Listening in which I first write about who I think the composer is, then look to see (without altering my initial work)

Context

• Sounds as though it is from the Romantic period, due to its incredible dynamic range at the beginning- the voices enter at ff, and after a few seconds go to p. This exchange between the two dynamics runs throughout the piece.
• This use of what is essentially terraced dynamics could also indicate the Baroque period.
• However might be neo-Classicism, due to the Latin lyrics, which were used in the Classical period, as it was looking back to the ancient Greeks and Romans.

The piece is O Fortuna by Carl Orff. I will look at the first 2 minutes and 54 seconds of it.

Rhythm

• From 0:00 to 0:16 entirely crotchets and minims with both voices and instruments, creating drama and tension from the start.
• From 0:18 to 0:25 quavers are introduced, broadening the range of rhythmic values used and thus creating development in the piece, which adds to the tension, as well as the fact that the harmonic rhythm has increased too as a result of the quavers being added. The long fermata at the end of this phrase indicates the introduction of a new phrase.
• At 0:29 there are crotchets once again in the voices, as a reference to the initial phrase of the piece, with the bassoon and strings playing quavers as a tonic-dominant bass. This emphasises the key of the piece. This rhythmic motif continues for a majority of the piece.
• At 2:44, more of the instruments begin playing the quaver motif, further developing the music.

Melody/Harmony

• First melody enters at 0:05, very simple in pitches used- super tonic, mediant, tonic. This is played twice. At 0:18 the melody jumps to the dominant, in a sort of imperfect cadence, which assures the listener of the key. This melody fully cadences at 0:27 with a fermata on the super tonic, creating tension with the elongated suspension that remains unresolved until 0:30, when there is only a mediant used, however this is less tense.
• The melody beginning at 0:30 is centred around the mediant and super tonic notes, which is very tense and remains unresolved until 0:57, yet even then the melody repeats, so we have the tension once more.