4.1.2

Other Features

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Structure & Melody

The overall structure is an extended verse/chorus form.

Structure

Structure

  • The overall structure is an extended verse/chorus form which includes two dialogue sections between the Witches, linking passages between the sections, 2 bridges, 4 choruses and a coda!
  • The repeat of the introduction section is used to show how Elphaba and Glinda have resolved their differences.
Melody

Melody

  • Throughout the entire musical there are a number of leitmotifs used.
  • Leitmotifs are musical phrases that represent a thing, character, place or emotion.
  • In Defying Gravity these are typically based around 5 pitches with the most common notes being D and A.
Melody cont.

Melody cont.

  • Bar 71-79 is hexatonic which means that it only uses 6 notes of the scale.
  • The marking in the score given to the orchestra is 'colla voce' which means 'with the voice' and is a direction to the musicians to follow the singers as they move from spoken to sung parts of the piece.
Recitative

Recitative

  • The spoken parts are the recitative section which helps to move the story forward.
  • (Recitative is where the singer speak/sings the story to the audience).

Instrumentation, Texture & Harmony

Schwartz uses a typical classical orchestra with the addition of popular music instruments such as the electric guitar, drum kit, and synthesiser.

Instrumentation

Instrumentation

  • Schwartz uses a typical classical orchestra with the addition of popular music instruments such as the electric guitar, drum kit, and synthesiser.
  • There are also unusual additions to the percussion section which include chimes, finger cymbals, crotales (a tuned percussion instrument which looks like a rack of small cymbals) and a nut rattle.
Texture

Texture

  • The piece starts with chords played by the orchestra, which follow the vocal lines from Glinda and Elphaba.
  • This is a melody driven homophonic texture (melody and accompaniment) that gradually builds throughout the song to a polyphonic texture (many different sounds overlapping each other.)
  • Schwartz uses different textures throughout the piece to convey the different feeling and emotions within the text.
Harmony

Harmony

  • Major and minor keys are used throughout the piece.
  • The first 6 bars are tonally ambiguous as the harmony keeps moving around.
Key

Key

  • Each Witch has an initial key:
    • For Glinda it’s the key of D major.
    • For Elphaba it is Db major.
Marcato

Marcato

  • The chords at the start of the song are played marcato and are strongly accented.
    • Marcato means to be played louder, more forcefully and marked.
Chords

Chords

  • Schwartz uses:
    • Augmented chords in bar 7 (where the 5th degree is raised).
    • Diminished chords in bar 19 (where the 5th degree is flattened).
  • In bar 69 you can hear a chord progression based around the circle of fifths where the chords that follow either fall in 5ths or rise in 4ths.
Jump to other topics
1

Musical Elements

1.1

Organisation of Pitch

1.1.1Melodic Pitch1.1.2Melodic Devices1.1.3Harmonic Pitch1.1.4Harmonic Devices1.1.5Harmonic Progressions
1.2

Tonality

1.2.1Major & Minor Tonality1.2.2End 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 Major2.1.2Structure & Melody2.1.3Instrumentation & Texture2.1.4Harmony2.1.5Wider Listening
2.2

Beethoven: Sonata ‘Pathétique’

2.2.1Piano Sonata No. 82.2.2Structure & Melody2.2.3Other Features2.2.4Wider Listening2.2.5End of Topic Test - Instrumental Music 1700–1820
3

Vocal Music

3.1

Purcell: Music for a While

3.1.1Music for a While3.1.2Other Features3.1.3Wider Listening
3.2

Queen: Killer Queen

3.2.1Killer Queen3.2.2Other Features3.2.3Wider Listening3.2.4End of Topic Test - Vocal Music
4

Music for Stage & Screen

4.1

Schwartz: Defying Gravity

4.1.1Defying Gravity4.1.2Other Features4.1.3Wider Listening4.1.4End of Topic Test - Defying Gravity
4.2

Williams: Star Wars Episode IV

4.2.1A New Hope4.2.2Structure & Melody4.2.3Other Features4.2.4Wider Listening4.2.5End of Topic Test - Star Wars Episode IV
5

Fusions

5.1

Afro Celt Sound System: Release

5.1.1Release5.1.2Other Features5.1.3Wider Listening
5.2

Spalding: Samba Em Preludio

5.2.1Samba Em Preludio5.2.2Structure & Melody5.2.3Other Features5.2.4Wider Listening5.2.5End of Topic Test - Fusions

Practice questions on Other Features

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What means 'with the voice' and is a direction to the musicians to follow the singers as they move from spoken to sung parts of the piece? Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What is notable about Bar 71-79?Multiple choice
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Defying Gravity

Wider Listening