starwars

Rhythm, Tempo, Metre and dynamics

Opening tempo - crotchet = 100.
Rit at B20 then returns to opening tempo.
B51 tempo increses to crotchet = 160. Last 10 bars have a faster tempo.
March feel/ military mood creted by fast tempo and 4/4 time.
Use of triplets and pedal = march
Syncopated accompianiment in B4-6 and B21-22 to build excitment
Use of rapid repeated nots to create a feeling of expectation
Main theme - strong quadruple pulse; accompianied with syncopated block chords.
From B33 onwards rhythmic feel changes. Pulse less obvious.
B44- changes to 3/4 time (triplet metre)
B44-50 homorhythmic chords created; mix of quavers, triplet qavers, crotchets and restes; slower pulse increases this effect.
mf= mezzoforte= fairlyloud, ff = fortissimo = loud
starts fortissimo
B11 - mf
B17 crescendo to FF
dimmuendo B35 to paino
Crescendo bar 39-41 reaching fortissimo
fial bar small dimmuendo to pp

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In key Bflat
B1-29 Bflat major
B30-50 atonal, no key signature, uses dissonant chords, based around C (often as bass pedal)
Rebel theme -Aflat minor
Some bitonal clashes
Major key - happy and uplifting
Bflat is reinforced by using the dominat and tonic pedals

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Tutti intro theme
Mainly homophonic
Some immitation ( opening fanfare)
Homophonic rhythm/ homorhtmic texture of block chords B44-50
Ostinato figures- rhythmic pedal ostinato 51-end
Melody often doubles in octaves
Mainly melody - dominated homophony where tune supported by block or artticulated chords
Use of pedal textures: inverted pedal in intro, B12-15 dominant pedal
Homophonic piccolo solo
tutti = whole orchestra

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Bold, cleary defined melodies
The ain theme is a heroic leitmotif (Luke Skywalker)
Opening fanfare on brass with loud dynamics
Opening fanfare and Maine theme A: conjunct and disjuncted- mainly disjunct, use minums and triplets, based around bflat and F, intervals of a fourth and a 7th, triple quaver rhythms, played by brass(ff), ascending and decending shape, loud and dramatic, begins on beat - strong
Section B contrasts: still has intervals of fourths and sevenths with triplets but scored for violins = quieter, ascends thand decends = arc shape.
Both sections based around the tonic and dominant (Bflat and F)
Rebel fanfare used
Use of contary motion scales

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