, a coda
What is used between chorus sections?
Turnarounds
bles?
12 bar my dude
Instrumentation
trumpet, piano, trombone, clari, milk bottle, skat singing
How does the clari play?
In the low register to sound ragged and rough
Whats going on in the LH piano part?
Ragtime-style stride piano
What is the predominant texture?
Homophonic, melody line accompanied by chord progression
What texture is the introduction?
Monophonic
How is this piece different from New Orleans counterpoint?
It was composed in Chicago, where the trumpet played a more central role and was more important than in true new orleans counterpoint
What texture is heard in the 3rd chorus?
Antiphonal texture created by call and response
What texture is heard in the 4th chorus?
melody dominated homophony
What key is in the introduction in?
The introduction has tonal ambiguity
When is the key confirmed?
When the clarinet, trombone and piano enter with a perfect cadence
What key is the piece in?
Eb major
What harmonic progression is heard in b 20?
ii7b V7 I - like Bach
What cadence does the piece end with?
Ends with a chromatic version of a plagal cadence
What is going on rhythmically in intro?
introduction is rhythmically free
What other rhythmic features are there?
Swung quavers, triplets
What kind of notes are used?
Blue notes
what ides are used in the main melody?
ideas from the introduction e.g. ascending F# G B
What kind of range is heard at b18-19
high
What is the piano melody based on?
Based heavily on the blues scale
What instrumental feature is heard?
portamento
What harmonic feature is heard at b24?
substituted chord Abm which is a minor IV
What harmonic progression is heard at b26?
I Ib dim 7th V7c
Was this piece meticulously composed?
nope, it was only roughly scored, played and then transcribed
