Samba Em Preludio – Esperanza Spalding
context /
texture - Starts monophonic with only acoustic bass guitar playing (except for 2 double stops)
- Mainly homophonic
- 2 melody lines in verse 3 are contrapuntal
- BB1 bass guitar and guitar accompany melody but are also contrapuntal lines of their own
- Sense of intimacy created when texture is just vocals and bass (b.88)
melody - Lyrics are syllabic: clarity of word + Spalding has to focus on playing the bass
- Section A
>> based on 4 note figure immediately varied
>> each phrase spans a 7th , 1st or 2nd note of phrase falls by step: creates free, falling sequece; in low
tessitura creates sad mood, portrays lyrics
>> many leaps between 3rd and 7th
- Section B
>> almost entirely conjunct
>> b.31-34 are repeats of b.23-26 transposed up a 4th
- Acoustic bass guitar consists of broken chords and scale based figures
- Acoustic guitar solo based on scale and chord patterns: shows versitality of instrument in
higher register
structure - 2 main melodies, each is immediately varied
- Guitar solo In middle
- 2 melodies heard together in counterpoint (verse 3): bass in verse 3 is an augmented version
of melody in b.4-11; vocal doing vocal meody like b.23-28
- Coda based on melody of b.50-53 (sung twice more)
tonality - B minor; no modulations thought there are lots of chromatic notes
harmony - Extension and suspended chords (typical of cool Jazz)
- Final chord (Bm13): B in bass is tonic, soon dies away leaving shimmering discord –
deliberately avoiding any sense of finality
Metre, tempo - 5/4 in b.3: expresses free rhythm of opening
and rhythm - First 3 bars -> thoughtful, improvisatory quality achieved through rubato: tiny flunctuations
for expressive effect
- Cross rhythm (b.8)
- Free tempo shows flexibility of tempo
- b.19 acoustic bass guitar sets bossa nova groove, steady pulse (gently syncopated dotted
rhythms)
Instrumentation - Vocal in low tessitura (range from low E to middle G – compound 3rd)
- Acoustic bass guitar
- Acoustic guitar
dynamics (check score)
, Star wars – John Williams
context - Released in 1977
- John Williams used large symphony orchestra: electro Jazz was popular at that time for many
film music so there’s contrast
melody - Leimotifs (short idea used to represent character, emotion, place, object)
>> perfect 4th and 5th: heroic feel
>> triplets to minim perfect 7th: uplifting and positive
>> starts on upbeat to portray heroism and adventure: associates with Luke Skywalker
texture - Melody-dominated homophony
- Homorhythmic b.18, 44-50
- Rhythmic ostinato on pedal C in b.51-end
- Tutti: dense
- Violin takes over: sparse
structure - Ternary (ABA)
1. Introductary fanfare
2. ABA
3. Through composed b.30 onwards: music follows action of screen
rhythm - Opening fanfare b.1-3: rhythmic gestures – rapid repeated notes and triplets
- Brisk tempo and 4/4 time creates march-like military mood
- Gradually slows down in b.47-50
- Last 10 bars in faster tempo
- Symcopated accompaniment (b.4-6)
harmony - Quartal harmony (b.1-7): unusual and exciting
- Mixed elements of different chords produce strange, unstable effects (b.33-35)
- b.38: C major chord inflected by C minor and Bb in piccolo part of melody: rich and vibrant
effect
- Root position tonic chords (b.4): emphasises key
- Inverted tonic pedal
- Dominant pedal on F: creates imperfect cadence
- Cluster chords (b.46): creates dissonance and suspense
- Chromatic Parallel triads in b.7
- Parallel triads in last 4 bars, pedal C
- Augmented 5th in b.32-39 between Ab and E: mystic, unworldly character that represents void
of space
tonality - Starts Bb major: uplifting and bright
- Atonal in b.30
dynamics (check score)
Instrumentation - Large symphony orchestra
context /
texture - Starts monophonic with only acoustic bass guitar playing (except for 2 double stops)
- Mainly homophonic
- 2 melody lines in verse 3 are contrapuntal
- BB1 bass guitar and guitar accompany melody but are also contrapuntal lines of their own
- Sense of intimacy created when texture is just vocals and bass (b.88)
melody - Lyrics are syllabic: clarity of word + Spalding has to focus on playing the bass
- Section A
>> based on 4 note figure immediately varied
>> each phrase spans a 7th , 1st or 2nd note of phrase falls by step: creates free, falling sequece; in low
tessitura creates sad mood, portrays lyrics
>> many leaps between 3rd and 7th
- Section B
>> almost entirely conjunct
>> b.31-34 are repeats of b.23-26 transposed up a 4th
- Acoustic bass guitar consists of broken chords and scale based figures
- Acoustic guitar solo based on scale and chord patterns: shows versitality of instrument in
higher register
structure - 2 main melodies, each is immediately varied
- Guitar solo In middle
- 2 melodies heard together in counterpoint (verse 3): bass in verse 3 is an augmented version
of melody in b.4-11; vocal doing vocal meody like b.23-28
- Coda based on melody of b.50-53 (sung twice more)
tonality - B minor; no modulations thought there are lots of chromatic notes
harmony - Extension and suspended chords (typical of cool Jazz)
- Final chord (Bm13): B in bass is tonic, soon dies away leaving shimmering discord –
deliberately avoiding any sense of finality
Metre, tempo - 5/4 in b.3: expresses free rhythm of opening
and rhythm - First 3 bars -> thoughtful, improvisatory quality achieved through rubato: tiny flunctuations
for expressive effect
- Cross rhythm (b.8)
- Free tempo shows flexibility of tempo
- b.19 acoustic bass guitar sets bossa nova groove, steady pulse (gently syncopated dotted
rhythms)
Instrumentation - Vocal in low tessitura (range from low E to middle G – compound 3rd)
- Acoustic bass guitar
- Acoustic guitar
dynamics (check score)
, Star wars – John Williams
context - Released in 1977
- John Williams used large symphony orchestra: electro Jazz was popular at that time for many
film music so there’s contrast
melody - Leimotifs (short idea used to represent character, emotion, place, object)
>> perfect 4th and 5th: heroic feel
>> triplets to minim perfect 7th: uplifting and positive
>> starts on upbeat to portray heroism and adventure: associates with Luke Skywalker
texture - Melody-dominated homophony
- Homorhythmic b.18, 44-50
- Rhythmic ostinato on pedal C in b.51-end
- Tutti: dense
- Violin takes over: sparse
structure - Ternary (ABA)
1. Introductary fanfare
2. ABA
3. Through composed b.30 onwards: music follows action of screen
rhythm - Opening fanfare b.1-3: rhythmic gestures – rapid repeated notes and triplets
- Brisk tempo and 4/4 time creates march-like military mood
- Gradually slows down in b.47-50
- Last 10 bars in faster tempo
- Symcopated accompaniment (b.4-6)
harmony - Quartal harmony (b.1-7): unusual and exciting
- Mixed elements of different chords produce strange, unstable effects (b.33-35)
- b.38: C major chord inflected by C minor and Bb in piccolo part of melody: rich and vibrant
effect
- Root position tonic chords (b.4): emphasises key
- Inverted tonic pedal
- Dominant pedal on F: creates imperfect cadence
- Cluster chords (b.46): creates dissonance and suspense
- Chromatic Parallel triads in b.7
- Parallel triads in last 4 bars, pedal C
- Augmented 5th in b.32-39 between Ab and E: mystic, unworldly character that represents void
of space
tonality - Starts Bb major: uplifting and bright
- Atonal in b.30
dynamics (check score)
Instrumentation - Large symphony orchestra
