AcaDeca Music

  1. Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two) (1892) - Henry Dacre, arr. Tamawari

    • triple meter (waltz)

    • synthesizers are used throughout

    • a monophonic synthesizer performs the opening chorus

    • homophony during second chorus— a steady quarter-note accompaniment pulses underneath the synthesizer melody

    • verse-chorus form (aBaB)

  2. Short Ride in a Fast Machine (1986) - John Adams

    • “delirando” (in a delirious manner)

    • polymeter (different groups of orchestra play in different meters at once)

    • ostinato (a motive repeats in rapid succession)

  3. The Little Train of Caipira (1930) - Heitor Villa-Lobos

    • descending chromatic scales after train crests hill

    • the train whistle is an example of a motive (a recognizable sequence of notes that doesn’t necessarily constitute a complete thought)

  4. Take the A Train (1941) - Billy Strayhorn

    • notated in 4/4, but performed like in 12/8 (swung rhythms)

    • saxophones play the “A” theme

    • piano is featured at start

  5. The Padstow Lifeboat (1967) - Malcolm Arnold, arr. for concert band by Ray Woodfield

    • duple meter, compound meter

    • French horns mimic a foghorn

    • crashing cymbals simulate stormy seas

    • sequence (a musical idea that is repeated at a different pitch level)

    • gradual dynamic changes are employed multiple times

  6. Wanderlied (1846) - Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel

    • piano is accompanying instrument

    • sequence (a musical idea that is repeated at a different pitch level)

    • instrumental introductions precede the singing

    • ends with a coda for the piano only

  7. Born to be Wild (1968) - Mars Bonfire (Steppenwolf)

    • the melody rises on top while the rest of the band fills in the harmony below (like many rock songs)

    • improvisation during instrumental interludes

    • instrumental introductions precede the singing

    • verse-chorus form (aBaB)

  8. Fast Car (1988) - Tracy Chapman

    • syncopation

    • instrumental introductions precede the singing

    • verse-chorus form (aBaB)

  9. Titanic: “The Launching” (1997) - Maury Yeston

    • in “The Largest Moving Object,” imitative polyphony occurs (singers perform the same melody at staggered intervals)

  10. Star Trek Main Title (1966) - Alexander Courage

    • circle of fifths harmonic shifts

    • French horns get the spotlight

    • the French Horn fanfare (nicknamed the “Enterprise Motif”) is an example of a motive (a recognizable sequence of notes that does not necessarily constitute a complete thought)

  11. March to the Scaffold (1830) - Hector Berlioz

    • cellos and double basses introduce the first theme

    • timpani are prominent at the very start

    • pizzicato (plucking) appears several times

    • ostinato (a motive repeats in rapid succession)

    • sequence (a musical idea that is repeated at a different pitch level)

    • timpani and brass play very ominous introduction

  12. Charlie Rutlage (1920-1) - Charles Ives

    • multioctave cluster chord

    • piano is accompanying instrument

    • instrumental introductions precede the singing

  13. Bus Plunge (1983) - Gunnar Madsen and Richard Greene

    • ostinato (a motive repeats in rapid succession)

    • verse-chorus form (aBaB)

  14. 747 (Strangers in the Night) (1980) - Peter Byford, Steven Dawson, Peter Gill, Graham Oliver, Paul Quinn)

    • ostinato (a motive repeats in rapid succession)

    • sequence (a musical idea that is repeated at a different pitch level)

    • improvisation during instrumental interludes

    • instrumental introductions precede the singing

    • verse-chorus form (aBaB)





Perilous Journeys Notes

  • Charlie Rutlage - “boom-chick” piano ostinato (left & right hands alternate block chords)

  • fist-banging cluster chords symbolize Charlie falling from his horse and dying

  • songs inspired by real car accidents

    • “Message from James Dean” (1956) - Bill Hayes

    • “A Young Man is Gone” (1963) - The Beach Boys

    • “James Dean” (1974) - The Eagles

    • “Daddy’s Speeding” (2004) - Suede

    • “Candle of the Wind” —> “Goodbye England Rose” (1997) - Elton John

  • The Bobs (artist of Bus Plunge)

    • all four members had the middle name Bob

    • earned Grammy nomination - peaked in 1980s

    • “Bus Plunge” is a capella, and depicts a bus driver trying to stay awake

    • hocket ostinato - “hocket” = “hiccup;” interlocks notes in rapid succession

    • verse-chorus form

    • ends with a “final honk”

  • Herbie Hancock - Watermelon Man (1973)

  • blackout - northeastern US and Canada - November 9th, 1965

    • Sir Adam Beck powerplant - Ontario, Canada

    • 80,000 mi² lost electricity

    • affecting 30 million people

    • 800,000 subway travelers stranded for 14 hours

    • drew attention to the crucial role of radio in emergency communication

  • 747 (Strangers in the Night) - Peter “Biff” Byford

    • verse-chorus form

    • begins with guitar solo (unusual)

    • used layering/overdubbing- Biff recorded multiple vocal tracks and layered them on top of each other (he was the only singer)

    • the band is still active to this day