Van Morrison Tuprlo Honey
- Created by: CG01
- Created on: 23-02-13 20:01
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- Van Morrison - Tupelo honey
- Performing Forces
- Both guitars (electric and acoustic) are used but in a restrained melodic way
- Both guitars keep up dialogue with the lead vocals by playing short florid passages in a high register
- Some chords are strummed, with much melodic interest
- Short two bar flute introduction and ending
- Characteristic of that time (e.g. Genesis)
- Vocal line influenced by soul/gospel and Celtic singing styles
- Mainly syllabic with a few melisma's (e.g. 'to' bar 11)
- Range of an eleventh
- high notes occasionally sung falsetto
- Piano/Organ provides chordal backing throughout although piano is occasionally more predominant with improvised 'fills'
- Drum plays a fairy steady rock beat with more cymbals clashes and tom-tom fills towards the end of phrases
- Bass plays a repetitive line with improvised variations
- Van Morrison's way of playing was to describe the chords to the band members and have them improvise around the given chords according to his instructions
- in this case, an air of improvisation exists all the time and explains for the slightly cluttered sound in some places e.g. instrumental
- Both guitars (electric and acoustic) are used but in a restrained melodic way
- Texture
- Mainly homophonic as spotlight is always on vocals
- Complex three-part polyphonic texture in the instrumental
- Much internal movement
- in instrumental, two guitars play a high guitar line, counterpointing a soulful sax solo
- When sax drops out in instrumental, rhythmic complexity of guitar lines are increased to maintain interest
- intensity and passion of the peice increases and textures become busier and louder until Coda 1 section, after which the music quietens
- After which instruments drop out, allowing for another built up
- Structure
- Fairly straightforward verse/chorus form
- Contasts are achieved by changes in instrumentation, texture and by variations in the melodic material
- Repetition of similar chord sequences throughout makes contrast difficult to achieve
- Tonality
- Bb major throughout without any contrasting keys
- Harmony
- Diatonic harmony throughout
- Uses a limited range of chords, 1, 111, 1V and V
- Two main sequences used throughout with these chords
- Melodic line is ornate and rhythmically complex
- Pentatonic shapes in Bb dominate
- Also have three note motifs that are prominent in a variety of melodic ideas
- Melody uses higher end of male vocal range, highest point in bar 37 - top Bb
- Rhythm/Metre
- Slow ballad 4/4 tempo, allowing time for plenty of soulful decoration and improvisation
- Syncopated vocal line containing anticipations and retardations
- Many phrases start second semiquaver of a beat - anacrusis
- Rhythmic complexity of solos section with cross rhythmic layering of rhythms
- Untitled
- Performing Forces
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