Other Features
Music: Edexcel GCSE, topic 4.2.3
Instrumentation and Texture
The piece is played by a full symphony orchestra.
Instrumentation
- The piece is played by a full symphony orchestra.
- Brass instruments play the fanfare.
The Sections
- The A Section is dominated by the brass.
- The B Section is contrasting with the woodwind taking the lead.
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
- 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
- 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
- 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 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
- 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 can be seen in bar 33.
Test yourself on Other Features
What is it called when the harmony is built on 4ths?
What is a Neapolitan chord?