Music Compare Essays 2

Front 1

Tippett - Performing Forces (DSO)

Back 1

Tippet uses a double string orchestra that is antiphonally balanced. There are no solos in the piece and all instruments have active lines, the double bass has a lighter load.

Front 2

Tippett - Performing Forces (D/A)

Back 2

Dynamics and articulation are very detailed being given on every bar (Bar 1 - 4) Character indications can be found frequently eg. scherzando.

Front 3

Tippett - Performing Forces (IT)

Back 3

Few idiomatic techniques are used and involve only a few intruments for example double stopping can be seen in the coda Bars 209 - 212.

Front 4

Tippett - Texture (P)

Back 4

Tippet described the piece as a study in polyphony. Each melody line for the most part is independent of one another. (Bar 213)

Front 5

Tippett - Texture (H)

Back 5

Homophony is rare within the piece. However, can be seen forced in at cadence points (B. 21 - 22.)

Front 6

Tippett - Texture (C)

Back 6

Much of the music is contrapuntal. As the recapitulation begins (B.129) the opening 2 part counterpoint is expanded to three parts with the addition of a new line.

Front 7

Tippett - Structure (S)

Back 7

The piece is in sonata form with the exposition (1 - 67) the development (68 - 128) and the recapitulation (129 - 193).

Front 8

Tippett - Structure (RF)

Back 8

The piece also has strong links to ritornello form with each section of the ritornello and its episode coinciding with each section of the sonata. The 4th ritornello and episode run alongside a Coda from bars 194 - 232.

Front 9

Tippett - Structure (NRK)

Back 9

Unlike many sonatas, the piece structure is not defined like it typically would be using closely related keys. Instead the piece uses a system of tonal centres.

Front 10

Tippett - Tonality (TC)

Back 10

The piece revolves around the idea of tonal centres. The exposition starts around A (The home "Key") and moves tonally around G.

Front 11

Tippett - Tonality (WTMP)

Back 11

Whole tone melodic patterns completely blur any sense of tonality in the latter section of the development (Bar 109).

Front 12

Tippett - Tonality (ME)

Back 12

Modal elements can be heard within the piece such as the Aeolian mode (Bar 202) and the mixolydian (Bar 71).

Front 13

Tippett - Harmony (NFH)

Back 13

The harmony is non functional although rarely western harmonic traditions may be heard such as the perfect cadence (Bar 45 - 47).

Front 14

Tippett - Harmony (PC)

Back 14

Modal harmonic elements although rare, can also be found. Such as the Phrygian cadence Bar 21 - 22.

Front 15

Tippett - Harmony (P)

Back 15

Without the stability of diatonic chord structure Tippett is able to use dissonance freely. This is known as pandiatonicism and can be seen in Bars 85 - 89.

Front 16

Tippett - Melody (S)

Back 16

Tippett uses many techniques to create interesting melody lines. Sequences can be seen at points (Bar 18 - 20) in violin 1.

Front 17

Tippett - Melody (O)

Back 17

Ostinato can be heard also for example bar 21.

Front 18

Tippett - Melody (M)

Back 18

Tippet uses motifs to structure varying lengths of phrases, this is seen in bars 1 - 4.

Front 19

Tippett - Rhythm and Metre (AR)

Back 19

Additive rhythms are used, the basic unit is the quaver from which unpredictable patterns evolve which results in a sprung rhythm. (B. 15).

Front 20

Tippett - Rhythm and metre (S)

Back 20

Syncopation can be found in Bar 1

Front 21

Tippett - Rhythm and metre (A)

Back 21

Augmentation can be heard (Bar 95 - 106)

Front 22

Haydn - Performing Forces (SPT)

Back 22

String playing techniques are used. All instruments play with the bow (arco) there is no pizzicato but double stopping can be found.

Front 23

Haydn - Performing Forces (A)

Back 23

Articulation such as staccato adds a light playful effect to the music.

Front 24

Haydn - Performing Forces (D)

Back 24

The joke ending uses pp dynamic markings to add humour. Other dynamic markings such as forte can be seen at bars 36 and 107.

Front 25

Haydn - Texture (4P)

Back 25

The texture is largely four part usually each part is independent however the violins have some parallel 3rds, 6ths and 10ths from Bar 9.

Front 26

Haydn - Texture (H)

Back 26

Occasionally the music is homophonic moving in chordal motion. (Bars 139 - 140) all parts share the same rhythm (Homorhythm.)

Front 27

Haydn - Texture (I)

Back 27

Loose imitation can be heard from bars 112 - 116 where other parts take up the melody just heard in the first violin.

Front 28

Haydn - Structure (R)

Back 28

Rondo form ABACA1 with the final A section (140 - 172) being substantially altered from the first A section.

Front 29

Haydn - Structure (SA)

Back 29

Section A is in rounded binary form as an internal structure clearly shown by the repeat marks (Bars 1 - 36).

Front 30

Haydn - Structure (TF)

Back 30

Transnational feel in B section due to harmonic instability caused by a lack of resolution in pedal note passages.

Front 31

Haydn - Melody (PP)

Back 31

Periodic phrasing can be found in the order 2+2+4. Which is perfect phrasing for the classical era (Bars 1 - 8).

Front 32

Haydn - Melody (PN)

Back 32

Passing notes can be found decorating the melody. Unaccented (D in Bar 3) and chromatic accented (B natural in Bar 13.)

Front 33

Haydn - Melody (MC)

Back 33

Much of the material is developed from the opening melodic cell which can be seen inverted in Bars 10 - 11 and as a chromatic rising sequence (25 - 26).

Front 34

Haydn - Harmony (FFH)

Back 34

Harmony is fully functional the opening phrase consists of a I -V - I and frequent perfect cadences Bar 8.

Front 35

Haydn - Harmony (HSJ)

Back 35

Harmony supports the joke nature of piece. For example the dominant 7th left "hanging in mid air" in bar 28.

Front 36

Haydn - Harmony (CH)

Back 36

There is some evidence of chromatic harmony which adds colour to the music for example the diminished triad in bar 69.

Front 37

Haydn - Tonality (TRPC)

Back 37

Tonality is reinforced by perfect cadences frequently throughout the piece (Bar 8).

Front 38

Haydn - Tonality (CRK)

Back 38

Modulates to closely related keys for example the dominant in Bar 64.

Front 39

Haydn - Tonality (FTRP)

Back 39

Functional harmony is also reinforced by pedals. Although the pedal at Bars 16 - 28 is rather ambiguous until its conclusion where it appears to be a dominant pedal preparing for the return of the main theme.

Front 40

Haydn - Rhythm and Metre (S)

Back 40

Rhythm is generally simple in style with a tendancy to be dominated by crotchets and quavers. For example the endless stream of the latter (54 - 67).

Front 41

Haydn - Rhythm and Metre (RD)

Back 41

Some rhythmic diminution can be seen when a motif returns in bars 22 - 23 it reappears as three quavers from quaver crotchet quaver.

Front 42

Haydn - Rhythm and Metre (LR)

Back 42

From bar 149 on beat demisemiquavers create a bold Lombardic (scotch snap) Rhythm.

Front 43

Armstrong - Performing Forces (SS)

Back 43

Scat singing can be heard in Strain 3 (31 - 42) this is a form of vocalisation with no words.

Front 44

Armstrong - Performing Forces (IS)

Back 44

Instrumental solos can be heard for most instruments such as the trumpoet solo (bar 1 - 6)

Front 45

Armstrong - Performing Forces - (FI)

Back 45

Free improvisation is indicated for instruments, the piano part for example has virtuoso improvisation over a stride style left hand. (Bar 43 - 54).

Front 46

Armstrong - Structure (12B)

Back 46

12 Bar blues 5 choruses long. It contains two contrasting strains, introduction and coda (Bar 55 - End.)

Front 47

Armstrong - Structure (BC)

Back 47

The final trumpet solo breaks off mid stream, but the blues pattern continues with the solo piano and coda creating an extension of the 12 bar shape. (56 - 68)

Front 48

Armstrong - Structure (2S)

Back 48

In the vocal version the two strains clearly alternate. However in Armstrongs version the piano solo makes no reference to the melody of strain 2 as presented by the trombone in bars 18 - 30.

Front 49

Armstrong - Tonality and Harmony (CH)

Back 49

Chromatic Harmony can be found throughout the piece for example the consecutive chords found in bar 54.

Front 50

Armstrong - Tonality and Harmony (12BBCS)

Back 50

12 Bar blues chord substitution can be found occasionally such as the tonic seventh chord in bar 10.

Front 51

Armstrong - Tonality and Harmony (DP)

Back 51

The piece is in Eb major throughout. A dominant pedal can be found in Bar 64 - 68 to establish the tonality.

Front 52

Armstrong - Melody (PS)

Back 52

Piano solo has romantic influences shown by octave leaps (Bar 51) is also considered to be virtuosic as it spans between two and three octaves.

Front 53

Armstrong - Melody (D)

Back 53

Much of the melody writing is disjunct and moves by leap can be seen in the piano solo of bar 51 and the trumpet in Bars 10 - 14.

Front 54

Armstrong - Melody (DM)

Back 54

The melody is decorated throughout, the use of blue notes and chromaticism (bars 15 - 17) brings out the first blues strain.

Front 55

Armstrong - Texture (M)

Back 55

The opening trumpet solo is monophonic and upbeat from bars 1 - 6.

Front 56

Armstrong - Texture (MDH)

Back 56

Melody dominated homophony is the pieces main texture with the accompaniment typically in the piano and banjo parts. (Bar 36)

Front 57

Armstrong - Texture (Par.)

Back 57

Parallels were also a common feature of the texture such as the 3rds between trumpet and clarinet (Bars 8 - 9) and tritones between clarinet and voice in the chromatic turnaround (Bar 41)

Front 58

Armstrong - Rhythm (S)

Back 58

Syncopation - Many of the phrases end with an offbeat note that lingers from the scat singing line. Eg. Bar 32.

Front 59

Armstrong - Rhythm (SR)

Back 59

The piece has a swung rhythm for example bar 8. This gives the rhythm a long short feel which ultimately feels like the music is propulsive.

Front 60

Armstrong - Rhythm (R)

Back 60

Quadruple metre except for bar 66 where the 3 beat solo breaks momentum and prepares for the final chord using a rallentando which means these three beats take the same amount of time as the previous four beat bar.