Main title of star wars Flashcards
(28 cards)
When was this piece composed?
The late 1970s
Who composed this piece?
John Williams
Born in New York in 1932
What key does this piece start in ?
B flat major
What instruments play in this piece? KEY FEATURE
trumpet
trombone
horn
timpani
harp
violins
strings
flute
tam tam (similar to a gong)
vibraphone (like a glockenspiel almost like mario kart)
celeste- produces a bell like hammer sound (looks like a harpsichord)
piccolo (plays a solo)
What dynamics are used and how do they create an important role?
The opening fanfare is ff-emphasises the call for attention.
The main theme continues ff-gives a strong military feel.
The contrasting b section is played mf by the string section- suggests the film will feature other themes.
Piccolo melody played at p
How is the fanfare like piece created?
Lots of accents in the horns-for anticipation
Rapid repeated notes develop quickly into staccato triplets figures with free imitation.
Snare drum emphasises it.
There are punctuating syncopated chords in the brass, lower strings AND bassoon.
Used as an accompaniment for the leitmotif- shows there is a hero
What is the structure of the piece?
Introduction
A-B-A-A
linking section-3 bars
codetta
What is the importance of the piccolo melody?
played at p
Played at a very high pitch-conveys the sense of mystery of the planets and the stars.
What are the key features of the leitmotif?
Represents the hero, Luke Skywalker.
Played by the high trumpets and brass.
There are leaping intervals (disjunct), triplets, inverted tonic pedal and a ff dynamic.
This all shows he is confident.
What do the violins do in bars 7-11?
They play demi semi quavers which add excitement and brilliance.
There is tremolo chords in the violin and inverted tonic pedal.
What changes in the B section?
Violins- have a different melody with conjunct rise and fall.
The section is contrasting-more lyrical, softer and more legato.
There is a counter melody in brass along with a D flat major chord in bar 15.
There are no triplets (associated with Lukes leitmotif)
There are dotted quaver/semiquavers in rhythmic unison-only used once so catch our attention.
What happens in bar 18-19?
The trumpets and horns play in contrary motion.
There is a dominant pedal on a long f.
Tempo slows with a rit.
What changes in bar 21?
Changes to section A1.
Interval of perfect 5th.
Back to Lukes leitmotif.
French horns and strings play the tune.
What is the metre/rhythm of the piece?
The metre is 4/4 and a tempo of 100 bpm- This gives a military and marching feel.
Syncopated block chords accompany the main melody and there are many triplet
pedal ostinatos-such as bars 30 and 51.
The piccolo link in bars 36 to 38 has longer notes, which gives the illusion of a slower
tempo- however, the original pulse is actually maintained.
In bar 30, what does the key change to ?
F minor
How is space show in bars 31-33?
chaotic.
fanfare like-similar to intro.
There is a rapid ascending sequence-creates a sensation of panic.
Sextuplets played staccato and crescendo- create a sense of urgency.
What happens in the link passage (bars 33-42)-IMPORTANT SECTION?
Switches to treble clef-shows gravity in space is gentle.
Strings play a rapid arpeggio.
There are strange,unstable harmonies.
Piccolo sounds disjointed and floating-different from main theme.
Harp plays an ostinato (short melodic repeated phrase).
There are scurrying upward figures in the violin-create tension, urgency and panic.
There is no clear key-uncertainty.
It is highly chromatic.
What key is bar 42 in?
c minor- creates some dissonance
what time signature is it?
3/4 which is weird for a march
What are the key features like in bar 44-end?
dissonance is used alot.
Homophony across all parts.
Dissonant chords in rhythmic unison- across the orchestra.
What kind of things does the timpani play at the end?
Hammers out an ominous, foreboding, threatening rhythm.
What type of harmony is used throughout this piece?
Quartal harmony. This means that the harmony is built on a fourth instead of the usual interval of a third-This creates a distinctive unresolved sound that adds to the drama and tension of the music.
What is the pitch range in this piece?
The very top of the brass pitch range is exploited with many accents written for emphasis and power.
MELODY key features to write about
Piece starts with a fanfare - grand and heroic
The fanfare-like intro uses rapid repeated notes using tonic (Bb) triplets—which are used throughout the main theme.
It also uses imitation (the melody ideas are repeated by different brass instruments).
There are 7th intervals.
Tremelos-anticipation
Punctuating syncopated chords in brass/lower strings + bassoon
4 bar ideas -use an anacrusis.
A theme- forceful,uses leaps and triplets.
B theme-uses Scalic patterns
B section - conjunct + more rise and fall, softer lyrical +more legato.
There are rapid ascending sequences (eg bar 32) -creates panic
Harp plays an ostinato-repeated phrase.
Bar 1 contains a rising perfect 5th (tonic to dominant) which creates a heroic feel.
Bars 2 and 3 are identical, including a leap of a minor 7th.
Bar 4 uses an auxiliary note (not in the main chord) to reach the note C, preparing for the repeat of the 4 bar phrase.
There are intervals of perfect 5ths and minor 7ths
Highly chromatic towards the end.
Scurrying upward figures (bar 39-40) create urgency
Glissandos in the harp leading to next section.
Strings play rapid descending arpeggio sequences.
