Purcell- Music for a While

Hello, this is a resource for 2019 Edexel gcse music exams.

This tests your knowledge on Purcell's music for a while. you will need a score.

Good luck and feel free to comment any thoughts. Thanks

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  • Created by: evmip
  • Created on: 23-03-19 20:34
In what period did Purcell compose?
Barouque
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What was music for a while written for?
Theatre for the play Oedipus.
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Why is the song sung? (in terms of the play)
To try and calm the fury Alecto to the point where she will allow the priest to talk to the dead king. (Yes, the whole play is this weird)
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What instruments is this piece written for?
singer and continuo (a staple of Baroque music)
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What makes up a continuo?
Cello and Harpicord
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what kind of bass is used?
A ground bass.
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What is a ground bass?
A repeating melodic phrase in the bass
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How long is Music for a while's ground bass?
3 bars long (this is unusual as you would expect it to be 2,4 or 8 bars long in 4/4)
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What is the general shape of the melody?
Ascending
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How does the melody move?
Frequently chromatic, often a rise of a semitone between two consecutive notes.
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What note value features heavily throughout the ground bass.
Quavers
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What does this note value make the bass
walking bass
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What is the general shape of the voice part?
Descending. Creates contrary motion when paired with bass.
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Give an example of Purcell's use of word painting.
1) quavers with quavers rests for drop, sounds like raindrops. Also the melody is descending. 2) discordance between continuo and singer on 'pains'. Resolved on 'Eas'd' 3) Melisma on eternal. 4) music stops ( apart from continuo) for a quaver....
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cont...
the word dead. 4?) words are repeated to make them stand out 5) key words on main beats
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What is the structure of this piece?
ABA, Ternary.
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How long does each section last? (give bar numbers)
A= bars 1-10 B= 11-28 C= 29- end
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Is dissonance used in this piece
YES
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What is the tonality and key of the piece
A minor ( remember it by saying: this piece is A MINOR disappointment, just like I am to my parents for taking gcse music)
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What are Suspensions
where a note is held over a chord in order to create dissonance
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give an example of a suspension in this piece
Over the word 'Alecto', D in the vocal part is tied over the bar line, creates discord against the C in the continuo
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Exam Q's
GL!
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In what period of western classical music was this composed (1 mark)
Barouque
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describe how Purcell uses word painting on the word 'eased' (2)
the word starts on a suspension which creates dissonance (1) Dissonance is then resolved, hence sounding like it has been eased (1)
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What two instruments make up the continuo (2)
Harpsichord(1) and cello (1)
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what musical device does Purcell use on the word eternal ? (1)
melisma
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Why does he use this? (1)
to illustrate the extent of eternity (1)
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Describe some of the musical features of this song. comment on: how the text is set to music, tonality, pitch + rhythm (4)
1) use of word painting 2) minor key 3) modulates to related keys 4) vocal and bass part are contrary motion. 5) walking bass/ quavers in bass part 6) short note values in vocal part. (one mark each, maximum of four marks)
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What was music for a while written for?

Back

Theatre for the play Oedipus.

Card 3

Front

Why is the song sung? (in terms of the play)

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What instruments is this piece written for?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What makes up a continuo?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

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