SET B
Set Songs & Set works
We have 8 set songs on our course! which means we have 8 Choice songs too :-)
Our Set Songs are:
The Links across will lead you to your songs! 1. Irish traditional Song: Amhran na Cuiginne 2. Folk songs from other countries: Click go the shears 3. Art Songs: Wanderers night song 4. Church music and Carols: The Lord is my shepherd 5. Historical and Modern Ballads: The Verdant Braes of Skreen 6. Popular songs, Negro Spirituals, Jazz and Blues songs: Yesterday 7. Songs from Opera's, Operettas, Stage Musicals, Cantatas and Oratorios: Can't help lovin' dat man of mine 8. Songs with simple Descants, Ostinati, Two-Part songs, Rounds and Canons: Evening prayer |
CHOICE SONGS:
IRISH TRADITIONAL SONG She Moved through the Fair FOLK SONGS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES Banana Boat Song HISTORICAL & MODERN BALLAD The Flelds of Athenry |
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Pop Songs Thinking Out Loud ART SONGS The Trout Songs from a Musical Gotta go my own way From HSM & Good Morning Baltimore Two Part Songs (duet) Falling Slowly |
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The Brandenburd Concerto was composed by J.S. Bach. The concertos were composed in honour of the Margrave of Brandenburg in 1721. This means that the work belongs to the Baroque Era.
Features of the Baroque era include:
Harpsichord - used as a main keyboard instrument
Figured Bass - numbers written underneath the music to tell players what chords to play
Small ensembles (groups) of instruments
Polyphonic texture - two or more melodies playing at the same time - Imitation is an example of this.
Dynamics - not a lot of dynamics used
A concerto Grosso: This is a work for either a solo instrument or a small group of instruments that have solo parts, and a larger orchestra - the Tutti!
eg. solo Violin & Orchestra
or Solo Violin & Flute / Orchestra
In the Brandenburg concerto we have a small group of solo instruments - The Flute, Violin and Harpsichord and a small orchestra - Violins Violas Cellos and Double basses.
First Movement - Allegro- which means fast / lively
The main theme is a returning theme - we call this the Ritornello theme. Take a look at the theme written out below
Features of the Baroque era include:
Harpsichord - used as a main keyboard instrument
Figured Bass - numbers written underneath the music to tell players what chords to play
Small ensembles (groups) of instruments
Polyphonic texture - two or more melodies playing at the same time - Imitation is an example of this.
Dynamics - not a lot of dynamics used
A concerto Grosso: This is a work for either a solo instrument or a small group of instruments that have solo parts, and a larger orchestra - the Tutti!
eg. solo Violin & Orchestra
or Solo Violin & Flute / Orchestra
In the Brandenburg concerto we have a small group of solo instruments - The Flute, Violin and Harpsichord and a small orchestra - Violins Violas Cellos and Double basses.
First Movement - Allegro- which means fast / lively
The main theme is a returning theme - we call this the Ritornello theme. Take a look at the theme written out below
As you can see this theme is based around the chord of one D, F# and A and features a descending scale.
This theme appears 7 times throughout the work. In between which there are episodes where the solo instruments play melodies and use imitation and sequences.
After the 6th episode there is a harpsichord Cadenza - this is where the player gets to show off his technical skills and abilities.
Below listen to the work in full
This theme appears 7 times throughout the work. In between which there are episodes where the solo instruments play melodies and use imitation and sequences.
After the 6th episode there is a harpsichord Cadenza - this is where the player gets to show off his technical skills and abilities.
Below listen to the work in full
Types of exam questions:
What is the name of this set work?
Which movement is this taken from?
Is this a Concerto, Symphony, Opera or suite?
the Composer is....?
Tonality is...?
Name a feature of the Ritornello theme
Name a feature of the Episode
Name a solo instrument
How does the movement end?
DON'T FORGET THE MOST COMMON EXAM QUESTION IS RECOGNISING THE INSRTRUMENTS THAT PLAY THE MAIN MELODIES (THEMES).
What is the name of this set work?
Which movement is this taken from?
Is this a Concerto, Symphony, Opera or suite?
the Composer is....?
Tonality is...?
Name a feature of the Ritornello theme
Name a feature of the Episode
Name a solo instrument
How does the movement end?
DON'T FORGET THE MOST COMMON EXAM QUESTION IS RECOGNISING THE INSRTRUMENTS THAT PLAY THE MAIN MELODIES (THEMES).
2nd Movement
Affettuoso (with effection)
The 2nd movement features only the concertina, (3 solo instruments). The whole point of the 2nd movement is to provide a contrast with the 1st movement.
The differences between the 2 movements are;
Instruments, - only 3 (the concertino or soloists) in the 2nd movement. Full chamber orchestra in the first.
Tempo - 2nd movent is slow. First movement is Allegro which means lively.
Tonality - Minor key (1st movement is major, 2nd movement minor.) The 2nd movement is in the key of B minor.
Rhythm - dotted rhythm features all through the 2
The 2nd movement features only the concertina, (3 solo instruments). The whole point of the 2nd movement is to provide a contrast with the 1st movement.
The differences between the 2 movements are;
Instruments, - only 3 (the concertino or soloists) in the 2nd movement. Full chamber orchestra in the first.
Tempo - 2nd movent is slow. First movement is Allegro which means lively.
Tonality - Minor key (1st movement is major, 2nd movement minor.) The 2nd movement is in the key of B minor.
Rhythm - dotted rhythm features all through the 2
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1
Peer Gynt is the incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's Play called Peer Gynt.
Incidental music means like background music.
It was composed by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg.
Suite No. 1, consists of 3 movements, Morning, Anitra's Dance and in the Hall of the Mountain king.
A suite is a collection of dances
As it was composed in the late 1800s it belongs to the Romantic Era
Features of the Romantic Era include:
Large Orchestra - Very big when compared to Classical music. Each section was larger. Instruments were of superior quality. Brass and percussion sections featured.
Programme Music; This is one of the strongest features of the Romantic era, where the composer paints a picture, tells a story, or creates a mood through music.
Dynamics; are extreme and serve the purposes of the mood rather than being solely for contrast.
Morning
The mood of this movement is gentle it gradually awakens and the rising sun is suggested. The Flute and the Oboe sing to each other like two morning birds. As the pitch and dynamics rise, the Violins play this same melody. French Horns take this main melody towards the end before Flute and Bassoon bring the movement to a peaceful and calm close.
As this is programme music, the story behind this movement is the dawning of morning - a scene set in the Sahara dessert. You can feel from the music that the sun is rising and the birds are singing
Incidental music means like background music.
It was composed by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg.
Suite No. 1, consists of 3 movements, Morning, Anitra's Dance and in the Hall of the Mountain king.
A suite is a collection of dances
As it was composed in the late 1800s it belongs to the Romantic Era
Features of the Romantic Era include:
Large Orchestra - Very big when compared to Classical music. Each section was larger. Instruments were of superior quality. Brass and percussion sections featured.
Programme Music; This is one of the strongest features of the Romantic era, where the composer paints a picture, tells a story, or creates a mood through music.
Dynamics; are extreme and serve the purposes of the mood rather than being solely for contrast.
Morning
The mood of this movement is gentle it gradually awakens and the rising sun is suggested. The Flute and the Oboe sing to each other like two morning birds. As the pitch and dynamics rise, the Violins play this same melody. French Horns take this main melody towards the end before Flute and Bassoon bring the movement to a peaceful and calm close.
As this is programme music, the story behind this movement is the dawning of morning - a scene set in the Sahara dessert. You can feel from the music that the sun is rising and the birds are singing
The music is scored for Woodwind,Brass, Strings and Timpani
The main theme is a returning theme - which is passed between the Flute and Oboe until eventually the Strings take over. Later on in the movement we hear the Horn take on the main theme
The main theme is a returning theme - which is passed between the Flute and Oboe until eventually the Strings take over. Later on in the movement we hear the Horn take on the main theme
The features of this theme include Ornamentation and stepwise movement
Throughout this work we see a huge contrast in Dynamics - a key feature of the romantic era.
From pp to ff
Before the end of the work we have trills played by the Flute to echo a bird song tr
The movements ends with a poco rit (slow down) and Tutti plays the final chord pp
Anitra's Dance
The Story behind this movement: Anitra is a dancer who dances for Peer and then steals from him before abandoning him in the dessert.
Throughout this work we see a huge contrast in Dynamics - a key feature of the romantic era.
From pp to ff
Before the end of the work we have trills played by the Flute to echo a bird song tr
The movements ends with a poco rit (slow down) and Tutti plays the final chord pp
Anitra's Dance
The Story behind this movement: Anitra is a dancer who dances for Peer and then steals from him before abandoning him in the dessert.
features of the Movement
Melodic feature - loads of ornamentation, trills (tr)
Tempo - Tempo di mazurka - moderate
Time signature - 3/4 time - waltz time
Dynamics - mostly quiet.
Tonality - A minor. (no sharps)
Articulation - loads of staccato and pizzicato
Instruments
All strings in this movement plus Triangle (only percussion instrument)
In the Hall of the Mountain King
This final movement is based around ONE melody - repeated over and over.
This is what we call a melodic ostinato (melody repeated )
Low sounds - This final movement depicts Peer Gynt, alone in the dark. The Trolls slowly creeping out from the shadows. It begins slowly with bassoons, double bass and Cellos playing very low pitch and pp.
Medium sounds - oboes, clarinets and violas, the dynamics increase and the tempo increases - crescendo e stretto poco a poco (louder and faster little by little).
The trolls are dancing in full swing now around peer as the higher sounding instruments join in; violins, flute and piccolo and the music is getting faster and faster, Piu Vivo (with more life) louder and louder. Tutti, ff higher and higher 8va (play an octave higher)
The movement ends with a timpani roll and a sudden burst fffz (as loud as possible)
Watch the video below to see what instruments are used. Watch how they build up the movement by increasing dynamics and tempo until there is Tutti orchestra as if a frenzy of instruments are racing to the finish line!
This final movement is based around ONE melody - repeated over and over.
This is what we call a melodic ostinato (melody repeated )
Low sounds - This final movement depicts Peer Gynt, alone in the dark. The Trolls slowly creeping out from the shadows. It begins slowly with bassoons, double bass and Cellos playing very low pitch and pp.
Medium sounds - oboes, clarinets and violas, the dynamics increase and the tempo increases - crescendo e stretto poco a poco (louder and faster little by little).
The trolls are dancing in full swing now around peer as the higher sounding instruments join in; violins, flute and piccolo and the music is getting faster and faster, Piu Vivo (with more life) louder and louder. Tutti, ff higher and higher 8va (play an octave higher)
The movement ends with a timpani roll and a sudden burst fffz (as loud as possible)
Watch the video below to see what instruments are used. Watch how they build up the movement by increasing dynamics and tempo until there is Tutti orchestra as if a frenzy of instruments are racing to the finish line!
Musical Features
The string instruments play pizzicato - plucking the string at the beginning of the movement.
They then play Arco - with the bow - as seen in the picture above.
They also play tremolo - moving back and forth on the string rapidly.
All instruments are instructed to play detatched - each note separate from the next to give a very detached feel - this is called staccato.
By the end of the movement, the instruments sound like they are tripping over each other, some trying to get ahead of the rest. Grieg did this to make the music sound like there was a frenzy happening.
The string instruments play pizzicato - plucking the string at the beginning of the movement.
They then play Arco - with the bow - as seen in the picture above.
They also play tremolo - moving back and forth on the string rapidly.
All instruments are instructed to play detatched - each note separate from the next to give a very detached feel - this is called staccato.
By the end of the movement, the instruments sound like they are tripping over each other, some trying to get ahead of the rest. Grieg did this to make the music sound like there was a frenzy happening.
HOEDOWN - aaron copeland
Hoedown
has 3 main sections after the introduction, therefore the form is ABA or Ternary form.
The key is D major. The texture is homophonic (melody and accompaniment)
The introduction starts with a "tutti" which means full orchestra.The piano an wooden blocks feature in this energetic introduction in 2/4 time, the time of a square dance. (2 beats in a bar is sometimes called "duple time"). This section also features violins (playing triplets) and trumpets. The dynamics are very loud, ff, and the articulation is staccato.
Section A uses "Bonyparte's Retreat" played by strings, w.w, trumpets and xylophone.
The B section is a really obvious change of tune as McCloud's reel is used, featuring trumpets and strings. It moves into the 2nd quieter section featuring the oboe. Syncopation, a kind of off beat rhythm, features all the way throughout.
The music sort of unwinds, sounding as it's fading out before it bursts into a repeat of the A section.
has 3 main sections after the introduction, therefore the form is ABA or Ternary form.
The key is D major. The texture is homophonic (melody and accompaniment)
The introduction starts with a "tutti" which means full orchestra.The piano an wooden blocks feature in this energetic introduction in 2/4 time, the time of a square dance. (2 beats in a bar is sometimes called "duple time"). This section also features violins (playing triplets) and trumpets. The dynamics are very loud, ff, and the articulation is staccato.
Section A uses "Bonyparte's Retreat" played by strings, w.w, trumpets and xylophone.
The B section is a really obvious change of tune as McCloud's reel is used, featuring trumpets and strings. It moves into the 2nd quieter section featuring the oboe. Syncopation, a kind of off beat rhythm, features all the way throughout.
The music sort of unwinds, sounding as it's fading out before it bursts into a repeat of the A section.