Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-1-1-music-for-a-while [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [GCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse.md) › [Music](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music.md) › [Edexcel](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel.md) › Music for a While # Music for a While Music: Edexcel GCSE, topic 3.1.1 ## 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](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-05/b910dd5e-db4f-4b68-97be-74bab6d5d9a6/organ-baroque-music-instrument-.jpg) - Composed in 1692 and taken from the incidental music from the play Oedipus. - Purcell uses typical features of the Baroque period. ### Dynamics ![Dynamics](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-05/706c491e-26fc-4078-85fe-823a6e2de381/music-notes-score-sheet-.jpg) - As this piece is written during the Baroque period there are no dynamic markings in the score. ### Rhythm ![Rhythm](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/ec3e821c-bdcc-4011-87b1-19b3aea313c2/woman-sad-depressed-depression.jpg) - 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](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/e74400de-3998-4408-b872-149f5553a54e/three-3-number-.png) - Typically the ground bass would be 1, 2 4 or 8 bars in length. - Here the ground bass is 3 bars long. ## Test yourself on Music for a While [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/8a9f121c-bdb0-42db-bbd6-a88f8f723518/section/80c3524a-5a91-405c-baa4-6d0fe706bbf7/session) - Previous topic: [2.2.5 End of Topic Test - Instrumental Music 1700–1820](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-2-5-end-of-topic-test-instrumental-music-1700-1820.md) - Next topic: [3.1.2 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-1-2-other-features.md) ## Music: Edexcel GCSE contents ### 1 Musical Elements - 1.1 Organisation of Pitch - [1.1.1 Melodic Pitch](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-1-melodic-pitch.md) - [1.1.2 Melodic Devices](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-2-melodic-devices.md) - [1.1.3 Harmonic Pitch](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-3-harmonic-pitch.md) - [1.1.4 Harmonic Devices](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-4-harmonic-devices.md) - [1.1.5 Harmonic Progressions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-5-harmonic-progressions.md) - 1.2 Tonality - [1.2.1 Major & Minor Tonality](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-2-1-major-and-minor-tonality.md) - [1.2.2 End of Topic Test - Musical Elements](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-2-2-end-of-topic-test-musical-elements.md) ### 2 Instrumental Music 1700–1820 - 2.1 Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major - [2.1.1 Concerto No. 5 in D Major](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-1-1-concerto-no-5-in-d-major.md) - [2.1.2 Structure & Melody](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-1-2-structure-and-melody.md) - [2.1.3 Instrumentation & Texture](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-1-3-instrumentation-and-texture.md) - [2.1.4 Harmony](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-1-4-harmony.md) - [2.1.5 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-1-5-wider-listening.md) - 2.2 Beethoven: Sonata ‘Pathétique’ - [2.2.1 Piano Sonata No. 8](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-2-1-piano-sonata-no-8.md) - [2.2.2 Structure & Melody](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-2-2-structure-and-melody.md) - [2.2.3 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-2-3-other-features.md) - [2.2.4 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-2-4-wider-listening.md) - [2.2.5 End of Topic Test - Instrumental Music 1700–1820](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-2-5-end-of-topic-test-instrumental-music-1700-1820.md) ### 3 Vocal Music - 3.1 Purcell: Music for a While - [3.1.1 Music for a While](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-1-1-music-for-a-while.md) - [3.1.2 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-1-2-other-features.md) - [3.1.3 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-1-3-wider-listening.md) - 3.2 Queen: Killer Queen - [3.2.1 Killer Queen](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-2-1-killer-queen.md) - [3.2.2 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-2-2-other-features.md) - [3.2.3 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-2-3-wider-listening.md) - [3.2.4 End of Topic Test - Vocal Music](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-2-4-end-of-topic-test-vocal-music.md) ### 4 Music for Stage & Screen - 4.1 Schwartz: Defying Gravity - [4.1.1 Defying Gravity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-1-1-defying-gravity.md) - [4.1.2 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-1-2-other-features.md) - [4.1.3 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-1-3-wider-listening.md) - [4.1.4 End of Topic Test - Defying Gravity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-1-4-end-of-topic-test-defying-gravity.md) - 4.2 Williams: Star Wars Episode IV - [4.2.1 A New Hope](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-2-1-a-new-hope.md) - [4.2.2 Structure & Melody](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-2-2-structure-and-melody.md) - [4.2.3 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-2-3-other-features.md) - [4.2.4 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-2-4-wider-listening.md) - [4.2.5 End of Topic Test - Star Wars Episode IV](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-2-5-end-of-topic-test-star-wars-episode-iv.md) ### 5 Fusions - 5.1 Afro Celt Sound System: Release - [5.1.1 Release](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-1-1-release.md) - [5.1.2 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-1-2-other-features.md) - [5.1.3 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-1-3-wider-listening.md) - 5.2 Spalding: Samba Em Preludio - [5.2.1 Samba Em Preludio](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-2-1-samba-em-preludio.md) - [5.2.2 Structure & Melody](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-2-2-structure-and-melody.md) - [5.2.3 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-2-3-other-features.md) - [5.2.4 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-2-4-wider-listening.md) - [5.2.5 End of Topic Test - Fusions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-2-5-end-of-topic-test-fusions.md)