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Richard Rodgers (Rodgers & Hammerstein) 1

Best known works

MUSICAL POINT WITH KEYWORD(S) –LYRIC/WHERE IN STRUCTURE? – MEANING/EFFECT ON AUDIENCE = 1 mark J

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• Oklahoma

• Carousel

• Allegro

• South Pacific

• The King And

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• The Golden Age • - Plot based song • - Extended musical structures/form • - Integrated music and lyrics • - Big choral numbers with exploration of texture • - Full orchestra, big band, strings and winds.

What made them inno-vative?

• The establishment of the integrated musical (Oklahoma!) & Songs which emerge seamlessly from the plot and contribute to character development – E.g. “Lonely Room” in Oklahoma!

• Hummable ‘standalone’ tunes • Hammerstein’s lyrics - Deceptively simple – Particularly in his last musical, The Sound of Music/Apt and penetrat-

ing. Subtle use of structure and rhyme communicates complex ideas or emotions quickly and clearly • A strong storyline and forthright approach to moral and social issues, e.g. Carousel • Clearly drawn, realistic characters, e.g.: – Ado Annie in Oklahoma!

Remember for the higher end marks in your 30-mark essay you should: 1) Create a sense of argu-ment 2) Draw on composers style throughout and in the conclu-sion

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• Music is character based (less so than Sondheim but it makes a good start. E.g. Lonely Room) • Many tunes which are hymn-like. E.g. Climb Every Mountain, You’ll Never Walk Alone) • Long musical scenes – E.g. the Bench Scene in Carousel • Dance scenes used for narrative purposes, e.g.: – The “Dream Ballet” in Oklahoma! • Rodgers’s musical style = Romantic • Much word painting and musical description through melodic and harmonic devices. • Effective use of chromaticism, e.g. his use of augmented chords in “The Carousel Waltz” from Carousel • Effective large-scale constructions; increasingly complex and continuous forms, e.g.: – The first scene after the

Prologue in Carousel is a long continuous construction which features spoken dialogue rhythmically coordinated with the accompaniment; sung dialogue; melodrama (natural speech with accompaniment); song; parlando – Re-prise is a large-scale relationship used to further dramatic flow: Curly and Laurey’s second act reprise of “Let Peo-ple Say We’re in Love” is played by the orchestra for its first three phrases, after which Curly joins in with the title phrase

• Revolutionary opening scenes which do not open traditionally with an opening chorus (Oklahoma!) • Effective musically detailed songs – Subtle, nuanced rhythm and harmony, e.g.: Use of dotted rhythms for music

associated with Julie and her daughter in Carousel • Robert Russell Bennett's orchestration is characterized by thick, romantic strings and lyrical/memorable counter-

melodies

Oklahoma!

Lonely Room – Judd

(B minor)

‘A’ Section

• B minor (sadness) • Characteristic discordant crotchet ostinato. Sparse texture –Links to title “Lonely Room’ • Recitative-like melody with limited pitch range (of a 4th in the opening) • Limited pitch range expands upwards as he resolves to liberate himself from his circumstances

‘B’ Section (Bar 11) • Introduction of descending semiquavers in the harp (day dream like)

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• Tonic to dominant bass of CHORD I JUXTAPOSED with a cluster version of chord V over the top which causes some dissonance (instability). I.e. C#’s on the 1st beat of the descending semi-quavers cause dissonance over the Tonic (B)/ Dominant (F#) bass line.

• Series of unconventional chords in this section, and it has minor and major swells throughout. E.g. Shudder of a tree’ sounds major and ‘Dancin’ in my head’ sounds minor (confusing world)

• Range increases and climaxes in bar 26 with a high B on ‘thinks he is better than me!’ • Bar 27 – Firmly in a major key, chords G7 – C (Unrelated to B minor). Change of mood as he starts to think about

having Laurie as his own. • This section climaxes again and end with an even higher note, top C# over a C# major chord on the word ‘Storm’.

The choice to go to the major version of chord II is an odd one, and shows how delusional his dream is. • Bar 27 – Also a tutti and use of block chords that glissando into one another. This sounds heavy, passionate and

intentional (his strong desires to win over Laurie) • After the climax, there is a return to section A and the characteristic discordant crotchet ostinato and limited pitch

range returns. • This section develops into a new idea/stream of Judd’s though at bar 44 where we see the B minor tonic chord

with no alterations (dissonance) for the first time (less confused than the beginning as he has made a decision). • It goes through a series of ascending unrelated chromatic chords with leaping octaves at ‘ain’t gonna leave her

alone ‘as these thoughts become uncontrollable and his intentions out of hand. • The last 6 bars finish with the glissando block chords, again highlighting his strong intentions and desires). • The piece climaxes on the top C# again which clashes with the tonic bass. The accompaniment ends with chord V

and I juxtaposed. This again highlights the instability of Judd and the uncertainty of the future. Oklahoma!

Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’

(E major)

• First 12 bars are firmly in the tonic chord E major, with a pedal note on the tonic and dominant notes = Safe, grounded, homely

• High pitched orchestration such as the oboes and the trilling flutes and represent the birds and wildlife/the out-doors.

• Dotted rhythms and lack of an ostinato gives a laid back ‘free’ feeling.

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• Bar 13, Curly sings A Capella which brings the audience into his personal world. This was innovative for the time as audiences were used to opening choral numbers.

• His opening melody lazily goes up and down the scale in STEPWISE movement which reflects his laid-back atti-tude. Question phrase - “There’s a bright golden haze on the meadow” – landing on dominant B. Answer phrase – “There’s a bright golden haze on the meadow – ending on tonic E. Even phrasing.

• Bar 29, repeated ‘B’s’ on ‘Looks like it’s climbin’ clear up to the sky reflect wide open spaces of Oklahoma. This is underpinned by four chromatically ascending chords with the bass line rising B, C, C double #, D# ending on the dominant B7 = word painting on ‘climbing up to the sky’ and creates a perfect cadence (applied dominant) into ‘Oh what a beautiful morning’ on the tonic chord E. Note that Rodgers often uses functional harmony, chromatic movement, diminished and augmented chords.

• Bar 29, Curly breaks into the chorus. The swung feel of ¾ and the descending and ascending triads/arpeggio fig-ures, reflect Curly’s enthusiasm and positive outlook on “Oh what a beautiful morning”

• Chromatically altered notes on poignant words such as ‘morning’ (D natural), makes ‘feeling (D#) sound elevated. • Detail in instrumentation at bar 84. ‘All the sounds of the earth are like music’. Staccato bells, strings, harp and

horn. ‘Okla-homa!’ – Chorus from Okla-homa!

(D major)

• In D major • Two note melody on F# and D indicates the simplicity of the towns people. l • Buzzing, bustling ‘Oom Pah Pah’ accompaniment creates a simple, strong pulse ideal for a large-scale danc-

ing/singing chorus. • The smaller characters take it in turns to sing a line reminds audience of the smaller characters. They are all still

singing the 2-note melody. • ‘Plenty of heart and plen’y of hope’ sang on high D (Tonic) = Hopeful & leads into chorus. • Chorus sung by Curly is in Db (a more complex key/ more intelligent character?). • Rising major scale in Db (Bb through to high C) leads to the opening line ‘Ohhhhh-kla…”. It adds a sense of antic-

ipation climax and excitement.

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• The chorus melody sang by Curly is much more melodic and lyrical = He is the main event in this song. Curly stands for everything that the people of Oklahoma hold dear = Nationalistic.

• Some call and response phrases where Curly sings and the chorus respond in unison. I.e. “(CURLY) And the land we belong to is grand, and when we say…. (ALL) Yeow!”.

• The chorus then transposes back up to D major (the common peoples key) as they have a bigger role. Rodgers utilizes a 2nd special chorus to create various effects and complex textural devices such as the D – Em - B#dim – C#dim harmonies which create a howling wind effect.

• The second chorus create polyphony on the above example and sing rising chromatic in homophony on “right behind the rain”. Then again in polyphony with the main chorus singing all crotchet chords through the D major scale over the top of the main chorus melody.

• Homophonic and punctuated chords on “alone and talk and watch a hawk” • Rainbow arc created on D7 chords by main chorus on the words “SKY” • Towards the end of the chords the chorus sing a simple quaver rhythm “Ok-la / Ho-ma which slowly builds on the

D7 chord with a descending ostinato bass line D-C-B-A. • The chorus end the piece by spelling out OKLAHOMA in crotchets. There are tremolos in the orchestra (tutti) and

a perfect cadence. • A dropout in texture as the chorus shout “Yeow!” at the end – bringing it back to the people.

Other points to note from ‘Okla-homa!’

• Annie's (in Oklahoma) indecisive adolescent temperament is shown in time signature changes, contrasting tex-tures, some syncopation and touches of chromatic harmony and melody

The AABA chorus of “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top”, from Oklahoma!; the persistent rhythms suggest the sound of horses’ hooves.

Carousel

‘What’s the use of

Db major – A soft key (love)

Julies dotted rhythms representative of her and her daughter (Julie more emotionally restless), as opposed to Carrie who has placid even 8 note rhythms

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Wondrin’’ - Julie

Again, chromatically altered notes on poignant words such as the D naturals on ‘the way he wears his hat’ and ‘and you love him’ – indicating she loves his quirks.

‘Love him’ also ends on a D diminished chord indicating something is still bothering Julie despite her positive words.

‘That’s all there is to that’ – Ends on a perfect cadence = Julie making a firm decision and trying to brush off any doubts.

Bar 21 – Modulation to Gb (the Subdominant), there is a change in accompaniment with soft chords and descending triplet melody. This and the Gb sus2 chord give a very tender feel to the music as she is trying to understand him – ‘Something made him the way that he is’

Bar 28, ‘One of those things is you’ – Ends on a descending chromatic sequence in the accompaniment which sounds dissonant and indicates the downward spiral that is soon to come.

Repeat of the A section with chorus – Unites women in general and makes a point of the vulnerability of the female sex in domestic abuse situations

Julie uses the words ‘that’s all there is to that’ and the chorus girls sing ‘That’s all there is to say’ – this suggests that Julie is not very well educated.

Other points from Car-ousel

• In “I Cain’t Say No” – Billy in Carousel; his “Soliloquy” contrasts simple, obvious musical ideas showing his own idea of himself with more complex, chromatic ideas illustrating some hidden depths

• Sondheim called ‘If I loved you’ the most integrated piece of musical drama in American history. • The modulation to B flat minor, from an augmented pivot chord, in the B section of “If I Loved You” in Carousel –

Strong melodies, e.g.: • Use of the waltz, e.g.: – The “Carousel Waltz” establishes the musical style for the whole of Carousel, providing

distinctive musical material to be used in other numbers

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Stephen Sondheim 2

Best known works

These four musicals (and pieces from) are good for a discussion about Sondheim’s development in style over the year.

Follies (1971)

Sweeney Todd (1979)

Into the Woods (1987)

Assassins (1991)

Company

A Little Night Music

Merrily We Roll Along

What made him innova-tive?

• Changed the face of the American musical - gave the form a dark, dramatic edge, updating it joltingly to mirror the troubling times in which he was working. Maintained the tradition set out by Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hart and his mentor Hammerstein.

• Master of both words and melody. Complex, carefully crafted lyrics with social, political and psychological undertones

• Not stand alone hits. Did not write songs with the intention of becoming free-standing hits - they’re less “hum-mable” than audiences were used to.

• Operatic quality to many of his musicals (e.g. Sweeney Todd)

About Sweeney Todd

• Complex scoring and orchestrations by Tunick • Much counterpoint and polyphony (especially in duets) • Rich harmonies often in 3rd and 6ths used in the duets.

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• Uses 'Dies Ire' throughout the score which makes large sections sound modal. • Tonality is 20th century in style and utilizes all 12 pitches rather than using more diatonic writing. • Ambiguous tonality throughout by use of bitonality and avoidance of using the 3rd in key chords.

• Uses leitmotif and composed at least 21 distinct leitmotifs and each character has a different singing style. • Melodic writing is different for each character. For example, Mrs. Lovett’s are usually shorter repetitive motifs

which are driven rhythmically by the natural rhythm of the words. She often floats over the top or in the breaks of Sweeney’s longer, more melodic and lyrical melodies.

• The orchestra acts as the punctuation or commentary on the action.

• Sondheim described the piece as a ‘black operetta’. • Sondheim wanted the music to have the effect of a score to a horror movie. • To that end he used the sound of a pipe organ, often associated with Gothic horror, and dissonant chords. • To show the underlying lighthearted nature of the musical, Sondheim has pointed out that he kept using a certain

chord in the music throughout the show, a chord borrowed from the movie music of Bernard Herrman, who wrote for such movie thrillers as Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. There is also extensive use of the Dies Irae, the music used in the Mass for the Dead .

About Into the Woods

• Extensive development of one motive – the Bean Motif. The bean motive is even rearranged into chords which create the accompaniment to one of Red Riding Hoods songs.

• Based on the Brothers Grimm fairytales. • Heavy used of ‘syncopated speech” which follows natural speech rhythms, but also composed in eighth, six-

teenth, and quarter note rhythms as part of a spoken song.

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• Uses of extended recitative. • Sondheim avoids the minor/major = bad character/good character stereotyping and uses different harmonic

devices to create a vaguer sense of tonality indicating their complex natures. • Uses ideas/themes to represent fairytale ideas rather than leitmotifs for particular characters such as ‘good’,

‘foolishness’, ‘wisdom’ etc.… • Use of the “Spell” chord which accompanies references to spells from the witch. • Uses chromaticism to suggest discomfort or complaint. • Sondheim structures the style, tempo and content of the music around the text as opposed to earlier musicals

where the style and tempo where often static for the whole song. • Frequent changes in the music – a quick key/time signature change or a raise in pitch. • Sondheim only uses perfect cadences and the like when it is absolutely expected and sensical in relation to the

character’s journey within that song. • Into the Woods = a fairy tale quest musical. • Songs are used for more in depth character interpretation and reflection. • Into the Woods is a break-away of the large-scale musicals of the 1980s. Sondheim’s style is more intimate em-

ploying a small cast and orchestra. • The chamber opera style is one where each performer utilises an important role in the plot, and the orchestral

parts are intricately linked with a performer on stage – displays Sondheim’s creative brilliance. • The score is also notable in Sondheim's output, because of its intricate reworking and development of small

musical motifs. • In particular, the opening words, "I wish" (see below), are set to the interval of a rising major second and this

small unit is both repeated and developed throughout the show.

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Points to consider about Sondheim (Good to compare with Schonberg)

• Does not use major/minor stereotyping and explores a vast range of harmony and unrelated modulations depending on the journey/context of the song.

• Likes to use ambiguous harmony and explore the ‘many shades’ of characters & their relationships • Many changes in the music, both key and time signature • Chromaticism to express discomfort & emphasise particular words • Uses a wide range of accompaniment styles, sometimes ranging greatly throughout the pieces – usually utilizing

more conventional broken chord styles or pastiche as a form of irony (i.e agony) • Dynamics used to give detail/emphasis to particular words rather than to provide climax to the piece • Utilises many different musical devices for word painting • Uses syncopated speech style – many lyrics can fit into a shorter number of bars than say, Schonberg. • Doesn’t utilize the high ranges of the voice in every song to create climax – only if it works within the context of

the character. E.g the words ‘extremes’ in Everybody’s Got the Right • Does not write songs for ‘goosebump’ effect/ emotional/ stand alone hits. • Often writes in counterpoint for characters • Uses unconventional song forms – ie. Giants in the Sky and Little Priest. • Often utilizes uneven phrasing • Uses leitmotif & different melodic styles to describe different characters and how they interact.

The Ballad of Sweeney Todd - Sweeney Todd –

(F# minor)

• Sense of foreboding created by instrumentation, organ, sustained dissonant chords (G#-A rocking minor 2nd motif over F# m chord)

• F# minor, although tonally ambigious from the start. G based rocking motif over an F# tonic chord. • Set in a graveyard with two gravediggers unceremoniously dumping a wrapped body into the hole in the ground. • Opening melody = fast triple time (6/8), reminiscent of the rhythm of a British folk jig

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• All ideas within the opening are built upon the Dies Irae (13th century Mass for the Dead (‘Day of wrath and doom impending’)

• Carefully placed accents and changes of time signature, create jagged and agitated effects in the music (for example at bar 71).

• The orchestra ends with brittle sound of xylophone over the orchestra – skeletons/the dead. • The piece closes with low trombones and percussion, suggesting the slamming of a coffin lid. • Two leitmotifs are used in this piece: The shrill factory whistle – often used before Sweeney Todd claims another

victim and the Dies Irae melody • Climax created with a crescendo by orchestra and 5 part vocal harmony screaming “Sweeney” to a fortissimo

dynamic and the frantic quaver bass ostinato D-C-#A-D. • The final “Sweeney” exclamation uses a top C (sounds like they are screaming) by the sopranos and the cluster

chords just before include E# and E naturals, Bs and C’s which sound extremeley dissonant. • Chords used in countermelodies/ideas such as the high piccolo razor sound moving through the arpeggio of D-

G-Bb with a Bm/D maj accompaniment and a C# pedal. The key here is very ambiguous and unsettles the listener. • “Inconspicuous Sweeney was” – moved to D/Bm now. Uses female voices and cross rhythms on ‘clean ‘e’ was’

which rhythmically cuts through and provides a sense of hustle and bustle/gossip. • Hear unison/octaves on “Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle” = clean/flawless in his plotting and

murders. This then becomes polyphonic with different rhythms being sang by the chorus. • As the characters start to gather round the grave b.122, the music becomes increasingly complex by subdividing

into even more parts creating a tense and frantic sounding polyphony:

Soprano 1: ostinato figure using Sop. 2 idea in canon Soprano 2: ostinato Tenor : 2 bar ostinato using cross-rhythms Bass 1; main melody ‘inconspicuous Sweeney was’ Bass 2 : canon of Tenor This all creates a sense of gossip and confusion.

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My Friends - Sweeney Todd

(Ab major)

• Ab major • Opening melody – ‘These are my friend’s’ = Dies Irae in inversion • ¾ gives a dance feel as opposed to the Ballad in 6/8 which sounds like a jig • Again, Sondheim uses ambiguous harmonic repertoire – Intro = Eb sus 2 in bass juxtaposed with an Ab sus 4

rocking quaver melody. 3rds are generally avoided in the harmony to give a sense of ambiguity. • Dolce – Sweet/ Ironic • Bar 11 – ‘My friend, my faithful friend’. Sondheim employs an ascending leap of a 3rd and then a 4th up to the

word ‘friend’ which is held across a 4/4 time signature change (the piece is in ¾). This shows how he puts his razors on a pedestal and glorifies them.

• Bar 15 – ‘Speak to me friend, whisper I’ll listen’ – The dynamic is piano here as Sweeney speaks to his razors as though they are his pets.

• Bar 53 – Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd sing in canon which creates beautiful sounding 3rds. Because the Dies Irae is intertwined it represents ‘the dance of death’.

• Bar 68 – The words ‘Wonders’ and ‘Won’t we?’ from ‘And we’ll do wonders, won’t we’ AND • ‘Precious’ and ‘Rubies’ from ‘You’ll soon drip precious rubies’ fall on a flattened Ab and Eb (Tonic and Domi-

nant) in the melody. This sounds very jilting and highlights Sweeney’s evil intentions and the gore to come. • Phrases highlight Sondheim’s different melodic writing for each character. Sweeney’s long melodic arc shaped

phrases are interjected by Mrs. Lovett’s shorter motivic style phrases which use repeated ‘B’s’ on ‘Mister Todd’ – this sounds irritating and highlights her role as not being important to Sweeney. I.e. Sweeney sings “You there my friend’ and Mrs. Lovett interjects “I’m your friend too Mr. Todd’.

• “Warm in my hand” sang in 6ths. Sounds beautiful, rich and warm. Double meaning as Sweeney is referring to his razors and Mrs. Lovett is referring to her love for Sweeney.

• Counterpoint between Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney at “You’ve come home” and “My clever friend” • Mrs. Lovett uses some dotted rhythms in “beautiful’ and “good enough”. This indicates her simplistic, lighter

hearted nature. • At the end of ‘My Friends’ at bar 80, the company sing the phrase ‘Lift your razor high Sweeney’ with an ac-

cented 6/8 rhythm using the pitches from a Lydian mode version of the Dies Irae.

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Green Finch and Linnet Bird – Sweeney Todd

(F major - recordings)

Green Finch and Linnet bird from Sweeney Todd:

• Sung by Johanna (Sweeney Todd’s daughter) from a window • Flute plays the bird sounds - trills, arpeggios and scalic figures. • The flute plays commentary between the vocal lines • The key is F Major (on recordings). • The melody starts on the dominant (C), descending by scale through an octave. This gives it a slightly modal feel

when it hits the 7th note (E) of the key. • The harmony uses Eb – the flattened 7th of the scale, emphasising the strangeness of the natural 7th of the tune. • The music repeats the sequence F, C, Eb, Ab suggesting F modal Minor Harmony, or the Dorian Mode (based

on D) transposed to F. While the tune uses F Major. • The melody leaps up and repeats the opening line in sequence starting on the tonic. Again, the movement of

the harmony gives it a modal feel. • The third line has an unusual repeated motif ‘beckoning’ which is chromatic. • On ‘Beckoning’ the music uses Rubato, and on ‘Not even my Lark’, and at the end. • The third line is again repeated at a lower pitch (sequence) for line 4. • Broadly the structure of the first four vocal lines is A1, A2, B1, B2, where the letter indicates the start of each line,

and the number indicates changes made to it. • There is then a short refrain to the words how is it you sing? This is based on the notes F and C (Tonic and

Dominant) which first appeared at the end of the first line. Again, there is a query whether this is Major Key or Modal.

• Generally, in music, descending scalic lines are melancholy or relaxed, while ascending leaps are seen to be vibrant or athletic.

• Here the descending scale acknowledges the lethargy of life in a cage (the heroine as well as the bird) while the leaping lines yearn upward for the skies.

• This is followed by a six-bar instrumental 3 bars in F Major, then three in G Major. • This is probably the only clear Key change in the number.

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• This instrumental uses the main tune again (linking it to the number) but it is strictly in the Major key (or two major keys) – no Mode.

• Despite the implied key change above, the tune in the next section starts on F again. • This new section is based on the descending scale from the first section. There are two lines using this (followed

by an extended “Aah” before returning to the tune from the first section which is shortened. • The music then segues into “Alms! Alms! (in the film) and into ‘Ah Miss’ (then ‘Alms! Alms!) in the show. The

second recording shows the similarity of the music (and the join). • Broadly the structure of this music is Intro, A, (B), Link, A, Coda, where A is the section using the descending

scale, B is the refrain using leaps the of ‘How do you sing?’. The link is the short instrumental section, and see above for Coda.

A Little Priest – Sweeney Todd

(D major)

• D major • D major 7th chord without the 5th (A). The C# and D are placed next to each other creating a minor 2nd which

sounds highly dissonant and again confuses the sense of key. • A# in the melody “down’ right indicates B harmonic minor which again confuses the sense of tonality.

• C#, D, F# sustained in high strings pedal (Sfz to mp - as if the idea has just sprung to mind). This pedal note gets shorter each time. 10,8,6 crotchet beats as their ideas come to fruition.

• Rubato = thoughtful and give space for the acting. The sustained chords and spaces between vocal phrases do this too.

• Ascending, Chromatic bass line under held D major chord and arpeggiated E major chord in bar 8s-11 sounds dreamy and thoughtful (putting together a plan).

• Mrs Lovett’s sings in her usual motivic, repetitive style with rhymes which wrap easily around her words “Think of it as a thrift, as a gift, if you get my drift”.

• Modulates to B major on ‘and her pie shop’ and then again 12 bars later to Eb major. Unrelated keys.

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• Enharmonic tertiary relationship between B – Eb (B D# F)

• Waltz (non rubato) as Mrs Lovett sings around her “Worst Pies in London’ theme.

• Sondheim uses the Waltz which links with My Friends which uses a similar ‘Dance of Death’ theme. This is Sweeney and Mrs Lovett’s way of collaborating and gives this dark song a comic and light-hearted feel.

• Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett start singing in polyphony “Think about it! Lot’s of other gentlemen…” as Sweeney sings ‘How delectable’ with a syncopated cross rhythm and ‘also undetectable’ to pitches that clash (F# and G) with Mrs Lovett’s ‘Shave’. This all gives the effect of the two characters shouting over each other – they rarely listen to each other unless they are in harmony.

• Melody A) 'what's the sound of the world out there' stand out melody in contrast with Mrs Lovett's 'what Mr Todd what Mr Todd' call and response, interjection

o Mrs Lovett’s phrases are a bar long whist Sweeney’s melody is luscious and indulgent at 4 bars long o Bells accompany Mrs. Lovetts ‘WHAT Mr Todd. WHAT Mr Todd. WHAT is that sound’ which adds

humour and orchestral decoration and then again on ‘Yes Mr Todd…’ o The two character let each other speak again before joining in harmony – promising of the 6ths in

‘My Friends’ but ending with some ugly, dissonant clashes of a whole tone’ = UGLY DEED and CRUDENESS of the characters.

o Gaug – G#m chords at lightness and interest to the underscore and the vamp bars give leeway to the actors.

• Melody B) 'have a little priest' chromatic A#, B, G, G# semitone, short fragmented motif – word painting on ‘little’?

o G aug – G# m chords in Oom-pah-pah rhythm continue o TONIC – DOMINANT PEDAL = adds weight to the waltz and anchors the section.

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o Orchestra detail after ‘deceased’ = final statement is wordpainting with an accented chord on F# (dominant)

• Melody C) 'is that squire, on the fire?'' – A longer, lyrical swung/dotted melody which sounds energetic and enthusiastic.

o Thick, indulgent strings play with the melody o Back to Eb o Cb on gro-CER = sounds dissonant = word painting

Nearing the end of the piece, Mrs. Lovett sing an augmented development of her motif = ‘Yes, yes, I know, my love’= is she slowing down? After all, she is doing all of this to impress Sweeney and deep down, isn’t as enthusiastic as him. It also pre-empts the ending of this long, complex structured (see below) piece as the vocal parts slow and the piece comes to a close in Db major.

StructureBars Melody/motif Section&Key1-18 Introductoryverse(rubato) Introduction

Dmajor19-56 Verse(thinkingoftheplan)57-84 Melody1“what’sthesound” A

Ebmajor85-92 Dialogue93-129 Melody2“priest” B

Bmajor130-153 Melody2“lawyer” B

154-174 Melody3“squire” C

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Ebmajor175-198 Melody1“historyoftheworld…” A199-209 Dialogue210-241 Melody2“clerk” B242-244 Dialogue245-268 Melody1“historyoftheworld…” A

269-279 Dialogue280-303 Melody2“fop” B304-324 Melody3“friar” CEbmajor

Dbmajor325-328 Dialogue329-end Melody1“charityoftheworld” Coda

Losing My Mind – Fol-lies 1971

(Eb major)

• Eb major – diatonic functioanl harmony. Uses prepared dominatnts between sections A and B. D7-Gm and again between Bb7 and Eb on ‘not going right, I dim the lights”.

• Romantic strings, bells and harp = romantic • ‘A’ Phrase = G-Ab-G-C (The Sun comes up) ‘B’ phrase = Eb-G-F-Eb-C (I think about you). ‘C’ phrase = G-Ab-G-

Bb (The coffee cup). ABCB phrasing. Always comes bacy to the ‘B’ phrase ‘I think about you’. • Rising chromatic bass line Bb-B-C-Db = Sally’s longing for Ben. • ‘B’ section – “All afternoon doing ev’ry little chore” – Gm, tertiary relationship to Eb major. Use of semiquavers

on ‘ev’ry little chore’ = wordpainting. • ‘The thought of you stays bright” = The Db chromatic note sounds hopeful. With a chromatic rising bass line C-

D-Eb-E on bright. • ‘Not going left’ and ‘Not going right’ are off-set with crotchet rests giving a static feeling. • Saxophone interjections and commentary inbetween phrases gives a classic ballad feel.

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• ‘Losing my mind’ – reappears all the way through the piece and the melody is often sustained over chord IV (Ab) giving a sense that there is longing. At the end of the piece the melody ‘losing my mind’ resolves onto the tonic note Eb and the tonic chord.

• There are big tutti interjections from the orchestra towards the ending between the ‘losing my mind phrases’. This gives emphasis to the words and Sally’s emotions.

• Like ‘Everybody’s got the right’, the general style of the song and the finished (tonic) ending is designed to give the feel of a classic/golden age song (pastiche). There is a juxtaposition between the the lyrics of ‘losing my mind’ and the final major ending. As in Agony, it makes you question whether or not the character (Sally) is suffering as much as she says she is. It also indiacates that she is a sensible, restrained character.

Everybody’s Got the Right – As-sassins 1991.

• Pastiche in style – big band/ classic chorus song • Piano, clarinet ostinato and high woodwine open with a crotchet motif on Bsus2 and B chords. Sounds light

hearted and fun. • Rising melisma on Happy from D# to F# - sounds like a smile/happy. • Modulates a whole tone from B major to Db major – gives it a lift of energy and motivation to the chorus number. • “different’ set between two crotchet rests on beats 2 and 3. This makes ‘different’ stand out rhythmically to the

rest of the melody so far. • Word ‘extremes’ goes to the highest note so far to F# and imitation between the characters on ‘go to extremes

showing that they agree. This is SOndheims way of showing that they have misinterpreted the American Dream. • The ‘B’ section – ‘free country’ modulates from Db to Eb – up another whole tone. It uses erratic octave leaps,

syncopated motifs set off by crotchet rests and chromatic detail in the melody here. It all starts to sound a little ‘crazy’.

• The phrase lengths are uneven – “Free Country” “Means that you get a choice” “scream and holler” “grab ‘em by the collar!”. They are sporadic and whilst the cast are singing the phrases ‘connect’ in unison/octaves togheter it sounds anything but connected.

• “Rich man, poor man, black or white” – sang in unison which shows the sideas that everyone should be able to live the American Dream.

• The vocal harmony on the lyrics “dreams” towards the end creates chord V (Db in Gb major) and ascends to chord vi (Bb and Eb) giving it a lift – word painting on ‘dreams’.

• The song ends on a thick fourt part harmony on the tonic chord (Gb), showing how convinced they are by their beliefs etc = ironic.

• At the end the characters fire their guns in unison on beat 3.

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Agony - Into the Woods

(E major)

MOTIFS AT END OF DOCUMENT – SEE FOR REFERENCES (e.g. the ‘Bean Motif’)

• Key – E major (no key change = song with one train of thought/emotion, as the Princes are simple minded) • Highly effective song in the characterization of two men who have identical attitudes towards women. ‘The

harder to get, the better to have’ • Performance direction – ‘A la Barcarolle’ = a traditional song sung by Venetian gondoliers. Compound duple me-

ters, repetitive accompaniment and beautiful melody. • The princes try to outdo each other in their descriptions of their maiden’s beauty and inaccessibility – Just like

the gondoliers would have. • E major 7sus2 chords in the accompaniment give a soft, gentle feel (Example in the intro). • Cinderella’s Prince initiates the swaying barcarole in verse 1. • His cry of ‘Agony’ is set on the highest pitch heard in the song as of yet and rises a whole 10th from the previous

note (from C# – high E). • Rapunzel’s Prince sings the barcarole motif and then sings Rapunzel’s wordless melody (the motif of enchanted

sleep is used as below, for both fair maidens are in a dreamless sleep. (Motif of the fair maiden is a develop-ment of the ‘bean motif’).

= Motif of enchanted sleep

• An ascending chromatic melody adds intensity as the Princes sing about their princely attributes. They are baf-fled as to why their respective fair maidens aren’t reciprocating (Bar 41).

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• Texture on “Agony, oh the torture they teach” = Unison. After this the Princes start finishing each other’s sen-tences in a kind of klangfarbenmelodie “What’s as intriguing…or half so fatiguing…” = Highlights the similarity between the princes.

• Structure is nonstandard. • The song is reprised later in the show – the function of this reprise is to show that the Princes have not grown

since Act 1. • The interesting thing about this piece is that is remains in major diatonic key (E major) with soft sustained chords

and ends on the tonic. Nothing about this piece, musically would indicate that the Princes are in actual emo-tional turmoil.

Giants in the Sky - Into the Woods

(Ab major)

Jack’s physical and vocal gestures in this song arerathersudden,reflectingtheexcitementandexplosive-nessofthemusicalnumber,and illustratinganawkwardmidpointinJack’sevolu-tionfromashyboytoayoungmanwith anawarenessoftheworld.

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Hehasbeen simultaneouslystimulatedandfrightenedandthusfeelsasthoughhehasgainedanewawar nessoftheworldaroundhim.Yet,his restrainedbutexplosivegesturallifesignifies alackoffullunder-standing--and,indeed,Jackhasalottolearn. In addition, the Giant drew Jack "close to her giant breast, and [he knows] things now that [he] never knew before, not till the sky. The Giant's breasts represent her womanhood. Since she gave her womanhood to Jack, one can imply that they had sex. Jack also leaves the sky with new knowledge. This knowledge is sexual knowledge that he did not have before he climbed the beanstalk.

• Wide spread sustained chords open the number (Crotales, piano and bells) with intervals of 4ths or 5ths between the notes. Big = giant.

• Two chords used simultaneously at beginning – C and Ab – ambiguous tonality • Chords jump an octave and a half down to Eb and F major, again showing the large scale of the subject “Giants in the

Sky” This song is based on the bean motif – Jacks song. Sondheim is again paralleling music with meaning. Since Jack is singing of his adventures at the top of the beanstalk, it makes sense that his song would be based on the bean motif because the beanstalk he is singing of grew out of a bean.

• Key = Ab major.

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• Main verse = Heavy use of syncopated speech. Fixed beat patterns that follows natural speech rhythms (see

below).

Excitement in the music is created by:

• Use of marcato syncopated rhythms on beats 2, 3 and 4 give a rushed/excited feeling (For example bar 35)

• Tension created in bars 46-51 =

Rising sustained and chromatic chord sequences and rocking chromatic motif of F-E in the key of Ab major (causes dissonance).

The use of tremolo’s in the strings, bar 50 and in bars 51

The stabbing F natural octaves against the D major sus4 chord, followed by a bar of tremolo and crescendo creates the feeling of explosion (Jack can’t contain these feelings). (See below).

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Fair maiden motif (developed from the bean motif), used in orchestration as he sings about the giant woman with ten-derness.

The choice of unrelated keys Ab-Fmajor and F# major helps to paint the picture of the far-off places Jack has visited and his new ‘far flung’ experiences.

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Word painting on ‘alone’ with a C flat = sounds lonely and stark.

Word painting on ‘free to do’, with carefully placed rests in the vocal line.

• Wide spread crotchet chords in the horns, piano, bells, flute, clarinets and trumpets end the piece with the sense of the majestic, again referring to the giant.

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Claude-Michel Schönberg (& Boublil) 3

Claude-Michel Schönberg

Born 1944

Works with lyricist Alain Boublil

Best known for:

Les Miserables

Miss Saigon

The Pirate Queen

What made him innova-tive?

• Pop opera style • Favors conventional melody and accompaniment in songs • Even phrasing often with clear cut question and answer phrases • Long, lyrical melodies • Writing hit (but not standalone) songs • Sung through works • Focus on relationships/personal journeys through complex, traumatic and often historically based storylines. • Uses harmony/modulation in a functional way to give that ‘goosebumps’ effect. • Often exploits the upper range of the voices at climactic moments. • Less obvious character traits shown in music than in Sondheim.

Les Miserables

• Tonal. • Music is ROMANTIC period in its style and uses tonality/key to outline emotional feel of the song. Changes in

emotions are emphasized musically by carefully placed key changes. • Melodies often scalic and triadic – unlike Sondheim. Like Rodgers in Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’.

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• Sometimes the enharmonic changes (Flat key to sharp key) are unexpected. • Melodies are mainly diatonic with some Chromaticism and a few note clusters • Accompaniment uses triads – often in the root • Key changes aren’t always expected and used for heightened emotional effect. I.e. Change in ‘I Dreamed a

Dream • There are some unexpected progressions or key changes. E.g. Eb major to VI – ii (C and F minor) on ‘But the

tigers come at night’. • Songs often follow natural structures (such as popular song form). The overall structure is Operatic – there are

Recitative, Aria, and Chorus. • Les Miserables uses the full range of Diatonic keys and chords to express emotions. • Use of recitative set during, before, or after arias (normal songs with rhythms/beats) – pop opera style. • Heavy use of countermelody in the orchestra and often use of augmentation in the development of melody. • Dynamics support the emotion. • Words emphasized in melody by changes in pitch • The melodies are more hummable than in Miss Saigon • Sometimes there is word painting (especially by use of harmony) where the meaning of a word is emphasised by

the music – this is not as obvious as in Sondheim’s work, for example.

Miss Saigon

• Use of major/minor keys and modes which is sometimes obscured by use of accidentals and by using bass lines which don’t highlight the tonic chord/key.

• Ideas often repeated within structure with different use of pitches of key change – this makes them more memorable.

• Oriental music devices and instrumentation used for parts of the show. • Western Pop style • Sometimes Schonberg uses perfect cadences – he places these carefully from song to song. .

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• Sometimes the pieces don’t use traditional or expected cadences.

Points to consider about Schonberg’s style (good to compare with Sondheim) • Likes to use whole tone modulations and mainly modulates to a related key • Uses unexpected key changes little and often with big effect – I.e. at the end of “I Still Believe” • Often uses simple, broken chord and chordal accompaniment styles • Often uses conjunct bassline • Uses dynamics to shape piece rather than to give detail/emphasis to particular words • Often uses variation in harmony and careful use of pitch as word painting • Often likes to explore the full range of the voice within songs, utilizing the high tessituras for emotional climax • Writes songs which have a ‘goosebump’ effect/ emotional • Uses call & response to represent men in times of hard ship/poorer classes • Uses popular song forms • Even phrasing, often with a Q&A/ Antecedent and consequent • Uses leitmotif • Focus on melody / hummable melody

I Dreamed a Dream – Les Miserables (1980)

(Eb major)

• Solo that is sung by the character Fantine during the first act. The song is a lament, sung by the anguished Fan-tine, who has just been fired from her job at the factory and thrown onto the streets. She thinks back to happier days and wonders at all that has gone wrong in her life.

• The musicals most famous number. Most of the music is soft and melancholic, but towards the end becomes louder and taut with frustration and anguish as she cries aloud about the wretched state of her life and her unfair mistreatment.

• Extended and asymmetrical phrasing = sense of uncertainty and insecurity • A section (Eb) major section = AABA structure in phrasing • B section (C/Fminor – ‘But the tigers come at night’) uses A phrase which is developed till the word ‘SHAME’

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• Descending step movement of bass in the A phrases = lament/Fantine’s decline • In the A phrase the melody line ascends. Fantines hope contrasts with her cruel reality (the descending bass line)

‘A’ phrases – the falling intervals get bigger at the end of the phrases. Phrase 1 = stepwise Phrase 2 = ‘worth living’. Drop of a perfect 5th Phrase 3 = Phrase 1 but 3rd higher. Phrase 4 = ‘forgiving’. Drop of a minor 7th.

• B phrases – Fantine’s melody descends. The used of more frequent dotted rhythms give this reality a heavy weight.

• B phrase – the chromatic note E natural (in Eb major) is unexpected and shows the vast difference between her dreams and her current reality.

• End of the B section – long rising minims through from Eb-Bb on the word shame. The tragic lyrics set to such a climactic, rising major scale shows the extent to which Fantine feels she has been shamed. It also ironically signi-fies the stretch of the dreams of her youth which have now been destroyed.

• Syncopation in the accompaniment and at the end of phrases i.e. ‘Thunder’, create tension and urgency. • Dotted rhythms = add both weight and the feeling of tiredness. • Descending bass line = decline of Fantine • Major key with emphasis on minor chords every other bar = bitter sweet • Chromaticism and change from Eb major to VI – ii (C and F minor) on ‘But the tigers come at night’ = vast differ-

ence between Fantines dreams and her current reality. • Use of the minor tonic chord (Ebm) on the word ‘a-part’ = particularly desolate/grim. • Modulation to F major ‘And I still dreamed he’d come to me’ = further hope Fantine once had. The lift of the

whole-tone makes the outcome/ending even more tragic/bittersweet. • Use of extended chords and the melody line taking the 7th = tension in the vocal line i.e. ‘be’ = C natural over a

Dm7 chord. ‘weather’ = F over a Gm7 chord.

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Bring Him Home – Les Miserables (1980)

(A major)

• Valjean begs God to save Marius and return Marius to Cosette. Claude-Michel Schönberg revealed that the song was written specifically for Colm Wilkinson.[9]

• Broken chord arpeggios on the harp, sus four chords and sustained high E on the violin bring both a gentle and celestial feel to the piece (i.e. this piece is a prayer).

• Fermatas on the last chord of the accompaniment and the second opening syllable of the vocal line ‘on’ – creates gentle and clear 'A Capella opening of Jean Valjean’s prayer

• Opening rising octave skip ‘God – on high’ = sense of praying to the above. The octave skip always has a sub-lime quality to it. Think ‘somewhere over the rainbow’.

• Octave skip is used many times to great effect. ‘He is young’…Bring him home’ etc. • Opens with harps and strings. Imitation and weaving of vocal melody from violin. • Woodwind section comes in on ‘heaven blessed’ to create countermelodies from within the orchestra • Slow conjunct bass line

• A section – “Bring him home’ • B section - Second part of the solo is more dramatic with parlando style vocals. The syncopated rhythms that we

see in the accompaniment to ‘dream a dream’ create sense of restlessness. Chromatic E# in the accompaniment on the word ‘gone’ = Jean Valjean’s humanity and worries.

• Rall and rit in this section = Jean Valjean’s physical and mental state/tired and old. • A section repeats forte dynamics in both vocal and accompaniment. Use of timpani and thicker string textures to

add emphasis to the final verse of Jean Valjean’s prayer. • Fades away on the repeated phrase ‘Bring him home’. Ends on the highest note of the piece ‘high A’ = Final

plea.

One Day More – Les Miserables

(A major)

A ‘Dramatic quodlibet’ – counterpoint. All singing about ‘One Day More’ in different contexts on the eve of the Paris uprising in 1832.

(Note: More interesting to see how Schonberg uses leitmotif and study of the chorus– not necessarily rich enough in word painting etc. to write about as the main piece in an essay)

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Valjean = Planning his exile

Cosette & Marius = have been parted

Eponine = Mourns Marius

Enjolrus = Planning the revolution

Javert –briefs soldiers for battle

• Piece opens in A major with a dreamy, descending semiquaver ‘A major added 6th’ (A, F#, E, C#) arpeggio falling over the top in the flute, glock and strings. This idea reoccurs for most of the piece and gives the feeling that they are all tied up in this tale together.

• Valjean opens the piece with a rushed, parlando, semiquaver melody as he makes plans to leave. He sounds agi-tated and in a hurry.

• Marius then takes the ‘I dreamed a dream’ melody as Valjean carries on with ‘One Day More’. • Cosette joins Marius in homophony/harmony in 6ths (still in the ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ Melody). Their dream was

to be together = romantic. • Eponine comes in with ‘Tigers come at night’ in F#major from ‘I Dreamed a Dream’. She sings this in call & re-

sponse with Cosette and Marius’s 6ths. This completes the love triangle and reminds us of their story together. • When Eponine reaches the word ‘there’ which falls on the rising major scale on ‘shame’ from ‘I Dreamed a

Dream’, it stays on the A (modulated back to A major) and does not rise. • Modulates from A- C (tertiary relationship) and Enjolras enters singing in call & response with Marius (his comrade

with a different agenda). Again, call & response is used here as a symbol of hard ship and men (see Bui Doi). • All the characters & chorus come together in homophony with a powerful call of ‘The time is now, the day is

here’. ‘Here’ lands on an E7 chord and sounds especially powerful and convicted.

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• This cadences back to A major (using dominant – tonic harmony) and Javert now takes the lead as he rallies his troops. His theme is taken from ‘Valjean Arrested’, ‘Valjean Forgiven’ and ‘Fantines Arrest’ but is in a major key this time (A).

• Thenardiers thing ‘Master of the House’ theme. The chorus is doing the role of the typical chorus here by remind-ing us of all the characters before the musical comes together and to a close.

• Call & response heard between the chorus and Enjolras here as they get riled up and ready to go to war. “Every man will be a king’ in call and response/ F# major key sounds proud and patriotic. They then sing ‘Do you here the people sing’ where the melody is taken from ‘I dream a dream’ (I turned your dreams to shame)

• Valjean comes in with One Day More at the top of his range on a high G# and this teamed with the modulation from A – C sounds momentous.

• The semi quaver motif/riff continues through to the end of the piece and the polyphony reaches its peak of com-plexity.

I’d Give My Life for You – Miss Sai-gon (1989)

(opens in) (Bb major)

• I’d Give My Life for You ends Act I. Kim is boarding a refugee ship for Bangkok with her son Tam and sings how she will do anything for her son as she attempts to reunite with his father, Chris. The song brings Act I to a dra-matic close = great emotional content.

• Melodic fragment sung to I’d Give My Life for you reappears at poignant moments in the musical. • Initial key is Bb major with frequent modulations that ascend throughout the song = increasing sense of despera-

tion and determination • Intro – instrumentation is tremolo strings with woodwind, clarinet initially on the melody, creating a light texture

based in the upper register. The ascending bass line leads into the first vocal line • Through composed = ABCADC1A1

* A – 2 x bars. Each 8-bar phrase - Bb major but moves to G minor = initial tenderness of the lyrics moving to the deter-mination to protect her son. Range = 5th + syncopated rhythms + frequent rests, creates conversational quality.

* B – 7 bars. C minor chords and melody gradually ascend to modulate to Ab. Ascending sequence = determination and decisiveness.

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* C – 3 bars. Ab modulates to F. Major 6th interval on ‘I’ll give’ and highest notes of melody so far = PASSION

* A – 8 bars. Original melody with some slight embellishments in the new key of F major

* D – 4 bars. New melody which is similar in rhythm to phrase A but increasingly passionate through larger melodic in-tervals and rising melodic range

* C1 – 4 bars with a two-bar linking passage.

Minor 6th interval = trauma of her memories.

Melody falls gradually from Bb minor to F major.

“You will be who you want to be” (phrase A) modulates to G major – the brightest key of the song = hope for son

* A1 – 12 bars. Initial phrase extended. Starts in G major but ends in E minor. The very last phrase is completely unac-companied following a strong D#dim7 chord. The melody for ‘I swear I’ll give my life for you’ recurs throughout the song with a strong syllabic setting, simple quaver rhythm and range of a perfect 4th.

Final part of song = chorus enters. Contrapuntal melodic ostinato over an orchestral descending chromatic ostinato. Increasing crescendo across all parts into a dissonant chord.

Final bars = various descending chromatic ostinato + bold statement in octaves, rhythmically augmented version of “I’d give my life for you” across orchestra. Timpani and tam tam rolls conclude the drama of Act I.

Miss Saigon uses pop and oriental instrumentation, whereas Les Miserable uses a conventional orchestra.

I Still Believe – Miss Sai-gon

(D minor)

IstillbelieveisasongbetweenKim(Chris’sloverinVietnam)andEllen(hisnewwife).ChriswakesupcallingKim’snameandKimfeelsthathelongsforher.ShebelievesthathewillreturnandEllenworriesthattherearesidesofChristhatshedoesn’tunderstandandisjealousthatheiscallingoutKim’sname.

• Introductionusesbrokenchordaccompanimentin3+3+2additiverhythm.

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• Thereisarisingconjunctbasslineinthefirst3bars.(D-E-F)• TheopeningvocallinebyKimislowtessituraandusesthedominant(A)andthesubmediant(Bb)notesofthescalewhich

givesaclose,personalfeeling.• DmwithAmajorchordsindicatesDharmonicminor.• Useofdescendingsequenceon‘Yes,Iknowthatthiswasyearago–butwhenmoonlightfillsmyroomIknow’.• On‘Youarehere’–thereisaGmajorchordinsteadoftheexpectedGminor(IV)–thissoundshopefulandcomforting• ‘Istillbelieve’=chorus.ThereisuseofarisingsequenceonStill–Will–KnowrisingG-A-Bb=thisgivesasenseoflonging

andromance.• Bbm–diversityofchordsandgivesaricherharmonicpalette/increasesthesenseoflonging• Sameon ‘Return’ in ‘Youwill return’withtheunexpectedAbchord– is thisbecausehis returnwillcomewhen is least

expected?• Useofdominantpreparationbetweensectionsasthechorusgoestotherelativemajor–Dm–Fthencadencesbackon

A/DmbetweenKimverseandEllen’sverse.• Ellensingsverse2withlittlevariation.• A’=variation.Ellensingsanuncomfortabletripletmotifwithagitatoperformancedirection.ThisissetoveranAbdim7chord

whichaddsextratension.Themusicisjuxtaposedwithherlyric“It’salloverI’here,thereisnothingtofear’.Sheiscom-fortingChrisbutshedoesnotfeelcomfortableaboutthesituation.

• TripletsusedinEllen’svocalandcrotchettripletmotifspushtheaccompanimentforward,drivingthesenseofjourney.• HarmonicventureinthissectionfromEb-EminorwhenKimjoinsinandtheysingincountermelody.• Kimtakesthe“Istillbelieve’motif=shestillbelieveshewillreturn.WhereasEllensoundsunconvincedwithhertripletsand

thenashortmotif,off-setbyacrotchetrestsinasequence,“Youcansleepnow,Youcancrynow,I’myourwifenow’.• Bothofthewomenthencometogetherinhomophonyforthefirsttimeattheendofthepiece–‘Un-tilwedie’.Theyboth

loveChrisandhavethisincommon.EllenremainsontheAwhilstKimsingsE-E-F#-F#,creatingaDmajorperfectcadencebyusingthedominantG(astheversewasinEminorandthechoruswenttotherelativemajorinG).Thisisastrongending.

• Extendedoutrowhichusesadditiverhythm(3+3+2)indescendingchordswithapulsating,quaverbassline=representativeofpowerful/strongwomen.

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Bui-doi – Miss Saigon

(Ab major)

BuiDoimeansthe‘Dustoflife’and=AmerasianoffspringofAmericansoldiersandVietnamesemothersabandonedattheendoftheVietnamwar.

• OpenswithACapellamalevoicessingingthechorus• MainsongopensinAbwithasteady,crotchetmotifwhichusesanupbeatonthelastquaverofthebarintothenext.• AABA’–popularsongform.Slightlyunconventionalphrasingwithverseswhichare10barsandthechorus8bars.• EbaugmentedchordsoundsslightlyuncomfortablebutworkswellwiththeAbandallowsforlittlemovementinthebass

linekeepingthestoic,steadyfeelofthesong.• Openingmelodystaysononenote(Eb)whichmakesthechangeinpitchmorepoignantwitharisingscalefromtheDOMI-

NANTNtoTONICon‘Iwon’tgiveadamn’andariseofa6thon‘knowI’mcaught’.• Harmonicrhythmofaminim• Chorus–“They’recalledBuiDoi’.Usesarisingsequence‘Ab–Bb–C’withadottedrhythmtogiveextraweightand

meaning.Thisisverysimilartothesequenceusedin‘IStillBelieve’.Thesequencerisesthroughincreasedintervals,6th,7thandthen8veon‘conceivedinhell’.

• “Allourchildrentoo”–phraseendsearlierthanisexpectedwiththeuseofa2/4bar.Arelationshipthatendedtooearly?• Secondverseandchorusmuchthesame• TheBsectionusesascendingsequenceon‘thesearesoulsinneed,theyneedustogive’andpassesthroughEdim7which

soundsawkwardanddesperate.• AharmonicventurethroughthebridgetothereturnoftheAsectionwhichmodulatesawholetonetoBbgivingthepiece

a‘passionatelift.Schonbergoftenmodulatesthroughpreparationofthedominant.• ThereturnoftheAsectionusesaslowerharmonicrhythmof1chordperbarwhichmakesastatementofthefinalchorus.• Theharmonicrhythmthenpicksbackupagainwithminimswhenthemalessinginunison–showingtheirunitedstrug-

gle/failure.• Call&responseisusedwhichisassociatedwithworksongs,soldiersandgeneraltimesofhardshipforMEN.• UnexpectedcadencebyuseofanAbchordprecedingtheEb-Bb(IV-I)plagalcadence.Isthisbecauseitisarealization?

‘theyareallourchildrentoo’?• Also,istheplagalcadenceindicativeofatypeofprayer?

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