Area of Study 1

Handel – ‘And the glory of the Lord’

Composed in 1741

Time signature – 3/4

Written for SATB (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass)

4 main melodic ideas – They contrast. Motif 1 (‘and the glory…’) is syllabic. Motif 2 (shall be reve------aled) is melismatic. Motif 3 (and all flesh shall see it together). Motif 4 (for the mouth of the Lord…) is a pedal on A.

The mood is joyful. Baroque music has a mood known as the ‘affection’.

Cadences – There are a number of perfect cadences and the piece ends with a plagal cadence (IV – I)

Dynamics – they are ‘terraced’. There are no crescendos or diminuendos.

Texture – There are a number of textures. At the first vocal entry the alto sings motif 1, this is monophonic. The vocals are either together (homophonic) or enter in canon (polyphonic). The piece ends with a sudden pause and loud plagal cadence, this is homophonic.

Mozart – Symphony No 40 in G minor

There is no percussion or trumpets used

The piece is in sonata form. This means there is an exposition (where the 1st and 2nd subjects are heard or ‘exposed’ for the first time), there is then a development section (the key changes many times) and finally a recapitulation (returns to the melodies heard in the exposition)

There is also a coda at the end and a bridge passage between the 1st and 2nd subjects

1st subject is a melody in G minor

2nd subject is in Bb major, the relative major. It also has chromatic notes.

Dynamics begin p (piano) which is unusual for a symphony.

The time signature is 4/4.

There are lots of perfect cadences. The ending alternates between chords I and V.

Textures – Homophonic (particularly at the end) and polyphonic.

Chopin – Prelude no. 15 in Db major

Tonality - Db major for the A section, C# minor for the B section.

The harmony is diatonic (meaning – belongs to the key)

Structure – ABA Coda, ternary with short coda or codetta.

Romantic era. Composed in 1838.

Keyboard techniques – expressive. Melodies are played cantabile (‘in the singing style’). Use of pedals. The piece is played rubato (‘robbed time’ – ebb and flow to the music).

Section B – key change to C# minor (tonic minor). The right hand plays the ‘raindrop’ note, or pedal, which becomes G# instead of Ab (also enharmonically the same note). Section B the music becomes louder. This section is longer than section A. Melody is played by the left hand.