GCSE MUSIC EDEXCEL SECTION B SET WORKS

Music GCSE-Symphony No 40-Mozart

Structure

The piece is split up into three different sections. The first one is called exposition, this is when the first theme is exposed to the listener.it provides the piece with its main melody and the piece uses variations of it throughout the piece. The next section is called development. This is when the main exposition is altered though different means mainly by a change in the key from major to minor for example. This section is different from the exposition segment but it shared many of the same features of It., the third section is called re-capitulation. This is when the first segment (exposition) is repeated again for the final time. This collective segmentation of the piece is known as sonata form.

Melody

The exposition has to themes within it; these are known as the first subject and the second subject. The first subject is played by the violins; the second subject is shared by the violins and the woodwinds.    

Harmony

The harmony of the piece is what is known as diatonic. This means the harmony that is played never leaves the scale it is in. The piece starts in G minor and the second subject modulates to B flat major which is the relative major. The song ends in a perfect cadence.

Texture

In the first subject the violins paly the tune in octaves. The texture is thicker at the cadences. Counterpoint the piece is most homophonic which means it’s a melody dominated homophony. There is a counterpoint with an overlapping melody in the development section.

Instrumentation

This piece uses a wide variety of instruments including Violins for the main melody as well as cellos and double basses for a bass harmony which is sustained throughout the piece. The flutes then join in on the second subject. The clarinets are also added, this is quite strange as clarinets were new at the time. The horns are used to thicken the cadences. Strings violins double bass 2 horns one in G and one in B flat 2 bassoons 2 clarinets 2 oboes and flute.

Music GCSE Raindrop -Chopin

Structure

This piece is in a ternary form. This is when the song is split up into three different sections. These are known as A, B. They are different and do not share as many aspects as each other the same way the sonata form does in Mozart.  The song ends in a codetta. This is basically a small coda.

Melody

There is a use of dominant pedal on the piano to give a raindrop sounding effect. Sometimes the pedal goes into the inverted dominant at the top of the texture .The piano is played in a smooth style in parts, this is known as cantablle. The inner pedal is used and is in the middle of the texture. B section has a lower tessitura.

Harmony

The A section is in D flat major. The B section is in C sharp which the…