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Film Music: On first hearing without the score

1.      Name the instruments or instrument groups you can hear in the first few bars.

2.      Describe the use of speed, dynamic and articulation in the opening bars.

3.      Select one of the following elements heard in the opening few bars and make a factual comment about it?

• Melodic outline, 

• Harmonic content

• Textural effects

4.      Which of the following do you think is the purpose of this film music?   It might even be more than one. Select one and explain why you chose it/them in 3 to 4 sentences.

• A)    Illustrative

• B)    Evocative 

• C)    Pastiche

• D)    Dramatic

• E)    Comic

• F)     Signature tune

Definitions to help you to answer the first hearing questions

A)     Speed

·         This could involve a fast or slow moving beat or divisions of beats. One part could be moving fast over a slowly moving part. The music could be changing tempo e.g. accelerando, ritenuto

B)     Dynamic

·         The music could be loud, soft, getting louder or getting softer.  In a longer extract there could be stepped dynamic changes e.g. from loud to soft. Certain parts can be louder than others at the same time. E.g. tune and accompaniment.

C)    Articulation

·         The music could be smoothly played (legato), short and detached (Staccato= slurred, or where there are a number of parts any of these at the same time. In a longer extract sections could be identified through changes in articulation.

D)    Melodic outline

·         Where there is a melody, notes could be repeated, it could be moving by step or leaping.  The movement could be downward in pitch or upward. In a longer section the melody could be described as scale like or like a broken chord. E.g. 2 an upward scale like movement in the melody followed by downward moving broken chords.

E)     Harmonic content

·         Major or minor chords: repeated chord sequence: chordal or broken chords

F)     Textural effects

·         Number of parts at any one time: closely or widely spaced.

G)    Illustrative

·         Illustrative music gives the feeling of being at an important occasion or event

H)     Evocative

·         Suggests a place or country by creating aspects of that country’s musical style (often folk music style)

I)        Pastiche

·         This is music written in an old style to evoke a bygone age.

J)      Dramatic

·         Enhances the tension in a scene such as the ski chase in the film xxx or the capture of the humans by the apes in Planet of the Apes by Gerry Goldsmith.

K)     Comic

Comic music is used in comedy films or in funny cartoon films such as the Tom and Gerry cartoons.

L)      Signature tune

·         This is often theme music used to identify a products or a signal that something familiar is about to start.

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