Helen Jane Long
Biography, Composition History,
and Listening Guides
Megan Koplin - Music 1010 Semester Project - 07/08/2013
Biography
Helen Jane Long has inspired many:
Joe Ross says that when Helen Jane Long
“composes music, she wants to attain nothing less
than tranquility. Not the tranquility of numbness
or sleep, but the tranquility through affirmation,
through a music that aspires to an elegance and
civility rarely found in this world. In other words,
the music of Helen Jane Long makes you feel good.”
Background
Jerry Goldsmith
Helen’s
Career
Nigel Smith
Howard Shore
Ronnie Hazlehurst
Helen’s Own Musical Work
Composition History
“To Dust” by Helen Jane Long
“Embers” by Helen Jane Long
“Passes” by Helen Jane Long
“Drift” by Helen Jane Long
Listening Guide
“To Dust”
1. 0:00 Introduction: The violin is the only instrument playing.
There is a narrow range, with an arch contour. This part of the
song is setting the overall beat and rhythm. It has a triple simple
meter, a quick tempo, and the volume would be considered
medium. The violin has a strong beat, and there is compound
timing in this section.
2. 0:10 Introduction continues and the piano starts playing on
top of the violin. Piano would have a medium/loud volume, and a
strong beat. It is compound timing, with a quick tempo, and wide
range. This section has arch contour.
3. 0:29 Violin slows and the underlying beat stops. Violin stays
consistently calm, with simple timing. There is ascending
contour, a wide range, a slow tempo, and the volume is medium.
The rhythm in piano changes, and the smoothness is disjunct.
http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/helen-jane-long/album/embers/track/to-dust
4. 0:47 This section the violin stays slow and calm. The piano
starts playing louder and has a stronger beat. I would consider
this to be the chorus. The piano has a very strong beat, the timing
would be considered compound. The volume is loud, with a quick
tempo, wide range, and is an ascending contour.
-From this point in the song, it repeats the last 4 timings.
5. 1:06 The song goes to the violin only playing just like
introduction. This section is re-setting overall beat and rhythm
again. There is a narrow range, quick tempo, and a medium
volume. The contour is arch and the timing is compound. This
whole timing section has a strong violin beat.
6. 1:15 Here the piano starts playing on top of violin beat and
rhythm. The volume is medium/loud. There is a strong piano
beat, and compound timing. I would consider it to have a quick
tempo, with arch contour.
7. 1:34 The violin slows and is consistently calm while the
underlying beat stops. I notice ascending contour, a slow tempo,
and medium volume. The rhythm in the piano changes to simple
timing, and there is a disjunct smoothness.
8. 1:53 This section is the same as (0:47). The violin stays slow
and calm, and the piano starts playing louder with a stronger
beat. I would consider this the chorus again. Strong piano beat,
quick tempo, loud volume, and compound timing. This has a
wide range and an ascending contour.
9. 2:11 This part of the song is new, the violin goes from low to
high, then evens out and continues again higher, then evens out
and then goes from high to low. This means there is both
ascending contour, and descending contour. The violin is simple
timing, and the piano is compound timing. There is a wide range,
quick tempo, medium to medium loud volume, soft beat, and
every whole note has a strong beat.
10. 2:37 This section is the same as (1:53). The
violin slows and calms, and the piano starts
playing louder with a stronger beat. This is the
chorus Strong piano beat, wide range, loud
volume, compound timing, ascending countour,
11. 2:57 violin slows and quiets, low piano,
descending contour, soft/quite volume, one last
soft beat, simple timing
12. 3:03 Coda: music ends
13. 3:08 song is complete
“Embers”
1. 0:00 There is a wide range in this section while the piano goes
from high note to low note, then ends with a high note. The song
doesn’t start out loud but I would consider it to have medium
volume, medium pitch, and an arch contour. The smoothness is
disjunct, and it starts with a slow tempo. I wouldn’t consider this
section to be an introduction, throughout the entire song this
particular section will be repeated and repeated.
2. 0:13 Here the speed is increasing making it have a quick
tempo, and the piano is going from low to high showing an
ascending contour. The pitch is high, the volume is medium/loud,
and timbre is demonstrated in this section.
3. 0:17 The violin starts playing in this section over the constant
piano beat. The violin is a slow, quiet, low pitch subtle piece. There
is descending contour with a narrow range.
http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/helen-jane-long/album/embers/track/embers
4. 0:27 The piano is playing high note to low note and ends on a
high note. The violin stops and takes a break. There is arch
contour, loud volume, wide range, and has a medium pitch.
Timbre is demonstrated in this section.
5. 0:34 The violin starts again, it begins with a very low pitch,
and a narrow range. The piano has an ascending contour.
6. 0:39 There is ascending contour demonstrated by the piano.
The speed increases, the pitch is higher, and the volume is
medium/loud. I would say this is a high to maybe medium pitch.
This section shows and example of timbre, it has a wide range,
and a quick tempo.
7. 0:52 This section is a slow, quite, descending piano
contour.The violin is steady and slow and seems to be almost
stopping. It has a medium pitch, narrow range, the smoothness is
conjunct, and has a slow tempo. You haven’t heard this section in
the song yet. Since the rest of the song is practically repeating
itself the entire time, this is a new section of the song.
8. 0:59 The piano plays high note to low note, then ends on a high
note. This volume is medium with a medium pitch.
9. 1:11 The piano is slow, and the contour starts by ascending,
then slows and begins descending contour to a quite volume.
Overall volume is medium/loud, and it goes from high pitch to
higher pitch then to medium pitch with a wide range.
10. 1:24 Piano is playing high note, low note and ending with a
high note once again. The violin stops playing here, and there is
an overall soft volume. The pitch is medium, with a slow tempo
and an arch contour.
11. 1:36 The piano is playing ascending contour, and has a high
pitch. The violin begins with a low pitch. There is medium volume
going to loud volume, with a high pitch and a wide range. Timbre
is demonstrated in this section as well.
12. 1:50 Piano continues to play from descending contour, slowly
to arch contour, then to descending contour. The violin stops, and
the overall volume is medium/loud. There is a medium pitch to
high pitch, a wide range, and a quick tempo.
13. 2:07 The violin starts up again being subtle and quiet.
Overall low pitch, wide range, and an ascending contour.
14. 2:15 The violin stops here so the piano is the only instrument
playing in this section. The piano is playing the high note, low
note, then ending with a high note section that we have heard
many times throughout this song already. There is a medium
volume, high pitch, wide range and an arch contour.
15. 2:28 Here the piano speed increases, pitch increases, and the
violin starts again here demonstrated ascending contour. This
has medium volume to medium/loud volume, a very high pitch,
wide range, and the piano is displaying descending piano
contour. Timbre is demonstrated in this section as well.
16. 2:41 This is a piece of music that you wouldn’t have heard in
the song yet. The piano is playing a chord which makes such a
difference compared to a single note being played like the rest of
the song. It has medium/loud volume and medium pitch.
17. 3:07 This section is back to the same old high note, low note
and ending with a high note that the piano plalys. The violin
ends, and the whole song has medium volume, medium pitch,
and wide range. There is also an arch contour.
18. 3:20 Piano speed increases, during a descending contour.
This section sounds like the end of the song because it quiets
down. This section plays a chord on the piano which doesn’t
happen in the song more than two times so you really hear a
difference. There is a loud volume and a low to medium pitch, and
a wide range.
19. 3:33 The piano is playing a very high pitch, there is
ascending contour, and the tempo is slow but slowly increasing
through the section. The volume begins at a medium level to
medium/loud level. There is a high pitch, and a very wide range.
20. 3:50 You’re hearing the violin for the last time here. It is a
slow, soft and subtle section, and you can tell the song is ending.
It has descending contour, a high to low pitch with a wide range.
21. 3:57 The song is ending, and you really
don’t hear much.
22. 4:06 This is the finish, the song is
complete.
“Passes”
1. 0:00 This is the introduction to the song. The piano is the only
instrument playing. It sounds a little depressing and maybe “dark.” It
has compound timing, and a slow tempo. The smoothness would be
considered disjunct, and this section has a narrow range with low/quite
volume.
2. 0:11 In this section the guitar starts to play with the same piano
melody as the first section. I would consider this to be the second part of
the introduction. Adding the guitar makes this section sound like an
island song and has a happier sound to it. This section has compound
timing, a quick tempo, disjunct smoothness, a narrow range, and quite
volume.
3. 0:23 In this section the violin has started playing as well so we have
three instruments, the violin, guitar, and piano. This section is calming
and has an arch contour. The violin is the dominant instrument heard
here. It has compound timing, a quick tempo, and the smoothness would
be considered disjunct. It also has a wide range with a quiet/medium
volume.
http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/helen-jane-long/album/intervention/track/passes
4. 0:35 The violin here is playing a very low note that is smooth and very quiet.
The piano is the louder piece which is clearer. It is kind of difficult to hear the
violin. There is a wide range, compound timing with violin and guitar. The
piano is at a higher pitch then the rest of the song and the piano would be
considered to have simple timing. This section has an ascending contour,
medium tempo, disjunct smoothness, and the piano is the dominant instrument
heard.
5. 0:44 The violin starts with same piano and guitar melody. There is a quick
tempo, with compound timing and disjunct smoothness. The violin is the
dominant instrument heard. There is also a wide range, arch contour, and
medium volume.
6. 0:56 Here the guitar stops playing and the piano is playing a different
melody than the rest of the song, the piano is higher pitch than normal. The
piano would also be considered the dominant instrument heard in this section.
There is a wide range with the violin still playing and sounding very smooth
with a low pitch. It has an ascending contour, timbre, loud volume, compound
time, quick tempo, and conjunct smoothness.
7. 1:15 This section is now repeating a section from earlier in the song. The
violin, guitar, and piano are playing again. This section is calming and has an
arch contour. The violin is the dominant instrument heard here. It has compound
timing, a quick tempo, and the smoothness would be considered disjunct. It also
has a wide range with a quiet/medium volume.
8. 1:26 This section is also repeating a section from earlier in the song. The
violin here is playing a very low note that is smooth and very quiet. The piano is
the louder piece which is clearer. It is kind of difficult to hear the violin. There is
a wide range, compound timing with violin and guitar. The piano is at a higher
pitch then the rest of the song and the piano would be considered to have simple
timing. This section has an ascending contour, medium tempo, disjunct
smoothness, and the piano is the dominant instrument heard.
9. 1:37 The violin starts with same piano and guitar melody. There is a quick
tempo, with compound timing and disjunct smoothness. The violin is the
dominant instrument heard. There is also a wide range, arch contour, and
medium volume. This section is repeating from an earlier section in the song.
10. 1:48 Here the guitar stops playing and the piano is playing a different
melody than the rest of the song, the piano is higher pitch than normal. The
piano would also be considered the dominant instrument heard in this section.
There is a wide range with the violin still playing and sounding very smooth
with a low pitch. It has an ascending contour, timbre, loud volume, compound
time, quick tempo, and conjunct smoothness.
11. 2:08 Here is another repeating section. The violin, guitar, and piano
are playing together. This section is calming and has an arch contour.
The violin is the dominant instrument heard here. It has compound
timing, a quick tempo, and the smoothness would be considered
disjunct. It also has a wide range with a quiet/medium volume.
12. 2:19 The guitar here is loud and is the dominant instrument in this
section. This is my favorite section in the whole song. There is an
ascending contour then little descending contour. It has conjunct
smoothness with guitar and violin, and medium volume. The guitar has
simple timing, and the piano has compound timing. It is an overall slow
tempo and a wide range.
13. 2:39 The violin, guitar, and piano are playing together. This section
is calming and has an arch contour. The violin is the dominant
instrument heard here. It has compound timing, a quick tempo, and the
smoothness would be considered disjunct. It also has a wide range with a
quiet/medium volume.
14. 3:01 The guitar here is loud and is the dominant instrument in this
section. There is an ascending contour then little descending contour. It
has conjunct smoothness with guitar and violin, and medium volume.
The guitar has simple timing, and the piano has compound timing. It is
an overall slow tempo and a wide range.
15. 3:21 The violin, guitar, and piano are playing
together. This section is calming and has an arch
contour. The violin is the dominant instrument heard
here. It has compound timing, a quick tempo, and the
smoothness would be considered disjunct. It also has a
wide range with a quiet/medium volume.
16. 3:41 This is the ending of the song. Like most
endings it has descending contour and also has arch
contour. The song is slowly fading off getting quieter
and quieter. It still has a wide range, with compound
time, and a slow tempo. It has disjunct smoothness and
medium volume fading to quite/soft volume.
17. 3:49 There is no more music playing, only silence.
18. 3:56 Song has ended.
“Drift”
1. 0:00 This section I would consider to be the introduction, and it
starts out with the piano playing alone. The piano has a very
strong beat and an ascending contour. It has a fast/quick tempo,
medium/high pitch, wide range, and medium/loud volume. It
seems to be repetitive piano notes and the smoothness is disjunct.
-The piano is compound time throughout the entire song
-The violin is simple time throughout the song
2. 0:09 This section demonstrates disjunct smoothness. The same
piano melody is playing the ascending contour with fast tempo
and medium/high pitch. There is a strong piano beat, and the
violin has slow tempo and starts with low note. The violin is
smooth, calm, and has a very quite volume. The piano goes into
lower pitch with ascending contour and the same melody. The
piano has a wide range, and the violin has a narrow range.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/breath-single/id217200444
3. 0:35 Here the violin stops playing, while the piano is playing more
complex notes and simple/single notes over top. It has a fast/quick
tempo, ascending contour, wide range, and medium volume. The
smoothness is disjunct, and the piano has a medium/strong beat.
4. 0:52 The violin starts playing again in a smooth low note. The piano
continues to have a strong beat. The violin is sounding monotone and
has a narrow range and slow tempo. The piano continues playing
ascending contour overtop the violin. The piano has a wide range where
the violin has a narrow range. The violin’s smoothness is conjunct and
the piano has disjunct smoothness with a quick tempo.
5. 1:09 The violin starts playing higher with a slow tempo. The piano is
playing the same melody as the last song in a quick tempo; it’s just in
lower notes than last section. It still has a wide range and the violin has
narrow range. The piano has disjunct smoothness and the violin has
conjunct smoothness.
6. 1:27 This section is being repeated from earlier in the song. Here the
violin stops playing, while the piano is playing more complex notes and
simple/single notes over top. It has a fast/quick tempo, ascending
contour, wide range, and medium volume. The smoothness is disjunct,
and the piano has a medium/strong beat.
7. 1:44 This section is also being repeated from an earlier section in the
song. The violin starts playing again in a smooth low note. The piano
continues to have a strong beat. The violin is sounding monotone and
has a narrow range and slow tempo. The piano continues playing
ascending contour overtop the violin. The piano has a wide range where
the violin has a narrow range. The violin’s smoothness is conjunct and
the piano has disjunct smoothness with a quick tempo.
8. 2:02 Plucking of the violin strings is the very first thing you will
notice in this section. It sounds really strange and it is mixed with high
pitch piano playing single notes. The violin sounds to be playing short,
quick tempo, spastic/abrupt notes making it sound rough. The piano
has wide range, quick tempo, and arch contour. The violin has a narrow
range, conjunct smoothness, strong beat, and quick tempo. The piano
has a quick tempo and disjunct smoothness.
9. 2:20 The piano starts to play lower notes and still has the arch
contour. The violin still has the rough sound, but there is no more violin
string plucking that made the last section so noticeable. There is a
quick tempo, medium pitch, medium/loud volume, and wide range for
both the piano and violin. For both the piano and the violin there is a
disjunct smoothness. The violin has slow tempo.
10. 2:54 The violin has a calm, low pitch in this section.
There is a slight ascending contour, and the piano has a
high pitch and strong beat. There is an overall quick
tempo and both instruments have a wide range. The
volume is medium/loud, disjunct smoothness for both
piano and violin, and the violin has a slow tempo.
11. 3:12 Here is descending contour, and a narrow range
for the violin. You will also notice descending contour as
well. It has medium volume to quiet volume to extra quiet
volume going quieter and quieter. There is an overall slow
tempo, but the piano still has a quicker tempo and has a
wide range. The violin has a narrow range and a slow
tempo with conjunct smoothness. The piano would be
disjunct smoothness.
12. 3:26 The music stops playing here, almost the end.
13. 3:28 Complete end of the song.
References:
"British Composer/Pianist Helen Jane Long." Arts Council of Medocino County. Arts Council of
Medocino County, n.d. Web. 26 June
2013.<http://www.artsmendocino.org/index.php?option=com_zcalendar&task=view&vmode=e&f
ormat=html&viewid=4&eid=9510&Itemid=1>.
"Composer Biography Helen Jane Long." AudioNetwork. AudioNetwork, n.d. Web. 26 June
2013.<http://us.audionetwork.com/composer/helen-jane-long_85.aspx>.
"Helen Jane Long." Helenjanelong.com. BLE Music Group, n.d. Web. 26 June
2013.<http://helenjanelong.com>.
"Helen Jane Long Biography." Last.fm. Last.fm, n.d. Web. 26 June 2013.
<http://www.last.fm/music/Helen+Jane+Long/+wiki>.
"Helen Jane Long Drops New Album ‘Intervention’." CDInsight. CDInsight, 6 Sept. 2012. Web. 26
June 2013. <http://cdinsight.com/2012/09/helen-jane-long-drops-new-album-intervention/>.
"Helen Jane Long Intervention." Music Room. musicroom.com, n.d. Web. 26 June
2013.<http://www.musicroom.com/se/id_no/01064863/details.html>.
"Helen Jane Long." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 26 June
2013.<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Jane_Long>.