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Part A
Write an essay discussing the techniques used in each of the Variations 1, 5, 8, 9, 11
and 12. Discuss key, harmony, melody, rhythm, texture and any other topics you think
noteworthy. Your answer should be in the form of continuous prose of about 750
words.
The theme is in closed binary form and homophonic texture. It begins with the upper right-
hand piano part moving in conjunct motion in bb.1-8 with the dominant, sub-dominant and
leading tones being most prominent. The tonic is introduced in b.6 but quickly becomes a
suspension as part of an E major chord resolving to Am in b.8. The lower melody of the
right-hand part moves in conjunct motion undulating around C4 and B3 in bb.1-4 and rising
from B3 to E4 in bb.5-8. When one part becomes mobile the other becomes comparatively
static as if trying to maintain restraint. The prominence of the dominant, sub-dominant and
leading tone in the upper line combined with the delayed introduction of the tonic yields a
2
restless character reinforced by the undulation of the lower right-hand line whilst the 4 time
Harmonically, section A comes from A minor whereas section B (bb.9-16) begins with A
perfect cadence in b.16. These harmonic excursions combine with the ascending melody to
infer a climax which is reinforced with thicker textured chords in b.15-16 but is subdued by
The bassline of variation I is an octave lower, features a mixture of conjunct motion, disjunct
motion and sequences in bb.3-4, 9 & 11. The main rhythmic motif is compressed down to
melodic bassline.
A224-16J TMA 06 Matt Wilkey (C671808)
The right-hand part of the original theme can be found in the right-hand chords of variation 1
and outlines the same basic progression in A minor but with additional dominant sevenths
(e.g. bb.2 5, 9, 11) and chromatic chords (e.g. bb.7, 10, 13, 14). The subtle increase in
chordal tension and resolution alongside the presence of a mobile bassline replaces the
In Variation V Schubert moves into A major staying predominantly in the treble clef for a light
texture whilst retaining the established chord progression for continuity. Section A places
bb.1-8 of the entire Thema in the left-hand with a right-hand melody comprised of a constant
B incorporates elements of the main theme such as the first note of each triplet in the right-
Variation VIII imitates Themas bassline and upper voice (albeit an octave higher). Schubert
then creates a vigorous inner voice using a decorated version of the inner voice from the
This combination of high upper voice and mobile inner voice makes this variation sound as if
it were written for music-box. This is reinforced by the chromaticism of b.8 and the tierce de
Picardie in the final repeat bar of section B which covers a wide range.
Variation IX is in A major and uses the conjunct motion of E4 down to A3 and back to C4 from
the Thema (bb.1-4) as a motif in bb.1-3 before being transposed to start on A4 in b.5. The
general u-shape of this phrase is then used to form the melody in bb.9 and 11 before being
inverted to an arch shaped motif in bb.13-14. The chord progression modulates briefly to G#
major and C# minor in bb.4-6 and much use is made of appoggiaturas (b.4,6,8,11,12 & 16)
The motif used in bb.1-3 of Variation IX is stated in the left-hand of variation XI before being
imitated in octaves with the right-hand much like a canon. This phrase is then developed in
both hands throughout bb.1-8 using the initial rhythmic motif from the Thema. Bars 9-16
follow the familiar harmonic and melodic pattern laid down in bb.9-16 of the Thema with the
addition of dotted rhythms in the left- and right-hand parts, combing with the wide range
between left- and right-hand parts to create an open-sounding delicacy similar to the music-
box effect of variation VIII but with light-heartedness from the dotted rhythms.
A224-16J TMA 06 Matt Wilkey (C671808)
The upper part of variation XIII plays the motif from variation IX but transposed to start on C5
in the key of Am in bb.1-3 but the awkward tension of this variation comes from the bassline
staccato and offset to start 3 demisemiquavers into beat one creating a stumbling feel. The
chord tones with flattened fifths being a consistent decoration resulting in a tense and
energetic feel.
In conclusion, Schubert has transferred the theme to another part, decorated the theme and
varied the accompaniment and harmony. Additionally variation IX creates a hitherto unseen
melody from elements of the Thema and variations XI and XIII build on this melody. So
Schubert has pushed the boundaries of variation form by creating variations which owe more
Part B
Listen to the song Someone to watch over me by Gershwin on CD 12, Track 5, while
following the score in Scores 3, Item 72, p 62. How does the composer use techniques
of form, word setting, harmony, melody, rhythm and texture to create an effective
song?
This song is in the verse and refrain form found in many songs of the Great American
Songbook. The verse has an aaIbc form where a and a1 are in Eb (bb.1-20) whilst b and c
move to Gm (bb.21-28). The refrain is aaIba where sections a and a1 in Eb and the song
The verses aaIbc form is founded on two 8-bar phrases (a and a1) and two 4-bar phrases (b
and c) . Section a is antecedent ending with an imperfect cadence whilst a1 ends with a
consequent perfect cadence creating a 16-bar parallel period (aa1). Both phrases feature
two subphrases with a range of a perfect fourth which undulate around C5 before coming to
rest on the third of their harmonising chord. The second subphrase (b.7-8) is particularly
effective as the expected move to Fm7 is replaced with F7 and the resultant word setting of
find with A sounds more optimistic that it would with a diatonic Ab.
Subphrase 3 (b.9-12) describes two arched contours, the first using conjunct motion to
ascend a major 6th and descend a minor 7th whilst the second uses disjunct motion to
ascend a major 6th and descend a tone. Beginning with crotchets (b.9) and a homophonic
accompaniment it creates a word setting which sounds determined, contrasting with the
The third subphrase of sections a and a1 (bb.9-12 and 17-19) offer striking surprises. A
consequent perfect cadence in b.11 is subverted by a move to Fm7, ultimately ending with
A224-16J TMA 06 Matt Wilkey (C671808)
an imperfect cadence. This musical teasing underpins the lyrics which tease about the
indicating that the verse has ended until sections b and c extend it further. These sections
(bb.21-28) offer contrast with 4-bar phrases which descends a perfect fifth, change the
established rhythmic vocal pattern by beginning with two longs notes nnd travel away from
The refrains phrase structure is aa1ba where a is 8-bars, a1 is 7-bars and b is 9-bars. All
phrases begin near the bottom of the melodic range of Eb4 F5, ascend to the top within 1
bar but whilst a and a1 descend using a sequenced motif to end consequently on Eb4 or G4,
b undulates from C5-F5 for 6 bars (bb.44-49) before ending antecedently. The static
undulation and ultimate antecedence of b creates tension as we are used to the descent of a
and a1 and this tension makes the final descent to consequence in bb.54-60 more satisfying.
In bb.30-32 each melody note of the words see,he & be is a flattened fifth above the
root; an interval characteristic of the blues. The harmonising diminished chords create a
smooth, descending progression with the same pull as a succession of dominant sevenths
because each chord contains the 3rd and 7th of a dominant 7th, e.g. Ab diminished contains
the 3rd and 7th of Bb7, F# diminished the 3rd and 7th of F7 whilst E diminished contains the 3rd
and 7th of C7. Furthermore, in b30-31 these notes resolve as the 3rd and 7th of dominant
chords as supposed to (i.e. 3rd ascending, 7th descending). Moreover, each diminished chord
contains almost all the notes of a dom7b9 chord so bb.30-331 could be seen as:
This can be seen as a IV(7) V7 I(7) in Eb, Bb and Fm and the use of dominant sevenths for
I and IV hints at a blues progression. This influence combined with the use of the flattened
A224-16J TMA 06 Matt Wilkey (C671808)
fifth imbues the lyric with despondent yearning which is felt throughout the refrain as this
The verse melodys long-short rhythmic motif is present in the refrain but is outweighed by a
quaver-crotchet motif (bb.30-33 and 38-40) and a crotchet-minim motif (bb.46-50). These
motifs syncopate with the accompaniment giving the refrain increased energy.
Additional energy is provided by the mobility of the vocal line moving quickly through its
wider range and the stride pattern accompaniment which is more active than the verse
accompaniment. This causes the refrain to become the main focus of interest as is
In conclusion, the song effectively transmits the romantic inertia in the verses lyric and
contrasts it with energy and optimism in the refrain ensuring that this becomes the main
point of interest whilst the subtle influence of the blues infuses a little melancholy. However, I
believe the pieces dotted rhythms would render the piece jaunty and ineffective if performed
as a scherzando as instructed because none of the ballad quality associated with the song
for so many years could have been present" (Wilder, p.137). Therefore the interpretation of
References
Wilder A, (1972), American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900-1950, Oxford