Chosen Phrase Of Lyrics

Question 1

What is the chosen phrase of lyrics?

Answer 1

“One more day standing about, What is it for? One day less to be living.”

Question 2

Dynamic

Answer 2

Mezzo forte, crescendo bar 25 and 26, forte bar 27

Question 3

Rhythm & Metre

Answer 3

12/8, bar 26 6/8, bar 27 12/8
6/8 against 12/8 in bars 24, 25 and 27 creates tension
Syncopation in bars 24 word paints ‘standing’

Question 4

Pitch

Answer 4

Lowest note ‘F’ - perfect 4th from middle C

Highest note ‘C’ - octave from middle C

Question 5

Structure

Answer 5

Section A verse 1 bars 23 - 27 (5 bar phrase)

Question 6

Melody

Answer 6

Melody is devoid of lyricism

Mostly conjunct quavers

Question 7

Instrumentation

Answer 7

Strings and woodwind
The bass line maintains a very regular pulse, but the treble accompanying and vocal parts in bar 22 - 25 contain syncopation, sometimes forming a cross rhythm
Oboe, horn and flute in bar 27

Question 8

Tempo
Tonality
Texture
Timbre

Answer 8

Molto allegro (very fast)
Ab major bar 23 then returns to F minor in bar 24 - 27
Unison, a Capella bar 26 -> unaccompanied and change of time signature means to clearly enunciate the bleakly philosophical answer, antiphony bar 27 from orchestra.
“Living” bar 27 is harmonised with the tonic chord, though the first note of the first bar is dissonant with the bass, so that “living” is sung with a sense of irony.
The accompaniment contains a suspended 4th (Bb), which does not resolve (to Ab) until the start of bar 28, as verse 2 starts.
There is no feeling of rest at the end of the verse, thus depicting the relentless day-to-day existence of the poor.

Question 9

Harmony

Answer 9

Melody is mostly scalic figures that rise from tonic to dominant back to tonic again (I - V - I) with the sense of inevitability and resignation
Melody also has rising and falling scalic sequences
Interrupted cadence (V7 & VI) bar 24 - 25 the equivalent of a musical question mark, coinciding with “What is it for?”