MUSIC SET WORKS: AOS1
GCSE REVISION
Handel- And the Glory of the Lord
STRUCTURE
Based on 4 motifs
which are weaved
together throughout
the piece
TEXTURE
Homophonic. One
instance of
monophonic
(b.108/9)
TEMPO/RHYTHM
Allegro
3/4 but some use of
Hemiola (gives a feel
of 2/4)
TONALITY
A Major
Modulates to E Major
twice and B Major
once
INSTRUMENTATION
Full Baroque Orchestra:
Oboes, bassoons, trumpets,
strings, basso continuo (Cello &
organ)
HARMONY
Closes with a plagal
cadence
RELEASED
In 1742
DYNAMICS
Terraced
VOCALS
Written for a SATB
choir
Mozart- Symphony no 40 in G minor
STRUCTURE
Sonata form
1) Exposition
2) Development
3) Recapitulation
4) Coda
TEMPO
Molto Allegro
RELEASED
In 1788
TEXTURE
Homophonic.
Polyphonic in
development
section
DYNAMICS
Begins piano, which is
unusual for a Classical
symphony
Transition is forte all the
way through with sfz
HARMONY
Simple and clear
(tonic & dominant)
In development
chromatic harmonies
are used
INSTRUMENTATION – strings & ww &
horns
No percussion, No trumpets
TONALITY
G minor 1st
subject
Bb major 2nd
subject
Chopin- Prelude no 15 in D flat Major
STRUCTURE
Ternary form (A B A
coda)
TEMPO
Slow and held back
Rituendo at end
HARMONY
Rich harmony used
Melody harmonised
in 6ths
TONALITY
SECTION A: D flat Major
SECTION B: C sharp minor
TEXTURE
Homophonic
Raindrop motif is
doubled in octaves
Sustain pedal
DYNAMICS
SECTION A: p (piano)
SECTION B: crescendo and diminuendos
used. Builds up to ff (fortissimo).
CODA: f (forte) then diminuendos to p
(piano)
RELEASED
1838
INSTRUMENTATION
Piano
MUSIC SET WORKS: AOS2
GCSE REVISION
Arnold Schoenberg- Peripetie
STRUCTURE
Free Rondo form
TONALITY
Atonal (no particular
key)
Five sections
MELODY
Klangfarbenmelodie
The piece is gelled
together with melodic
fragments spread around
different instruments
Hauptstimme: principal
voice (melody)
Nebenstimme: secondary
voice (melody)
DYNAMICS
Wide range of
extreme dynamics
ranging from
pianissimo to
fortissimo
RELEASED
In 1909
TEXTURE
contrasting and
polyphonic
TEMPO/RHYTHM
Marked “Sehr rasch”
which means very fast
Rhythm is complicated
and fragmented
INSTRUMENTATION
HUGE Orchestra!
Instruments play extremes of
pitch
HARMONY
Dissonance (clashing
notes)
Hexachords (group of 6
notes)
Compliment (6 notes not
used in the 1st hexachord)
Steve Reich- Electric Counterpoint
STRUCTURE
Gradually develops in
complexity as layers are
added
RELEASED
In 1987
MELODY
Short patterns
(cells) and riffs
in ostinato style
TEXTURE
Layered
Repetitive
Polyphonic
DYNAMICS
Solo part fades in and out
through out the piece
Finishes fortissimo
INSTRUMENTATION
One live guitarist
7 pre-recorded electric guitars and 2
bass guitars
HARMONY
Is static and does
not change very
often
TONALITY
E minor &
C minor
(hint: look at the
title, Electric
Counterpoint)
Leonard Bernstein- Something's Coming
STRUCTURE
Intro
Sec A
Sec B
Sec B1
Sec B2
Outro
TEXTURE
Thick texture due to the large
orchestra
Layered parts
DYNAMICS
Begins softly
Forte in bars 21-39
TONALITY
D major
HARMONY
Uses tritones to
create a sense of
impending doom
TEMPO
Allegro
176 bpm
MELODY
Uses Jazz “blue”
notes
The melody is based
on the opening riff
RELEASED
1958
INSTRUMENTATION
Tenor solo voice
Big orchestra
Lots of Latin American
instruments used
MUSIC SET WORKS: AOS3
GCSE REVISION
Miles Davis- All Blues
STRUCTURE
12 Bar Blues
Intro
Head
Solos
Head
outro
TIMBRE
Mellow timbre due to the
use of the trumpet mute
and ghost notes
MELODY
Very lyrical and sparse
Solos are IMPROVISED
DYNAMICS
Mostly mf except for
some very loud
trumpet sections
RELEASED
In 1959
TEMPO/RHYTHM
Marked Moderato
6/4 time signature
TEXTURE
simple texture. Mainly
homophonic
TONALITY
G modal – mixolydian mode
Altered chords: D7#9 Eb7#9
(bars 9 & 10)
INSTRUMENTATION
Frontline: Trumpet, Alto Sax, Tenor Sax,
Rhythm section: Piano, Double Bass, Drums
Jeff Buckley- Grace
STRUCTURE
3 verses
2 choruses
TONALITY
Fm intro
D link
Em mostly
thereafter
MELODY
Short patterns
and riffs in
ostinato style
VOCALS
Jeff Buckley sings Falsetto
for parts of the piece (as
high as a girl)
He also uses vibrato and
scoops up to up to notes.
DYNAMICS
The piece starts quietly
The dynamics are
increased when more
instruments join in.
TONALITY
E minor
RELEASED
In 1994
INSTRUMENTATION
Full rock band
includingElectric guitars
Bass guitars
Drums
TECHNOLOGY
Overdubbing, Flanger, EQ
Delay, Reverb
echo
Moby- Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?
STRUCTURE
VERSE- “why does
my heart feel so
bad” sample
CHORUS- “these
open doors”
sample
Divided into two 8
bar sections
MELODY
Samples taken from
1950’s Gospel musicThe Shining Light choir
DYNAMICS
Moderate throughout
TONALITY
A minor
HARMONY
Verse: Am Em G D
Chorus first time: C C Am Am C C Am Am
Chorus on loop: F F C C F F C C
TEXTURE
Builds up as more
instruments are added
with each section
TEMPO
RHYTHM
98 bpm
4/4 four to
the floor)
RELEASED
1999
INSTRUMENTATION
Synthesised strings
Sub bass
Keyboard
Made on a Cubase
MUSIC SET WORKS: AOS4
GCSE REVISION
Capercaillie- Skye Waulking Song
MELODY
Simple and repetitive
melody
Sung in Scots Gaelic
Based on a Pentatonic
scale
Vocables used
(nonsense syllables)
TIMBRE
All instruments play in
their middle range so
there are no particularly
high or low notes.
STRUCTURE
Strophic verses
2 sections
No chorus
TEMPO/RHYTHM
Steady and consistent
as they worked to the
beat.
12/8
DYNAMICS
In the first section the dynamics
are piano
In the second section the dynamics
are forte and fade out at the end
RELEASED
2000
TEXTURE
Mainly
homophonic.
Heterophonic in
instrumental
when uilleann
pipes play
along with
fiddle
TONALITY
E minor and G major
INSTRUMENTATION
Trad- flute, fiddle, bouzouki,
uilleann pipes
Modern- drums, electric piano,
guitar
Rag Desh
STRUCTURE
Alap
Jor
Jhala
Gat
(instrumental)
/Bandish
(vocal)
INSTRUMENTATION
Sitar- lead instrument
Tambura- backing instrument
Tabla- pair of drums
Sarod, Sarangi, Bansuri, Shenai,
Harmonium
MELODY
No melody- lead
instrument
improvises on the
notes of the raga
TONALITY
Non-tonal
DYNAMICS
Improvised
HARMONY
Harmony is created by the
Tambura playing drone
based on two notes
The sitar part with the drone
augments the harmony
RHYTHM
Rhythm cycle (tala) based on
a set number of beats called
“matras” and these are
divided into groups called
“vibhags”
The tabla player improvises
on the tala
Koko- Yiri
STRUCTURE
Call and response
Repetition
TONALITY
Strong sense of
Gb major
tonality
MELODY
Lots of improvisation
DYNAMICS
Master drummer signals changes
in rhythm and dynamics to control
the build up and release of
tension.
IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS
Rhythmic cycles, Ostinatos
Accents, polyrhythms, cross
rhythms
Oral tradition
TEXTURE
Monophonic (start)
Heterophonic (2 balaphones)
Polyphonic
TEMPO
Unvaried
Regular beat
RELEASED
1994
INSTRUMENTATION
Drums: Djembe,
Dundun,
Donno (talking drum).
Bafalon (xylophone)
Flute
Mbira (Thumb piano)
Vocals