GEORGE GERSHWIN - Summertime

Circumstances of Performance (When, where and why)

• Composed in 1935
• African-American music
• American-folk opera
• Tender lullaby to a baby

Tonality (Key)

• B minor

Performing Forces (Interesting and unusual features)

• Woodwind
• Backing vocals
• solo female vocals

Texture (Layers)

• Melody-doimated homophony
• Texture thickened in second verse by countermelody (violin)  and vocals 
• Modified strophic (bars 17 + 27)

Melody (Tune) 

• Portamento, sliding from one note to another
• Blues scale
• Use of melisma (bar 21)

Harmony (Chords)

Rhythm Metre (Time Signature)

Structure (Sections)