Example of Grade A standard: Unit 4(Track 1)
Music AnnotationName:
Brief: Compose a piece of music which
explores two or more of the five Areas of
Study.
Title:On the Fields of Pelennor
Which Areas of Study have you explored
in this composition?
AoS1 Rhythm & Metre
AoS2 Harmony & Tonality
AoS3 Texture & Melody
AoS4 Timbre & Dynamics
AoS5 Structure & Form
I believe I have used all five of the Areas
Of Study but mostly I’ve used Texture &
Melody and Structure & Form. The
texture is simply melody with
accompaniment, as chords are played
over the tune.For example, my piece is
structured to include three different parts.
Also, my piece is homophonic as I
incorporate the melody and a simple
chord sequence to accompany the tune. It
is important that solitary strings came
before the horns were added to the
accompaniment as the effect (sadness,
despair and loss) I tried to attain would
have been lost
The two sounds that form the basis of this
piece are Piano and Strings. The second
section of the piece has horns added to
give that section of the ‘film theme’ more
emotional effect. The horns were added
through the means of a voice on a
clavinova. I was trying to create a feeling
of sadness in this piece. Horns worked
perfectly because, for me, horns of a low
pitch create a sad feeling. An example of
this is in Annie Lennox’s song Into the
West, which contains many instruments
like the brass to create a powerful, yet
emotional feeling. An attribute of the
song which makes it special.
There are three different sections of the
piece. All of them are slightly different.
For the first section sustained chords
were used, which were played until the
next chord was played. The next section
introduced arpeggios to the chord
progression. A mid-section was made, the
chords were the same. However they
were rearranged to make the piece to add
interest. Changing the order in which the
chords are played makes the piece seem
What sounds have you used to create
your piece?
What is the form and structure of your
piece?
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Example of Grade A standard: Unit 4(Track 1)
less repetitive. Finally the second section
was repeated to end the piece. The
passing notes used were altered slightly
towards the end of the piece.
My chord progression is: C, Dm, Am, G.
From this sequence of chords I have
produced a melody that fits to the
sequence.I wanted have a simple melody
which would make an emotional
statement. I constructed it in a way that
the sequence of notes would lead to the
next chord.
The majority of my ideas are simply
myself ‘playing’ around on the keyboard
until I had something that fitted with the
chord pattern. My inspiration came from
Howard Shore’s work on The Lord of the
Rings Trilogy. It is a piece of work that
would be used at the end of an event such
as a battle. The kind that might be used
when a character has died. Then starts
after one of the characters, Bilbo, has
been stabbed. The intro is the adrenaline
filled fight that ensues. The piano piece
enters as the antagonist dies. The horns
are added as the injured Bilbo dies. The
rest of the piece plays through an emotion
filled funeral for the adventure torn hero.
Scalic passages. Sequence. Passing notes.
Seventh chords. Suspended notes.
Chromaticism. Syncopation. Legato.
What chord progression have you used?
Describe how you have developed your
musical ideas.
What musical elements, devices etc have
you used?
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