Tupelo Honey

A mindmap for Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison made using the Edexcel notes. Please feel free to make suggestions/comment :)

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  • Created by: Nora
  • Created on: 05-05-13 10:17
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  • Tupelo Honey
    • Performing Forces
      • Mainly syllabic but some melisma (bar 11)
      • Range of 11th in vocal
      • some falsetto
      • Backing vocals in dialogue with lead (verses 2,3,4, Coda 1 + final coda)
      • Both Guitars used in restrained melodic way; some strummed chords; dialogue with lead vocals; short florid passages high in register
      • Drums play reasonable straight rock beat; more cymbals and tom tom fills towards end
      • Piano and organ provide chordal backing, piano occasionally plays improvised fills
      • Bass plays repetitive line with improvised variations
      • Flute plays simple two-bar idea at beginning and end
      • Morrison provided basic chords and instructions then improvised
    • Texture
      • Mainly homophonic
      • Internal movement e.g. electric guitar in dialogue with vocals
      • Instrumental section initially complex three-part polyphony; then sax drops out but rhythmic complexity of guitars increases
      • Intensity and passion build as piece progessses
      • Louder and busier until 41-44
      • Instruments drop out at 41-44
      • Further build up during verse 4 to end
    • Structure
      • Verse/Chorus structure with intro, instrumental, middle 8 and coda
      • Flute solo at beginning and end
      • Repetition of similar chord sequences
      • Contrasts achieved by changes in: instrumentation; texture; melodic material
    • Tonality: Bb major with no modulations
    • Harmony
      • Diatonic
      • Slow regular harmonic rhythm
      • Four chord ostinato
        • Phrase 1,3,4: Bb-Dmin-Eb-Bb
        • Phrase 2: Bb-Dmin-Eb-F
      • Occasional ornamental chromaticism
    • Melody
      • Melody line ornate and rhythmically complex
      • Many improvised variants on melodic shape
      • Based on pentatonic scale (Bb, C, D, F, G)
      • Three note motif (D,F and G) e.g. opening flute
      • Melody uses higher end of male range, highest note in Bar 37, Bb
    • Rhythm and Metre
      • Slow ballad 4/4 tempo
      • Vocal line is syncopated and contains anticipations and retardations
      • Many phrases start on second semiquaver beat
      • Rhythmic complexity of solos(bar 21-36) cross rhythm layering (ber 34-35) semiquavers + triplets in acoustic
      • Bass uses repeated rhythmic ideas, particularly in bars 2 and 4 of phrases

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