3. Music for a while by Purcell - BASICS

2 basso continuo instruments

Harpsichord and Bass Viol

form (structure)

ternary with ground bass

vocal soloist

soprano (originally male soprano)

ground bass features

mostly 3 bars with 4 note motif creating a rising sequence

style

lament (sad)

ornaments

mordent, appoggiatura, and grace notes

word-painting

depicting a word in music to imitate its meaning

harmonic devices

suspensions, tierce de Picardie, perfect cadences

da capo aria

ABA or ternary form, with repeat decorated by the singer (Da Capo = 'head' or beginning)

how Purcell avoids repetition becoming boring

- changes the length of the ground bass

- changes the key

- adds ornaments

tempo and metre

slow 4/4

vocal melody

mainly syllabic with some leaps, melismas, repetition, sequences and ornaments

section A keys

A minor, E minor, G major and C major

section B keys

C major, A minor and E minor

perfect cadences

end every ground bass phrase