2.15 min: *Section C and A (Maestoso)*
I find an interesting point in the harmony here. Remember the Lament Bass from our Functional Harmony lecture? Well, before that lecture, I didn't know that "Lament Bass" existed, but I was aware that composers sometimes used descending bass lines to move from chord i to chord V. In this piece of music, the use of the Lament Bass is heard from bars 7-8. Listening to the music, I feel that it is very bare-sounding. This may be due to the parallel motions of whole triads. I guess this is done to create a certain effect.
Let's take a look at the lyrics.
The lyrics talk about Kim recounting her fleeting love affair with Chris 3 years ago. She has doubts if what happened was real or was it merely a dream. Seeing her son Tam before her eyes certainly proved that love affair was real, and Kim was feeling the heartache of not experiencing that love now. So I guess the effect created contributes to the heartache Kim was feeling at that time.
Besides using harmony to portray emotions, rhythms play a part too. The irregular switching of time signatures could be used to portray the instability and unknown future Kim and Tam may face in life. It almost sounds as if she is sobbing.
Let's take a look at the Maestoso section.
When analysing the structure of this section, I look mainly at the voice parts. However, I find that the piano part as well as the harmony play an important role too in defining its structure.
Bars 11-18 contain material that makes up section "A". It has a period structure.
The antecedent phrase is made up of bars 11-14. It ends with a tonicised chord of Em at bar 14. The consequent phrase is heard from bars 15-18. It too ends with a tonicised chord of Em at bar 18.
I'm not totally sure what double period is, but from what I know, it's 2 small periods within a larger period and they are non-repeating. I think I hear this in bars 11-18.
Within the antecedent, I can further sub-divide it into two 2-bar phrases. Therefore, bars 11-12 becomes my "sub" antecedent, ending with a weak V6 chord at bar 12. The "sub" consequent phrase would be bars 13-14. The same goes for the next 4 bars. The "sub" antecedent phrase at bars 15-16 and the "sub" consequent phrase in bars 17-18. Therefore, bars 11-18 are arranged in a double-period structure.
5 comments:
Indeed, there is a lament bass albeit harmonized in a non-functional way involving parallel 5/3 chords (very common in pop music). Other aspects of the harmony are also interesting, anyone else wants to chip in?
Concerning your uncertainty: a double period consist of an antecedent period followed by a double period, your case at hand is indeed one. Given that, how do you interpret bs. 19-22?
Hi all!
Bars 19-22 have the same melodic line as bars 15-18. However, I feel that there is more tension in the latter appearance. This may be due to the harmony as well as the rhythm.
The ascending chromatic bass line in the latter appearance does contribute to the tension. It adds a sense of anticipation as the chromatic line tends to push the music forward. The phrase from bar 19-20 also ends prematurally as the time signature changes from 4/4 to 2/4 at bar 20. I feel that tension is effectively created here as the phrasing is not as pridictable and smooth-flowing as before.
On second look, I noticed that there're many ways to treat the same melody both harmonically and characteristically. The way the music is treated is influenced by the text. Although applying different harmony can affect the mood created, I feel that a lack of harmony, as shown in bar 21, is also a contributing factor. In bar 21, the vocal part is unaccompanied, thus making it sound very bare. Perhaps, the composer was highlighting Kim's loliness and helplessness during this time.
Hi! I was looking at your bare sounding bar, and i realised that kim's destitude can be traced from the rhythmic pattern. From bar 11, there is a lack of "complicated rhythms" as compared to the earlier section of the piece. As the harmony gradually disappears from bar 19. The 2/4 bar can probably be explained in 2 ways.The composer does want to prolong kim's "pain" by letting her wait another 2 beats. OR He wants to emphasis the clustered notes repeated notes that might suggest tension.
Erratum: In my earlier post, I meant to say "a double period consist of an antecedent period followed by a CONSEQUENT period"
Indeed, the chromatic bassline builds up the tension in bs. 19-22, whose melody is a repetition--except for the 2/4 bar alteration--of the consequent period. For me, the 2/4 bar propels the music forward.
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