Willie Wagglesticks Walkabout Flashcards
What is the key signature and modulations?
C major with minor modulations to F major in bars 13 and 25
What is the time signature?
12/8 compound quadruple time; there are 4 beats to the bar and the beat is a dotted crotchet.
What is the meaning of the title?
A walkabout is a short stroll conducted by an important visitor - Willie is strutting around with confidence and self importance, sometimes skipping along and then slowly moving through the crowd.
What is the period?
Modern 1900 - present
What form is it?
Ternary Form - First section is complete, ending with a perfect cadence in the tonic key; middle has a sharp contrast in melody, then there is a bridge after the tremelo; last section ends in a perfect cadence in the tonic key then a coda at the end.
Discuss the author.
Brian Bonsor 1926 - 2011
Born in Scotland, best known as a composer, arranger and player of the recorder. He spent 35 years in musical education and was a respected and admired teacher who enthused generations of pupils to play and enjoy music. He was discouraged by the rector at his highschool to study music, and his father encouraged him to join a local law firm. He then served on minesweepers in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. In 1947 he enrolled to become a music teacher but then in 1951 he was diagnosed with turburculosis. However he graduated in 1957 then taught himself the recorder and became one of the instruments finest players. In 2002 he was awarded an MBE for services to teaching music, especially the recorder.
What is the style?
Classy jazz - mix between classical and jazz. Has the elegance and clarity of a classical piece with proportioned dynamics and phrasing that is crisp and dry, but is also characterised by improvisation and syncopation to create something that dazzles the imagination.
What are some other compositions?
Dreamy and Feeling Good
Who are his contemporaries?
Aaron Copland - composed ballets and orchestral works with a jazz influence
Duke Ellington - who was a pivotal figure in jazz, although he referred to his music more as ‘American music’. He had the best known orchestral unit in the history of jazz
How is it typical of the period?
It is a typical 8 bar theme with a contrasting rhythmic section in the middle; it is typical of other 20th century composers such as Aaron Copeland and Duke Ellington who favour a combination of classical form using jazz rhythms
Allegro con brio
Lively with spirit
Tremelo
Rapid alternation between 2 notes to produce a shimmering or wavering effect
Rit. e dim
Gradually becoming slower and softer
Molto rit
Gradually becoming very slow
Acciaccatura
Crushed note - played at the same time or just before the main note.
