4.2.3

Other Features

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Instrumentation and Texture

The piece is played by a full symphony orchestra.

Instrumentation

Instrumentation

The piece is played by a full symphony orchestra.
Brass instruments play the fanfare.

The Sections

The Sections

The A Section is dominated by the brass.
The B Section is contrasting with the woodwind taking the lead.

Rhythm

Rhythm

There is a tutti marking at bar 42 which means ‘everyone play’.
This is accompanied by a driving march rhythm played by the timpani.
The march rhythms reflect the military link.

The B Section

The B Section

During the B Section where the woodwinds take the lead there is a high piccolo melody line with accompaniment from the harp.
Also during the B Section there are trills (a type of ornamentation) on the note C played by the flutes which add to the drama.

Texture

Texture

Overall the texture is homophonic where there are lead melody parts with accompaniment from the rest of the orchestra.

Harmony

4ths and 7ths are important intervals for Williams and these can be seen in many parts.

Intervals

Intervals

4ths and 7ths are important intervals for Williams and these can be seen in many parts.
For example bar 2 where the chords are built on fourths.
Where the harmony is built on 4th this is called quartal harmony and can be seen throughout the set work.

The Neapolitan chord

The Neapolitan chord

The Neapolitan chord can be seen, which is a flattened supertonic chord.
Here in the key of C (bars 53-56) the supertonic is D and a flattened supertonic is Db.
The use of this chord removes any sense of key and is a good contrast to the strong and heroic features that can also be heard.

Dominant pedal

Dominant pedal

Bar 11 sees a dominant pedal (a repeated note on the 5th degree of the scale) which adds to the march feel and drives the melody along.

Chromatic chords

Chromatic chords

Chromatic chords can be seen in bar 33.

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

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1
Instrumentation in Star Wars, Episode IV:Fill in the list
2
Instrumentation in Star Wars, Episode IV:True / false
3
The B Section of Star Wars Episode IV:Fill in the list
4
What is it called when the harmony is built on 4ths?Multiple choice
5
What is a Neapolitan chord?Multiple choice

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Structure & Melody

Wider Listening