A Level Music: Kinderscenen by Schumann: No 11
- Created by: ChloeGerrard
- Created on: 12-06-14 15:45
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- Kinderscenen: No 11, Frightening by Schumann
- Structure
- Symmetrical Rondo Form
- ABACABA
- Each section is 8 bars long
- B section consists of 4 bars repeated
- A section is called the refrain, while the other sections, B: bars 9-12 and repeated: bars 37-40 and C: bars 21-28 are called episodes
- Both episodes contrast vividly with refrain
- Schneller (faster): bars 9 and 37
- Both episodes contrast vividly with refrain
- Tonality
- Key wavers between E minor and G major
- E minor: initial I-Vb progression at start of piece
- Chromatic lower parts blur sense of key
- G major: established: bars 3-4, continuing to the imperfect cadence: bar 8
- Refrain: two smoothing 4-bar phrases in G major
- Both start with chromatic harmony that disguises key: both end with clear imperfect cadences in G
- Schneller (faster) section: starts in E minor: confirmed by a cadence: bar 9
- 2 bars in E minor are repeated in sequence a third lower (C major), but ends on an ambiguous 2nd inversion chord of E minor
- No clear tonal centre in section C - shifting chromaticism gives an unsettling effect reflecting the theme, 'fear'
- Key wavers between E minor and G major
- Harmony
- Rhythmic placing of cadences every 4 bars seems mechanical, yet they appear in varied forms
- Imperfect cadences are frequent: bars 4 and 8 in G
- Traditional, root position chords are avoided
- When there is a perfect cadence, the tonic chord is placed on weaker beat than dominant: bar 24 and 48
- Chromatic harmony: opening 2 bars are highly chromatic and include parallel diminished chords: bar 2
- Metre
- 2/4
- Rhythm
- Dotted rhythms - push music forward in alternate bars of A
- Each episode has own characteristic rhythm
- Semiquavers in pairs: B
- Semiquavers in groups of 4: C
- Off-beat sforzandi for 4 bars only
- Off-beat rhythms in accompaniment of B and aggressively on alternate quavers: C
- Textures
- Basic 3 and 4 part texture, yet Schumann adapts this to the expressive needs of the movement
- LH thumb at top of accompanying chords repeats the melody notes an octave lower: bars 25-27
- Opening: melody supported by lower 2 parts descending in 3rds
- 4-part harmony can be heard: bar 3, involving some rhythmic independence between component lines
- Opening texture is then inverted: bar 5, with tune in lowest part, whilst the accompaniment is in RH
- B: bass tune with short off-beat chords accompanying above
- C: contrasting, alternating rapid semiquaver movement in 6ths, single bass notes and full 5 or 6 part chords
- B: bass tune with short off-beat chords accompanying above
- Opening texture is then inverted: bar 5, with tune in lowest part, whilst the accompaniment is in RH
- 4-part harmony can be heard: bar 3, involving some rhythmic independence between component lines
- Melody dominated homophony: bars 25-28, uses a stride-like accompaniment reminiscient of No 3
- Basic 3 and 4 part texture, yet Schumann adapts this to the expressive needs of the movement
- Melody
- Mostly diatonic, apart from chromaticism: bar 2 of A
- Modified version of opening melody: bars 5-8 in bass
- B Section: disjunct bass melody with octave leaps in sequence
- 2nd half of C: bars 25-28, 2-bar phrase with semitone movement which spans a diminished 4th and is in sequence
- Idiomatic piano writing: use of bass melody with RH accomp: bars 5-6 and 9-12 and sudden contrast of dynamics and off-beat accents: bars 21-24
- Structure
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