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S Schwartz: 'Defying Gravity' (Tempo, metre and rhythm (Time…
S Schwartz: 'Defying Gravity'
Background information and performance circumstances
Stephen Schwartz :
American music theatre composer and lyricist
Born in 1948
Wicked
2003 was written
Based on the novel wicked
Tells the story from the point of vie of the witches, Elphaba and Glinda
Song is featured when Elphaba discovers that the wizard of Oz is not the heroic figure they originally believed
Elphaba vows to do everything in her power to fight the wizard
It was originally written in the key of Db major but now transposed to D major
Performing forces and their handling
It is a duet
Between Elphaba and Glinda
Versatile voices
From G below middle C to F
Some spoken dialogue
Singing
Uses a large orchestra
Woodwind
String sections
Harp
Tremolo effect
Adds tension
Brass
Homophonic chordal
Creates a Fan-fare like effect
Electric guitars
Creates a modern sound
Uses Over-drive
Wide variety of Percussion
Closed Hi-Hat
Constant crochet rhythms
Add rhythmic momentum
Cymbal roll
Excitment
Before the piece moves to a key change
Full band plays climax of the song
Bar 135
Synthesisers and glockenspiel
Create a high magical-sounding
Tubular bells
Ethereal sonority
Structure
Verse- Chorus form
Bars 1-19
Free tempo
Spoken diologue
Chord stabs
Sparse monophonic moments
Accompaniment becomes Chordal and sustained
Bars 20- 48
Andante
Homophonic chordal opening
Moves through different major keys
Legato, Conjunct melody
Strings
Tremalo
With dissonant harmony for accompaniment
Bar 49-87
Allegro
Broken chord accompaniment
Driving hi-hat rhythms
Glinda
Crochet triplet- based melody
Syncopated
Leads to chorus
Bar 88-102
Mederato
Contrasting G major
Singing unison over semi-quavers accompaniment
Bar 103- 110
Allegro
D major
Unison with piano accompaniment
Bar 111-128
Andante
Homophonic chordal music
Bar 129-161
Allegro
Climax
Full orchestra and loud dynamics
Homophoic chordal music
Extended version of the verse
Higher register
Developed melodic and rhythmic ideas
There is a reprise of the chorus
Bar 162-177
Andante to Maestoso
Build up
B minor
Bar 168
Ensemble chorus and orchestra in counterpoint
Different musical lines and lyrics
Texture
Sparse texture
Punctuating instrumental chord stabs
Bar 1
Monophonic unaccompanied bars
Bar 3
Verses
Melody- dominated homophony
Singer is accompanied by chords in the orchestra
Homophonic chordal moments
Bar 132
Ostinato accompanied
Bar 88
With repeated semi-quavers
Singers normally sing seperately
However sometimes sing in Unison
Or in harmony
Bar 127
Contrapuntal
3 different musical ideas
Tonality
Opening
chromatic movement to unrelated chords
It is in D major
B major
Bar 20
F major
Bar 22
Tonic D major
Bar 32
G major
Verse
D major
Bar 88
B minor
Bar 168
FInishes on a D major chord
Harmony
Root position
Chord progressions are unrelated
Shifts downwards in parallel semitones
Some use of dissonance
Bar 30
Pedal
Bar 168
Tempo, metre and rhythm
Numerous tempo change
Look at harmony
Rallentandos
Time signature
3/2 triple time
2/2 Duple time
4/4 quadruple time
Bar 88
2/2 duple time
Bar 115
Syncopation
Frequent throughout
Dotted rhythms
Triplets
Predominantly crochet and quaver based
Rests
Break up phrases
Off- beat entry after crotchet rest
Pause marks or fermatas
To lengthen and give freedom to longer rhythms
Bars 174-176