Van Morrison Tuprlo Honey

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  • 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
    • 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

Comments

Zee Hicks

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Great - loads of information. Doesn't have any background information, like the styles that influenced him - Folk, Soul etc... But still great :D thanks

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