Download Year 10 Music Revision - Churchdown School Academy

THE PETERBOROUGH SCHOOL
MUSIC DEPARTMENT
BK
Name: ___________________________________
Form Tutor: _______________________________
1
KS4 Grade Descriptions
What grade are you aiming for?
A

Candidates explore the expressive potential of musical resources and conventions used in selected
genres, and traditions.

They sing and/or play music with a sense of style, command of the resources used and making
appropriate gradations of tempo, dynamics and balance.

They compose music which shows a coherent and imaginative development of musical ideas and
consistency of style and fulfils a brief.

They make critical judgements about their own and others’ music using an accurate and extensive
musical vocabulary.
C

Candidates sing and/or play music with control, making expressive use of phrase and dynamics
appropriate to the style and mood of the music.

They compose music which shows ability to develop musical ideas, use conventions, explore the
potential of musical structures and resources and fulfils a brief.

They make critical judgements about their own and others’ music using a musical vocabulary.
F



Candidates sing and/or play music with some fluency and control of the resources used.
They compose music which shows some ability to organise musical ideas and use appropriate
resources in response to a brief.
They describe musical features using a simple musical vocabulary, make improvements to their own
work and offer some justification of opinions expressed.
2
My Targets for the Year
My Challenge Grade for GCSE Music is ______________.
In order to achieve this I need to:
1. ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
6. ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
7. ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
8. ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
9. ______________________________________________
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10. _____________________________________________
______________________________________________
3
The Elements of Music
Much of your GCSE Listening paper will require you to have a very good
understanding of the following key areas. Complete the grid below with musical
vocabulary appropriate to each section.
Element
of Music
Description
Rhythm
Melody
Harmony and Tonality
4
Tempo
Structure
Dynamics
Texture
5
Timbre/Playing
Techniques/Articulation
Instrumentation/
Performing Forces
6
Area of Study 1
The History of
Western Classical Music
1600-1899
Content coverage
Learning outcomes
Introduction to the musical eras: Baroque,
Classical and Romantic
(AoS 1)
Brief overview of the musical developments
1600-1899 including historical context.
References will be made to elements of the
notation to reinforce previous learning.


Unit 1: Choose a solo performance piece to
be recorded in the next
6-10 weeks.
Units 1,2 and 3: Staff notation
7
To develop an understanding of the
chronological development of western
classical music from 1600-1899 (Area of Study
1).
To understand the historical context of the
music.
Area of Study 1 – Set Work 1
Handel:
And the Glory of
the Lord
from
Messiah
Course Content
Listen to the set work, placing it in
context.
Relevant musical vocabulary
including: oratorio, libretto,
recitative, aria, chorus, perfect
cadence, plagal cadence, pedal
point, imitation, monophonic,
homophonic, modulation, tonic and
dominant.
Unit 1
Record solo performance.
Learning Outcomes





To understand the context of the set work as part
of one of the most well known and loved of all
oratorios.
To understand the position and role of the set work
in the overall oratorio.
To develop an understanding of the use of Baroque
conventions within the set work.
To recognise and be able to use relevant musical
vocabulary.
To recognise the forces used in the recording
including SATB choir.
8
Handel – 1685-1759
 Born in Germany
 Played the Violin, Harpsichord and Organ
 Employed as court conductor for the Prince-Elector of Hanover in Germany
 Ambitious, devoted and very successful musician
 Travelled to Italy and England
 Settled in England and continued to write music for the Prince-Elector who was now
King George I of Great Britain!
Homework: Visit the website DSOkids.com. List 4 other musical facts about Handel
including the title of two other works composed by him:
1. ____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Listen to La Rejouissance from Music for the Royal Firework Suite. Describe:
 The two instrumental families you can hear
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
 Tonality
__________________________________________________________
 Time signature
9
BAROQUE MUSIC
Key Features
1
2
3
4
5
6
Simple, mainly diatonic harmonies
Terraced dynamics – clear contrasts between loud and soft, rather
than gradual changes
Ornamentation Complex contrapuntal writing in some pieces
Orchestras made up of largely string instruments
Use of continuo – a group of instruments that provides a bass line and
harmonic accompaniment – usually a keyboard instrument
(harpsichord or organ), with one or more bass instruments (cello,
bassoon or double bass).
Important composers: Bach, Handel, Purcell and Vivaldi
Wurzburg Chapel
What is an Oratorio?
An Oratorio is a large-scale composition for solo singers, choir and orchestra. It is always
based on a biblical story but intended for performance in concert halls and theatres rather
than in churches. They were similar in musical style to Operas but without costumes,
scenery or acting.
Messiah
Handel composed more than 20 oratorios, of which Messiah (1741) is his most famous. It
took him just over three weeks to compose! The first performance was given in Dublin in
1742. This first performance was given by a small choir of no more than 16 singers and an
orchestra of probably less than 10 though now it is performed with much larger forces. The
orchestra would have been supported by a Baroque organ, harpsichord and a cello, this
grouping of instruments is known as the continuo.
10
Harpsichord
The harpsichord action
Listening
Compare and contrast two versions of Bach’s prelude in C major.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Within an Oratorio you will find arias, recitatives and choruses.
 Aria – a solo vocal piece with instrumental accompaniment which reflects a mood
or emotion. The music is more elaborate to display the vocal qualities and
expertise of the singer to the full.
 Recitative – a style used in operas, oratorios and cantatas in which the text is told
in the rhythm of natural speech, these are used to narrate the story.
 Chorus – a movement within the Oratorio in which the whole choir sings and sums
up the action at that point in the drama.
Listen to this example of one of Handel’s most famous choruses,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE
Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus
Note that the words are in English and not Italian which tended to be the norm during the
Baroque period.
‘And the Glory of the Lord’ (1741)
Handel’s Messiah is in three parts and tells the story of the birth, death, and resurrection of
Jesus Christ:
 Part 1 – the birth
 Part 2 - the death
 Part 3 - resurrection
‘And the Glory of the Lord’ is in part 1 and is the first chorus in Messiah. It consists of four
different motifs. Listen to the motifs and answer the following questions:
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Motif A
1. In pairs learn to play this motif.
2. What type of voices first sing this? ___________________________________________
3. Describe the rhythm in bar 2. _______________________________________________
4. The word setting in this motif is_____________________________________________
Motif B
This is first sung by the tenors in bar 17.
5. What melodic device is used on the words revealed?
_______________________________________________________________________
6. Describe the word setting in this motif. _______________________________________
Motif C
7. What type of voice first sings this motif? ______________________________
8. What compositional device has been used in this motif?
_______________________________________________________________________
12
Motif D
9. Describe how motif D differs from the other 3.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
These four motifs are heard in different parts and in combined in different ways throughout
the movement.
In section B of the listening exam you will be asked to write in detail about one of the set
works. You are likely to have to put your work in context, for instance by giving its date and
style, or by stating where you might expect to hear it performed. Most of the marks, however,
are likely to be awarded for writing about how the elements of music, such as rhythm,
melody and harmony, are used in the set work. We have already focused on the melody in
this set work and will now therefore look at the other elements of music and how they are
used in ‘And the Glory of the Lord’.
PERFORMING FORCES
The choir is made up of sopranos, altos, tenors and basses (SATB). They are accompanied
by a string orchestra and continuo (cello, and harpsichord or organ). Notice that the
orchestra often doubles the vocal lines.
STRUCTURE
Fill in the missing words:
The work starts with an ________________ introduction, called a ritornello. Shortened
versions of this ritornello return later in the work.
Indicate on the score where the instrumental ritornellos occur.
There is no formal structure to this movement; it’s based on different combinations of the
____________ motifs.
As the motifs repeat and imitate between the voices they are sequenced into different
pitches e.g. bars 18-23.
13
RHYTHM, METRE AND TEMPO
The time signature is ________ throughout which means simple triple time.
The tempo is allegro which means _________________.
In which bar does the tempo change? ___________________________. What happens on
the three beats prior to the change? _____________________________________________
By changing the tempo and adding in the general pause this helps to emphasise the final
words ‘hath spoken it’.
The first three motifs use mostly crotchets and quavers whereas the fourth motif is
characterised by long (dotted minim) repeated notes. These notes serve to emphasise ‘the
Lord hath spoken it’. To strengthen the statement further he doubles the part with the tenors
and ______________.
Handel creates syncopation by using what is known as a hemiola. This is a rhythmic device,
often used towards a cadence point, where the music feels as if it has 2 rather than 3 beats
per bar. Give an example of where this first occurs:_______________________________.
TONALITY AND HARMONY
This piece is in the key of ________________. It modulates (changes key) to two related
keys: the dominant (E major) and the supertonic (B major). The piece ends with a
______________cadence.
The harmony is diatonic. What does this mean?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
TEXTURE
Handel creates contrast within this piece by contrasting both homophonic and
contrapuntal/polyphonic textures. Describe what is meant by homophonic and give an
example where this texture can be heard.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
What is meant by the term contrapuntal/polyphonic and at which point does Handel first
use this texture?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
14
There is a very short monophonic passage where the upper strings are in unison with the
sopranos, can you find where this is and indicate the bar numbers below.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
In order to create the contrapuntal texture Handel uses imitation, this is overlapping the
music by immediately copying the same melody in another part. This first happens in bars
18-25.
To further add contrast Handel varies the number of parts being played, for example he may
only have the altos singing or at times two or three parts together. Give an example within
the score where you can hear one voice part singing: ________________________________
In which bars can we first hear the Tenors and Basses together? _______________________
What is the texture at this point in the score and why?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
WORD SETTING
There is a mixture between melismatic and syllabic word setting throughout.
Which motif is mostly syllabic? _____________________________________________
Which motif is mostly melismatic? ___________________________________________
15
LISTENING EXCERCISE
Listen to the following two excerpts and write down what you hear by the headings given:
Excerpt A
For unto us a Child is Born
Excerpt 2
4 Movt. 40th Symphony
th
Tonality
Tempo
Texture
Harmony
Performing Forces
Which excerpt is from the Baroque period and why?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Suggest a possible composer for both excerpts: ___________________________________
16
Area of Study 1 – Set Work 2
Mozart:
Symphony No. 40
in Gm
First Movement
Content coverage
Learning outcomes

Listen to the set work, placing it in context.
Relevant musical vocabulary including:
symphony, sonata form, exposition,
development, recapitulation, 1st and 2nd
subject, bridge passage, orchestra (and sections
thereof), sequence, dynamic markings,
chromatic, major and minor.



Unit 2
Melody writing and harmonisation

Unit 1: Choose ensemble performances to be
rehearsed and recorded over the next 8-12
weeks.

17
To understand the context of the set work
and its place in the canon as a sonata from
1st movement of a classical symphony.
To learn about the importance of structure
within classical works and of the role
played by tonality and key structure.
To learn about sonata form and its main
elements as evidenced in the set work.
To be able to identify the elements that
make this an archetypal piece of music
from the classical era.
To recognise and be able to use relevant
musical vocabulary.
To be able to recognise the sound of all
the instruments in the classical orchestra.
Mozart – 1756-1791
 Born in Austria
 A child prodigy (young person of exceptional talent)
 Toured Europe giving performances to royalty from the age of 6
 Lived in Salzburg, Paris and Vienna
 Died a pauper at the age of 35
 Left over 600 compositions!
Homework: Visit the website DSOkids.com. List 4 other musical facts about Mozart
including the title of two other works composed by him:
1. _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Listen to Eine Klein Nachtmusik and describe the following:
 The texture in the first four bars.
__________________________________________________________
 Tonality
__________________________________________________________
 Time signature
 Performing Forces: __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
18
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Key Features
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Simple, mainly diatonic harmonies
Expression markings given in scores including crescendos and
diminuendos
Balanced, repetitive and clear-cut melodies that form questions and
answers
Often homophonic in texture
Increased use of wind instruments, though the melody is still mainly
in the strings. The wind instruments tend to fill out the harmonies
Basso continuo replaced with alberti bass
Harpsichord replaced by the piano and no longer used in the orchestra
Clarinet invented
Important composers: Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven
Look at the picture below and compare this with the Wurzburg Chapel on page 10, what do
you notice?
Bellevue Palace in Berlin
What is a Symphony?
A symphony is a large scale orchestral work that first became popular in the Classical period.
It consists of four movements:
 Fast
 Slow
 Minuet and Trio
 Fast
All three of the composers mentioned earlier wrote symphonies, Beethoven wrote 9 while
Haydn wrote over 100! Mozart composed about 50 symphonies with many being
commissioned by royalty or aristocrats. The most likely place to hear a symphony would be
in a concert hall.
19
Symphony No. 40 (first movement) (1788)
Facts..........







Key of G minor
4 movements
Use of sonata form for 1st, 2nd and 4th movements
3rd movement is a minuet & trio
Each movement has a different tempo
The first movement is molto allegro which means _________________________
No trumpets or timpani – unusual for a Classical Symphony!
Looking at the melody below, this is heard at the beginning of the extract.
Fill in the missing notes in bars 3 and 4.
N.B. You will more than likely get a question like this in the first part of your listening exam.
Look at the following signs/abbreviations. List one place where you can find them in the
score and write down what they mean:
‘div.’______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
‘1’ _______________________________________________________________________
‘a 2’ ______________________________________________________________________
sf _______________________________________________________
tr ________________________________________________________________________
legato ____________________________________________________________________
staccato ___________________________________________________________________
crescendo __________________________________________________________________
20
Listen to the music and follow the score. You will notice that it is in 3 main sections, what
happens in the final section?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
What you have heard is a movement in Sonata Form – the most important large musical
structure in the Classical period.
21
STRUCTURE AND TONALITY
Complete the chart below by adding in the bar numbers:
Section
Exposition
Sub-section
Description
Key
First subject
A melody characterised by
a falling motif.
Played by strings first
Gm
Bridge
passage
Full orchestra playing
Bb
Second
subject
A melody with descending
chromatic patterns, shared
between strings and
woodwind
Bb
(relative
major)
Codetta
Reinforces the key centre
Bb
Based on the first subject,
which is developed and
fragmented
Moves
through
various keys
First subject is repeated
with some variation
Gm
Extended
Bridge
passage
Full orchestra playing
Gm
Second
subject
Second subject is repeated
with some variation
Gm
Coda
Repeated perfect
cadences to finish the
piece.
Development
First subject
Recapitulation
22
Gm
Bar
MELODY
Most of the melodies are made up of 4 bar phrases that sound like questions and answers.
Many of them are scalic. What does this mean?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
HARMONY
This is a typical Classical symphony and therefore the harmony is ______________
throughout. There are however times when Mozart uses chromatic chords such as the
diminished 7th and augmented 6th – mostly used in the development section where the
tonality is more ambiguous.
What harmonic device does Mozart use in the opening bars?
__________________________________________________________________________
He also uses this in bars 17-20, but what is different this time?
__________________________________________________________________________
A popular feature of Classical music was the use of the circle of 5ths as a chord progression.
Mozart uses this in a number of places but most notably in bars 57-58 and bars 203-209. Its
clever design is very helpful in composing and harmonizing melodies, building chords, and
moving to different keys within a composition.
23
RHYTHM, METRE AND TEMPO
Describe the tempo and metre of this movement in two sentences:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
The rhythms are fairly simple though there are some use of dotted rhythms and syncopation
to help create momentum and interest. Can you find one example of each within the score?
Dotted rhythm
__________________________________________________________________________
Syncopation
__________________________________________________________________________
TEXTURE
As with much music from the Classical period the main texture in this piece is homophonic.
He does however use dialogue between instruments. Look at the second subject in bars 4448 – first you hear the strings which is then answered by the WW. What does Mozart do to
this Q&A phrase in bars 52-55?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
INSTRUMENTS
As well as the clarinet and piano being invented in the Classical period the horn was also
another new arrival. The type of horn used at this time was called a natural horn. It had no
valves and therefore relied on the musicians lips to create different notes. The notes were
limited to their harmonic range. A horn in Bb would therefore only be able to play the notes
Bb D F and C. A horn in G would be able to play G B D and F. In order to maximise the
number of pitches Mozart had 2 horns – one in Bb and the other in G.
A natural horn with different sizes of crooks, the crooks did the job of transposing the
instrument.
24
DYNAMICS
Complete the chart below by filling the general dynamics for each section:
Section
Sub-section
First subject
Exposition
Bridge
Second subject
Development
First subject
Recapitulation
Bridge
Second subject
25
Dynamics
26
Mozart 1st Movement from Symphony No. 40 in G Minor
Listen to extract A twice:
1. Which theme / subject is being played?
[1]
2. This theme is shared between two instrumental families. What are they?
[2]
3. What is the key of this theme?
[1]
Listen to extract B twice:
4. Describe one difference between this extract and extract A
[1]
5. Fill in these two statements using either Exposition, Development or
Recapitulation
Extract A is from the
Extract B is from the
[2]
Listen to extract C twice:
6. Explain how the Development Section manipulates and alters the ideas from
the exposition
[3]
7. Which instruments play a dominant pedal note towards the end of the
Development Section
[1]
27
Area of Study 1 – Set Work 3
Chopin:
Prelude No. 15 in
Db major
The ‘Raindrop’ prelude
Content coverage
Listen to the set work, placing it in context.
Relevant musical vocabulary including:
dynamic markings, key signatures, pedal
point, sustain pedal (including score
markings), sostenuto, legato, cantabile,
acciaccatura and rubato.
Learning outcomes



Unit 1: Rehearse and record ensemble
performances.
Unit 2: Input harmonised melodies into a
computer package and record as composing
tasks.
28
To understand the context of the set work
as part of the romantic piano repertoire.
To learn about the development of the
piano and the virtuoso musician in the
context of the romantic era.
To recognise the use of romantic
conventions within the set work. To
recognise and be able to use relevant
musical vocabulary.
ROMANTIC MUSIC
Key Features
1
2
3
4
5
6
Large orchestras (often including the full range of WW, brass,
percussion, strings and harp.
Increasing technical difficulty in some music leading to the rise of the
virtuoso
Music is more expressive and emotional
More homophonic in texture
Structures become longer
Pieces are given descriptive titles, programme music becomes more
common
Important composers: Chopin, Liszt and Mendelssohn
In order to gain a better understanding of this period of Romanticism it is useful to visualise
the movement through architecture, art and literature.
A castle built purely on Romantic fantasy in the late 19th century
John William Waterhouse, 1888, The Lady of Shalott,
In terms of literature, the Grimm brothers were are among the best-known story tellers of
European folk tales, and their work popularized such stories as Cinderella, The Frog Prince,
Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. Here is an
example of one of their stories written in the Romantic period.
29
THE OLD MAN AND HIS GRANDSON – The Grimm brothers
There was once a very old man, whose eyes had become dim, his ears dull of hearing, his
knees trembled, and when he sat at table he could hardly hold the spoon, and spilt the broth
upon the table-cloth or let it run out of his mouth. His son and his son’s wife were disgusted
at this, so the old grandfather at last had to sit in the corner behind the stove, and they gave
him his food in an earthenware bowl, and not even enough of it. And he used to look towards
the table with his eyes full of tears. Once, too, his trembling hands could not hold the bowl,
and it fell to the ground and broke. The young wife scolded him, but he said nothing and only
sighed. Then they brought him a wooden bowl for a few half-pence, out of which he had to
eat.
They were once sitting thus when the little grandson of four years old began to gather
together some bits of wood upon the ground. ‘What are you doing there?’ asked the father. ‘I
am making a little trough,’ answered the child, ‘for father and mother to eat out of when I am
big.’
The man and his wife looked at each other for a while, and presently began to cry. Then they
took the old grandfather to the table, and henceforth always let him eat with them, and
likewise said nothing if he did spill a little of anything.
Listen to the following to youtube clips. They will give you some idea of historical events
that took place in the 19th century that influenced composers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV_q45Otdic&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJnTTlgjVso
Using the knowledge that you have gained listen to Chopin’s Prelude No. 15 and give three
reasons as to why this is a composition from the Romantic period.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
This prelude was given the nickname Raindrop why do you think this is?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
30
PRACTICAL TASK
 Using a keyboard and a key of your choice make up a short passage of music
describing rain
 Try using scalic movement and short repeated patterns
 Decide whether you want a short jumpy (STACCATO) sound or smooth gentle
rain like Chopin’s (LEGATO)
 Start and finish in your main key area
 Perform to the class
Chopin – 1810-1849
 Born in Poland
 Composed nearly all of his music for piano
 Spent most of his career in Paris
 Was a piano teacher, composer and performer
 Performed ‘salons’: concerts given to small, select gatherings of people
 In 1838 he went to Majorca and ended up staying with his lover in a deserted
monastery in a place called Valldemossa.
 He composed this Prelude inspired by a heavy rainstorm that he could hear dripping
on the roof of the monastery
31
HOMEWORK
Chopin wrote 24 preludes, one in each of the 12 major and minor keys. Although the term
prelude suggests an introduction to something else Chopin composed these as short, self
contained movements. Bach however followed his preludes with a contrapuntal movement
called a fugue. All of Chopin’s preludes were written for piano, with some more difficult
than others. Create a power point presentation to the class about the history of the piano
including a listening example of one of Chopin’s other preludes.
Prelude No. 15 in Db Op.28 (1839)
MELODY
Look at the main themes below and learn them.
32
Notice the repeating quavers in the third example. This can be found throughout section B.
Chopin also uses this quaver pattern in section A thus creating a unifying feature.
The main theme is in the right hand and has a dotted rhythm which gives the melody a
lighter feel than in section B. In the middle section the melody is in the left hand is made up
of mostly crotchets and minims which help to create a darker more menacing mood.
STRUCTURE
This piece is in Ternary form (ABA). Complete the chart below:
Key
A
Main features
Db major Lyrical melody accompanied by quavers in the bass.
List three ways in which Chopin creates contrast in
this section:
B
C# minor
A
Db major The opening repeated but shorter.
Coda Db major Melody is now in the middle of the texture, finishes on
a perfect cadence.
33
Bar numbers
PERFORMANCE MARKINGS
Look at the following signs/abbreviations. List one place where you can find them in the
score and write down what they mean:
Definition
Bar
Ped.
*
Sotto voce
Smorzando
Slentando
Acciacatura
Sostenuto
RHYTHM, METRE AND TEMPO
The time signature is called common time it is the same as _____________. This stays the
same throughout the piece.
In bar 79 there is a dectuplet: ten notes of equal length fit into one single beat.
What is a septuplet?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Find an example of this within Chopin’s prelude:
__________________________________________________________________________
A key feature of solo music within the Romantic era is the use of rubato. This literally
means ‘robbed time’; in essence it allows the performer to create a flexible tempo so that
they can play expressively.
Key rhythmic features in the piece include the use of repeated quavers and dotted rhythms.
34
TONALITY AND HARMONY
Section
Key
Relationship
Final cadence
A
B
A
A dominant pedal can be heard throughout most of the piece.
TEXTURE
Section
Texture
A
Homophonic
B
Homophonic
A
Homophonic
Further textural features
Melody in the RH
Broken chords in the LH
Melody in the LH
Pedal in the RH doubled in octaves
More chordal than Section A
Melody in the RH
Broken chords in the LH
Melody in the middle of the texture
Coda
Monophonic for 2 bars
then homophonic
Sustained chords in the R and LH
DYNAMICS
In contrast to the first two set works Chopin uses a wide range of dynamics but there are no
sudden changes. He uses lots of crescendos and diminuendos throughout. Notice that Section
A is quieter than Section B, which climaxes to ff twice.
Do remember to add any definitions to your................
35
Area of Study 2
Music in the
th
20 century
36
Area of Study 2 – Set Works 4 & 6
Schoenberg:
‘Peripetie’
from
Five Orchestral Pieces
and
Reich:
‘Electric Counterpoint’: 3rd movement
Content coverage
Learning outcomes

Timbre and texture:
Schoenberg: Peripetie
Reich: 3rd movement from Electric
Counterpoint
Listen to the set works, placing them in
context.
Relevant musical vocabulary including:
chromaticism, atonal, klangfarbenmelodie,
hexachord, principal voice, secondary voice,
serialism, prime row, inversion, retrograde,
retrograde inversion, enharmonic,
verticalisation, repetition, ostinato, cells,
loop, phasing, note addition/subtraction,
augmentation, diminution, layering,
metamorphosis, resultant melody, modal.




Unit 1: Choose new performance pieces
for recording after the summer holidays.
Unit 2: Input ternary form piece into a
computer package/ rehearse piece and
record as a composition task.
Unit 2: Compose a piece of music using the
minimalist techniques studied in set work
6
37
To understand the very different approaches
used by Schoenberg and Reich in their use of
timbre and texture as evidenced in the set
works.
To understand the use of atonality and
modality in the pieces as well as the use of the
other musical elements.
To learn about the context of the set works in
the 20th Century repertoire and how they
represent different strands in the diversity of
western classical music in the 20th Century.
To explore composition techniques using
hexachords (or serial techniques) and
minimalist development techniques as a
method of understanding the ethos of the two
styles.
To identify the difference in performance
requirements for the two pieces.
Expressionism
This is a style developed in the early 20 th Century as a reaction to the late Romantic era and
composers such as Brahms and Wagner. Both composers were moving further away from
the more classical ways of writing music, by using more chromatics (#’s & b’s) and less
cadences which signify a key. This was making the music more emotional, and full of
suspense. The Expressionist movement was strongest in Germany at the end of the 1 st World
War. There was a strong feeling of disillusionment and discontent regarding living
conditions and restrictions imposed on the country. Artist, writers and composers wanted to
express their emotions through their art form as intensely as possible. Rather than trying to
create life-like and realistic paintings, Expressionist artists would use unnatural colours and
distortion to portray their emotions. Expressionism is often dark and moody but it can also
communicate feelings of happiness and joy.
Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh
38
‘Peripetie’ is the fourth of Schoenberg’s Five Orchestral Pieces. The title means ‘A sudden
change’. Listen to the music and, using the following terms: rhythm; metre; tonality;
melody, describe how Schoenberg creates the feeling of sudden changes.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
What do you think of this style of music?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
To understand this music more we need to gain a greater insight to the composer and how
atonal music can be structured. Firstly some facts about Schoenberg:
Schoenberg - 1874-1951
• Born in Vienna, Austria
• Founded the Second Viennese School – a group of composers who wrote
Expressionist music
• Taught Berg & Webern.
• Was a Jew (but adopted Protestantism for a few years)
• His music was condemned by the Nazis as being decadent
• He started writing atonal music when his wife left him for his friend an artist.
• Developed a technique known as serial
39
Serialism in Modern Music
Kandinsky
Serialism was created in the 1920 – 1940’s by German composers who were trying to move
away from the traditions of ‘classical’ music in terms of melody, harmony and tonality.
The characteristics of Serialism are often weird and sound wrong, but they do have some
common features – even if they sound like they don’t make sense, there is a plan . . .
Tonality:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Use of Melody:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Use of Pitch Range & Movement:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Use of Rhythm:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
40
Use of Dynamics:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Use of Texture:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Use of Tempo:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Instruments and Timbres:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Serialism abandoned the idea of major, minor or modal tonality altogether. Melodies and
harmonies were created using a mathematical principle where each note of the chromatic
scale is used democratically, in order.
The chromatic scale is:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
The composer arranges the 12 notes of the chromatic scale into a certain order known as:
41
The Prime Row:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
The Prime is then changed to get 3 more versions:
The Retrograde:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
The Inversion:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
The Retrograde Inversion:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Having got the different rows, the composer can then transpose each row, 11 times.
42
Transpose each Row:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
The composer now has up to 48 different 12 note rows to choose from to create the melody,
countermelody and harmony with.
He will use the elements of music listed on the 1st page to create mood and contrast in the
piece.
Creating Structure and Texture:
Canon:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Imitation:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Sequence:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Pointillism:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Verticalization:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
43
44
We have spent a little time looking at this technique to help us understand some of the
developments of tonality in the early 20 th century. In order to make a piece truly tonal the
composer could not have one note dominating the piece hence the invention of serialism.
Every one of the 12 notes is given equal importance. Schoenberg introduced this technique
some years after the Five Orchestral Pieces – this piece is atonal but is not serial.
Key features of Expressionism in Music





atonal
expresses intense emotion
full pitch ranges of the instruments used
extreme changes in dynamics
pieces are quite short as it is difficult to write a piece of considerable length without
the framework of a key structure and the use of recognisable themes
 timbre felt to be as important as the melody – notice the considerably larger orchestra
in Peripetie and the wider variety of percussive instruments
Did you mention any of these features when listening to the music?
45
Five Orchestral Pieces: Peripetie (1909)
The Five Orchestral Pieces is a set of atonal pieces for full orchestra. They all last between
one and five minutes and aren’t linked to each other.
Homework:
Write a paragraph of information about these orchestral pieces. Your work must be word
processed and include details about when and where it was first played; the history behind
the title of the individual pieces and why Schoenberg found it difficult to get this work
performed.
PERFORMANCE MARKINGS
Look at the following signs/abbreviations. List one place where you can find them in the
score and write down what they mean:
Definition
a2 or a3
divisi
pizz
arco
bell up
1 solo
tutti
46
Bar
+
INSTRUMENTATION
This work is written for a very large orchestra of about 90 players. Schoenberg changes the
instrumentation rapidly throughout creating many contrasts in timbre. He felt that the
combination of instrumental sounds, or ‘tone colour’ was just as important as the melody
and invented the term klangfarbenmelodie which means tone-colour melody.
The instruments play at extreme their extreme ranges in terms of pitch. Look at bar 2, what
do you notice about the double bass part?
________________________________________________________________
Now look at the final 2 bars and you will notice that the instruments playing here are all
playing at opposing pitches and at their most extreme ranges.
How does Schoenberg create different timbres on the cymbal?
__________________________________________________________________________
Describe the instruments below:
Piccolo
__________________________________________________________________________
Cor anglais
__________________________________________________________________________
Bass clarinet
_________________________________________________________________________
Contrabassoon
__________________________________________________________________________
Tam-tam
__________________________________________________________________________
47
STRUCTURE
This piece has five sections and is in free rondo form. However, the lack of tonality and the
changes in the rhythm mean that it is very different to the traditional type of rondo heard in
the Classical period.
Section
A
B
A’
C
A’’
Bar
1-18
18-34
35-43
44-58
59-end
TONALITY AND HARMONY
The piece is atonal and uses a lot of dissonant harmony.
The chords and melodies are often built from hexachords – a set of six pitches. This is one
of the unifying features of ‘Peripetie’. We first hear them in the opening woodwind fanfare,
if we write them in scale order you can see the intervals between the notes:
Note name
Interval
C#
D
½
E
1
F
½
G#
1½
A
½
Now look at the sustained chord in the horn chord in bars 8-13, Schoenberg has transposed
the first hexachord to a new pitch level. It still however creates the same type of dissonant
chord.
A
Bb
½
1
C
C# E
F
½
1½
½
He uses this same chord again in bars 37-39 in the horns.
Finally, look at the chord in the last two bars of the piece:
E
F
½
G
1
Ab B
C
½
1½
½
It’s the hexachord again transposed to another pitch level! This happens throughout the
piece though some of the hexachords have different sets of pitches.
48
MELODY
There are seven different motifs that are short and fragmented. Write down the features of
each of the motifs below including the following key words: disjunct; octave displacement;
augmentation; triplets; sextuplet; chromatic movement.
Motif a
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__________________________________________________________________________
Motif b
__________________________________________________________________________
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Motif c
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Motif d
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Motif e
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Motif f
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Motif g
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
49
RHYTHM, METRE AND TEMPO
The metre changes between _________________________________________________.
The tempo is Sehr rasch, what does this mean?
_________________________________________________________________________
The rhythms are very complex and include triplets, syncopation, demisemiquavers,
sextpulets and dotted rhythms. He changes them very quickly and often layers the different
rhythm patterns on top of each other to create a complex contrapuntal texture.
TEXTURE AND DYNAMICS
The texture within this piece is mostly contrapuntal/polyphonic. There are however times
where the texture becomes more sparse and is monophonic. Can you find an example of
this?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
To create the contrapuntal texture Schoenberg uses imitation. In the final section you will
see an example of three different canons that are all heard at the same time.
A main feature of Expressionist music is the use of extreme contrasts in dynamics. Look
through the score and write down the two most extreme dynamics that Schoenberg uses:
_________________________________________________________________________
Edvard Munch (1863-1944)
50
Schoenberg’s Peripetie
You will hear this extract twice
a) Name the two families of instruments which are playing the main themes at the
beginning of the extract
[2]
b) Name the style in which this piece was written
[1]
c) Describe the use of dynamics in this extract
[3]
d) Other than dynamics, give 4 features of the style that you can hear in this extract
[4]
e) What is meant by the composers’ term Hauptstimme which is used in the score
[2]
f) This piece is based on manipulating a chromatic scale, give the name of the first
statement of the 12 note scale
[1]
g) Give 3 ways in which the composer uses and changes this scale of notes throughout
the piece
[3]
Total
51
[16]
2 – Set Work 5
Bernstein:
West Side Story:
‘Something’s Coming’
Content coverage
Bernstein: ‘Something’s Coming’
Analysis of musical structures used in the
song.
Identifying the use of instrumentation,
harmony and accompaniment.
Relevant musical vocabulary including:
choreography, production, melodic intervals,
syllabic, tritone, 7th chords, riff, harmonics.
Learning outcomes


Unit 1: Rehearse and record solo and
ensemble performances.
Unit 2: Input minimalist pieces into a
computer programme.
52
Bernstein: To understand the context of the
song as part of a musical — the placement of
the song within West Side Story as a whole
and the meaning of the lyrics in the context
of the plot including understanding the
character of Tony.
To explore the rhythmic interest in the song
and the use of the orchestra to accompany
the singer.
A Brief History of Musicals
What is a musical?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
 Increased demand in the late 19th century for popular entertainment suited to ordinary
people.
 New theatres opened on Broadway in New York, and the West End in London in
response to this demand.
 Variety shows were shown that consisted of a mixture of songs, dances, comedy acts
and short sketches.
 Story lines became included to link the items.
 The music became more sophisticated with some composers drawing on the rhythms
and harmonies of 20th century classical music and jazz
 Key works in the development of the musical: Show Boat (1927) by J Kern; Porgy
and Bess (1935) by G Gershwin; Oklahoma (1943) by R Rogers and O Hammerstein.
 West Side Story (1957) a direct descendent of these 3 works. Plot includes gang
violence, ambition, humour and love.
 Musicals today are more popular than ever, but none match the intensity of West Side
Story.
Homework
Go to dsokids.com and listen to the Mambo from the West Side Story Overture. Describe
Bernstein’s use of rhythm, harmony, tonality and performance forces:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Write an article about Bernstein and what influenced him to write West Side Story. Follow
this with: a summary of the plot; where ‘Something’s Coming’ features within the work; the
orchestration; when and where it was first performed. This must be word processed and
include images relevant to your work.
53
West Side Story: ‘Something’s Coming’ (1957)
The idea of a musical based on Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet was suggested to
Bernstein in 1949 by Jerome Robbins, an American choreographer. The original setting of
Verona, a beautiful Italian city in the 16th century was to be transformed into the run-down,
violent world of the West Side of Manhattan Island, New York in the 1950s. This appealed
to Bernstein as it provided him with the opportunity to write hard hitting music inspired by
the jazz and Latin-American rhythms that he had experienced on his holidays.
Romeo and Juliet
West Side Story
Renaissance Italy
1950s New York
Young lovers who get together
despite a running battle
between their families
Tony and Maria from rival
teenage gangs, the Jets (New
York) and the Sharks (Puerto
Rico)
Balcony scene
Fire escape of a bleak New York
apartment
Tony, who was once the leader of the Jets, sings the song ‘Something’s Coming’ it is his
first solo, and in it he expresses his hopes for a better future, it establishes his optimistic
character. The music in this song reflects this desire for a better future than the gang culture.
How does the music do this?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Unfortunately though his relationship with Maria, sister of the rival gang leader, is
ultimately doomed; it is a love story of betrayal and violence leading to Tony’s death.
INSTRUMENTATION
‘Something’s Coming’ is written for solo tenor accompanied by a pit orchestra/band.
Notice that the Tenor part is printed in the treble clef but sounds an octave lower then
written. The pit orchestra is usually positioned in front of the stage and therefore limits the
number of players that can be used.
54
West Side Story was originally written to be performed without amplifying the voices. Write
down two ways in which Bernstein ensures that the band doesn’t overpower the singer in
‘Something’s Coming’:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Bernstein uses a variety of instrumental techniques within thispiece to help enhance key
words. Look out for example the harmonics and tremolo played by the strings in the words
‘The air is humming’.
STRUCTURE AND MELODY
Listen to the performance and follow the score, there are three main themes. Write down the
main features and the metre for each one of these themes:
Theme
Main Features
Metre
A
B
C
The entire song is based on these three themes though they are not exactly the same when
they return. Bernstein varies the themes by changing the words and the metre.
55
TEXTURE
The texture is melody over accompaniment (homophonic) throughout. He does however
vary the accompaniment and has three main ideas:
1. A repeating riff in the bass:
2. Short, syncopated chords in bars 21-26
3. A fast, um-cha accompaniment in bars 32-140
RHYTHM, METRE AND TEMPO
To help create the feeling of anticipation and excitement Bernstein uses changes in metre,
fast tempo and syncopated rhythms – notice also the use of the “push” rhythm which
anticipates the beat:
56
He also uses cross rhythms: two conflicting rhythms that cross the pattern of accented and
unaccented beats. Here are two examples within ‘Something’s Coming’. Indicate on the
music below where the accented beats are in each part:
HARMONY AND TONALITY
What is the key of this piece? ________________________________________________
Does it modulate?_________________________
If so where and to which key?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
We discussed earlier how Bernstein was influenced by Jazz and Latin-American music. The
jazz influences become very clear particularly within the harmonies where there is frequent
57
use of 7th chords – these are known as ‘blue’ notes. He also uses the interval of a sharpened
fourth that creates a tritone. Look at the example below:
Flattened
Seventh
Tritone
What is a tritone and where else can you see one? __________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
What harmonic device does Bernstein use in the last bar to create the feeling that the piece
hasn’t finished?
Choose from:
Syncopation
Pedal note
Flattened seventh
Cross rhythm
Which two options are the odd ones out and why? _________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
H/W - West Side Story contains several types of songs other than the solo song. Listed
below are a variety of songs found in this musical which include chorus numbers, duets and
a quintet:
‘One Hand, One Heart’
‘Jet Song’
‘America’
‘Tonight’
‘A Boy Like That’
Which one of the songs above is a quintet?
__________________________________________________________________________
Two of the songs are duets, name one of them:
__________________________________________________________________________
The final two songs are chorus numbers, what does this mean? _______________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
58
Listening Test
1. Listen to the following extract of Something’s Coming which will be played twice.
a. Which section of the orchestra play the instrumental introduction?
[1]
b. How does the composer create a mood of excitement and anticipation in the
music
[2]
c. In which decade of the 20th Century was the musical written and set?
[1]
d. Define the following features which exist in this piece:
 Ostinato
 Tritone
 “Blues” Notes
[3]
e. Look at the scores below, which show the beginning and end of this extract.
Identify 5 differences between the two scores in terms of key, metre, rhythm,
dynamics and any other significant musical feature:
Beginning of extract:
59
End of extract:
Total
60
[5]
/12
Capercaillie
 A Scottish Band
 Formed in 1983 at Oban High School to play for local dances called ceilidhs
 First album recorded in 1984
 Play Celtic Fusion music – Celtic folk music combined with elements of pop music
 Much of their music is recorded in Gaelic
 Have also recorded music for TV and films including Rob Roy
Homework
Listen to two of the following bands and prepare a power point presentation that focuses on
which styles of music have influenced their performances:
The Pogues
Manau
Bellowhead
Primordial
Dagda
Clannad
Floggin’ Molly
Capercaillie: Skye Waulking Song (2000)
61
Facts..........





has a 12/8 time signature
is mostly based around three chords – C, E minor and G
has eight verses and an instrumental section
opens with an intro and fades out with an outro
is from a collection of Gaelic folk songs compiled by the folklorist Alexander
Carmichael
 Lead singer, Karen Mattheson, has an unusually low female alto voice
 combines folk and rock instruments
 a waulking song is a work song, sung by women workers processing cloth.
The Role of Music in the Work Place
A work song is typically a rhythmic a cappella song sung by people working on a physical
and often repetitive task. The work song is probably intended to reduce feelings of boredom.
Rhythms of work songs also serve to synchronize physical movement in a gang. Frequently,
the usage of verses in work songs are often improvised and sung differently each time. The
improvisation provided the singers with a sometimes subversive form of expression:
improvised verses sung by slaves had verses about escaping; improvised verses sung by
sailors had verses complaining about the captain and the work conditions. Work songs also
help to create a feeling of familiarity and connection between the workers.
Work songs sung by slaves are known by many names around the world. In America, such
songs were the foundation for what would eventually become the Blues. Some songs were
part of a native heritage and sung to remind the slaves of home, while others were instituted
by the slave masters to raise morale, keep slaves working in rhythm, or any number of other
purposes. Black American slave songs might be referred to as "chain gang songs" or
"spirituals" depending on the context of the song. An example of a slave work song would
be “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”.
Work songs sung by sailors during the 20th, 19th, and to a lesser extent 18th centuries are
known as sea shanties. These songs were typically performed while adjusting the rigging,
raising anchor, and other tasks where men would need to pull in rhythm. These songs
usually have a much punctuated rhythm precisely for this reason, along with a call-andanswer format.
Well before the 19th century, sea songs were common on rowing vessels. Such songs were
also very rhythmic in order to keep the rowers together. Because many cultures used slaves
62
to row, these songs might also be considered slave songs. These songs were performed with
and without the aid of a drum.
Shanties had a very slow style and were sometimes accompanied by an accordion or
concertina. (NB For info only!)
63
Sea shanties are a form of work song traditionally sung by sailors working on the rigging of
ships. There are several types, divided based on the type of work they set the rhythmic base
for.
The Skye Waulking Song is an example of a Work Song, as in our women waulking the
cloth in the Scottish Isles. “Waulking” is a process of repeatedly beating the cloth to full it
and prepare it for use. The process is called "orain luaidh" in Gaelic.
The music associated with this labour contains vivid and intimate personal poetry, mostly
the composition of women. The songs helped the women to move the cloth in time with
each other, they pounded the tweed cloth against a wooden board called the waulking board,
in order to soften it and make it more air tight. The women would sit for many hours
working the tweed. This tradition continued in Scotland until the early 1950s. The songs
were usually in a call and response form; the call was made by a soloist and the response by
every one else.
Listen to the extract which contains a call and response from the set work.
Call:
Response:
What you have identified above is what is known as Phrase 1 and Refrain 1. Where else
can you see these within the Skye Waulking Song?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
64
What do you notice about this pattern?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Are there any other repeating patterns within this set work? If so where?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
STRUCTURE
What you may have noticed is that the vocal line alternates between four separate phrases,
each one lasting for one bar. This is in a call and response form.
Fill in the missing notes below:
Phrase 2:
Refrain 2:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The overall structure therefore is:
Section
Intro
Verse 1
Break
Verse 2
Verse 3
Verse 4
Verse 5
Verse 6
Instrumental
Verse 7
Verse 8
Outro
Bar
1-8
9-11
12-15
16-20
21-24
25-28
29-32
33-36
37-43
44-48
49-52
53-end
65
Some may even say that this piece has only two verses and would argue that the structure is
as follows:
Intro
Verse 1
Verse 2
Outro/Fade out
1-17
18-33
34-51
52-65
INSTRUMENTATION AND TEXTURE
As mentioned earlier this is a Celtic Fusion piece that combines traditional with more
modern instruments. Here are some of the more traditional instruments used in this piece:
Label the pictures using the names given below:
Uilleann Pipes
Accordian
Bodhran
Tin Whistle
Wurlitzer (electric) Piano
66
Bouzouki
What instruments can you hear that give the music a more modern feel?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
A layered texture is created throughout:
Rhythm pattern
Bass line
Chords
Main Melody
Countermelodies
Drum kit
Bass guitar
Synthesiser
Voice
Other melody instruments: violin, Wurlitzer
piano, uilleann pipes and bouzouki
There is one point in the piece where the accompaniment drops out completely, where is this
and how is it indicated in the score? _____________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
At the start there is a cluster chord played by the synthesiser, this is when notes are played
very close together and therefore create a dissonant sound. It is played ‘with modulation’
which means that a modulation effect is applied to the synthesiser that fluctuates the pitch
slightly, like a vibrato effect (NB not to be confused with changing key).
What playing technique is being used by the fiddle at the very start of the song? Describe the
sound in as much detail as you can.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
The melodic lines are played in a folk style – the instruments improvise around the main
melody simultaneously, sometimes playing a very similar melody in slightly different ways
– heterophonic texture – and sometimes weaving a complex, improvised counterpoint
around the melody and the scale.
MELODY
The vocal melody is pentatonic (G A B D and E) and uses the lower register of the voice.
Karen Mattheson’s part is notated using the vocal tenor clef, which means that the voice
sounds an octave lower than printed.
Is the text mainly syllabic or melismatic?
__________________________________________________
What language is the song in? ________________________________________
67
The instrumentalists play short motifs and countermelodies mostly based on the vocal
phrases.
RHTYHM AND METRE
The song is in compound quadruple time, what does this mean? _____________________
Key rhythmical features within this piece are the use of syncopation, cross rhythms and the
scotch snap (lombardic rhythm).
HARMONY
In this style of music harmony is less important than the melody and rhythm. The harmony
is very simple throughout the song using predominantly three chords: G, Em and C. The
changes in chord sequences are infrequent but this does mean that when a change does occur
it highlights a different section or mood within the song. The song is in G major but the
distinct lack of the dominant chord gives this piece a modal feel. It is entirely diatonic
throughout.
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EXAM QUESTION
Here is an example of an exam question related to this set work:
69
The examiner would be looking for these answers:
How many did you get right? ___________________
70
Area of Study 4 – Set Works 9 and 10
World Music
71
Area of Study 4 – Set Works 9 and 10
Rag Desh
And
‘Yiri’ Performed by Koko
Content coverage
Learning outcomes
Indian Music: ‘Rag Desh’ (AoS 4)
Listen to the performances of ‘Rag Desh’ by
Anoushka Shankar, Chiranji Lal Tanwar and
Steve Gorn/Benjy Wertheimer.
Make connections between the performers’ use
of the Rag and the use of modes by Davis et al.

Koko: ‘Yiri’ (AoS 4)
Listen to the performance of ‘Yiri’ by Koko.
Relevant musical vocabulary including:
ostinato, improvisation, cross-rhythm,
polyrhythm, syncopation, master drummer,
balaphones, mbira, vocables, djembe, donno,
dundun and oral tradition.




To develop students’ understanding of
improvising techniques in the context of
Indian music.
To look at alternative approaches to the use
of melody and harmony.
To understand the role of the drone, rag and
rhythmic tala in Indian music.
To be able to compare the different
realisations of the rag, understanding why the
same rag can be interpreted so differently
and expressing their findings using
appropriate musical vocabulary.
To explore the use of rhythmic motifs and
ostinati.
 To learn the set work through performing it.
To develop improvising skills through the
exploration of rhythmic elements.
Units 1 and 2: Rehearse for a performance of
the composition/input the piece into a
computer package for use as a sequenced
performance.
Unit 1: Re-record solo and ensemble
performances as appropriate.
Unit 2: Redraft compositions as appropriate.
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Various: Indian music - Rag Desh
Rag Desh is an example of North Indian classical music. It is an improvised form of music
with a long history. The improvisations take place within well defined structures and
conventions. The music is taught by respected teachers called gurus who pass their
knowledge down through oral tradition.
North Indian or Hindustani classical music is built on two basic elements: rag (scale) and
tala (rhythms). A rag is both the name of the completed piece and the pattern of notes within
that piece.
The tal or tala is a repeating rhythm pattern usually played by the tabla. It usually has
between six and sixteen beats. The beats are grouped into bars. The first beat of the cycle is
known as sam. It marks the beginnings and ends of improvisations so it is often accented.
Tintal is the most common tal. It has the following characteristics:
 sixteen beats (4 + 4 + 4 + 4)
 four sections beginning on the 1st, 5th, 9th and 13th beats
It is common to mark tala by hand claps and waves. In tintal the beginning of the first,
second and fourth sections is marked by a clap, but the beginning of the third section is
weaker and this is shown by a wave of the hand.
Beat number
Action
Vocal
mnemonic
1
Clap
Dha
2
Din
3
Din
4
5
Dha
Clap
Ta
6
Din
7
Din
8
9
Dha
Wave
Ta
10
Din
11
Din
12
13
14
15
16
Ta
Clap
Ta
Din
Din
Dha
The actions (clap and wave) are visual indications used by the tutor to help show where you
are within the Tal.
The different words of the vocal mnemonics: Dha; Din; and Ta represent the type of sound
that the Tabla player is trying to get out of the drums by hitting them on different parts of the
skin and with different parts of the hand.
A rag is a fixed scale although it is sometimes different going up and coming down. Rags
are associated with moods, e.g. loneliness, bravery, eroticism, and with particular times of
day or year, or with certain ceremonial occasions.
The Rag used in these three examples is the Rag Desh, this is a late evening rag associated
with the monsoon season. In Indian music a system known as sargam is used for naming the
notes: Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, Sa. The tonic, or ground note, is Sa (this is heard in the
drone).
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Rag Desh
STRUCTURE
It is very important that the structure can be recognised. A typical performance of a raga is
divided into four main sections:
 the alap, a slow improvised introductory section which introduces the notes and mood
of the rag. There’s no regular pulse and no percussion
 the jor, introduces the rhythm and a melody begins to evolve
 the gat is faster, the tabla player establishes a clear pulse and the fixed composition
can be heard in the melody
 the concluding jhalla gives the piece a brilliant and fast-paced close, the music
becomes more vibrant and decorative with extensive improvisation by the tabla and
melody instruments.

INSTRUMENTS
It is also very important to identify the instruments used when listening to the three set
works:
Sitar
The Sitar is perhaps the most well known of the Indian instruments. Artists such as Ravi
Shankar have popularized this instrument around the world. The Sitar is a long necked
instrument with a varying number of strings but 17 are usual. It has three to four playing
strings and three to four drone strings. These strings are plucked with a wire finger plectrum
called mizrab. There are also a series of sympathetic strings lying under the frets. These
strings are almost never played but they vibrate whenever the corresponding note is
sounded. The main resonator is usually made of a gourd and there is sometimes an
additional resonator attached to the neck.
74
Sitar
Tabla
Tabla
The Tabla is a pair of drums. It consists of a small right hand drum called dayan and a larger
metal one called bayan. The dayan (right hand drum) is almost always made of wood and is
tuned to the root note or sa of the raga. The bayan (left hand drum) is usually made of brass
with a nickel or chrome plate. Undoubtedly the most striking characteristic of the tabla is
the large black spot on each of the playing surfaces. These black spots are a mixture of gum,
soot, and iron filings. Their function is to create the bell-like timbre that is characteristic of
the instrument.
A tabla player will bend notes by increasing the skin tension with part of the hand in order to
create the “twang” sound that gives the tabla its distinctive character. Tabla playing is very
difficult and it can take years to master the different strokes (bols). Some strokes are open
(allowed to ring) and others are closed (dampened).
Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Joyk_EMtzn0 (Ravi Shankar, Alla Rakha – Tabla
Solo in Jhaptal – uploaded by ganchans)
Watch at least 6 minutes of the clip.
Observe how the player changes the pitch and timbre of the 2 drums by hitting them with
different parts of his hand.
 What do you notice about the teaching technique which is the same as the Sitar
lesson?
__
__
__________________________________________________________________________
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For the remaining instruments look at the descriptions below and match them to the pictures
below:
Pakhawaj – a double barrelled drum.
Sarangi – a bowed string instrument.
Swarmandal – a zither harp that is plucked, the strings are tuned to the notes of the raag to
provide an ambience of the raag.
Tambura – a stringed instrument which provides a drone. The tambura is often mistaken
with the sitar. The major difference between the two is that the sitar has frets.
Sarod – a plucked string instrument; the metal fingerboard is fretless and a coconut wood
plectrum is used to strike the strings
Bansuri - an Indian flute which is typically made of bamboo or reed with holes cut into it.
Shruti box – an electronic instrument that plays the drone.
76
Listen to the three Rag Desh pieces and identify what instruments you can hear in each one.
Instruments
Rag Desh performed by
Anoushka Shankar (2001)
Mhara janam maran performed by
Chiranji Lal Tanwar (2004)
Rag Desh performed by
Steve Gorn and Benjy Wertheimer
(2004)
Homework:
Write a brief paragraph about each of the performers above.
Anoushka Shankar
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Chiranji Lal Tanwar
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
77
Steve Gorn and Benjy Wertheimer
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Write down a summary of the rhythm and structure of all three Indian pieces:
Title
Tal pattern (Rhythm)
Structure
Key Terms
Meends – pitch
bends and slides
Rag Desh
performed by
Anoushka
Shankar (2001)
Tihai – short
melody or rhythm
Sam – the first
beat
78
Bhajan – a Hindu
devotional song
Mhara janam
maran
performed by
Chiranji Lal
Tanwar (2004)
Melisma – one
syllable to many
notes
Tans – fast scales
Rag Desh
performed by
Steve Gorn and
Benjy
Wertheimer
(2004)
Tihai – short
melody or rhythm
Drone – a
sustained note or
notes
79
Answer the sample exam question below:
80
Here is an example of the examiners answer sheet.
How many did you get right? ________________________________________________
81
Sub-Saharan African Music
The music from sub-Saharan Africa is extremely rich, colourful and diverse.
1
Key Features and Facts of African Music
African music is
 part of everyday activities; everyone joins in clapping, singing
and dancing to the music
 part of rites and ceremonies where it is performed by specialist
master drummers and professional musicians known as griots.
 not normally written down but is passed down over the
generations in each griot family by word of mouth (oral
tradition).
2
It came over to America with the African slaves and combined with
the folk music of the European settlers to produce new styles of music
such as blues, gospel and jazz. These went on to form the basis of pop
music today.
3
The music is based on repetition – rhythms, harmonies and melodies
are often repeated continually to form ostinatos.
4
Improvisation – melodies are frequently made up of improvised
5
Call and Response
6
Layered textures
7
Rhythm patterns interlock and overlap to form polyrhythmic patterns
and exciting cross-rhythms
8
Singing often includes glissandos (slides which are sometimes known
as portamento) and slurs, whistles, yodels and swoops, use of vowel
sounds such as ‘eh’, ‘ah’ and ‘oh’ (vocables).
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Homework
Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoStKUBUi8I (Talaembé, Balafon Spectacle
Series, DKD 2008 – uploaded by reggross)
 Describe the difference between the role of the players at the start, and how it changes
after 2 minutes
 Describe the use of rhythm and metre
 Why do you think the tonality and scale sounds a bit ambiguous and unusual to our
ears?
Koko: ‘Yiri’
Koko is a group of six musicians led by the singer and balafon player Madou Kone. ‘Yiri’ is
taken from their album Burkina Faso – Balafons et tambours d’Afrique” and contains just a
few sleeve notes;
When we discovered Koko, we were struck by the sheer wealth of music they produce.
This group occupies a very special position in the widely renowned cultural heritage of
Burkina Faso. Koko draws its inspiration from the subtle mixture of living cultures that are
to be found in that part of Africa. The group is led by Madou Kone, who plays the balafon
and is also an exceptional singer. The themes of Koko's songs evoke some of man's greatest
battles, including the fight for survival and protection of the environment, but also creation,
celebration and friendship, and attachment to the earth.
Burkina Faso is a landlocked nation in West Africa.
Burkina Faso
83
INSTRUMENTATION
The following instruments are used Yiri (which means wood):
The Balafon – similar to a xylophone, gourds hang beneath the notes to make the sound
resonate. The one used in Yiri uses a hexatonic (six note) scale.
The djembe a goblet shaped drum:
The talking drum: a drum that is played with a hooked stick and can be used to imitate
speech by creating different pitches and slides.
These instruments are also from Africa but are not in this piece.
Mbira
Shekere
84
Kora
STRUCTURE
The piece is in three sections, follow the score (this is a transcription of the performance as
they would have played from memory) and list what you can hear in each section:
Section
Instruments/Voices
Key Features/Techniques
Intro
Main section
Coda
MELODY, HARMONY AND TONALITY
Yiri is in the key of Gb major without the F, this leaves only six notes which means that it is
based on a hexatonic scale.
The balafons play short patterns that tend to emphasise the Gb and the Db – what notes of
the scale are these?
_________________________________________________________________
During the choruses the group sings together in unison.
It is entirely diatonic throughout.
RHYTHM, METRE AND TEMPO
The main metre is ____________. There are however a few bars with other metres.
After the introduction which is free tempo the rest of the piece has a steady pulse.
There is frequent use of syncopation throughout. During the second solo voice section there
is an example of cross rhythms where the balafon is playing semiquavers in groups of
threes. There are also triplets being used in the solo voice part.
The drums play a rhythmic ostinato throughout.
85
TEXTURE AND DYNAMICS
Most of Yiri has a layered texture, but it does include monophonic texture in the
introduction and occasional heterophonic textures. This final texture is created when the
balafons play different versions of the same tune at the same time.
There is little dynamic variation in the piece.
Now answer this question in as much detail as possible:
Describe the music played by the three different instrumental parts in the extract:
Balafons___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Drums_____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Voices_____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
86
Glossary of Terms
87
AoS 1
Haydn: And the Glory of the Lord
When you have learnt the meaning of the following keywords for the above set work write
them in here:
Terms
Definitions
Oratorio
SATB
Libretto
Recitative
Aria
Chorus
Falsetto
Tonic and Dominant
Perfect Cadence
Plagal Cadence
Pedal Note
Tonic Pedal
Dominant Pedal
Imitation
Monophonic
Homophonic
Modulation
Melismatic
Syllabic
Ritornello
88
Sequential Movement
Terraced Dynamics
Diatonic
89
AoS 1
Mozart: Symphony No. 40
When you have learnt the meaning of the following keywords for the above set work write
them in here:
Terms
Definitions
Symphony
Sonata Form
Exposition
Development
Recapitulation
1st and 2nd Subject
Bridge Passage
Orchestra
Sequence/
Sequential movement
Chromatic movement
Major and Minor
Dominant Pedal
Circle of 5ths
Diatonic
90
AoS 1
Chopin: Prelude No. 15 in Db ‘Raindrop’
Terms
Definitions
Pedal point
Sostenuto
Sustain pedal
Legato
Cantabile
Acciaccatura
Rubato
Dectuplet
Ternary Form
Sotto voce
Smorzando
Slentando
91
AoS 2
Schoenberg: ‘Peripetie’
Terms
Definitions
Chromaticism
Atonal
Klangfarbenmelodie
Hexachord
Principal Voice
Secondary Voice
Serialism
Prime row
Inversion
Retrograde
Retrograde inversion
Enharmonic
Verticalisation
Dissonance
Canon
92
AoS 2
Reich: ‘Electric Counterpoint’: 3rd movement
Terms
Definitions
Ostinato
Cells
Loop
Phasing
Note addition
Note subtraction
Augmentation
Diminution
Layering
Resultant melody
Modal
Polymetre
Hexatonic scale
93
AoS 2
Bernstein: West Side Story – ‘Something’s Coming’
Terms
Definitions
Choreography
Production
Intervals
Syllabic
Tritone
7th Chords
Riff
Harmonics
Push rhythm
Tremolo
Syncopation
Cross rhythm
Flattened seventh
94
AoS 3
Miles Davis: All Blues
Terms
Definitions
Ragtime
Swing
Bebop
Cool Jazz
Blue note
Changes
Head
Frontline
Comping
Chromatic
Turnaround
Riff
Parallel thirds
Harmon mute
Improvisation
95
AoS 3
Jeff Buckley: Grace
Terms
Definitions
Ballad
Verse Chorus Form
Tab
‘Drop-D’ Tuning
Blue notes
Flanger
Hammer-ons
Pull-offs
String bending
Slide guitar
Glissando
Melisma
Syllabic
Vocalisation
Falsetto
Overdubs
Word painting
Tessitura
Distortion
Power chords
96
AoS 3
Moby: Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?
Terms
Definitions
Sequencer
Sampler
EQ
Reverb
Delay
Sample
Manipulation
Breakdown
Panning
Loops
Dorian mode
97
AoS 4
Capercaillie: Skye Waulking Song
Terms
Definitions
Waulking songs
Uilleann pipes
Fiddle
Accordian
Bouzouki
Scotch snap
Call and Response
Pentatonic
Cluster chord
Counter melody
Heterophonic texture
98
AoS 4
Rag Desh
Terms
Definitions
Raga
Tala
Rag desh
Alap
Jor
Jhalla
Gat
Bols
Sam
Teental
Meend
Tan
Bansuri
Swarmandal
Esraj
Tambura
Tabla
Sitar
Sarangi
Sarod
Pakhawaj
99
Bhajan
Drone
Tihai
AoS 4
Koko: ‘Yiri’
Terms
Definitions
Ostinato
Improvisation
Cross rhythm
Polyrhythm
Syncopation
Master drummer
Balaphones
Mbira
Djembe
Donno
Dundun
Vocables
Oral tradition
Griot
100
Compiled and written for The Peterborough School students
by Helena McKillop
With thanks to Rupert Gardner who provided both resources and
invaluable support.
101
INSTRUMENTAL
PERFORMANCE
DIARY
102
Complete this chart every time you perform. Make sure you also include a copy of the music
in your file too.
Date
Instrument
Title of piece
103
Composer
Your role
Resources
Wikipedia
Edexcel
Edexcel GCSE Revision Guide: Alan Charlton
Edexcel GCSE Music Study Guide: Paul Terry
Edexcel GCSE Music: John Arkell/ Jonny Martin
Edexcel Anthology of Music
GCSE Bitesize
www.chrispettitt.com
104