Composition #1

Amanda Miller

Analysis of Music Since 1900

Feb. 9^th 2015

Listening Guide

“Listening Guide: These Little Lights of Mine in the Style of Bartok”

These Little Lights of Mine is based of the American Spiritual, This Little Light of Mine. Here are the original lyrics to the song:

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let is shine,

This little light of mine

I'm gonna let it shine

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Sound:

The instrument that is producing the sound is the piano. At the start of the A section, there are two different voices, one in the right hand and one in the left hand.  The left hand works as a canon, and sometimes the pitch is different, but the intervals are the same. In the B section and coda, the texture is homophonic, which means the right hand provides the melody and the left hand provides harmonic support. Dynamic levels are important especially in measures 5-8 in Section A. In this passage the dynamics alternate from f to p because the left hand and right hand are showcasing the same melody in different octaves at different times. My though process is that by adding these specific dynamic changes, it gives the melody in each hand a different character. Lastly, the absence of sound alternates between the right hand and left hand during the A section. This means that there are rests inserted in the right hand while the left hand part is more active or vice versa.  The absence of sound is used to show case important melodic ideas or motifs that are in the left or right hand.

Harmony:

The A section begins with the pitch center D, and switches to C in measures 3 and 4. In measures 5-8 the pitch center becomes E flat and in measures 9-10 the pitch center is D. In the last two measures of the first A section the pitch center is C, but there is PAC on G. The B Section’s pitch center is A flat and also PACs on G.  The A’ Section has the same pitch centers as the A section.  The coda’s pitch center is G and PACs on G.  The motion between chords is mostly stepwise with a few skips and leaps.

Melody:

The melody line is mostly stepwise with some skips and leaps. In the A and A’ sections, the referential collections I used were octatonic 23 in D, whole tone 0 scale in C, and G Phrygian Scale. In the B section, I used whole tone 0 scale in A flat, and for the Coda I used the G Phrygian Scale. The melodic motive I use throughout the piece comes from the original song “This Little Light of Mine.” I used the same rhythmic motive from the opening melody “This Little Life of Mine.” It also uses the same upward and downward motion as the original melody, except my composition uses octatonic and whole tone scales and is in the key of G Phrygian.

 Rhythm:

The predominant beat division is a quarter note, followed by two eighth notes, followed by two more eighth notes.  Asymmetry occurs in the 7/8 meter and the beat division becomes quarter notes, 2 eighth notes, and an eighth note and a quarter note. There are changes in meter to represent new ideas or sections in the composition. The predominant beat tempo is 95 equals a quarter note.  In the A Section, the rhythmic relationship between the two layers of activity, is that for the most part, the left hand is mimicking the rhythm in the right hand a beat later, or a measure later (a beat later – mm. 1-2 and a meas. later – mm. 5-8).

Texture:

The two A sections have two layers of activity that are present. The hierarchical relationship between these two layers is that the right hand carries the main melody. The main melody has the same rhythmic motive as This Little Light of Mine. The left hand starting in meas. 1 begins a beat after the right hand and works as a canon most of the time.  The B Section has a homophonic texture, the right hand has the melody and the left hand is used as harmonic support.

Form:

The formal design of this composition is ABA’ with a coda at the end and it is sectional. The A section starts with a referential collection that has a pitch center in D. The end of the A section has a PAC in G. The B Section has a referential collection with the pitch center in A flat. The end of the B section cadences on a PAC in G as well. The A’ section begins the same way as the A section (pitch center = D), however in meas. 20, the eighth note figure in the left hand is ascending instead of descending as it did in the A section. Additionally, measures 21-24 have dynamics that alternate from p to f instead of f to p. I also added an F natural in meas. 24 in the right hand. Lastly instead of having a PAC at the end of the A’ section, I use the coda as an extension, and PAC in the key of G at the end of the coda.  What also separates the sections from each other is that the A and A’ Sections are written in a 2 voice polyphonic texture. The B Section and the Coda are written in a homophonic texture.

Contemporary Art Piece:

The contemporary art piece I chose to relate to my composition is The Kiss by Gustav Klimt.  What I find relatable to this artwork and my piece is how their robes' are intertwined, almost making it look like a large blanket. Their robes' have different designs, yet somehow the colors mold together to create one large design. This concept of intertwining designs is present in my composition. For example in the A section, the right hand and left hand begin with a canon like texture where the rhythm and intervals are the same, but the pitches are different, and occur at different times in the measure.  Together these melodies make up an octatonic 23 scale, which is why they work well together, just as the designs in the painting. What also drew me to this painting was the presence of light, which is reminiscent of the lyrics from This Little Light of Mine.