Whooo knoowwssssss?

Created by: tcraston12
Created on: 28-05-14 16:34

When was West Side Story composed?

1957

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Describe the instrumentation of the piece

The song is written for a solo tenor accompanied by a band made up of woodwind, brass, percussion, and strings. To make sure the band doesn't overpower the solo, the accompaniment uses quiet dynamics,soft timbres (muted trumpets, pizzicato),homophoni

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Describe a technique used by the instruments

To illustrate the words 'the air is humming', the strings use harmonics and play tremolo

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Describe the structure and melody of the piece

Melody is almost entirely syllabic. It is based on the alternation of 3 main themes. 1). the quiet, syncopated opening theme. 2). The loud, strident theme in 2/4, first heard at bar 21. 3). The lyrical, slow-moving theme, first heard at bar 73.

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How does Bernstein vary these themes?

By changing things such as the words or metre

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Describe the rhythm, metre and tempo of the piece

Metre changes between 3/4 and 2/4. These changes of metre, the fast tempo and the frequent syncopation help maintain the feeling of excitement and anticipation. Accompaniment largely made up of on-beat bass part with off-beat chords. Creates crossrhy

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Describe the tonality and harmony of the piece

In D major. There are 2 contrasting sections in C major. There is a frequent use of the sharpened fourth and flattened seventh in both keys. The sharpened fourth creates the interval of a tritone with the key note.

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Describe the tonality and harmony of the piece

The tenor's last note is a flattened seventh. This creates a feeling of incompletion which goes with feeling of expectation. The harmony is tonal and jazz-influenced, with frequent 7th chords and other added note chords

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Describe the texture of the piece

Homophonic. Has three main ideas in the accompaniment. 1). Repeated riff opens the song. 2). Short, mainly syncopated chords heard in bars 21-26. 2). Fast, um-cha accompaniment first heard at bar 32 for the long note on 'me'.

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