Seachanges INVERSION + MAIN MELODY

What is the tonal centre here?

It is still G

What compositional technique is used here?

Inversion of the three note cell played by the cello. Subtraction principle also.

List the instrumental techniques of this section

Harmonics, tremolo, arco, col legno battuto, pizzicato, pizzicato +.

What are the musical features of this section?

Descending broken chords on piano. Sextuplets on violin.

What else should be noted?

The new A flat introduced on the piano. 

What is the main idea of this section?

One instrument playing the main melody and another playing an inversion of it. All based around the 3 note cell.

1. What is happening at the beginning of this section?

The first statement of the main melody is inverted by the cello. This is accompanied by flute, piano and percussion. The violin is heard playing glissando sextuplets with harmonics.

What technique is Deane evidently using here?

The subtraction principle can be heard here where with each repetition of the (inverted) main melody in the cello part has a reduced number of notes. 

2. What is the flute doing here?

The flute is heard playing trills and using flutter tonguing and tongue pizzicato. Notice the presence of the interfering Ab in the flute line also.

3. What happens next?

The marimba plays an ascending passage that begins on G but includes many interfering Ab ‘s. The cellist switches to maracas. 

4. What happens after this ascending passage?

The first complete statement of the main melody is played by the violin, with the cello playing the inversion. The subtraction principle can clearly be heard here until only one note remains (Bar 34).

5. What can also be heard at this time?

Flute and percussion instruments (marimba, maracas) can be heard playing an accented four - semiquaver rhythmic pattern in the background of the main melody and inversion.

5. What is the piano doing at this time?

Playing sustained octave G’s. 

6. What does the piano do at the end of this statement of the main melody and inversion?

Plays descending broken chords. 

7. What happens next? 

A second statement of the main melody begins. The marimba plays the main melody with the piccolo playing the inversion, both with subtraction.

7. What is the crotales doing when this second statement of the main melody begins?

The crotales is heard here playing the notes of the main melody (G A C A) in a four semi quaver pattern (diminution - shortened note values).

7. What are the violin and cello doing during this second statement of the main melody?

They also play the semi quaver G A C A pattern col legno with double stopping and pizzicato + .

7. What is the piano doing during the second statement of the main melody?

Playing a distorted version of the cell ( F sharp - C sharp - F sharp - G)

How does this section end?

Maracas become increasingly prominent in the texture. Tension builds as other instrumentalists take up the maracas too. The piano continuously plays the distorted version of the 3 note cell which is has been playing since Bar 37. The violin plays a triplet open fifth which hints at the danse macabre rhythm of the next section.

What is the dictation for this section?

How is the imagery of death evoked in this section?

Use of col legno battuto on the violin and cello. This instrumental technique, which means to strike with the back of the bow, produces a hollow almost boney sound, vividly conjuring up skeletons.