analysis podcast - notes

7/27/2019 Analysis Podcast - Notes

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Music Podcast – Analysis Notes 11

11 MU Gerard Rallos Ms Lawrence Instrument 1.0

String Quartet No. 13 in B Flat, Opus 130, Cavatina – Dynamics

Background Information:

- Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, completed in November 1825, premiered in March,

1826 by the Schuppanzigh Quartet. Original form – 6 movements, 50 minutes.

Dynamics:

- Piece relies on dynamics as its central element, being a purely string piece.

- Heavy emphasis on fast changes in dynamics – not terraced, relies on quick crescendos and

decrescendos.

- Cello plays at the same level of dynamics most of time – somewhere between mp – mf,

usually around mp.

- Intro of the song – perfect example of typical dynamic changes in the song – fast crescendo

dropping off – sfortzando’s heavily used.

- Example of decrescendos – 1:25 in – big crescendo up to note with violin playing – drops off

suddenly – sudden drop-offs a common element in this piece.

- Pattern: Dynamic levels remain the same when it is a solo section with the cello and another

instrument – e.g. violin, 2:10, but when another instrument is added in, a large crescendo

with a drop-off if only one instrument is added in, while at the end of each solo section, e.g.

2:30, large crescendo with no sudden drop-off.

- 3:53, new section of the piece – p dynamic level, solo instruments crescendo out, dynamic

level slowly increasing as solo instrument progresses (violin).

- 5:13, example of how a sudden crescendo leads into a main section, before a sudden

decrescendo, leading into a large crescendo.

- 6:00 – violin crescendos above other instruments to provide a powerful counter-melody,

drops off suddenly – in sections of importance, all instruments crescendo, while the melody

in that section crescendos even further in order to display its importance.

- Each instrument plays a varying level of dynamics through the piece, although there are

common sections where all instruments crescendo and decrescendo together, for example

at 23 seconds in.

- Sections where a crescendo occurs, followed by a sudden drop-off, before crescendos again

– e.g. at 55 seconds in to 1:15 or so.

El Cascabel – Duration


- Composed by Mexican composer Lorenzo Barcelata. El Cascabel – Spanish – English: The

Bells. The version on the golden record was recorded by Antonio Maciel y Las Aguilillas with

El Mariachi México de Pepe Villa, in the mariachi style of music popular in mexico.

Tempo:

- Fast, andante tempo – seems to remain constant throughout the song.





- Tempo set by the rhythm guitars – approx. 190 BPM.

- Unwavering tempo – rhythmic guitars act as the “percussion” to keep the band in time.

- Sudden change in temp at the end of the piece – instruments drop out, vocals cut in – either

a sudden drop in tempo, or a conduction section – e.g. conductor signals each vocalist.

Beat:

- Indefinite beat due to the irregular metre of the song. If listening closely, guitars set a beat

that other instruments interlock into; however the speed and metre of the song make it

difficult to hear the pulse.

Rhythm:

- Many different rhythmic layers within the piece – instruments grouped through interlocking

metres and rhythmic techniques – i.e. techniques complement each other.

- Base layer – rhythmic guitars – no instrument locks in with them, they set the beat

- Next layer – string instrument and trumpets – their metres complement each other, even in

the solo sections – the triplets played by the string instrument lock in with the solo of the

trumpets, particularly in the opening trumpet section of the song in which the trumpet

plays a small motif.

- Next layer – Lead guitar plucking – rhythmic ideas don’t fit within any layer of the song –

heavy use of syncopation and contrasting metre – solo section in the middle of the song uses

an interesting concept of triplets in a 4/4 metre on the 7/8 metre of rhythm guitars.

- Final Layer – Vocals – constant solo throughout the song, contrast of an indefinable metre

over the syncopated playing of the other instruments.

- Complex rhythmic ideas within the song – complex use of note lengths – mix of semiquavers,

crotches, semibreves and minim in its solo in the latter half of the song.

- Vocals sing in synchronization in the finale of the piece.

- Overall, very complex, if repetitive, use of rhythm in the piece.

Metre:

- Irregular metre set within the song – rhythm guitars seem to play in 7/8 or some

combination of ¾ and 2/3.

- String instruments seem to play in 3/4, while the trumpets play in an odd combination of ¾

and 2/3

- No clear “main” metre of song, each instrument seems to have a different metre, and

change consistently within the same tempo.

- Vocals don’t seem to have a metre, rather, they sing as a constant solo throughout the

piece.

- Large use of polyrhythms.

- Trumpets play a 4/4 section in their triplet solo.

Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F, First Movement – Pitch






- Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, presented in 1721, unknown date of composition.

Regarded as the “finest musical compositions of the Baroque era”.

Melody:

- Definite melody played by violins. Melody switches to clarinet in 0:26, switches to trumpet

in 0:30, flute in 0:39 – i.e. melody passed around a lot, particularly in the full orchestra

sections between the violins and trumpet, and in the softer sections, played by wind

instruments such as the flute and clarinet.

- Wide range in the melody, spanning a number of octaves, particularly the trumpet section at

2:00

- Heavy use of ostinato in the base line 5 seconds in, double bass / cello – same 6 notes

repeated. Additionally, counter melody of violin play an ostinato.

- Wide melodic range for the counter melody, e.g. at 1:08 with the oboe.

- Overall contour of the piece is a descending wave – slight jumps, but pattern across a large

section noticeably descending. E.G. at 1:15, Base line plays a descending pattern of notes,

while the trumpet plays a downwards sequence of four notes.

- Melodic movement of the piece is a combination of steps and leaps.

- While base line is in a lower register, stills plays at the upper reaches of its lower register,

e.g. at 1:00-1:04. Rest of the instruments play in a higher register, particularly the trumpet,

e.g. at 1:40, although it does occasionally play in a lower register at 1:35.

- Large use of ornamentation used in the melody – e.g. the flute at 2:19 – grace notes.

- Extreme use of contrasting melodies and counter melodies playing simultaneously.

Harmony:

- Piece uses heavy modulation in its melodic line – e.g. trumpets at 2:35.

- Consonant harmony throughout the piece.

- The stylistic accompaniment is alberti bass – arpeggiated accompaniment. E.g. 1:45 – Double

bass / Cello can be clearly heard playing an arpeggio.

- Simple chord structure due to repetition in the song – same chords, modulated into a higher

or lower octave, or in a different order. Some sections contain a different key, e.g. 1:13, and

as such, a different chord structure, but on the whole the chord structure remains fairly

simple for the piece.

- Accompaniment doesn’t play a typical “block” or “parallel” chords, rather, each instrument

plays a different harmony or counter melody (examples throughout the whole piece).

- Fast harmonic progression through the majority of the piece, however sections such as 1:58

play simple block chords for a period of time – slower harmony progression.

Tonality:

- Key of F-major, although it does contain accidentals.

Beethoven (cond. otto klemperer) - symphony no. 5 in (1) –

Tone Colour






- Composed in 1804-1808 by Ludwig van Beethoven. Comprised of four movements, opening

sonata, an andante, fast scherzo which leads to the finale. One of most well-known classical

pieces in the world. Symphonies usually composed for an orchestra.

Tone Colour:

- 7:50 - 7:55 - important contrast section – the light, articulate sounds of the woodwinds and

trumpets, contrasts well with the imitation from the strings, who produce a menacing,

unwavering sound. - 5:05 – sound from the entire orchestra – produces an unwavering, menacing solid sound in

the four notes. - 0:40 – the strings produce an urgent, yet light and piercing, sound. - 0:52 – French horns produce a strong, reverberating sound that contrasts with the piercing

wail of the strings in the earlier section. - 0:56 – the strings play a flowing, melodic line that compliments the spellbinding quality of

the clarinet. - 1:10 – the strings begin to produce a smooth, yet eerie sound played with urgency. - 3:32 – violins play a light, chilling tune. - 4:40 – The combined woodwind section play a dissonant, yet bitter-sweet phrase. - 1:00 – The small ostinato played by the clarinet produces a sweet sound that is full of

longing. - The opening four notes of the piece – a courageous and resonating, yet dark and heavy

combination played the orchestra create a dark and mysterious mood for the piece. - 3:08 – The strident and heavy notes played by the cello contrast with the light and articulate

playing of the violins and woodwinds.

- This piece is all about contrasting sections – dark and menacing to light and articulate to

courageous and reverberating – tone colours within these sections are all constructed to

complement each-other.

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