Listening Skills Analysis Assignment PDF

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Listening Skills Essay...

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Listening Skills Analysis – Gustav Holst, Jupiter and August York, Pull Me In Analysis of Jupiter (1.00 – 2.00) The song Jupiter by Gustav Holst fits into the genre of Neo-classical. By using passive hearing it can be noted that the song uses an orchestral arrangement encompassing strings, brass/woodwind. As well as chimes and bells to add a percussive element. Another aspect that could be noted using passive hearing is the fact that the piece is an instrumental and has no lyrical content what so ever. By using active listening it can be noted that the song has a homophonic texture using a bass line and a main melody. It could be argued that the texture is polyphonic with the bass line forming a contra puntal melody. The song is in a diatonic key as it uses chords from major and minor keys. The song is conjunct using the notes of the scale but some times moves out of scale to use disjunct notes. At 1.30 a antecedent and consequent begins between chimes and strings the two phrases slowly become one melody line and a contra puntal melody forming a definite polyphony in the texture. The song is in 4/4 with a moderato pacing this helps the songs mood feel up beat with out it sounding forced. There is use of rubato at the 1.30 mark where the response time for the consequent speeds up culminating in a full stop from both antecedent and consequent alike before moving into a ‘swashbuckling’ section at 1.35. The unison part o the main melody (beginning at 1.10) is the main melody only played in a different octave on a new instrument. The main melody has constant use of ostinati to help the main theme become recognisable instantaneously. The section of song starts of as piano and diminuendos to pianissimo at the 1.10 mark. The soft nature of this piece helps contribute to the laid back happy feeling of the song. The section begins to crescendo at 1.31 until reaching mezzo forte at 1.36. This could be argued that the song simply returns to piano or even to mezzo piano but I feel that the 1.36 mark become more of a statement this is why I feel that the 1.36 mark is at mezzo forte.

Analysis Of Pull Me In (2.34 -3.34) The song Pull Me In by August York fits into the genre of indie and folk by using passive hearing it can be noted that the band use; two guitars, a bass guitar, drums, Bells (3:20), male and female vocals as well as an acoustic guitar (3:17). The music could be considered to be relaxed due to its instruments and pace. By using active listening the fact that the guitars and bass are both clean with slight reverb or echo on the guitar, The song is in a diatonic key as it uses parts of both major and minor scales, though using more of the major scale, the song has a homophonic texture, as it has a vocal melody with chords accompanying it along with a separate guitar melody that can be heard. In the verse (3:17) it is still

homophonic due to having a celesta play chords as well as a vocal melody. The song is primarily conjunct stepping from the scale to disjunct notes very rarely. The song is in 3/4 with an andante pacing this helps contribute to the relaxed feel of the song. There is a use rubato when leading into the verse song this rubato slows the song to fit to the verse and then speeds up again slightly. The main melody uses slow vocals of a male and a female sang in unison, as they are singing the same melody in octave; it could be argued that it the band use harmony instead of unison, but I feel that the melody is sang in octave not just in a different pitch. The counter melody (contra-puntal) is subtle and played by the guitar, the trailing notes can be heard when the sings pause before moving to the next line of lyrics. The dynamics start out being mezzo piano at the beginning of the section this keeps the piece soft and fitting with the mood of the entire song, at the 3.16 mark the song diminuendos to piano. It could be argued that the song doesn’t diminuendo but the other instruments just fall out and stop playing while this is true the lack of instruments can influence the dynamics of the piece of music. The lyrical content of the song is similar to that of most popular music, in that it is about love; more specifically how a husband and wife came to be in love and the times that they have will have together....