Star Wars

Question 1

When was it written?

Answer 1

1977

Question 2

Who wrote it?

Answer 2

John Williams
New York USA
born in 1932

Question 3

What is a fanfare?

Answer 3

Short brass feature usually including leaps and dotted rhythms

Question 4

What are common feature of film compositions?

Answer 4

• Varying orchestration
• no set structure
• leitmotif
• wide range of dynamics
• non diatonic
• frequent changes of metre
• quartal harmony
• frequent tempo changes
• doubling parts

Question 5

What is the structure of the piece?

Answer 5

Intro
A
B
A
A
Link
Codetta

Question 6

What are the dynamics of the piece?

Answer 6

Opening fanfare is fortissimo
Main theme is ff
Contrasting B is mezzo forte
Piccolo Melody link is played at p
Codetta is ff

Question 7

What is the melody like?

Answer 7

Leitmotif sounds heroic with leaping intervals, triplets and ff dynamics

Question 8

What is the texture?

Answer 8

Melody dominate homophony
Opening fanfare includes imitation

Question 9

What is the metre and rhythm?

Answer 9

4/4
Tempo is 100
Syncopated block chords accompanied triplet pedal ostinatos

Question 10

What is the tonality and harmony?

Answer 10

B flat major
Contarán motion in B section of a B flat minor scale
Quartal harmony to create distinctive unresolved sound to add drama
Chromatic notes
Cluster chords
A tonal at bar 30 but goes to A flat with a C pedal (c major?)

Question 11

What are the bi tonal sections?

Answer 11

Bar 53 D flat major and c major
Bar 57 E major and C