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Defying Gravity DRSMITH

The document analyzes the song 'Defying Gravity' from the play 'Wicked,' focusing on its context, dynamics, rhythm, structure, melody, instrumentation, texture, and harmony. It highlights the use of various musical elements such as syncopation, changes in tempo and time signature, and the emotional representation of lyrics through melody. The piece features a band of 23 musicians and employs a mix of tonalities, culminating in a complex harmonic structure.

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213 views3 pages

Defying Gravity DRSMITH

The document analyzes the song 'Defying Gravity' from the play 'Wicked,' focusing on its context, dynamics, rhythm, structure, melody, instrumentation, texture, and harmony. It highlights the use of various musical elements such as syncopation, changes in tempo and time signature, and the emotional representation of lyrics through melody. The piece features a band of 23 musicians and employs a mix of tonalities, culminating in a complex harmonic structure.

Uploaded by

jqpckbd54n
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

SET WORK Defying Gravity

Written as part of the play ‘wicked’, when Elpheba vows to fight the
CONTEXT wizard of Oz after finding that hes not much of a hero. Gravity is a
metaphor the rules set upon her

DYNAMICS
Begins with sf stab chords and crescendos
The link is mostly piano, so is verse 1
The first chorus starts with a cresc to F. accomp stays mp
Verse 2 is F
Chorus 2 is also F
Unlimited theme starts with dim to P, and contains a cresc to F, then back to MP. Ens
with a cresc to prepare for
Chorus 3 starts F
The rest of the piece is mostly F/MF
Coda is FF

RHYTHM, METRE AND TEMPO


Andante means walking pace (both links, start of coda)
Moderato means a moderate tempo (unlimited theme)
Allegro indicates a fast tempo for most chorus and verses
Maestoso at the end means majestic, for the end of the piece.

Syncopation features a lot, in the anticipation of strong beats by a quaver (known as


‘push’ in pop)

Mant changes in tempo, with rallentandos.

Changes in time sig, eg from 2/2 to 3/2 in the intro


4/4 in 88, then back to 2/2 in 115

Ostinato figures occur in many places (unlimited theme, chorus 2, just before coda)
STRUCTURE
Verse chorus form

Verses: B34, B63, B135


Chorus: B50, B79, B103, B151

MELODY

Syllabic text setting throughout, melismatic in coda


Vocalization at the end
Conjunct
Sequences at the start
Large leaps throughout, eg compound 4ths and 5ths
Large use of perfect intervals, as well as leaps of 6 th and 7th

Word Painting
‘gravity’ Melody has downwards leap
‘defying gravity’ Melody moves up, against gravity
‘you cant pull me Descending melody
down’
‘if we work in tandem’ Sung in unison, showing they are working
together

INSTRUMENTATION, SONORITY AND TECH

Band of 23 musicians:
- 4 strings
- Double bass
- 4 reeds (woodwind)
- 6 brass (2 trumpet, 2 trombone, 2 horns)
- 2 guitars and a harp
- Drums
- Percussion
- 3 keyboards

Electric guitar used with overdrive + ebow (end of intro, verse 1)


String tremolos create excitement (start of verse 1, coda)
Drum fills create excitement
TEXTURE
Homophonic (melody and accomp)
Ends contrapuntal

Starts with monophonic and short stab chords in the piano


In verses its mostly MDH
Homophonic chordal moments, eg b132
Singers are sometimes in unison

HARMOMY AND TONALITY


Tonality starts ambiguous with chromatic movement
In D major

Bars 88-100 (unlimited theme) is G major


Chromatic parts have unsettled tonality, eg 115-131 (revisited intro)
Sudden key changes, eg B maj to Fmaj in b22

Chords are mostly in root position


Mostly unrelated chord progressions
Some use of dissonance
Pedal in bar 168 (coda)
Augmented and half diminished chords

Ends with a B minor pedal and polytonal chords

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