Harmony

The Song “Mr Sandman” is a studio recorded folksong that was first recorded by Vaughn Monroe and his orchestra, and later interpreted by The Chordettes. This song is an example of a strophic song, as it has a limited number of melodies that are repeated throughout the song. It is sung by a a female quartet with a secondary accompaniment. The accompaniment consists of clapping, a drum set (membranophone), a bass (membranophone), something that sounds like a synthesizer (electronophone). The singers are singing in parallel harmony throughout the song, making this a polyphonic texture. The song is played in duple meter. The song consists only of verses, but repeats the last line of each verse to create a faux chorus. The song is 13 measures long…

and C major, introducing foreign “problematic” harmonies and chord members, and implying a strong sense of irony when concluding lines and stanzas. By never truly establishing a key until the very last lyrical statement, Brahms keeps the piece suspended in a dreamy uncertainty. This is evident even as early as the first piano introduction, where a sighing figure first implies C major (m. 1), and then is repeated in the dominant of A minor (m. 3). This sighing figure is apparent through the…

Music is a standout amongst the most vital and intense things throughout my life. My existence without songs and harmonies would be absolutely unfilled. Listening to and playing distinctive tunes helps me to de-stretch, unwind and it can likewise persuade me in attempting times. I cherish listening to music while on my approach to class, as I feel it helps me to plan for the day that holds up. I think it resemble the journals to my life as it has been there all through everything with me. When…

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a Russian composer who started practising music at a young age. Throughout his youth, he played the piano, sang in choirs and after graduating from Saint Petersburg school of Law he went on to study music. Tchaikovsky was working as a professor in harmony and theory when he wrote his first ballet, Swan Lake. Swan Lake was composed in 1875 and fit the mold of pieces from the Romantic era, Swan Lake was through composed form following a powerful storyline. During the…

Melody- There's this basic riff repetition being played. As simple as it may be, there is melodic contour which takes shape when the direction changes. This song uses disjunct motion, the intervals change quite a bit. A lot of the singing seems to be staccato, adding to the long pauses. There's also legato that's connecting the song. Harmony- There is no vocal harmony, when he continues the singing, for a breath of time, it adds an echoing effect. The chords are played in a pentatonic format. …

The actually music that was written for the piece was challenging to physically play. Monteverdi gave vast amounts of credit to the heavily trained musicians that played the first public showing of the opera in Mantua, Italy. (D’Epiro 256) In terms of skill, the opera was demanding, but the innovations Monteverdi specifically made to certain instrument sections that were never seen before, were especially noted for their ingenuity. For example, Monteverdi wrote a section in Orfeo where trombones…

live with it or not.           From the time when I was little, I thought I’ve always had a good idea about what is right and what is wrong. I’m not saying I always did the proper thing, but each time I did something morally indecent or offensive, my conscience always let me know. Over time, incidents where my morality was tested have helped me develop a number of morals in which I try to live my life. I believe having morals is an important…

before subduing itself into the first verse devoid of any instrumentation other than drums and bass guitar. The sampled electronic keyboard or piano-like synthesizer sound returns later on in an even more simplified form. It seems to revolve simply around a repeated C that occasionally jumps to a G and resolves the G down to an F before the verse. The verses have a low level of activity which is primarily a trio of basic back beat drums, vocals and what seems to be either a bass guitar…

Starting with the most dated document, published in 1970, William W. Austin's analysis on the prelude is well referenced amongst the other analyses mentioned below. The analysis was only small fraction of the book to act as a brief commentary of the prelude. In the analysis, Austin addressed the continuity of the piece with reference to the motives and used a method based on traditional diatonic harmonies focused on resolving dissonances. This may seem undialectical at first glance. However,…

The song’s lyrics and moderato backbeat contribute to a mood of unsteadiness, demoralization and loss of hope. Melodically, there are non-harmonic tones all throughout which create dissonance and passionate harsh sound. Harmony is primarily developed through two clichés – one being the rock n’ roll chord progression of I-VI-IV-V, and the other being the I-IV-V of the blues. The verse is a bluesy style twelve bar form, with Lennon incorporating two unconventional “surprise” chords into the…