The Beatles 'Revolver': Eleanor Rigby

?

Context

- The Beatles were a British rock bad who changed the face of pop music in the 1960's 

- They developed avant-garde techniques suchas musique concrete and recording techniques

- 'Revolver' featured studio experimentation and a range of influences 

1 of 6

Structure

- An 8 bar intro

- Three verses and an outro

- Each verse is followed by a 8 bar refrain

- Outro combines elements from the intro and the refrain 

2 of 6

Harmony

- C and E minor are the only two chords in the song 

- Slow harmonic rhythm 

- Descending chromatic viola part adds dissonance during the refrain

3 of 6

Melody

- Vocals are diatonic and use the Dorian mode

- Backing vocals are Aeolian (Flat 6th)

- Melody mainly conjuct

- Octave leap and rising tenth in the refrain - "Where do they all belong?"

4 of 6

Rhythm

- Repeated chrotchets in the strings 

- Vocals use syncopation and continous quavers 

5 of 6

Performance forces & Texture

- Uses a string quartet, which was unusal for a pop song

- Occasional divisi and double stopping in the strings

- Strings generally play block chords 

- Cello doubles the voice in the last  verse

- Strings also play fills between the vocal lines

6 of 6

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Music resources:

See all Music resources »See all Developing Musical Understanding resources »