Music Questions

Dies irae

Opening Section

v What is the role of the timpani and brass in the opening bars?

Answer:

The timpani and brass plays a rhythmic and harmonic role to helps support the
instruments/vocals with the melody and emphasises the text “Dies irae”. As well, the timpani
and brass comes in 2 beats before in quavers and includes crescendo into the main theme.

v How is the text emphasised in the first 8 bars?

Answer:

The text is emphasised with the use rhythmic unison as well as the use of syllabic text/notes.

v Outline the harmonies used in the first 9 bars

Answer:

The first 9 bars are in the key of D minor with the vocal parts in D minor. As well, in bar 9,
there is a chromatic passage to section O to F Major, which is the relative major.

Section O

v Comment on the bassline in the first 8 bars

Answer:

The bassline uses rhythmic repetition, it increases in a chromatic sequence it also repeats the
4 bar phrase, but the second time it is 1 tone higher, as well it stays on the same note for 1
whole bar instead of an arpeggio run like the tenor and base line.

v In these bars, describe the tenor line

Answer:

In the 3rd and 6th bar, the tenor line includes the use of an arpeggio which highlights the
key/chords. It is also different to all the other parts as the arpeggio run starts a bar later.
 v How is this section different to the first sections

Answer:

This section is different as the pitch is now higher than it used to be. For example,
instead of the Soprano section singing a D, they are now singing an E. As well as this,
the melody doesn’t go down, instead it stays on the note.

Section Q

v How is the Quantus section different to the Quantus section at the start

Answer:

Instead of the base starting on an F, it started on a C. The 5th of the F. It has changed to a
higher pitch.

Section R

v What devices are used in the bass voice and lower strings

Answer:

There is the use of rhythmic repetition and unison using quavers in the bass and string lines.
The use of neighbour notes are included.

v Why would Mozart repeat this 4 times

Mozart could of possibly done this to emphasise the importance and meaning of the phrase.
To tremor, to be scared. It creates tension as well it creates the important of the repeated
section.

v How is tension built in this section

Tension is created in this section because of the use of the repetition. The tension is also built
with the use of call and response between the base line and the sopranos, altos and tenors. In
the baseline, the quavers and the 2 repeated notes the G# and the A helps build tension.
Finally, the use of dotted crotchets a quavers in the Soprano’s, Alto’s and tenors builds
further tension in this section.
Section S

v How are the rhythm and harmony used to emphasise the text

The use of Rhythmic Repetition for the 2 bars all voices.

Section T

v How are the voices treated

The Soprano’s and Alto’s are grouped together and the tenors and basses are grouped
together. With the use of call and response and octaves.