Revision questions based on Kate Bush's 'And Dream of Sheep' from 'Hounds of Love' (1985)
Structure:
Name all the sections in the song.
Verse 1 - Refrain - Bridge - Verse 2 - Refrain - Bridge - Outro
Tonality:
Describe the tonality in the verses.
C#m with aeolian mode (Bnat)
Tonality:
What key are the refrain and bridge in?
E major (relative major)
Tonality:
What key does the song end in?
E major
Harmony:
Describe the presentation of cadences.
Very few perfect cadences
Harmony:
What kind of chord sequence does the song open with?
Modal sequence (roots are a fifth apart)
Harmony:
Name the chords in the verse.
C#m7 - F#m/A - B
Harmony:
Give examples of chords that widen the chord palate. (4)
Added note chords, extension chords, sus chords, slash chords
Harmony:
Name the chords in the refrain.
E - E6 - F#m/E - B
Harmony:
Describe the refrain chord sequence, including the degrees of the chords.
I - ii - V - I progression in E major, over tonic pedal
Harmony:
Describe the harmony of the whistles at the start of the outro.
Quartal harmony
Melody:
Describe the verse melody. (2)
Two rising perfect 5ths, repeated pitches (E’s)
Melody:
Describe the melody in the refrain.
Oscillating minor 3rd between B and G#
Melody:
Describe the repeated melodic figure in the outro.
Rising major 6th, falls by step back to the starting note or to the tonic
Melody:
How is word-painting created on the final lyric, ‘they take me deeper’? (2)
Melisma, descending line
Melody:
How does the song finish?
‘Unresolved’ dominant note
Texture:
What is the overall texture?
Melody-dominated homophony
Texture:
Describe the LH piano texture in the verses.
Wider ranging arpeggios
Texture:
Describe the RH piano texture in the verses.
Loose doubling of vocals
Texture:
Describe the piano accompaniment in the refrain and bridge.
Plain mid-range block chords
Texture:
What appears in the texture occasionally?
Tonic bass pedal (E)
Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:
Describe the tempo (and give the tempo marking).
Slow ballad tempo (crotchet = 80)
Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:
What is the main metre of the song?
4/4
Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:
Describe the metre changes that appear in this song.
Some 2/4 to extend phrases, a 5/4 bar towards the end
Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:
What kind of rhythm appears in the verse and refrain openings?
Syncopation
Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:
Describe when vocal material often starts in this song.
After 1st beat of the bar
Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:
How does the final vocal idea in the outro grab the listener’s attention?
Anacrusis
Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:
Name three rhythmic features that appear in the last 5 bars of the song (in the outro).
Triplets, ties, Lombardic rhythms (scotch snaps)
Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:
How does the song end?
Rit.
Sonority:
What two instruments dominate this song?
Voice and piano
Sonority:
Name the plucked string instrument from Greek and modern Irish music in this song.
Bouzouki
Sonority:
What instrument can be heard in the outro?
Multi-tracked whistles
Sonority:
What instrument provides samples in this song?
Fairlight CMI
Sonority:
Describe the sample that appears in the bridge.
Radio shipping forecast sample