GCSE set works at a glance

Set Works at a Glance
Area of Study 1
‘And the Glory of the Lord’ 1 st mvt. From Symphony No.40 in Gm ‘Raindrop’ prelude
Pitch
Choir (SATB); range is wide, melody is made out of
steps+leaps
Didn’t follow structure of Classical orchestra; melody made up of
steps+leaps; wide range in instruments
Rhythm LH melody –straight and even, RH melody‐uneven
Dynamics
No dynamics for voice part (assuming forte all the way);
ranging from forte to piano for trumpets (basso
continuo);
Wide range of dynamics. Lots of crescendos and decrescendos.
Fluctuating dynamics portray strong emotions.
Very exaggerated; ranging from pianissimo to
fortissimo
Harmony
Tempo
No clashes or distorted chords, chords are always major
and forte; imitation, doubling of parts and 2 ideas
together give it a triumphant feeling.
Allegro, which brings forth a forward motion which
indicates the era.
Quite smooth due to use of diatonic notes. Lots of uses of perfect
cadences. Uses countermelodies in development section.
Molto Allegro (very fast). Lack of introduction gives a sense of urgency.
Clashes can be heard in the B section, when the
storm is at its strongest.
Timbre Bright and jovial (brought by the major keys) Helps the harmony, though not as important as melody. Mellow and constant, no switching of instrument
constant G#/A‐flats throughout the whole piece
which represent raindrops.
Texture Extensive use of imitation; contains all the textures. Mostly homophonic; melody is always clearly heard. Homophonic, but the melody switches from the
right to left hand.
Structure 4 main ideas Sonata form (exposition, development, recapitualation); no
introduction, which gives a sense of urgency.
Ternary form (ABA), which depicts a storm
gradually forming and then dissipating.
Keys (+modulation) A, E, A, B, A (no minor keys to show prevailing mood) Gm, B‐flat, Gm, Em, Am, Dm, Gm, C, F, B‐flat, Dm, Gm, E‐flat, Fm, E‐
flat, Gm, E‐flat, Gm (development has a lot of modulation); Gm
provides melancholy mood
Melodic features
At the end, when the last phrase is sung (“hath spoken
it”), the four voices sing together and it dramatically slows
down, so that makes it effective. Has 4 main ideas.
Sostenuto
D‐flat major, C# minor, D‐flat major (although in
the same key signature; but the minor key gives a
sinister mood)
Falling motif creates an image of someone sighing.
Keyboard techniques: ‘cantabile legato’ playing,
Uses descending sequences to change between instruments. Clarinets alt tempo rubato, use of pedals
the sound because
they were newly invented. Melody alternates
between string instruments.
Instruments 4 voices (SATB), trumpets (basso continuo) 1 flute,2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns (B‐flat and G, to obtain
notes G‐Bflat‐D and Bflat‐D‐F); no trumpets or percussion AT ALL, very
different to classical orchestra.
Why this piece of music
is in the exam:
Melodic devices (sequence, imitation)
Harmonic devices (pedal)
Rhythmic devices (hemiola)
Cadences
Word Painting
Sonata form
Melodic development
Melodic devices (sequence, imitation)
Instrumentation
Piano
Texture
Expressive use of dynamics
Piano playing techniques

Pitch
Rhythm
Dynamics
Harmony
Tempo
Timbre
Texture
Structure
Keys (+modulation)
Melodic features
Instruments
Area of Study 2
‘Peripetie’ ‘Something’s Coming’ 3 rd mvt. (fast) From Electric Counterpoint
Full pitch range of all the instruments (prominent
e of atonal music); klangfarbenmelodie~tone‐colour
dy.
Uneven; sounds distorted to the listener; dotted
Extreme dynamics (changes very quickly which gives a
feeling of chaos and restlessness.
Has hexachords (A, Bflat, C, C#, E, F) and compliments (B,
D, Eflat, F#, G, G#) which is a key feature in this era. Has
recognizable chords and harmonies but combined in
original ways.
Sehr rasch (very quickly) which creates a rushed and
chaotic feeling
Extensive use of the instruments’ timbre to give the piece
it’s chaotic character (messy; distorted)
Completely polyphonic; difficult to distinguish main
melody from accompaniment.
Rondo form (ABACA), but the A sections are so developed
that they hardly become recognizable (not like classical
era’s rondo)
Atonal (use of serialism helps the atonality because all the
12 notes have to be used)
Piece is quite short because if it was longer, some sort of
key would’ve to be used.
1 piccolo, 3 flutes, 3 oboes, 1 cor anglais in F, 1 clarinet in
D, 3 clarinets in Bflat, 1 bass clarinet, 3 bassoons, 1
contrabassoon, 6 horns, 3 trumpets, 4 trombones, 1 tuba,
1 xylophone, 1 cymbals, 1 tam tam, 1 bass drum, violin1,
violin2, viola, cello, double bass.
Demands the singer to hit a very high G, which creates the
feeling of excitement.
Varying dynamics (ppp‐f) create sense of expectancy and
tension, as well as excitement for the future.
F#s used in the harmony during C major section. Jazz based
harmony in which conventional chords have added ‘blue’
notes and other dissonances.
Fast (crotchet=176)
The timbre of the singer’s voice is used to create feelings of
tension and excitement; warm, jumpy.
Homophonic; voice carries the melody
Intro, A, B, B1, A1, Outro
D, C, G, D, C, G (fact that there is no minor key brings forth
anticipation and excitement; happy mood)
Syncopated rhythms permeating the music, including the
‘push’ rhythm anticipating the beat (creates expectancy and
tension). Motif of the interval of the tritone that’s used
throughout every movement. Extensive use of short riffs.
Cross‐rhythms. Layered textures of independent parts.
Combination of short phrases (brings feel of excitement
because he can’t control his excitement) and long sustained
notes.
5 woodwind players, 2 horns, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, 7
violins, 4 cellos, 2 double basses. Piano, guitar, drum kit, 2
percussionists.
Fluctuates on a small scale because motif keeps getting repeated.
p‐f
Has a resultant melody (a new melody produced when a variety
of parts each play their melodies at the same time, so
different/certain notes stand out) which the live guitar plays, to
reinforce it.
Crotchet=192, but time signature alternates between 3/2 and
12/8
Polyphonic (each guitar part has equal importance because they
all contribute to the resultant melody). Build‐up of texture helps
to define the structure of the piece, and thins out towards the
end. The texture seems to always be shifting to the listener
because of panning and interweaving rhythms.
Em, Cm, Em, Cm, Em (both keys have no relation, so they
‘counter’ each other). Tonal ambiguity in the beginning, until the
bass guitars come in, playing the tonic note of E
There isn’t actually any phasing (2 identical parts that go out of
sync with each other, but eventually come back into sync after a
no. of repetitions) because there are little gaps (quaver rests) so
that there’s rhythmic counterpoint and the guitars stay like that
throughout the piece.
1 live guitar, 7 electric guitars, 2 bass guitars (during
performance, the only instrument present will be the live guitar;
all the other guitar parts were pre‐recorded by the musician
him/herself in a studio)
Studio Effects ‐‐ ‐‐ Stereo panning (when there’s a left and a right channel, like bass
guitars on either side of the stage). Tape loops (pre‐recorded
loops which can be repeated seamlessly by electronics)
Why this piece of music
is in the exam:
Tonality – hexachords
Melody – klangfarbenmelodie
Haupstimme (H) – principal voice
Hebenstimme (N) – secondary voice
Melodic development – fragments
Expressionism & 2 nd Viennese School
Influences of two styles – Cuban and jazz
Word painting
Jazz Harmonies
Studio effects
Compositional process (resultant melody & overdub)
Minimalist features

Area of Study 3
‘All Blues’ ‘Grace’ ‘Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad’
Pitch
Dynamics
Piano for the head; soloists are free to input their own
their solos. When the drums drop out towards the end,
e decreases.
Harmony Uses the chord progressions (G7, G7, G7, G7, C7, C7, G7,
G7, D7, Eflat7/D7, G7, G7) for the improvised solos
Tempo Jazz waltz (swing quavers)
Timbre
Davis uses a Harmon mute to give the trumpet a vulnerable
sound. During his solo, he removes it and this gives the
trumpet a confident sound.
Texture
Structure
When the piano trill (from beginning) drops out as the
piano switches to riff #2, this thins the texture out and the
change is very prominent. Drum player hits the ride cymbal
differently, therefore varying the texture.
Intro, head, trumpet solo, alto sax solo, tenor sax solo,
piano solo, head, coda.
Vocals‐as high as top G of soprano (vocal virtuosity)
Uses the trick of keeping one or more open strings on the guitar as a
drone, gibing harmonic richness to sound. Bottom string tuned
down to D to give a deeper+darker sound. Power chord used with
Em. Uses vocal counterpoint to contribute to intensity.
Voice‐[middle8] vocal line improvises melody with telephone EQ
added (creates distant sound), [v3] Uses higher range of voice to
produce forceful quality. [voice used to create intensity]
Guitar‐[intro] uses guitar whispers. [outro] plays with flanger effect
which adds to intensity.
Overall homophonic. Intro‐tonal ambiguity; only guitar whispers can
be heard (thin texture). Then full band plays a rhythm which gives
forward momentum. Chorus‐ drums stop using toms so extensively.
Outro‐ ends monophonic. Ending has full texture.
Inter, v1, pre‐chorus, chorus, link, v2, pre‐chorus, chorus, middle 8,
link, v3, outro.
[v1 in piano]sus2 chord: a triad with maj/min 3 rd placed by
2 nd degree of the scale. Sus4 chord: a triad with maj/min 3 rd
replaced by 4 th degree of the scale. Only 6 chords used
throughout the piece.
Added effects change the timbre of the instruments to
infuse different emotions in the listener.
Homophonic.
Unedited vocal samples contribute to the texture because
background noise acts as another instrument. Texture
developed around the 3 chord sequences.
Based around 3 chord sequences arranged in 8‐bar blocks:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Am Am Em Em Gm Gm D D
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
C C Am Am C C Am Am
Keys (+modulation)
Melodic features
Instruments
G and C mixolydian modes, diminished scale over altered
chords.
During Davis’ solo, Cobb (drums) syncopates the rhythm on
the snare drum, which creates anticipation and rhythmic
interest.
Trumpet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Piano, Drums,
Bass guitar.
Em, D, Em
Strings added for sound effects, rather than harmony. In middle 8,
hummed harmonies follow chord pattern; contrasts harsh sounds.
Ends with unaccompanied phrase, highlighting influence of qawwali
music.
Drums, Bass guitar, 2 electric guitars (drone [a repeated or sustained
note which is played across chord changes creating a dissonance],
power chords [a chord consisting of the root note and the perfect
5 th ], slide [playing technique performed by sliding the finger from 1
note to another]), vocals
Studio Effects ‐‐ Added strings to raise the tension by adding to the texture (middle
8). Overdubs, Flanger used in outro, Delay, EQ , Reverb
Why this piece of
music
is in the exam:
Playing techniques
Jazz Harmonies
Chord sequence
Electronic effects
Texture
Guitar techniques
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
F F C C F F C C
Am, C, Am, C, Am
Extensive use of vocal samples. Hint of A‐dorian mode due
to D chord in verse, but to the listener it’s simply Am. Has 2
main ideas. 1 st idea=major, 2 nd idea=minor
All electronic equipment
Telephone EQ in v2: makes samples sound much thinner.
Delay in break: can hear dying repeats of vocal echo and
snare. Reverb in break: effect applied to all other
instruments except voice+drums. Delay+reverb in 2 nd
chorus: makes sample 2 [these open doors] sound distant
and blending with strings.
Chord sequence
Electronic effects
Texture
Structure

Area of Study 4
“Skye Waulking Song ‘Rag Desh’ ‘Yiri’
Dynamics Piano, then forte, then fade out. Used to focus listener’s
attention on certain words (eg. v3: unaccompanied vocals)
and used to change the mood (eg. v7: all instruments drop
out, adding contrast to the drums’ build up to the last verse)
Harmony Harmony is less important than melody and rhythm. Only 4
chords in the whole song, but chord changes are very
noticeable because they introduce new sections and moods.
Improvised
Created by tambura playing the drone notes (usually tonic and
dominant) and the sitar augments the harmony with the
improvised melody. But generally, no sense of harmony because
emphasis is placed on the melody (therefore a linear concept).
Tempo Changes according to the different sections (slow/meditative;
regular pulse established; fast pace with exciting rhythms;
moderate to fast pace)
Timbre
Texture
Structure
Keys
(+modulation)
Melodic
features
Fiddle plays tremolos which create trembling effect
(vulnerability)
Melody‐dominated homophony, with a bit of heterophony
as well (instrumental part). Monophonic last line of verse 3
when vocals are unaccompanied.
Intro (cluster chord), v1, break, v2 (fiddle becomes more
prominent), v3, v4, v5 (accordion plays countermelody to
voice), v6, instrumental (uillean pipes’ solo and
heterophonic texture), v7, v8, outro (instruments counter
each other as vocals improvise on vocables)
Key of G. Melody based on Em pentatonic scale.
Chord sequences:
Em~G, C~G~Em~G, Am7~Em~Em~G, C~G (alternating)
Melody is simple and repetitive; sung in Gaelic. Has vocables
(nonsense syllables) and traditions of waulking songs are
portrayed by them. Background vocals emphasize vocables.
Sitar has sympathetic strings that are below the main 7 strings
and therefore vibrate when the 7 strings are plucked; creates a
‘twangy’ sound. Tabla has 2 drums which are made out of wood
(smaller one) and metal (larger one). Sarangi has a gentler tone
than sitar so is used to accompany singers/instrumentalists.
Sarod has a lower range and heavier tone than sitar.
Alap, Jhor, Jhalla, Gat/Bandish
(it’s called a Bandish if there’s a singer)
Non‐tonal; raga based on a rag (a ‘scale’ which varies in number
of notes)
No melody; lead instrument (sitar) improvises on notes of the
raga.
Emphasis placed on the melody rather than harmony.
Pretty much forte all the time
Strong sense of major tonality because opening notes of melody are
dominant (Dflat) to tonic (Gflat). Choir parts sung in unison; no
harmony. At b.45, variation in 2 nd balaphone part.
Steady
Monophonic (0.00~0.18min): only high balaphone improvising a solo
(Gflat major) with fast high+low rolls on every note (to give the
illusion that the notes are sustained).
Heterophonic (0.18~0.34min): 2 nd balaphone joins the 1 st , and it plays
the same melody with a few different pitches (b.11‐12)
Pattern of voices followed by instrumental breaks; call and response
structure.
2.10~2.45: solo voice enters with a call and choir responds in b.63.
Bar’s rest at b.95 makes it obvious that a new section’s coming and
anticipates it.
Drums’ rests at b.156 builds anticipation for the ending up.
4.45~5.20: balaphone break, quite virtuosic with rapid octave leaps
and semiquaver/demisemiquaver patterns.
G‐flat major
When choir enters for the 1 st time, melody sounds pentatonic
because it misses the F note.
Drum ostinato persists throughout the piece. Melodies are all based
on original idea.
Instruments Traditional: fiddle, bouzouki, accordion, uillean pipes,
bodhrán (boh‐ran), egg‐shakers, voice
Modern: electric bass, drum kit, synthesizer, Wurlitzer piano
acoustic guitar,
Rhythm Voice punctuates the lilting rhythm, created by the 12/8
Why this piece
of music
is in the exam:
signature (sounds like triplets in 4/4 time).
V5: accordion punctuates 2 nd +5 th beat
Celtic and Western instruments
Tonality
Sitar, Tabura, Tabla, Sarod, Sarangi, Bansuri Shehnai, Harmonium
A cycle based on a set number of beats (tal) that the tabla plays.
The cycle can also be used to create a musical duel between the
instrumentalist and drummer when they try to outdo each
other’s ideas in the jhalla section of the raga.
Indian instruments
Structure
Vocals, 2 balaphones, flute, djembe, tam‐tam, dundun, maracas,
donno, bell
The beat is regular and unvarying.
‐ semiquaver‐quaver‐semiquaver rhythm is a feature of vocal writing.
‐ triplets create a variation on melody.
‐ Has polyrhythm and syncopation; different beats are accented.
African instruments
Tonality