Psycho - The Murder

use in film

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* used four times, associated with the act (or result) of the murder
* played during the shower scene

Rhythm, metre, tempo

* molto forzando e feroce


* first half of cue - all beats are on the beat - strong pulse - especially due to strong down bow accents
* second half of cue - off-beat bass line in vc and db
* 3/2

Texture

* texture builds from top downwards, creating an 8-note cluster at start

Instrumentation/timbre

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* only cue not marked con sordino
* ultra high shrieking notes at the top of each instruments range (apart from vln2)
* repeated down bows at start, strongly defines notes - also all marked sffz
* glissandos up to each note, in second repeat
* in second section of cue higher strings alternate between arco and pizz
* in second section of cue lower strings play all bass notes down bow

Dynamics

ff for entire cue

Harmony

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* instruments play in major 7th intervals, inverted semitone interval, at beginning
* lower strings playing off-beat bass-line start by playing in octaves then at end are a dim5th apart
* cluster chords in second half of cue
* ends on unresolved diminished chord

tonality

atonal

Structure

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* opening 8 bar phrase repeated with variation
* then cluster chords and off-beat bass-line
* ends on long held chord