Star Wars

Question 1

What is a leitmotif?

Answer 1

A recurring musical phrase associated with a certain character

Question 2

What ensemble is Star Wars work written for?

Answer 2

Symphony orchestra

Question 3

What word is suitable to describe the introduction of Star Wars?

Answer 3

Fanfare

Question 4

What are the key features of a fanfare?

Answer 4

Brass instruments play the melody, percussion instruments accompanied, dotted rhythms, triplets, arpeggios, quartal harmony, short and loud

Question 5

What is quartal harmony?

Answer 5

Chords built on perfect 4ths

Question 6

What harmonic device is heard in the opening bars of Star Wars?

Answer 6

Inverted tonic pedal played by the violins

Question 7

Which playing technique do the violins use in the opening bars of Star Wars?

Answer 7

Tremolo / tremolando

Question 8

What does syncopation mean?

Answer 8

Off beat rhythm

Question 9

Which instruments play the main theme of Star Wars the first time it is heard?

Answer 9

Trumpets

Question 10

Which families of instruments are most prominent in the contrasting B section of Star Wars?

Answer 10

Strings and woodwind

Question 11

How is the music varied when section A of Star Wars repeats?

Answer 11

Melody is doubled by strings, woodwind scales added

Question 12

Which melodic device is used in the link passage of Star Wars?

Answer 12

Sequence

Question 13

How does the texture change in the starry night / rebel blockade section of Star Wars?

Answer 13

Thinner

Question 14

What is the structure of the first half of Star Wars?

Answer 14

Ternary

Question 15

What is the texture at the very start of the piece, when introducing the fanfare?

Answer 15

Polyphonic

Question 16

What is the key of Star Wars?

Answer 16

Bb major

Question 17

What is the key of the second half of Star Wars?

Answer 17

C major

Question 18

What is the main texture of Star Wars?

Answer 18

Homophonic

Question 19

Some parts of the second section of Star Wars are atonal - what does that mean?

Answer 19

No key

Question 20

What does dissonant mean?

Answer 20

Clashing

Question 21

What is a cluster chord?

Answer 21

A chord made of notes very close together/semitones

Question 22

What is a tritone?

Answer 22

An interval built by 3 whole tones = an augmented 4th

Question 23

Which three intervals are most important in the main Star Wars melody?

Answer 23

5ths & 7ths

Question 24

What is an anacrusis?

Answer 24

When the music starts on an upbeat

Question 25

Is the melody of Star Wars more conjunct or disjunct?

Answer 25

Conjunct, with the occasional leap

Question 26

What is the metre of Star Wars?

Answer 26

Simple Quadruple (4/4)

Question 27

What is the metre o the second half of the piece?

Answer 27

Simple Triple (3/4)

Question 28

What does homorhythmic mean?

Answer 28

Rhythmic unison, used in March section

Question 29

What harmonic device is often used through out the set work?

Answer 29

Pedal notes

Question 30

What is the structure of the whole star wars?

Answer 30

Fanfare - Skywalker’s leitmotif A section - B lyrical section - A section - link - ‘rebel blockade runner leitmotif - link - March - codetta

Question 31

in the ‘Rebel Blockade Runner’ theme, what instrument plays the melody?

Answer 31

piccolo, very high pitch , creates the starry dark night feeling.