Music IGCSE - 3 SET PIECES

Kileer Queen - Music for a While - Star Wars

Killer Queen

By Queen

1. Genre and Style

• Glam Rock

• Influenced by 1970s pop and rock music

2. Instrumentation

• Vocals, piano, electric guitar, bass guitar, and drums

• Use of multi-tracking, flanger, distortion, and wah-wah effects

3. Structure

• Verse-Chorus form

• Includes instrumental sections

4. Texture

• Mainly homophonic

• Use of layering and panning for a richer sound

5. Harmony and Tonality

• Eb Major (unusual for rock music)

• Frequent modulations to other keys

• Extended chords (7ths and 11ths)

6. Melody

• Syllabic vocal line

• Wide-ranging melody with leaps and conjunct movement

7. Rhythm and Metre

• 12/8 time signature

• Swing feel

• Frequent syncopation

Technology

Overdubbing, reverb, and multi-tracking for richer texture

Music For A While

By Purcell

1. Genre and Style

• Baroque

• Written for a play (incidental music)

2. Instrumentation

• Voice and basso continuo (harpsichord and bass viol)

• Use of ornamentation (mordents, trills)

3. Structure

• Ground bass structure

• Repeated bass pattern

4. Texture

Homophonic

5. Harmony And Tonality

• A minor (but modulates to E minor and G major briefly)

  • Minor keys often sound sad or reflective

  • Major keys (like G major) sound brighter and more uplifting

• Use of suspensions and dissonance for expressive effect

6. Melody

• Stepwise movement with some leaps

• Word-painting (e.g., “ease” is set to a calm, legato melody)

• (Drop Drop)

Star Wars Main Theme

by John Williams

1. Genre and Style

• Film music

• Symphonic orchestral score

2. Instrumentation

• Full symphony orchestra (strings, brass, woodwind, percussion)

3. Structure

• Ternary form (ABA)

• Opening fanfare leads into main theme

4. Texture

• Homophonic in main theme

• Contrapuntal sections in the middle

5. Harmony and Tonality

• Bb Major (key associated with boldness and heroism)

  • Major keys generally feel more triumphant and bright

  • Includes quartal harmony (built on fourths)

• Use of dissonance and pedal notes for tension

6. Melody

• Leitmotif technique (main theme associated with Luke Skywalker)

• Bold, ascending intervals (perfect fourths and fifths)

7. Rhythm and Metre

• 4/4 time signature

• Triplets and dotted rhythms for a heroic feel