3.1.1

Music for a While

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Music for a While

Your first set work for Vocal Music is Music for a While by H. Purcell.

Music for a While

Music for a While

Composed in 1692 and taken from the incidental music from the play Oedipus.
Purcell uses typical features of the Baroque period.

Dynamics

Dynamics

As this piece is written during the Baroque period there are no dynamic markings in the score.

Rhythm

Rhythm

Overall the tempo is slow.
In the Baroque period Laments were composed with ground bass and voice.
They reflected feelings of sorrow and sadness.
Characteristics of a Lament included falling phrases, a slow tempo and minor keys.
Music for a While incorporates all of these features.

Ground bass

Ground bass

Typically the ground bass would be 1, 2 4 or 8 bars in length.
Here the ground bass is 3 bars long.

1

Musical Elements

1.1

Organisation of Pitch

1.1.1Melodic Pitch 1.1.2Melodic Devices 1.1.3Harmonic Pitch 1.1.4Harmonic Devices 1.1.5Harmonic Progressions

1.2

Tonality

1.2.1Major & Minor Tonality 1.2.2End of Topic Test - Musical Elements

2

Instrumental Music 1700–1820

2.1

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major

2.1.1Concerto No. 5 in D Major 2.1.2Structure & Melody 2.1.3Instrumentation & Texture 2.1.4Harmony 2.1.5Wider Listening

2.2

Beethoven: Sonata ‘Pathétique’

2.2.1Piano Sonata No. 8 2.2.2Structure & Melody 2.2.3Other Features 2.2.4Wider Listening 2.2.5End of Topic Test - Instrumental Music 1700–1820

3

Vocal Music

3.1

Purcell: Music for a While

3.1.1Music for a While 3.1.2Other Features 3.1.3Wider Listening

3.2

Queen: Killer Queen

3.2.1Killer Queen 3.2.2Other Features 3.2.3Wider Listening 3.2.4End of Topic Test - Vocal Music

4

Music for Stage & Screen

4.1

Schwartz: Defying Gravity

4.1.1Defying Gravity 4.1.2Other Features 4.1.3Wider Listening 4.1.4End of Topic Test - Defying Gravity

4.2

Williams: Star Wars Episode IV

4.2.1A New Hope 4.2.2Structure & Melody 4.2.3Other Features 4.2.4Wider Listening 4.2.5End of Topic Test - Star Wars Episode IV

5

Fusions

5.1

Afro Celt Sound System: Release

5.1.1Release 5.1.2Other Features 5.1.3Wider Listening

5.2

Spalding: Samba Em Preludio

5.2.1Samba Em Preludio 5.2.2Structure & Melody 5.2.3Other Features 5.2.4Wider Listening 5.2.5End of Topic Test - Fusions

Jump to other topics

1

Musical Elements

1.1

Organisation of Pitch

1.1.1Melodic Pitch 1.1.2Melodic Devices 1.1.3Harmonic Pitch 1.1.4Harmonic Devices 1.1.5Harmonic Progressions

1.2

Tonality

1.2.1Major & Minor Tonality 1.2.2End of Topic Test - Musical Elements

2

Instrumental Music 1700–1820

2.1

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major

2.1.1Concerto No. 5 in D Major 2.1.2Structure & Melody 2.1.3Instrumentation & Texture 2.1.4Harmony 2.1.5Wider Listening

2.2

Beethoven: Sonata ‘Pathétique’

2.2.1Piano Sonata No. 8 2.2.2Structure & Melody 2.2.3Other Features 2.2.4Wider Listening 2.2.5End of Topic Test - Instrumental Music 1700–1820

3

Vocal Music

3.1

Purcell: Music for a While

3.1.1Music for a While 3.1.2Other Features 3.1.3Wider Listening

3.2

Queen: Killer Queen

3.2.1Killer Queen 3.2.2Other Features 3.2.3Wider Listening 3.2.4End of Topic Test - Vocal Music

4

Music for Stage & Screen

4.1

Schwartz: Defying Gravity

4.1.1Defying Gravity 4.1.2Other Features 4.1.3Wider Listening 4.1.4End of Topic Test - Defying Gravity

4.2

Williams: Star Wars Episode IV

4.2.1A New Hope 4.2.2Structure & Melody 4.2.3Other Features 4.2.4Wider Listening 4.2.5End of Topic Test - Star Wars Episode IV

5

Fusions

5.1

Afro Celt Sound System: Release

5.1.1Release 5.1.2Other Features 5.1.3Wider Listening

5.2

Spalding: Samba Em Preludio

5.2.1Samba Em Preludio 5.2.2Structure & Melody 5.2.3Other Features 5.2.4Wider Listening 5.2.5End of Topic Test - Fusions

Practice questions on Music for a While

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1
Characteristics of a Lament:Fill in the list
2
Features of Music for a While:True / false

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End of Topic Test - Instrumental Music 1700–1820

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