Introduction
The main function of this section is to introduce all the instruments and instrumental effects, the main notes of the 3 note cell, GAC, and some of the other features of the style like changing time signatures.
Metre: Starts in 7/4 but lots of changes of metre – 4/4, 3/4, 5/4, before it settles in 7/4. Also includes 4 bars of silence.
Tempo: fairly slow (crotchet = 80 means 80 beats per minute). Long notes and silence give a feeling of no fixed tempo or metre.
Pitch: Generally very high especially Piccolo, Crotales and Piano. (15ma and 8ve)
Timbre: Shrill sound of crotales and v. high piano note, (glaring sun) Harmonics on strings.
Dynamics: Mostly ff to fff. Loads of crescendo, diminuendi and several sfz.
Instrumental effects or techniques: Harmonics, Col Legno Batt., Pizzicato, Arco, Tremolo and left hand pizzicato on strings. Arco, Tremolo (drum rolls) and L.V. on percussion.
Tonality: Long sustained G on Cello giving a feeling of tonal centre to that note. Also the sheer number of Gs gives it a position of importance. It will be the starting note og
f the main melody and the inversion in the next section.
Compositional Techniques: 3 note cell GAC. Note the piano arpeggios are GFD, the inversion with the Ab to break up the procedure.
Tempo: fairly slow (crotchet = 80 means 80 beats per minute). Long notes and silence give a feeling of no fixed tempo or metre.
Pitch: Generally very high especially Piccolo, Crotales and Piano. (15ma and 8ve)
Timbre: Shrill sound of crotales and v. high piano note, (glaring sun) Harmonics on strings.
Dynamics: Mostly ff to fff. Loads of crescendo, diminuendi and several sfz.
Instrumental effects or techniques: Harmonics, Col Legno Batt., Pizzicato, Arco, Tremolo and left hand pizzicato on strings. Arco, Tremolo (drum rolls) and L.V. on percussion.
Tonality: Long sustained G on Cello giving a feeling of tonal centre to that note. Also the sheer number of Gs gives it a position of importance. It will be the starting note og
f the main melody and the inversion in the next section.
Compositional Techniques: 3 note cell GAC. Note the piano arpeggios are GFD, the inversion with the Ab to break up the procedure.